S01.E18: Commencement

[paigow]

SEASON FINALE

Riggs makes a shocking discovery about Miranda's death, which leads him back to the cartel in a frantic search for answers; Murtaugh is torn between his commitment to his partner and his commitment to his family.

[Chaos Theory]

By all rights this show should have been an awful hot mess.  However what we got was an incredibly deep and meaningful action cop show with actual heart.  And I don't even like cop shows.  The finale was well done and I enjoyed the little moments of the Murtaughs getting ready for the sons graduation and watching Roger walk in all bloody and without shoes but just in time to see his son get his diploma was great.  And the last few minutes when he told his wife that he was following Riggs to Mexico.  This show works for me.  

Edited March 16, 2017 by Chaos Theory

[JackONeill]

Okay. I didn't like this one as much as the last few. It seemed disjointed, and it covered some of the same ground...again. Yes, grief can take time, but this has been up and down, and up and down, and wash, rinse and repeat. And, some of the things Riggs did...no matter how we personally might feel he was justified, no other authority is going to turn their head enough to let this just disappear. And it's still not over!!!

And still, one of the biggest issues I have is that Riggs and Murtaugh don't seem like a real team. There is something between the two them, since the beginning. Murtaugh seems to resent or dislike Riggs, and I'm not just talking about this episode.

[Irlandesa]

I kind of hated this episode.  Really disliked it.  I was so hoping it'd turn out to be like the Christmas episode which ended up being better than the previews but it was actually worse than I feared.

I hate that they had it turn out that Miranda's father was dirty.  I saw it coming from a mile away, even though I desperately hoped they wouldn't go there, so it felt anti-climatic.  Also anti-climatic, that it was related to Tito Flores.  He hasn't been featured enough for me to fear him as a big bad.

Then we have the ridiculous like how well beyond the pale Riggs went in this episode.  This was just too much.  I know the show wants us to see he's in pain from losing his wife and would do anything to get the bad guys but vigilante cops with no repercussions really isn't my thing. I can take a little but not to the level they went to in this episode.  In fact, in order to enjoy them as partners, I'm going to have mind erase what I saw from Riggs.  Also ridiculous?  Gideon surviving being shot and falling over that huge cliff into the raging waters down below.  C'mon man. 

As someone said above, it felt disjointed.  The scenes felt edited together to get the two to the point of where we left off.  They felt less like scenes in a story and more like bullet points in the form of scenes.

That said, there was one thing I legitimately loved and that was the scene when Murtaugh was shouting at Riggs to save himself from the subway and as the subway passes, their eyes connect through the window and he knows that Riggs survived.  That. was. awesome!

[jewel21]

I loved it. It was my favourite episode by far. I loved the angst and that ultimately Murtaugh decided to head down to Mexico to help out Riggs. I thought the acting was great, I could feels Riggs` grief and desperation and I felt the actor did a great job showing his love for Miranda. I loved the whole Murtaugh clan and especially Trish, both when Riggs stopped by and she told him he was family, and at the end when she told Roger to come home. All in all, it was really well done and riveting. I`m just so sad I have to wait for season 2 to see how everything plays out. Hopefully, once it`s all said and done, Riggs can start to move forward with his life.

[VegetasMom]

5 hours ago, Chaos Theory said:

By all rights this show should have been an awful hot mess.  However what we got was an incredibly deep and meaningful action cop show with actual heart.  And I don't even like cop shows.  The finale was well done and I enjoyed the little moments of the Murtaughs getting ready for the sons graduation and watching Roger walk in all bloody and without shoes but just in time to see his son get his diploma was great.  And the last few minutes when he told his wife that he was following Riggs to Mexico.  This show works for me.  

I agree.  When I first heard there would be a Lethal Weapon tv show, I was not down. At all.  I ended up watching it at someone else's house and was surprised at how much I really REALLY liked it.  It took a while to get used to the new Riggs, (and that damned hair!) but now I am hooked.  

