S06.E08: Nice To Meet You, Dr. Isles

[cooksdelight]

 

When the jeweler to Boston's super cool and famous dies, the investigation leads us to a member of the Isles family. That leads to a secret Maura has been keeping for almost all of her life.

 

[craziness]

Nice to see Korsak playing music/singing again.

And, they could have photo shopped some younger pictures of David Ogden Stiers (sp?) for those articles. The one that was from his PhD thesis looked like it (the picture) was very recent. Also, even though Maura's father is a PhD, I think she wwould have respect for the degree when he made the doctor to doctor comment. A PhD is quite an accomplishment.

[CarpeDiem54]

Let me get this straight. Jane now has a perfect excuse to move in with Maura but she won't because Angela's living in the guesthouse. But Jane still comes over every morning. Why exactly? So Angela decides to move in with Frankie so Jane can have the guesthouse. This makes Frankie threaten to kill himself ( I don't blame him) so Jane moves in with him instead. Which, if I were Frankie, I'd still be suicidal. Here's a thought - why doesn't Angela move into her own apartment? She has a job now. Geesh!

[Lugal]

It's always cool to see David Ogden Stiers in anything. Jane and Frankie living together could be fun.

But TV shows never get gemstones right. The black diamond was clearly a piece of black Quartz. And, Ten Mohs has diamond chips in his drink? Say goodbye to his teeth (they use diamonds to cut other gemstones). At least they acknowledged that was stupid. At least the "diamond" wasn't an already cut round brilliant.

[Clanstarling]

Nice to see Korsak playing music/singing again.

And, they could have photo shopped some younger pictures of David Ogden Stiers (sp?) for those articles. The one that was from his PhD thesis looked like it (the picture) was very recent. Also, even though Maura's father is a PhD, I think she wwould have respect for the degree when he made the doctor to doctor comment. A PhD is quite an accomplishment.

Well, to a medical doctor it probably doesn't seem like much. Something akin to a master's degree vs a high school graduate. While it seems like a great accomplishment to me - to a "real" doctor is seems trivial. That kind of disrespect is pretty standard for medical doctors, so I've heard. For Maura specifically, though, I think it was just a way to take her father down a peg - since she can't seem to call him out on what he did to her directly.

 

So, they shrugged off the fire to faulty wiring? Okay then. What was the point of reading the murderous kid's essay about fire?

 

Surely there are apartments to be had, for either Jane or Angela.

 

It wasn't much of a mystery, though. Ten Mohs partner was the only one with real access. And the actress played her guilty (or sketchy) from the get go. I did enjoy Korsak's interview with the South American guy and Maura's father. Though I'm not sure why Dr. Isles was allowed to be in there. He wasn't a lawyer, and the guy wasn't a minor.

[Latverian Diplomat]

. And, Ten Mohs has diamond chips in his drink? Say goodbye to his teeth (they use diamonds to cut other gemstones). 

 

I was wondering about his intestines. Wouldn't their be some sharp edges or points on those chips?

 

Father Isles seemed pretty pale for someone who does a lot of fieldwork.Or is that all over now?

 

I'm with Rajah on the roads question. Building a road into their territory is about the worst thing you can do to an indigenous tribe, since it makes it easy for oursiders to come and steal, poach, and spread germs. It was a poor example to use for something Karina would be advocating for.

 

I knd of wish people would be more respectful of difficult family relationships. Sometimes parents and children are estranged for good but private reasons, and pressuring someone to patch things up isn't helpful. What Maura's dad did to her was flat out abusive, IMHO. If she felt she wasn't ready to talk to him, or might never be ready to, that should be just fine. 

[wellread]

Wasn't there a long arc about Maura's father being a notorious Boston gangster, Paddy something?  Didn't he kidnap Jane, etc. etc?  How does Dr, Isles fit into this picture?

