You know that feeling when you finish a long-running series and everything else just feels… thin? That’s the Rizzoli and Isles effect. It’s a specific itch. You want the murder. You want the procedural "case of the week" logic. But honestly? You mostly just want two people who actually like each other hanging out while a body cools on a slab.
Finding tv shows like Rizzoli and Isles isn't as easy as just searching for "female cops." If it were that simple, any generic police procedural would do. But it's not. It’s about the friction. Jane Rizzoli is all Boston grit, leather jackets, and "don’t touch my stuff" energy. Maura Isles is basically a walking encyclopedia in five-inch heels who can’t tell a lie without breaking out in hives. It's that "odd couple" chemistry that makes the show sticky.
Most detective shows are too dark. They’re all rain-slicked streets and detectives with drinking problems and sad backstories involving lost children. Rizzoli and Isles had its trauma, sure, but it also had Mama Rizzoli making lasagna and Korsak being a giant softie. It was "Blue Skies" TV with a bit of a bite.
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Take Bones, for instance. This is probably the closest relative in the TV ecosystem. You’ve got Temperance Brennan, who is basically Maura Isles if Maura was slightly more socially oblivious and obsessed with dirt instead of Dior. Then you have Seeley Booth, the street-smart muscle. The dynamic is nearly identical, though it leans more into the "will they/won't they" romance than the "best friend" vibes of Jane and Maura.
I think Bones works because it respects the science. One thing Rizzoli and Isles fans love is Maura’s absolute refusal to guess. She needs data. Bones gives you that same satisfaction of watching a genius work while a "normal" person translates that genius for the rest of the world. It ran for 12 seasons, so if you’re looking for a binge that won't end in three days, that’s your first stop.
But maybe you don't want the romance. Maybe you want the friendship.
The Best Friend Energy: Unlikely Pairs and High Stakes
If the friendship is what you're after, you have to check out Cagney & Lacey. Look, I know it’s "old." It started in the 80s. But you cannot talk about Jane and Maura without acknowledging that Christine Cagney and Mary Beth Lacey paved the entire road. They dealt with sexism, alcoholism, and family drama long before it was a standard trope. It’s grittier than Rizzoli and Isles, but the DNA is the same. Two women, one job, and a bond that survives the worst days of their lives.
For something more modern, Unforgettable is a weirdly overlooked gem. Carrie Wells has hyperthymesia—she remembers every single thing she’s ever seen. It’s a bit of a "superpower" gimmick, which Rizzoli and Isles stayed away from, but the relationship she has with her ex-boyfriend/boss Al Burns has that same playful-yet-professional tension.
Then there’s Elementary.
Hear me out on this one. It’s Sherlock Holmes, but set in New York. Jonny Lee Miller is a twitchy, recovering addict Sherlock, and Lucy Liu is Joan Watson. The reason this fits the tv shows like Rizzoli and Isles mold is the platonic intimacy. They live together, they work together, and they deeply love each other, but it never becomes a tacky romance. It’s two brilliant people who are slightly broken finding a way to exist in the world. The dialogue is sharp, the mysteries are actually clever, and the fashion—while not quite Maura Isles level—is pretty top-tier.
When You Want the Vibe, Not Just the Genre
Sometimes you don't actually want a cop show. You just want that feeling of a "safe" watch where you know the characters are going to be okay and the bad guy is going to get caught. This is what TV critics used to call the "USA Network Aesthetic."
White Collar fits this perfectly. Instead of a cop and a medical examiner, you have an FBI agent (Peter Burke) and a world-class con artist (Neal Caffrey). It’s bright. It’s sunny. Everyone is wearing a suit that costs more than my car. The banter between Peter and Neal—and the inclusion of Peter’s wife, Elizabeth—creates a "found family" dynamic that feels very Rizzoli-esque.
- Castle: Writer meets cop. High banter. Lower stakes.
- The Closer: Kyra Sedgwick as Brenda Leigh Johnson. She’s got the "difficult woman" energy of Jane Rizzoli but the southern charm of a steel magnolia.
- Major Crimes: The spin-off of The Closer. It’s a true ensemble show. If you liked the precinct scenes in Rizzoli and Isles with Frankie, Korsak, and Nina, this is your show.
- Body of Proof: Dana Delany as a neurosurgeon turned medical examiner. This is Maura Isles if Maura was the main character and a little bit of a jerk to everyone around her.
I’ve spent way too much time thinking about why Body of Proof didn't last longer. It has that forensic nerdiness that Maura fans crave. Megan Hunt (Delany) is brilliant, prickly, and wears incredible coats to crime scenes. Sound familiar? It’s basically the Maura Isles solo movie.
The International Options You’re Probably Missing
If you’re willing to read some subtitles (or find a dubbed version), the Europeans are doing the "female-led procedural" thing incredibly well right now.
