Rizzoli and Isles - A Shot In The Dark - Review : Alice ?
18 Mar 2016
DC Reviews Rizzoli and IslesRizzoli and Isles 618 (Season 6 Finale)
Directed By Greg Prange
Written by Michael Sardo
The main question we all want answering in this episode is who Alice. A Sands is?
So far she has orchestrated from prison, an inmate to burn Jane’s house, another to get her cousin to hacks Janes account, used a prison psychiatrist to murder a woman, giving Jane evidence to realise she is being targeted and the same prison psychiatrist kidnaps Maura. Now she is out of prison no one really knows what she is capable of.
We have yet to meet this Alice Sands (we known from pictures and a brief video she is played by Annabeth Gish.)
In this week poor Korsak and Kiki are trying to get married while the net is closing in on Alice, it ends with a cliff-hanger and all fans hoping for a summer return.
It’s a mixture of tension, personal and professional drama but doesn’t quite grip you as you hoped it would. The explanation for why Alice is after Jane is a bit anti-climatic after the arc we have experienced and I am hoping more of the story unfolds in season 7. Despite Alice clearly showing her diversity and skill, they think they are about to catch her and go off to Korsak’s wedding. However, this looks like it may lead to dire consequences.
We open to a gas station in the woods; a woman gets out of a gold car and goes into the store. A state trooper pulls up and unable to see the plate’s notices someone in the passenger seat, they roll down the window and shot the state trooper. The store clerk goes running out with a gun but the woman in the store hits him over the head with a bottle and takes his gun. However, her companion has driven off in the car leaving her in the dust. She runs off into the woods.
In Boston, Jane (Angie Harmon) is having a morning coffee and counselling session with Maura (Sasha Alexander). After all the events and now knowing Alice is out there she is obviously concerned for Jane. Jane is as she so eloquently puts it bad, mad and sad. We also discover that she has no idea why this woman is obsessed with her as she only talked to her once at the academy. Jane wants to find her and ask her.
At BPD, they have it all mapped out on the evidence board. Alice Sands is a drug dealer who got four years for possession. Frankie (Jordan Bridges) reports a guard who supervised her release saw Alice get into a gold Plymouth satellite( make of car) which they are going to put a BOLO out on the vehicle, Korsak has organised for Jane to talk to the drug unit and wants her to have protection which she refuses (I think those around her are in more danger but that is just my guess). Also, Korsak is getting married.
At the drug unit, it seems Alice’s drug ring was undetected, they only caught her on a traffic violation and found enough cocaine to charge her with intent to distribute: so is she some mastermind with enough cash and connections?
Nina (Idara Victor) has been looking into Alice’s background, Alice comes from a long line of cops, her dad was highly thought of, the best of the best. However he won’t speak to them, Korsak being old school says he will go and talk with him.
Frankie tells Jane, Alice had no visitors in prison. Very strange, so how did she do what she did? Just then Nina tells them they have a hit on the car, seems it was involved in the murder of a state trooper earlier. The car belongs to a Wendy Allen who was Alice’s cell mate for 11 months and was released two weeks before Alice. We see footage of Wendy and what they assume is Alice driving off.
Jane, Frankie and Maura are at the crime scene. The State trooper seems to want to be in control as it was his friend who was shot. Maura explains why it’s important they help go after Wendy Allen to help track Alice. She knows diplomacy is not Jane’s strong point. The mud the dead trooper has under his finger nails which he tried to scrap off the license plate may lead them somewhere.
The police dogs have picked up Wendy’s scent; Jane and Frankie head out while Maura heads back to Boston.
In the woods, we hear a dog bark then a shot. I know a lot of people did not like this (while we know no animals were harmed) killing a dog is a no. People we don’t seem to bother about but animals no.
While Jane is playing hide and seek in the woods, Korsak has gone to visit Alice’s dad a highly decorated officer who has no clue why Alice went from the top of her class to struggling at the academy which she quit. He gives Korsak two boxes of her stuff and Korsak leaves.
Back in the woods Jane certainly gets a big surprise, Wendy is a very stealthy and gets behind Jane but Jane doesn’t think she is a killer and talks her down. (I really wanted Jane to punch her because of the dog). After all, she knows she stands a better chance with Jane than the angry state troopers.