[Rascotes]

As has been mentioned before, this should by any estimation should have been simply terrible.  I very nearly didn't even bother watching the first episode because I hate remakes and the early previews of Lethal Weapon weren't at all promising..  I caved and watched, not expecting much, and somehow I got hooked.  The show isn't perfect but even with it's flaws it still managed to emerge as pretty much the only new show this season that has me truly hooked.  

There's a lot of soulless, empty trash being produced these days and Lethal Weapon has shown that it's got something more than that.  I have no idea if it will emerge as some long lasting hit or not but I was totally engaged throughout it's first season and I am looking forward to season two.  Love the characters, love the Murtaugh family, love the dynamic between the two leads.  So to the cast and crew, great job this season.  We'll see you next fall.

[JackONeill]

I hate to nitpick, and maybe I've forgotten some of the things that were said or shown, but isn't Palmer assigned to bust up the cartel? And it seems as though she 's been doing that for awhile (at least since the first time we were introduced to her). Yet she didn't know or even suspect that Riggs' father-in-law was involved in it in some little ole way?

[paigow]

Riggs married into the Hunsacker family! Gideon was Joshua. They even found an Asian guy to electrocute Murtaugh. Did Riggs & Murtaugh submit vacation / personal time paperwork? Or is this going to be wrapped up over a weekend of show time?

[Chaos Theory]

10 minutes ago, paigow said:

Riggs married into the Hunsacker family! Gideon was Joshua. They even found an Asian guy to electrocute Murtaugh. Did Riggs & Murtaugh submit vacation / personal time paperwork? Or is this going to be wrapped up over a weekend of show time?

They have a really understanding boss who might just join them and they could make a team building exercise of it.  Paper work is the least of their problems and could be back dated if necessary.

[Happy Harpy]

11 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

I hate that they had it turn out that Miranda's father was dirty.  I saw it coming from a mile away, even though I desperately hoped they wouldn't go there, so it felt anti-climatic.  Also anti-climatic, that it was related to Tito Flores.  He hasn't been featured enough for me to fear him as a big bad.

I agree, I was really disappointed with this choice. It was both very predictable and not hinted enough onscreen for Ronnie to be that involved. It was as if he had grown a mustache to twirl overnight. I liked that, for once on TV, in-laws were portrayed as warm, welcoming and supportive. Silver lining, the truth about Miranda's death is out and the reveal won't be dragged out for years.

Another thing was a bit jarring, the show's tone was similar to the third opus until now imo, here it was closer to the first (the torture scene especially) and rather out of the blue.

Now, everything else was great. Performances were top-notch. Great chemistry all around, and it includes the supporting cast. I rarely find already married TV couples engaging but Roger and Trish are the exception. The family scenes were a nice counterpoint to the tense atmosphere, instead of a distraction from the main plot.

Funnily, Gideon not dying from the fall made me think of Murdoc on McGyver Original Recipe,  another show rebooted this season.

Finally, I love the female characters, Keesha Sharpe's Trish, Hilarie Burton's Palmer* and Michelle Mitchenor's Bailey, so here's hoping I'll see more of them from next fall on. The show balances very well the Riggs/Murtaugh partnership and the Trish/Murtaugh marriage so I would like it if it worked on a larger scale while keeping those core relationships at the narrative center of the show (like Lucifer did very well in its second season imo).

*I'd be OK if in a season or two, it's revealed that she's a deep undercover agent and her real name is Lorna Cole. But first I want her to be a regular (or heavily recurring) next year and if Leo could pop up again, it would be great, too.

Edited March 16, 2017 by Happy Harpy

[dwmarch]

There was one thing that bugged me in particular about this episode and it's something of a trope in the fiction I read and the shows I watch. There's a narrative that goes back to the eighties (with Tom Clancy's Clear and Present Danger) in which the nastiness of the cartels can be easily and quickly disrupted by the might of US Special Forces. If only the commando units could take the gloves off, those bad hombres would be fucked! Clancy had two novels about it, Frederick Forsythe wrote one, there have been various movies (2 Guns comes to mind) and now we see it on television. Hawaii 5-0 invaded Mexico a few weeks ago and took down a cartel with all of six good guys making the attack. Except now, in the whimsical world of this show it's just one guy. One Navy SEAL going into Mexico alone to take on the cartels... and he gives them a courtesy call to let them know he's there!

