Lethal Weapon: Five reasons Riggs is ready for romance

Photo Credit: Lethal Weapon/Fox, Ray Mickshaw Image Acquired from Fox Flash /

Lethal Weapon has laid ample groundwork so Martin Riggs is ready to embrace a relationship and find love.

Is Martin Riggs (Clayne Crawford) ready for a relationship? Has he gotten over his past and embraced the future? Does his shrink Maureen (Jordana Brewster) think it’s time to move forward? Lethal Weapon has made it abundantly clear the answer to every question is yes.

Is Molly (Kristen Gutoskie) the answer? Will Karen Palmer (Hilarie Burton) return? Maybe there will be a love triangle. Lethal Weapon does a good job of inserting romance via drip IV, just enough to feel good but not enough to overdose. At this point, Riggs is healthy enough to really invest himself fully into a relationship. Five reasons Martin Riggs is ready for romance follow:

1. There is no more physical connection to Miranda.

Even after he released the tangible connections, he held on to the ring. He has even gone to therapy sessions with the precinct shrink to talk about the ring. At one point he had to answer for scarred knuckles, like he was part of some underground Fight Club. Of course, Riggs doesn’t talk about it – obey the first rule – and instead says he was fishing for his wedding ring in the garbage disposal.

He wasn’t too happy with Maureen when she suggested it would be good if he actually lost the ring. She’s right, even if Martin bought a replacement ring after his original dropped into a murky bay during the “Brotherly Love” episode.

2. The emotional connection to Miranda has lessened.

A person never truly forgets a loved one. Riggs, however, has sort of weened himself away from Miranda over the course of time. It’s a natural progression that everyone undergoes when dealing with loss and grief.

Riggs held on to the memory of his murdered wife for quite some time. Hell, it lasted through the entire first season, which only amounts to about a year and change after Miranda’s death. It is the driving force to what has led him to a trailer on the beach and lots of alcohol. But things are changing, and he’s even admitted to forgetting some smaller details.

3. He’s been with other women.

Riggs has been able to go out with other women. Sure, he felt guilty when he took the bartender home, but that’s a start. A rebound. He had a pseudo-relationship with Agent Karen Palmer, and even had a favorite hotel location to spend the night (it wasn’t like the silver bullet on the beach would work). Furthermore, when Palmer got shot in “As Good As It Getz,” Riggs was obviously emotional. So that means he’s not only separated emotionally from Miranda, but he’s able to form new connections, even if Palmer ends up being nothing more than a booty-call.

Of course, his most recent relationship with Molly is the promising, provided he can get rid of the daddy issues and the reach of his criminal father.

4. Riggs realizes relationships require patience.

In “Fools Rush In,” Riggs learned a valuable lesson. As Riggs grows through his various trials and tribulations, he has to learn that people love him. Additionally, he has to learn he deserves love.
In fact, when he went to Mexico to avenge Miranda, everyone around him said it was bad for his psyche.

Afterwards, Palmer ditched him, and it got to his head. So taking it easy is something he has to learn. Enter childhood acquaintance Molly to teach him that a girlfriend can’t replace grief and alcohol. Put another way, Riggs can be thirsty, but he might want to have a drink every now and then as well.

5. He’s already a great father figure.

Let’s face it, Riggs had a horrible father growing up. No wonder he and his buddy Jake were cool with using a rifle to create a third nostril through dear ol’ dad’s cheek. Ever-growing Riggs, however, has grown from that troubled childhood. Furthermore, he learned from his father-in-law’s poor example as well. Last but not least, in “Flight Risk” he saw what a manipulative father can do to a child’s emotions when he dealt with that discount DB Cooper.

With abounding negative examples, it’s no wonder he’s been so capable around not only Molly’s son Ben, but also Ty in “Funny Money.”

Next: Lethal Weapon digs up figurative and literal skeletons

What do you think? Is Riggs capable of a relationship at this point, or is he still damaged goods? If he’s emotionally ready/stable, is it the right choice? Can he really let someone into his life and risk the Aryan connection? At this point, bringing back Molly and Ben makes a lot of sense, and Riggs should give it a chance, even if it would alter the troubled cop routine on upon which the character was created.

Lethal Weapon airs Tuesdays on Fox.

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