The Bridge (the original Swedish/Danish version, Bron/Broen) features Saga Norén. She’s... a lot. She’s likely on the autism spectrum, though the show never explicitly labels it. She has that Maura Isles literalism taken to an extreme. It’s much darker than Rizzoli and Isles—it’s "Nordic Noir"—but the partnership she develops with Martin (and later Henrik) is some of the best character work on television. Ever.
There is also Scott & Bailey. This is a British show that is frequently called the "UK Rizzoli and Isles." It’s much more grounded in reality. The police work feels like actual police work—lots of paperwork, depressing interview rooms, and messy personal lives. Rachel Scott and Janet Scott aren't glam. They don't look like they just stepped out of a salon. They look like they haven't slept in three days and really need a cigarette. But the bond? It's unbreakable. It’s the most "human" version of this trope.
Why the "Blue Skies" Era Ended (And Where It Went)
There was a time in the 2010s when every show felt like a vacation. Psych, Burn Notice, Rizzoli and Isles, Royal Pains. They were comfortable. You could miss an episode and not be totally lost.
Today, TV has become very serialized. Everything is an eight-episode "movie" that requires your full attention. We lost the "comfort procedural." But it's making a comeback. Shows like The Rookie or Will Trent are trying to bring back that character-driven, episodic feel.
Will Trent, specifically, is worth your time. It’s based on the Karin Slaughter books. Will is a GBI agent with dyslexia and a tragic foster care background. He’s got a weird dog. He wears three-piece suits in the Georgia heat. His relationship with Angie Polaski is messy and complicated, but it has that "us against the world" feeling that made Jane and Maura so compelling.
The "Must-Watch" List for the Rizzoli & Isles Obsessed
If you need a roadmap, here is how I would prioritize your next binge.
The Closer / Major Crimes: This is the gold standard for the genre. Brenda Leigh Johnson is an icon. The transition from The Closer to Major Crimes is one of the most successful hand-offs in TV history. It keeps the same precinct, the same secondary characters, but changes the lead. It works because the ensemble is so strong.
Bones: If you want the science. It’s 246 episodes. That’s enough to keep you busy for months. The evolution of the characters over a decade is actually really rewarding.
Crossing Jordan: This one is a bit older, starring Jill Hennessy as a medical examiner. It’s grittier than Rizzoli and Isles but focuses heavily on the "dead people tell tales" aspect of forensics. It’s Maura Isles with a leather jacket and a chip on her shoulder.
Murder in the First: If you want a more "serious" take. Each season follows one single case. It’s less "fun" but the partnership between Terry English (Taye Diggs) and Hildy Mulligan (Kathleen Robertson) is excellent.
Astrid et Raphaëlle (Astrid): This is a French show. Watch it. Just trust me. Astrid is an autistic woman who works in the police archives, and Raphaëlle is a chaotic detective. It is the purest "New Rizzoli and Isles" dynamic I have seen in years. Astrid provides the genius insights; Raphaëlle provides the muscle and social navigation. It’s heartwarming, clever, and stylish.
What Most People Get Wrong About These Shows
People think these shows are about the mystery. They aren't.
If you watch an episode of Rizzoli and Isles twice, you already know who killed the guy in the park. You aren't watching for the twist. You’re watching for the scene at the end of the episode where Jane and Maura are sitting on the couch with a glass of wine complaining about their moms.
That’s what you need to look for in your next show. Don't look for the best mystery. Look for the people you want to spend 42 minutes with every night.
Procedurals are like comfort food. You don't want a five-course experimental meal; you want your favorite burger. You want the rhythm. The "Dun-Dun" of Law & Order or the quirky autopsy room banter.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Binge
Stop scrolling the Netflix "Recommended" tab. It’s just going to show you whatever they spent $100 million on last month. Instead, do this:
- Check the "Blue Skies" Archives: Look specifically for shows produced by TNT or USA Network between 2005 and 2015. That was the peak era for this specific vibe.
- Look for "Female-Led Procedurals" on Acorn TV or BritBox: The British and Australians (shout out to My Life is Murder with Lucy Lawless) do the "smart woman solves crimes" thing better than anyone else right now.
- Prioritize the Ensemble: If the show only focuses on the lead and the side characters are cardboard cutouts, you’ll get bored by episode four. You need a "Korsak" or a "Frost" to balance things out.
- Don't ignore the books: Rizzoli and Isles started as a series by Tess Gerritsen. They are significantly darker than the show (Jane is much more of an underdog, and Maura is "The Queen of the Dead"), but they are fantastic reads if you want more of the characters.
If you’re truly desperate for that exact feeling, go back to the beginning of Castle. The first four seasons have that perfect blend of humor, tension, and episodic mystery that feels like a warm blanket. It’s not exactly Jane and Maura, but it’s the same neighborhood.
Start with The Closer if you want the grit, or Astrid if you want the heart. You’ll find a new favorite soon enough.