[Zolo]

1 hour ago, dwmarch said:

There was one thing that bugged me in particular about this episode and it's something of a trope in the fiction I read and the shows I watch. There's a narrative that goes back to the eighties (with Tom Clancy's Clear and Present Danger) in which the nastiness of the cartels can be easily and quickly disrupted by the might of US Special Forces. If only the commando units could take the gloves off, those bad hombres would be fucked! Clancy had two novels about it, Frederick Forsythe wrote one, there have been various movies (2 Guns comes to mind) and now we see it on television. Hawaii 5-0 invaded Mexico a few weeks ago and took down a cartel with all of six good guys making the attack. Except now, in the whimsical world of this show it's just one guy. One Navy SEAL going into Mexico alone to take on the cartels... and he gives them a courtesy call to let them know he's there!

Remember that Riggs is completely crazy, and doesn't fear death one bit. I don't have a problem with this, I think Roger leaving his family behind is a bigger story problem. Think about it, no one knows where Riggs and Murtaugh are going, so no one knows that protecting Roger's family would be pretty important. And the Cartel knows about Roger and his family, and they know that Riggs care about them, so how easy it would be to kidnap them? One phone call and it is done, and you have a chip that even Riggs cannot ignore. 

Edited March 16, 2017 by Zolo

[nitrofishblue]

Sorry to see the season finale last night. I was a bit dubious when this first first hit the tv screen. I have watched every episode and have totally enjoyed them. Hard to beat the original but they have put together a good writing team and actors. I just wish Riggs would cut that damn hair. That is the only thing that really bugs me.

[ChelseaNH]

No matter how good the execution, crap writing is crap writing.  The only surprise was how wholeheartedly they embraced the cliches.  I'm seriously thinking about dropping the show next year.  I put up with five seasons of Hawaii-Five 0, which at least had the scenery and the theme song going for it, and the experience seems to have eroded my tolerance, cuz I'm not willing to do that again.

[Zolo]

16 hours ago, Rascotes said:

As has been mentioned before, this should by any estimation should have been simply terrible.  I very nearly didn't even bother watching the first episode because I hate remakes and the early previews of Lethal Weapon weren't at all promising..  I caved and watched, not expecting much, and somehow I got hooked.  The show isn't perfect but even with it's flaws it still managed to emerge as pretty much the only new show this season that has me truly hooked.  

There's a lot of soulless, empty trash being produced these days and Lethal Weapon has shown that it's got something more than that.  I have no idea if it will emerge as some long lasting hit or not but I was totally engaged throughout it's first season and I am looking forward to season two.  Love the characters, love the Murtaugh family, love the dynamic between the two leads.  So to the cast and crew, great job this season.  We'll see you next fall.

My sentiments exactly. The writing may not be perfect, but this show has a soul, and you care about the characters. I was hooked too, and I do too hate remakes, but what makes this great is that it does not feel like a remake. They pay homage to the original movies and some characters have the same name, but it is its own thing. One more thing, what happened to Alejandro? He wasn't in the last couple of episodes, right? 

[Irlandesa]

I agree that this show was good and better than it should have been.

But I still hated the finale.

[TVWatcher12]

I really enjoy this show. There is real chemistry and some nice comedic touches. Hoping Riggs and Palmer develop into something next season. Excited for season 2

[weathered1]

When a show has writing that is sometimes less than great, it really falls on the actors to make everything work, and the cast that's been assembled here is certainly up to the task. They not only had to not let down the fans of the movies, but they also had to connect with people who weren't familiar with the source material. The chemistry between all of this actors is top notch, and each and every one of them lends real humanity and genuine emotion and humor to their respective roles. I think the casting agent(s) did exceptionally well here. 