Korsak arrives for his wedding but Jane, the best man, is still in the woods after arresting Wendy so poor Korsak and Kiki (Christina Chang) have to postpone the wedding.
Nina tells Jane Wendy’s family owns a cabin not far from the gas station so they guess that’s where she was heading. It’s also close to the Canadian border.
Maura is examining the mud while Kent seems to be reading Alice’s old comic books, Archie, to be precise. Why Archie comics?? Maura is clearly annoyed by his lack of attention to the case at hand. Maura concludes the mud is from the banks of the Charles River.
Jane tries to get Wendy to talk, seems Alice is a love them and leave them kind of girl and has used both Joe Harris, the prison shrink and Wendy to get what she wants. Convincing them both she loved them it would seem. State troopers find nothing at the cabin but it was stocked up. Wendy despite Jane’s badgering protests that Alice loves her and lets it slip about a son.
Jane is back in Boston and feels terrible they had to postpone the wedding because of her. Nina has some information Alice’s son, seems he visited Wendy not Alice in prison. Nina discovers Alice dyed her hair and posing as Wendy has left across the border. They put the Canadian Mounties on it to get her and bring her back.
Maura has worked up a profile of Alice; from high achiever until she met Jane at the academy Alice was always top at everything. At the Academy Jane was. So over time and obviously it manifested in prison and she blamed Jane for her failure. Like all narcissist’s they blame others when things go wrong so Jane was her reason.
Maura is worried what Jane may do knowing she may be the target; Maura says Alice won’t stop coming after Jane. Again Korsak has postponed his wedding as Frankie and Nina have found Alice Sand’s son.
The bring him in for questioning, He is a student at Boston University (by the Charles River) and believes the cops framed his mum; Alice took him off the streets and got him straightened out and into a good education.
The Mounties think they have Alice surround. Korsak goes to talk to Kiki. Jane and Maura arrive and see them talking wondering if the wedding is still on which it is. Talking to Angela Jane is still wondering why this Alice is after her (we all are Jane) I suppose people feel intimidated by her like Angela mentions. Kiki and Korsak announce they are getting married in twenty minutes. The girls go to get changed.
Maura “You have your dress in your draw?”
Jane “Maybe, where’s yours”
Maura “Evidence Locker”
Nina is tracking Alice’s Businesses and traces them all the way down to New Brunswick Woodworks, they look legitimate but they guess they are a front. They get the call the wedding is on and we all feel for Nina when Frankie tells her he is taking Nicole (the woman he met on stakeout a few weeks previous) poor Nina (dashing any hopes of a Frankie/Nina romance)
Frankie says the Mounties are moving in on Alice.
We see a New Brunswick van crossing the border and someone getting out of a box in the back, it eventually parks not far from the Dirty Robber where the wedding is taking place.
The wedding goes well, Korsak and Kiki said it all with a few simple words. Kent arrived late looking very dashing in his Kilt but it would seem he is a true scot and Jane sees more than she hoped for when the kilt twirls up(you have got to watch out for those kilt flashes, trust me I know). Maura finally gets Jane dancing only to give up quickly as Kent is flying around. Maura and it would seem a very tipsy, Jane are discussing weddings when Jane has to make a toast, which as it ends Kent picks up his bagpipes which unless played right can sound like a bag full of mating cats! Angela thinks the plumbing may have exploded again and no one seems to be keen to do a highland fling.
We see someone assembling a sniper rifle and as the gang come outside to throw rice on the happy couple a red dot appears in the crowd and we hear Jane shout out' gun'. Everyone dives for cover with Jane staring at the direction it came from; we hear a shot…the screen fades to black.
So what are your thoughts on the final, let’s hope TNT does not keep us waiting too long this time before it returns for its Seventh and final season.
For me, I have loved reviewing this season which started and ended with a bang. I feel Jan Nash has really taken the helm firmly and steered it in the right direction focusing on the story more than the relationship of the week or family drama. We have a nice mix of the professional and the personal. This week I loved the little scene with Jane and Korsak; there have been two great scenes showing how important he is to Jane recently. When we return is Korsak the victim or will he have had enough and leave the force to spend time with Kiki.
From onset photos, we have seen Sasha sporting a cut above her eye, that she is wearing for her character, so it seems Maura is somehow injured.
Whatever happens, in season 7 I hope to be along for the ride.
Please post thoughts etc in the comments below….