[Scamp]

In the earlier seasons, Maura  sent herself to  boarding school, because the Isles' lived only for each other.  She told Jane in the pilot that she'd never had a best friend.  People in Brazil speak Portugese, not Spanish (sorry, Vince).  The Jane's dwelling place wack-a-mole game is ridiculous: if Frankie can afford that loft apartment, so can his sister.  

 

 

 

Wasn't there a long arc about Maura's father being a notorious Boston gangster, Paddy something?  Didn't he kidnap Jane, etc. etc?  How does Dr, Isles fit into this picture?

Arthur and Constance Isles are Maura's adoptive parents.  Her biological parents are Hope Martin and Paddy Doyle. 

[Black Knight]

Maura said she was fourteen at the time, right? So the other girl was presumably the same age and in her class, since Maura knew what homework she would have? That makes it so much worse. Or was it supposed to be the other girl's mother whom Arthur had sex with? That would at least remove the hebephilia and statutory rape aspects, which I would appreciate because the story is icky enough without those.

 

I wish Jane herself had thought more about the very point that she made to Arthur: Maura is an extremely kind and generous person, to a fault almost, so if she has cut her own father off, there's something really bad involved. It's not over something stupid or minor, because Maura isn't like that.

[rainsmom]

I took it as the girl's mother, their neighbor. I think if it had been the girl, Maura would have been a lot more upset, because that's pedo, not just infidelity. The issue she had was that he put her in an untenable position with her mother by asking her to keep the secret.

[DropTheSoap]

Consistency be damned, I guess, re: school, parents, friends, etc., etc.

I think it was the mother of the friend.

Now, Jane literally lives in a closet. I see what you did there, show.

[Maelstrom]

I'll admit I get a kick out of Jordan Bridges, and this Jane/Frankie roommates thing guarantees some good reactions from him in coming episodes. That being said, it makes no sense. I can see Jane needing a place to stay for a couple of weeks maybe while she apartment shops, but why the prolonged stay? She's a longtime BPD detective - as others have said, she should be able to afford her own place. So why are they acting like she's homeless with no means? It strains my suspension of belief too much to overlook. WTF, show?

 

Totally agree about the "diamond" obviously being a plain quartz cluster painted black. Why is it that with CG technology we can create alien beings, other planets, space ships and so on literally out of nothing, but no show or movie can ever make a convincing-looking "special" gemstone or crystal?

[luvly]

I'm not even a shipper but I was sure it was going to be revealed that Frankie was freaking out over Angela or Jane moving in because it would expose his and Nina's secret relationship. Jane can't find Nina at the station? Because she's hiding all of the personal things she's left at Frankie's! Jane opens the secret drawer? She found where Nina put all her stuff! Knock on the door during the rules talk? Nina accidentally left something out in the open and came back to move it! I don't know what it says about me or the show that I was focusing more on that than the actual plot. 

[happy turtles]

 

Knock on the door during the rules talk? Nina accidentally left something out in the open and came back to move it!

I was certain that the knock on the door was Nina. I really didn't expect it to be Maura. AT. ALL. 

The interaction from last week made it feel pretty certain there was SOMETHING going on between them. Although that aspect was really toned down this week.

[Latverian Diplomat]

People in Brazil speak Portugese, not Spanish (sorry, Vince).  

 

Did they say Brazil, or did they say Amazon? The Amazon rain forest extends into neighboring Spanish-speaking countries. Many of the Yanomami live in Venezuela, for example. (I'm pretty sure the "Sororo" tribe is fictional).

Edited August 5, 2015 by Latverian Diplomat

[Clanstarling]

I knd of wish people would be more respectful of difficult family relationships. Sometimes parents and children are estranged for good but private reasons, and pressuring someone to patch things up isn't helpful. What Maura's dad did to her was flat out abusive, IMHO. If she felt she wasn't ready to talk to him, or might never be ready to, that should be just fine. 

I totally agree. There are excellent reasons parents and children should be estranged.