In the finale, the cast was once again in fine form, but the writing . . . was not. I didn't hate the episode, but I didn't like it all that much either. We did see the bond/partnership between Riggs and Murtaugh being strengthened, given the latter's decision to head to Mexico, too. Beyond that, I didn't like the predictability of Ronnie's involvement and sudden morphing into a cartoon villain. I wasn't a fan of how far over the line they had Riggs go. I outright hated the ridiculousness of Gideon surviving not only the gunshot but also the fall off the cliff.  

I also agree that it was choppy and disjointed. It was far from the show's best outing, but the season wildly exceeded my initial expectations and I expect the same to hold true next season. 

[Chaos Theory]

I thought the finale was great and the writing was extremely tight.  The show has been building towards a breakdown for Riggs and a breakdown of his partnership with Murtaugh pretty much since the pilot.  Eventually something had to give and Riggs was going to go to far.  What I really liked is that Murtaugh isn't able to let go of Riggs completely.  He will follow him into hell even if he hates the fact that he will.   The show has also been building up to the Ronnie reveal.  It made perfect sense that the Cartel went after his daughter to make him fall in line.  I don't think he became a cartoon bad guy.  The exact opposite.  I think he was truly trying to protect the people he loved including Riggs he just went about it the wrong way.

[paigow]

6 hours ago, weathered1 said:

I outright hated the ridiculousness of Gideon surviving not only the gunshot but also the fall off the cliff.  

Riggs & Murtaugh should be dead after that swimming pool dive...so bad guys can get occasional exemptions from the laws of physics..

[weathered1]

5 minutes ago, paigow said:

Riggs & Murtaugh should be dead after that swimming pool dive...so bad guys can get occasional exemptions from the laws of physics..

Good point. This one, though, with the gunshot (after he'd already been, um, questioned forcibly by Riggs), the fall off the cliff, and the plunge into the rushing water far, far below was a bit too far over the line into cartoon territory for me. 

[MissLucas]

Well that was a fitting finale for a show that turned out to be way better than it ever had any right to be. I agree that the cast really did an outstanding job throughout the season and especially in this episode. Trish's appeal to Riggs even made me a bit teary. Gideon's survival is pretty much in line with plenty of other over-the-top stunts the show pulled. I'm also sure someone with a pacemaker who just was submitted to electric shock torture can't run and shoot straight like it's just been another day at the office (even someone without a pacemaker might feel a bit wobbly). And if you hack an axe into someone's hand the result is normally bloodier than just a couple of sprayed fingers. Those things are par for the course and embedded in the show's legacy.

I'll miss the show - it definitely was one of the better outings this season and proof that the concept to turn a movie franchise into a tv show can work.

[JackONeill]

10 hours ago, Chaos Theory said:

I thought the finale was great and the writing was extremely tight.  The show has been building towards a breakdown for Riggs and a breakdown of his partnership with Murtaugh pretty much since the pilot.  Eventually something had to give and Riggs was going to go to far.  What I really liked is that Murtaugh isn't able to let go of Riggs completely.  He will follow him into hell even if he hates the fact that he will.   The show has also been building up to the Ronnie reveal.  It made perfect sense that the Cartel went after his daughter to make him fall in line.  I don't think he became a cartoon bad guy.  The exact opposite.  I think he was truly trying to protect the people he loved including Riggs he just went about it the wrong way.

I agree with you except for one thing: I've not been shown why Roger likes Riggs. Maybe I've been told...but I haven't been shown. (And like for all of us of a certain age, we have to put the movies aside and not let them influence us.)

With the first episode, we see that Roger is in or nearing retirement, has a heart issue and has a wonderful family that he doesn't want to lose. Then, out of the blue, and just as Roger was thinking things would get easier, he gets saddled with Riggs. He wasn't happy when it happened, and was certainly less than thrilled when he found out Riggs' backstory.

Yes, Riggs has had dinner with Roger's family (and to me that's the one thing going against my argument, so I give them credit there), but then, when they are are on their own, they bicker like poor-man Robert Culp and Bill Cosby from I Spy. (I think a lot of that is ad libbed, and for me it falls flat.)

I see more instances of where Roger chafes at having Riggs around. I don't see where Riggs has earned Roger's concern or friendship. It seems like, at least in real life, Roger would be going, "I have a great family. I'm getting older. I don't want to die now. But with Riggs around -- I'm going to die now."

