So Riggs and Murtaugh are now partners but is it going to last? For a recap of the premiere, click here. It probably will since it wouldn’t be much a series if it didn’t. While the case stuff may not always be there, the series is banking on the relationship between Riggs and Murtaugh and so far so good. I am definitely interested in seeing how far it goes.
The episode starts off with people having fun on a beach. Their fun is interrupted when a strange body washes up onto the beach. Everyone is huddling up around it and then we see that it is Riggs. How did he get there? The episode didn’t really go into that.
Now to Murtaugh’s where he and Trish are having problems with Riana who is going through her teenage phase. Murtaugh is getting ready to have Riggs over for dinner and makes his famous ribs that he’s been working hard on. We also learn that Murtaugh has been keeping things from Trish so she wouldn’t worry about him.
We then see Riggs who has cleaned himself up from earlier and appears to be on his way to Murtaugh’s house. On the way he gets a call from his realtor saying a couple is interested in buying he and his deceased wife’s house. He is then flooded by memories of his wife and he tells the agent to sell the house since he is trying to move on. Trish talks to Murtaugh about Riggs and wonders if he is the right partner for him. In a more fragile state, Riggs goes to a bar where he eyes some guy’s girl. The guy is an angry biker and a bar fight breaks out which kind of makes sense due to Riggs’ death wish. One Riggs is beaten, bloody, and on the ground, he gets a call from Murtaugh where he voiced his disappointment in him for missing their dinner and for having worked so hard on the ribs.
Murtaugh and Riggs are at the police station the next day where Captain Avery grills them about all the damage they have caused in the short time they’ve been together, in a scene that was in the promos. Avery can’t believe that he can’t fire him since Riggs has friends in high places, hinted at in the previous episode. As a sort of punishment, they are tasked to investigate a noise complaint. We then see a wild party, run by famous boxer Ronald Dawson (Jason Derulo), which is probably the reason for the complaint. There is also a shady looking arms deal happening inside for some reason. One of the gangsters gets a text message, seemingly ordering him to get rid of Dawson. He then opens fire on all the partygoers.
As Murtaugh and Riggs arrive, they have some fun banter as they are trying to categorize their relationship by comparing themselves to famous pairings like movie cop partners or other things like chips and salsa, or surf and turf (hence the episode title). They hear what was happening and they go right into the action. The gunman gets away in a propane truck for some reason and Riggs decides to chase him on a motorcycle. Once they get him cornered, Murtaugh has a shot but he doesn’t take since he was in a propane truck and he didn’t want to create more damage. The motorcycle that Riggs leaves under the truck takes care of him soon after.
Back at the crime scene, they learn that who they thought was the target in Dawson may not have been the actual target. They find a picture of what looks to be a female witness. Back at the station, Murtaugh asks Dr. Cahill for some info on Riggs but she can’t tell him because it’s privileged. We also learn that Riggs has missed several sessions with Dr. Cahill that are required so he can be in the field. Riggs is hiding from her until she finds him in the men’s room. They talk but Riggs is still resisting opening up to her.
They then meet Scorsese (Jonathan Fernandez), the crime scene tech, and learns that this female witness is pregnant (Scorsese was in the previous episode too but he played more of a role here). They learn her (Silvia Busuioc)address and Murtaugh and Riggs find her but she immediately runs away from them, thinking that they are trying to hurt her. Riggs follows her up to near the ledge of the roof of her building and tries to talk her off of it. If anyone should be doing this, Riggs should not be it but he reveals he has a deathwish but convinces her not to jump because of her unborn child. We then learn of a shooter who is also on an adjacent roof who is trying to kill her. She and Riggs jump anyway but they somehow end up landing though a window from the apartment building across the street.
We meet an ATF agent named Bennet Hirsch (Kristoffer Polaha) who is assigned to the case since the murder weapon is an illegal firearm. Murtaugh learns that Riggs’ wife Miranda was pregnant, explaining why he had such a connection to this case. Her name is Natasha and she was hiding from her gangster boyfriend who has found her again.
Riggs finally goes to dinner at Murtaugh’s but passes out outside while Murtaugh and Trish take care of their child. Trish is concerned for Murtaugh’s health but he claims that Riggs makes his life much more exciting.
Murtaugh and Riggs head to the manufacturer of the illegal firearm and Murtaugh grills the guy in charge while Riggs heckles one of the testers and also steals his phone. They learn of a suspect but figure out that his number is on the stolen phone. The suspect is Hirsch. They learn that Hirsch has taken Natasha hostage and they track his vehicle to a loading dock. Murtaugh is worried that his heart rate monitor may alert the bad guys so he takes it off. Trish also has access to the information at home and notices this as well and becomes worried. A shootout ensues ending in more banter between Murtaugh and Riggs. They dispatch the bad guys by blowing up a truck full of fireworks.
Riggs finally has a session with Dr. Cahill and she empathizes with him for having lost his wife and his unborn child. She just wants to take away some of his pain but pain is all he’s got. Murtaugh is bragging to the other officers about what he did but then Trish comes in and confronts him about removing his monitor. She is worried about him so she forces him to choose between his monitor and his ribs. Murtaugh is upset since he loves his ribs. Trish runs into Riggs as she’s leaving. She knows about his therapy session and tells him that she doesn’t think he’s crazy and makes him promise to keep Murtaugh safe. He runs into Murtaugh and they go out together and come back to Murtaugh’s in the middle of the night, looking in the refrigerator for ribs. Trish turns on the lights and catches them. They take off their sunglasses and they look like they have both been in a barfight.
Overall, this was another fun episode which helped to further develop Murtaugh and Riggs’ relationship with some good action and some great banter.
Score: 7.5/10
If you liked this, please read my other reviews here and don’t forget to follow me on Twitter, follow me on Instagram, and also like me on Facebook.
Note: These may come later on certain weeks as this show airs on the same day where I attend advanced screenings
The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.
