Unperturbed Jesse!

spookyrat1

Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost is the seventh in a series of nine television films based on the characters of Parker's Jesse Stone novels. The usual multi storylines see the (forced) retired Jesse this time investigating the suspicious death of a young friend from an earlier episode, while Rose and Suitcase adjust to the reality of station life with new police chief William Butler who is the son-in-law of a town councilman. Jesse is also asked by Captain Healy to consult on a Massachusetts State Police case involving a robbery and murder suspect.

Innocents is a little unusual in that it has a different director from normal in Dick Lowry and Tom Selleck himself is a co-screen writer, with the episode not being based on any of Robert B Parker's work. However practically, nothing greatly changes from the formula used in the previous 6 episodes, employed to create these superior quality telemovies.

All the usual suspects and great supporting characters (Dr Dix, Hasty Hathaway, Gino Fish, Sister Mary John and my personal favourite, Reggie the golden retriever) are on hand to both aid and abet Jesse (mostly aid or attempt to) in his driven task to seek justice for those who can't always seek it for themselves. The acting is top drawer, the Nova Scotian locations are picturesque and Jeff Beal's theme music is hauntingly apt as is usual. And of course the strongest drawcard is the wonderfully flawed character of Jesse himself played by the seemingly unflappable Tom Selleck, with that ever present atmosphere of eternal irony surrounding him, which helps all the films avoid descending into throes of sentimentality and self-pity.

Some viewers may get a little antsy with the somewhat left up in the air climax, which clearly sets certain things in play for the next episode. But that's OK as far as I'm concerned. I'm always ready for another chapter of the rough-hewn, but generally socially agreeable detective, who despite his personal demons, always has his heart in the right place.

score 7/10

spookyrat1 28 May 2019

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw4894447/