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Review: ‘Lethal Weapon’ Season 2 premiere looks promising

Kacie Lillejord

October 1, 2017

“Lethal Weapon,” the 2016 Fox TV series based on the film franchise, is back for a second season. On Sept. 26, audiences were once more thrown into the outrageous action of the comedy-drama series following the lives of detectives Murtaugh and Riggs, played by Damon Wayans and Clayne Crawford, respectively. In the premiere, gunfire, rocket launchers and a falling body all contribute to adrenaline-inducing sequences in the show. For the more tender-hearted, Riggs’ past drama, as well as the partnership between Murtaugh and Riggs, is frequently referenced.

In the first season, Martin Riggs has recently moved to Los Angeles from El Paso following the untimely death of his wife and unborn child in a car accident. There, he meets Roger Murtaugh, a detective in the Los Angeles Police Department who tries to keep his stress levels down due to problems with his heart. From the start, their partnership is rocky and tumultuous as Riggs pushes unspeakable limits while Murtaugh tries to keep it by-the-book. However, as the first season goes on, the two become more familiar and comfortable with each other and begin to build a strong bond as partners and as friends.

As the first season moves along, Riggs uncovers a truth that strikes close to home: His wife may not have died in an accident. Instead, it may have been murder.

The first season’s finale ended with Riggs riding to Mexico to confront a drug dealer named Tito Flores, played by Danny Mora, who Riggs believes killed his wife, Miranda, played by Floriana Lima. Murtaugh, of course, follows him.

With the first episode of the second season, “El Gringo Loco,” we finally know what happened in Mexico. It took Murtaugh two weeks to locate Riggs, which he finally does when he witnesses a body fall onto a car before him and determines that Riggs is the source.

Upon finding Riggs, he pleads with him to spare Tito’s life and to do things “the right way.”

The one thing that convinces Riggs to change his original plan?

via GIPHY

Murtaugh tells Riggs that he loves him.

This is a recurring theme throughout the episode, as Murtaugh repeatedly tries to get Riggs to admit he has feelings and cares for Murtaugh as a friend. The topic adds some lighthearted humor.

Then again, things aren’t necessarily champagne and roses for these two LAPD cops. The real trouble begins when the two return to LA with Tito Flores in the trunk of their car. But he is not in the condition he was in when they placed him in there. He’s dead.

As a result, a police investigation is opened and the detectives are temporarily suspended. Riggs shows no remorse, openly admitting he wishes he were the one to kill Tito, adding that he’s done being a cop. However, Murtaugh shows more concern, attempting to convince Riggs that they must investigate nonetheless.

Riggs goes home to drink himself into oblivion, while Murtaugh realizes that, while on medication at a hospital earlier in the episode, he may have let something slip to one of the nurses. This could be the reason why someone knew where and when to kill Tito. While Murtaugh is at the hospital to check back with the nurses, men from the drug cartel show up to kill the nurse Murtaugh spoke to. Just when Murtaugh is nearly killed himself, Riggs shows up to save the day, thanks to some revelations he reached with help from the police psychiatrist Maureen Cahill, played by Jordana Brewster.

Their partnership restored, the two set off to find the man who killed Tito Flores for the remainder of the episode. Riggs comes to terms with the fact that his wife’s killer is deceased and that he wasn’t the one to pull the trigger, and Murtaugh struggles with his family over some decisions they made while he was in Mexico.

From this episode, we can expect similar story arcs from the first season, such as Riggs’ insanity and the development of the relationship between him and Murtaugh. However, with the death of his wife’s killer, we can also expect Riggs to begin to move on. Murtaugh will likely deal with changes in his family now that his son will attend college, as well as the fact that he told Riggs he loved him, which definitely adds to the bromance of the show.