FOX's new Lethal Weapon reboot began last week in a much better way than many sceptics suggested. On the whole, the pilot was a light and fun way to spend 45 minutes, focusing heavily on an entertaining buddy-cop dynamic and beginning to confront some interesting emotional issues. But the pilot is only the first step of any show's journey, and in many ways it's not the hardest. After all, episode two is where a show must prove that it works on a sustainable, week-by-week basis, and wasn't just a one-hit wonder. With that in mind, how did round two of Lethal Weapon keep up the momentum?
Pretty well, as it turns out. It's a sure-handed follow-up to the pilot, bringing out some of the aspects that the pilot did well while laying out longer-term character arcs for its central duo. It doesn't push the boat out far from what the pilot accomplished, and there are narrative issues that the show doesn't seem all that close to fixing, but Surf N Turf stands the second-episode test well.
The show is still a bit reluctant to explore Riggs' psychological issues incisively, as shown by the groan-worthy opening image of Riggs waking up naked on a beach (it's the cheapest of laughs, and it doesn't jar that well with the later, more serious Roggs scenes), but scenes like the bar fight and his final chat with Dr Cahill inch towards a more committed approach to his arc that treats him as a tragic figure using glib humour to cover it all up. The inconsistent approach to Riggs was a big problem of his arc last week, so it's good to see that moving towards a solution.
I also like where this episode took Murtaugh, who's the less obviously interesting character of the two thanks to his stability. For the most part, Riggs and Murtaugh are presented as a fun odd couple this week, sparring as they compete to come up with a name they can both agree on and squabbling over their different approaches to the situation. Likewise, their ultra-destructive tendencies are played for laughs for the most part, presented as a pathological inability of the duo to prevent incurring massive property damages.
That's all well and good, and humorous interplay is the kind of stuff that Clayne Crawford and Damon Wayans already have nailed down. But it's more dramatically interesting to see how their partnership is actually a little toxic, as shown through its effect on Murtaugh. There were hints of Murtaugh becoming addicted to the action and mayhem that Riggs provides in the pilot, but Surf N Turf draws those out into the open, and makes a genuinely interesting conclusion: that Riggs is, essentially, an enabler for the kind of instincts Murtaugh has suppressed in his cosy family life. Their partnership is often the subject of jokes, but the emerging idea that these two men are just reckless and dangerous to one another is one that will keep me watching to see how it unfolds.The character arcs and interplay are pretty strong here, but the other major element, the case of the week, fails to truly land. It's becoming increasingly clear that Lethal Weapon is a rare police procedural where the cases take a backseat to the characters, and to some extent that's fine. But surely the show can provide a more satisfying narrative than the meagre plot Surf N Turf serves up, which is so thin it's impossible to recall the names of any characters who were involved. There's a brief attempt to parallel Riggs' wife with a woman who is involved in the case, but the parallel is far too neat and contrived (it's the exact same situation) to really believe, and the episode is barely interested in maintaining this through-line anyway.
Hopefully once the show eases into things it can provide more involving weekly plots while still maintaining a character focus, because it only appears to be capable of doing one at any given time for now. And it is worth pointing out that, as a means to an end for the action scenes, the case works a lot better. Lethal Weapon seems to be crafting its own enjoyably distinctive identity as an unashamedly crazy, over-the-top action show, and the explosively exaggerated spectacle here manages to bring some urgency and sense of riskiness to the case where it's desperately needed.
Other problems also persist. Two episodes in, and it's barely possible to distinguish who most of the supporting character are apart from their very direct relation to the main duo. Trish, whose job as a DA provides real promise for her own independent storylines, is still defined almost exclusively in relation to her husband and Riggs, which robs the show of the chance to really flesh out a proper outside perspective on events instead of one that changes as the show requires. And most of the LAPD colleagues who are named are just that - names, and not a lot more, which makes the show's world feel claustrophobic at times as it solely seems to pivot around Riggs and Murtaugh.Surf N Turf isn't exactly an improvement upon the pilot, but neither is it a slump in quality. Instead, it's an encouraging indicator that this could be a show that's in it for the long run - consistent, confident of itself and delivering upon its intentions. Let's just hope those intentions become more daring, because it's clear that Lethal Weapon has got the basics of its set-up down. Now it's time for it to step outside the comfort zone its created, and really take some risks.
Episode Grade: B
+ Good character arcs
+ Enjoyably crazy action scenes
+ A more complex look at Riggs and Murtaugh
- Underdeveloped case of the week
- Thin supporting characters
