In 1987, Lethal Weapon was released: a buddy cop movie that was strange, but perfectly matched combination of high stakes action and hilarious comedy, at times almost tongue in cheek about the ridiculousness of other action films.
In 2016, Lethal Weapon, the television series, has started airing on Fox. Although Danny Glover and Mel Gibson are nowhere to be seen, the original spirit of the show is prevalent; as is the core of the show: A California conservative family man partnered up with a Marine veteran who is coping with the loss of his wife.
Damon Wayans as Roger Murtaugh and Clayne Crawford as Martin Riggs in “Lethal Weapon.”
I’ve read the original script a few times, and the new Martin Riggs (played by Clayne Crawford) keeps much of the feeling from that original version of him: What happens when a man who is able to kill another man with his bare hands, or with a sniper rifle, or a knife, or a pistol, really anything, is driven to the point where he no longer values his own life? Things get explosive. Usually literally explosive, when they aren’t being shot at, or going over a hundred miles per hour.And just like things used to be, Roger Murtaugh (played by Damon Wayans), an LAPD detective, father of 3, and all around family man, gets back to work after suffering a heart attack triggered by stress. Of course, nothing goes better with a family man trying to avoid stress, than a lethal weapon with a deathwish and nothing left to live for.
And just like things used to be, Roger Murtaugh (played by Damon Wayans), an LAPD detective, father of 3, and all around family man, gets back to work after suffering a heart attack triggered by stress. Of course, nothing goes better with a family man trying to avoid stress, than a lethal weapon with a deathwish and nothing left to live for.
However, what’s new is Riggs’ past in Texas, and a stronger helping of “cowboy cop” that helps provide an even funnier contrast with Murtaugh.
However, what’s new is Riggs’ past in Texas, and a stronger helping of “cowboy cop” that helps provide an even funnier contrast with Murtaugh. The new Martin Riggs suggests that the new Roger Murtaugh take a “few puffs of the tree” to relieve his stress as a joke, which hints that this is faithful to Shane Black’s original vision of Riggs, who suggested that marijuana shouldn’t be illegal back in the ’80s. The new Martin Riggs doesn’t bring back the old Three Stooges bits that he used while fighting ‘bad guys’ as he loves to call them, at least it hasn’t shown up on the show just yet. This Riggs isn’t as zany as Mel Gibson used to play him; he’s got legitimate grievances to work through, and he hasn’t gotten through them in the first two episodes, just like it took nearly an entire film for the first Riggs.
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Lethal Weapon 2, Danny Glover, Mel Gibson
Film and Television
I was really afraid of what’d happen with Lethal Weapon: the television series. I was worried it’d end up being unable to capture the feeling fans knew and loved. The commercials looked interesting, but they reminded me of the fact that plenty of shows and movies are getting remakes this year: We’re looking at you Macgyver. But rest assured, Lethal Weapon seems like it’ll be packing the punch of the old movies, and it’s lived up to the promises so far.