Another thing, Riggs talks about Miranda more with what's her name (which is understandable). But there only a few conversations with Roger. I find that odd. That would be such a great way for them to bond. When I lost my wife, I had a counselor. But I also spoke with 1-2 good friends almost all the time about my wife.

Don't get me wrong: I like this show and I want it to succeed. I'm just offering up my thoughts.

[Chaos Theory]

57 minutes ago, JackONeill said:

I agree with you except for one thing: I've not been shown why Roger likes Riggs. Maybe I've been told...but I haven't been shown. (And like for all of us of a certain age, we have to put the movies aside and not let them influence us.)

With the first episode, we see that Roger is in or nearing retirement, has a heart issue and has a wonderful family that he doesn't want to lose. Then, out of the blue, and just as Roger was thinking things would get easier, he gets saddled with Riggs. He wasn't happy when it happened, and was certainly less than thrilled when he found out Riggs' backstory.

Yes, Riggs has had dinner with Roger's family (and to me that's the one thing going against my argument, so I give them credit there), but then, when they are are on their own, they bicker like poor-man Robert Culp and Bill Cosby from I Spy. (I think a lot of that is ad libbed, and for me it falls flat.)

I see more instances of where Roger chafes at having Riggs around. I don't see where Riggs has earned Roger's concern or friendship. It seems like, at least in real life, Roger would be going, "I have a great family. I'm getting older. I don't want to die now. But with Riggs around -- I'm going to die now."

Another thing, Riggs talks about Miranda more with what's her name (which is understandable). But there only a few conversations with Roger. I find that odd. That would be such a great way for them to bond. When I lost my wife, I had a counselor. But I also spoke with 1-2 good friends almost all the time about my wife.

Don't get me wrong: I like this show and I want it to succeed. I'm just offering up my thoughts.

He was also the guy who could have been a foot ball hero except for an injury and then had a heart  attack that nearly side lines him for good.  Riggs for  me has always been Murtaugh's Mid Life Crisis but only kinda sorta and I think  instead of a shiny car or a mistress he is jumping off buildings.  I think both men are teaching each other how to live again.  Murtaugh likes Riggs because he sees everything he stands to lose and a man who has lost everything but still manages to live on.  Plus I think Murtaugh likes the crazy even though he says he doesn't.

Edited March 17, 2017 by Chaos Theory

[MaggieG]

15 hours ago, Zolo said:

My sentiments exactly. The writing may not be perfect, but this show has a soul, and you care about the characters. I was hooked too, and I do too hate remakes, but what makes this great is that it does not feel like a remake. They pay homage to the original movies and some characters have the same name, but it is its own thing. One more thing, what happened to Alejandro? He wasn't in the last couple of episodes, right? 

I agree with all of this. I love the characters. I teared up when Trish told Riggs "you are family."

Regarding Alejandro, I did see on Twitter that he was cast in the Sons of Anarchy spinoff about the Mayans MC, so he might be off Lethal Weapon next season but I'm not sure.

[paigow]

1 hour ago, MaggieG said:

Regarding Alejandro,

Maybe he drives down with Bailey and sacrifices himself for Riggs...

2 hours ago, Chaos Theory said:

 Plus I think Murtaugh likes the crazy even though he says he doesn't.

The episode where he threw away the Not!Fitbit heart monitor supports your argument. Roger is a closeted thrill seeker.

[Chaos Theory]

I don't think it's the crazy that pisses  Murtaugh off.  Murtaugh is a deeply moral guy who only gets upset when someone crosses some ethical line.  During the Captain Brooks episode when Murtaugh found out Brooks had planted evidence he was hurt enough to cut his long time former partner loose.  He didn't because morals are a bitch.  The same for Riggs.  It's really not the crashing of cars, jumping off buildings or approaching cartel kingpins with nothing but a snide comment and a smile.  It's when Riggs jumps in front of a bullet or overtly breaks the law for revenge that makes Murtaugh question their partnership.  