Maura said she was fourteen at the time, right? So the other girl was presumably the same age and in her class, since Maura knew what homework she would have? That makes it so much worse. Or was it supposed to be the other girl's mother whom Arthur had sex with? That would at least remove the hebephilia and statutory rape aspects, which I would appreciate because the story is icky enough without those.

It was the mother (though I did wonder as she was speaking - it took her awhile to be clear) - but still, supposedly the girl was home from school...so, Maura's father and her friend's mother carried on while she was home? Yuck.

Edited August 5, 2015 by clanstarling

[Bastet]

Or was it supposed to be the other girl's mother whom Arthur had sex with?

 

It was the mother; Maura said "Mrs. [Whatever]" as she was relaying the events.  But, as noted above, if the girl was home sick at the time, that's just extra gross.

 

Count me in with those confused why "where will Jane stay?" is even a storyline.  She'll stay at a hotel or with someone for a couple of weeks while she apartment hunts, and then she'll move into her new place. 

 

I got a good laugh at Jane dismissing the trauma of losing all her possessions by saying something like, "I lost 20 identical shirts."

[Black Knight]

Thanks, everyone, for clarifying - I missed the "Mrs. Whoever" part, obviously. Good to know. Still skeevy in a zillion different ways, but at least it was between consenting adults!

[Lugal]

Did they say Brazil, or did they say Amazon? The Amazon rain forest extends into neighboring Spanish-speaking countries. Many of the Yanomami live in Venezuela, for example. (I'm pretty sure the "Sororo" tribe is fictional).

If they're getting diamonds from the Amazon rainforest, it would be from Brazil. The main deposits are in Mato Grosso

[Latverian Diplomat]

If they're getting diamonds from the Amazon rainforest, it would be from Brazil. The main deposits are in Mato Grosso

And here is a news story about confilct diamonds from the Venezualan rain forest:

 

http://world.time.com/2012/08/20/not-just-out-of-africa-south-americas-blood-diamonds-network/

 

I mean, we've probably spent more time thinking about this than the episode writers, frankly. But my point is, the Amazon is a big place. Though sadly smaller every year still big enough to accomodate the story, I think,

[shapeshifter]

Having recently been given 30 days to vacate the apartment where I had lived for 10 years, I can understand that it might take Jane at least that long to find a place. Most apartments require one year leases with penalties for early termination. There's a reason 90 days notice is considered reasonable. Just because Jane doesn't have stuff to move doesn't mean the place where she would want to live will be available immediately.

BTW, where's her new couch?

I agree that the 13-year-old being home while her mother had sex with the neighbor is horrible. I think that would be harder to forgive than him "just" having the affair.

[sinkwriter]

 

I can see Jane needing a place to stay for a couple of weeks maybe while she apartment shops, but why the prolonged stay? She's a longtime BPD detective - as others have said, she should be able to afford her own place.

 

Apartments are sometimes booked up for months (especially the good ones) and you have to wait to get in. Plus, other than the couch from Maura, she has nothing so she would have to purchase all new stuff, which she might not have the immediate means to do (it adds up quickly!). If she has to wait for renters' insurance to pay her back for the losses from the fire, that could also take time. So I can see why she needs to stay with someone.

[Texasmom1970]

Here's a thought - why doesn't Angela move into her own apartment? She has a job now. Geesh!

Because then it would be hard for to be all up in everyone's business, and be a giant pain in the ass constantly!

[andromeda331]

Sometimes parents and children are estranged for good but private reasons, and pressuring someone to patch things up isn't helpful.

 

 

I agree I hate when people try to do this. There can be lots of good reasons they

don't want to. And should feel they have too. Sometimes it can be the best thing

for them to have nothing to do with the parent. I didn't like that Jane pushed. It

would be nice if Jane said something like 'Okay I understand I have a dad I hate

I know what its like to want nothing to do with them'. And it would be in

character.

Edited August 6, 2015 by andromeda331

[Black Knight]

So, they shrugged off the fire to faulty wiring? Okay then. What was the point of reading the murderous kid's essay about fire?

