Rizzoli & Isles Rizzoli & Isles Rizzoli & Isles is a TNT television series starring Angie Harmon as police detective Jane Rizzoli and Sasha Alexander as medical examiner Dr. Maura Isles. The one-hour drama is based on the series of "Rizzoli & Isles" novels by Tess Gerritsen. It premiered on July 12, 2010, and aired 105 episodes in seven seasons, concluding on September 5, 2016. The series' backstory is inspired by the Maura Isles/Jane Rizzoli series of novels by Tess Gerritsen. Rizzoli appears in the series' first novel, "The Surgeon", and Isles is introduced in the second, "The Apprentice", which serves as the
Rizzoli & Isles lesbian subtext to its popularity. Harmon said that she was not surprised by the attention and that, while it was "'super fun' to play a role that has some same-sex romantic vibes", the characters are "straight" and "just best friends". Alexander said that she was not initially aware of the subtext but believed it reflected the characters' chemistry. She also expressed skepticism that Rizzoli and Isles' friendship was out of the ordinary. Rizzoli & Isles Rizzoli & Isles is a TNT television series starring Angie Harmon as police detective Jane Rizzoli and Sasha Alexander as medical examiner Dr. Maura Isles.