'Rizzoli & Isles' Season 5 Spoilers: Tribute Planned to Lee Thompson Young, Rizzoli is Pregnant
TNT's hit series "Rizzoli & Isles" will face a huge hurdle when it returns in June. The show lost one of its central characters played by Lee Thompson Young, who committed suicide earlier this year, and this season, his death will be a crucial part of the opening storyline.
Writers and producers knew they wanted to pay tribute to the young man who took his own life before the end of the last season. Episodes still aired with him, even though he was gone. The producers dedicated the episodes to him, and it was difficult for fans to watch the season knowing Young was gone.
Actress Angie Harmon, who plays Detective Jane Rizzoli, tweeted that the first two episodes of the upcoming season will acknowledge Young's death and allow fans the chance to grieve alongside the characters on "Rizzoli & Isles." According to reports, Young's character will perish in a car accident, though the detectives will not learn of the crash until the end of the first episode.
"Hope you enjoyed @RizzoliIslesTNT sesason 4 finale," Harmon tweeted in March. "Season 5 eps 1&2 address our beloved Lee w/ love, honor & respect. Thank you @JanNash100."
"We are beyond heartbroken at the loss of this sweet, gentle, good-hearted, intelligent man," TNT said in a statement. "He was truly a member of our family. Lee will be cherished and remembered by all who knew and loved him, both on- and off-screen, for his positive energy, infectious smile, and soulful grace. We send our deepest condolences and thoughts to his family, to his friends and, most especially, to his beloved mother."
Another major storyline involves Rizzoli learning that she is pregnant with her Army boyfriend's baby. What will she do now that she's pregnant? And how will everyone else react? It's sure to be a surprise to those who know Rizzoli best, and the cast has been very good about keeping things very hush-hush, so as not to ruin anything for fans.
"Rizzoli & Isles" premieres on TNT on June 17.