Just to show that he fit the profile of a serial killer, as fascination with fire is one of the trifecta (cruelty to animals and bedwetting after a certain age being the others).

[Scamp]

If we are building off previous episodes, Jane's been burned out of her condo, into which she had  poured all her savings (against Maura's advice).  Remember the incompetent plumbing job which was intended to make her move so as to benefit the manager and his girlfriend?  Season 4, episode 6.  

 

Anyway, in a reasonable world Jane would move in with Maura.  Heck, they'd be married by now.  

[Clanstarling]

Just to show that he fit the profile of a serial killer, as fascination with fire is one of the trifecta (cruelty to animals and bedwetting after a certain age being the others).

True . And if Jane's apartment had burned in a different episode, I wouldn't have questioned it. It's either a missed opportunity, or sloppy writing.

[Maelstrom]

Apartments are sometimes booked up for months (especially the good ones) and you have to wait to get in. Plus, other than the couch from Maura, she has nothing so she would have to purchase all new stuff, which she might not have the immediate means to do (it adds up quickly!). If she has to wait for renters' insurance to pay her back for the losses from the fire, that could also take time. So I can see why she needs to stay with someone.

Thanks for the explanation, sinkwriter. I've never lived in a big city so I don't have any experience with housing there. Sounds complicated!

 

Anyone know how many more episodes we get before it breaks for the season (or midseason, or whatever it is they do now)?

[wellread]

Thanks to Scamp for the clarification that Dr.  Isles is an adoptive father.  I guess the writers ran out of ways to involve Maura's birth parents and so turned to the adoptive ones.  With all her negative experiences with her four parents, you would think that Maura would want no part of Unbearable Angela!

[cooksdelight]

Anyone know how many more episodes we get before it breaks for the season (or midseason, or whatever it is they do now)?

I see three more listed in the database, which would make a total of 11 for this season, which is sort of an odd number.

[craziness]

Regarding the concept of building on previous episodes, why didn't Jane call Frankie "Francesco" which according to Sister Winifred is his real name? Why did she call him "Francis" and then something else (possibly "Franklin" - I caan't remember)? Oh wait, I think I know why, cause the current writers probably never watched old episodes. Same reason Maura went to boarding school but somehow lived next door to a best friend that she never had.

[sinkwriter]

 

Regarding the concept of building on previous episodes, why didn't Jane call Frankie "Francesco" which according to Sister Winifred is his real name? Why did she call him "Francis" and then something else (possibly "Franklin" - I caan't remember)?

 

The Maura best friend next door thing is weird, but I didn't mind Jane calling Frankie names because I saw that as a sister teasing her brother. Didn't he even say, "You know my name isn't Francis" or something like that? She was messing with him.  :)

[Scamp]

Nash gave herself a “Rizzoli & Isles” crash course by watching the first and last episodes of each previous season, plus several others she randomly selected. “I’ve seen enough to know what works in the show, and the things that maybe worked a little bit less well,” she maintains. “The good news is it mostly did work, so you just come in and try to build on that.”  http://zap2it.com/blog-post/rizzoli-isles-season-5-premiere-angie-harmon-sasha-alexander-lee-thompson-young-death-honor-tribute/

 

In case any Previously TV viewers wonder about the lack of continuity in R&I, see the above for its second showrunner's prep work.  Janet Tamaro produced 56 episodes; Jan Nash watched about 12. 

Edited August 7, 2015 by Scamp

[l star]

I didn't understand what the big deal with the apartment was either. Maura has a guest room (and I shared her reaction to Jane leaving because of Angela- it's a different building for a few weeks. Suck it up). Frankie has a room. Even Korsak said she could stay with him. Everyone acting like the only options were everyone move all around or Jane stays in a shitty hotel was just stupid. Though their meeting about it did make me laugh. That was Angela at her most awful, Frankie at his most screwed, and Maura just had to smile and nod. I will give Jane her no thank you to borrowing Maura's clothes. Putting side the incredible difference in styles and the terror it would give Jane to go to work in an $800 shirt, there isn't a chance in hell most of it would fit.