Edited March 17, 2017 by Chaos Theory

[juliet73]

I enjoyed this episode, but I think they crammed too much into one hour.  I think it should have been 2 parts. I knew Riggs's FIL was involved since the beginning. They showed him just enough to remind you he was around. However, his arrest, etc was very anticlimactic. My only gripe is Gideon surviving a gunshot wound while falling off a cliff into a raging river.  If he survives being run over by the train, I'm out. Speaking of the train scene...Murtaugh and Riggs looking at each other through the train windows.  Powerful!  Roger tearing up at RJ's graduation made me teary eyed.  Trish telling Roger he better come back to her... I agree with the others in that I thought this was going to a bad remake of the movie, but I'm glad I gave it a chance.   The entire season has been great! Yes, it's been unbelievable at times (most of the time), but that's what makes it entertaining.  The entire cast is fantastic!!  I think Damon Wayans is the type of person that naturally has chemistry with everyone.  My only request for next season:  RIGGS GET A HAIRCUT!!!!

Edited March 18, 2017 by juliet73

[Court]

Like others, I expected to hate this show, but I adore Keesha Sharp so watched it for her. I ended up loving this show. I was really sad when I realized it was the season finale.  

I didn't expect to tear up in the middle of a Lethal Weapon episode either. But I did when Trish said you're family to Riggs. 

[Guest]

Didn't love this episode. I hate that her dad was the cause of her death. I loved their banter right before being tortured. I hated the torture though. I also loved Trish telling Martin that they love him and he's family.

[crowsworks]

1. Quote

   It took a while to get used to the new Riggs, (and that damned hair!) but now I am hooked. 

I like the 'hair' as I would see his a-hole uptight but ultimatly tragic character from Rectify and his neatly glued down waves that made him just average looking and really bland. 

[ohjoy]

The hair amuses me. Even during that very awesome moment when he and Roger are staring at each other through the windows of the subway train, I silently chuckled at Riggs' locks flowing in the wind as the train passed.

[dargosmydaddy]

I think he finally got to the point in the last couple episodes where it was long enough to stay in place, if that makes sense (subway and other extreme action scenes aside). He didn't have to be constantly pawing at it like he was for a month or two before that.

What did drive me a little crazy was that it looked exactly the same length in the flashbacks with Miranda... kind of wished they just filmed those scenes last and cut CC's hair for them... it would probably have time to grow back before they start filming season 2.

[xtwheeler]

The shot of the subway where Riggs was on one side of the train and Murtaugh was on the other, seeing him through the train, knowing he was OK, was beautiful. Really top notch work all around, but especially visually stunning.

[PWHCHCH]

Loved the call out to My Wife and Kids. 

[hatchetgirl]

Completely agree about the writing. It's pretty awful. I knew Miranda's father  was dirty  when Tito called "someone" and said "keep him on a short leash!" And why did Ronnie sacrifice his daughter and grandson for Riggs! Makes no sense at all. 

[dargosmydaddy]

5 hours ago, hatchetgirl said:

And why did Ronnie sacrifice his daughter and grandson for Riggs! Makes no sense at all. 

If I'm remembering correctly, it wasn't for Riggs, it was because they were threatening other members of his family. He somehow decided that it was better to lose Miranda and her unborn baby than some of his other daughters and their children.

[hatchetgirl]

3 hours ago, dargosmydaddy said:

If I'm remembering correctly, it wasn't for Riggs, it was because they were threatening other members of his family. He somehow decided that it was better to lose Miranda and her unborn baby than some of his other daughters and their children.

Wow wow wow.  Sophie's Choice anyone? 

Sorry, I was binging season 1 and by the last episode was ff through most. Have we seen any repercussions for Ronnie yet? 

[kassygreene]

8 hours ago, hatchetgirl said:

Wow wow wow.  Sophie's Choice anyone? 

Sorry, I was binging season 1 and by the last episode was ff through most. Have we seen any repercussions for Ronnie yet? 

Ronnie was arrested and he's no longer in the show, so I believe yes.

[hatchetgirl]

Quote

Ronnie was arrested and he's no longer in the show, so I believe yes.

Thank you!