Also, even though Maura's father is a PhD, I think she wwould have respect for the degree when he made the doctor to doctor comment. A PhD is quite an accomplishment.

Maura was absolutely just fucking with Arthur. I would be shocked if she actually felt like Ph.D.'s were below her somehow. She deals with and respects too many experts in their fields.

In the earlier seasons, Maura  sent herself to  boarding school, because the Isles' lived only for each other.  She told Jane in the pilot that she'd never had a best friend. 

I'm guessing this is what made her decide to go to boarding school. And that likely is how she felt about it. She was hurt very, very badly, and her father did it and (guessing) her mother didn't notice. Knowing Maura, I'm not surprised she ran. True about the best friend but then again, that was the pilot. That would be a long time ago for a great show. I'm just happy we are seeing Daddy Isles instead of Daddy Doyle.

 

 

I knd of wish people would be more respectful of difficult family relationships. Sometimes parents and children are estranged for good but private reasons, and pressuring someone to patch things up isn't helpful. What Maura's dad did to her was flat out abusive, IMHO. If she felt she wasn't ready to talk to him, or might never be ready to, that should be just fine. 

I actually thought Jane held back remarkably (and that she apparently didn't dig when Constance was coming around). Maura was being seriously weird. I think asking someone you love about something that is making them act very out of character is not automatically prying. I mean really- Maura was singing. Granted in French but still, she never wanders around singing. Jane pretty much left it alone after they reached the crime scene which I thought was plenty appropriate. Even in Maura's office after Arthur surprised her, she poked a little but she didn't push. I honestly would have given her a pass for a little more pushing there though considering the depth of Maura's stonewall, I'm glad she thought better of it. And of course she was supportive at the end.

 

Kent is totally just messing with Jane now and I love it. And I ask again, why does she give a shit what Kent calls the victims? It's not like he's being unprofessional. He's just not using exactly the term she wants. That moment when she said Maura and Kent should get married was weird. Mainly because it was so randomly insulting. She just kind of dropped it on them and walked out. WTH?

 

I thought you could have anyone you wanted represent you so it didn't bother me that Arthur was in the interrogation. But can the police just take your passport, without any charges or legal hold on you? That freaked me out a lot.

 

The main thing that struck me about this episode was how little Maura there was for an ep introducing her father and their drama. I did like the little tidbit that Maura apparently likes to use initials for her contacts. It seems like a pain in the ass to me but whatever. I loved the mention of Constance. I just really liked the casual normalcy that is Maura's parents talking to each other about her. Now please, bring back Constance!

[Latverian Diplomat]

I actually thought Jane held back remarkably (and that she apparently didn't dig when Constance was coming around). Maura was being seriously weird. I think asking someone you love about something that is making them act very out of character is not automatically prying. 

 

I'll admit that this might be OK between two friends such as Maura and Jane, though it would have been better if Maura had been a little more self aware and hinted that she wanted to tell Jane something.

 

But it was kind of undercut by Korsak just telling Karina that she should go and make nice with her father. To me, this was out of line, and it's an example of when having a parallel story, the weaker story can undercut the stronger one, instead of reinforcing it. All IMHO of course.

[missbonnie]

Kent is totally just messing with Jane now and I love it. And I ask again, why does she give a shit what Kent calls the victims? It's not like he's being unprofessional. He's just not using exactly the term she wants. That moment when she said Maura and Kent should get married was weird. Mainly because it was so randomly insulting. She just kind of dropped it on them and walked out. WTH?

I thought that was funny as hell myself. That character is becoming one of my favorite supporting characters, mainly because I love watching him yank Jane's chain.

[xtwheeler]

No, you cannot have "just anyone" represent you. Only a lawyer can represent you