Rest in peace, Martin Riggs. The character, played by Clayne Crawford, was shot by his brother and left for dead in the Lethal Weapon season 2 finale. In the opening moments of season 3, Riggs is rushed to the hospital by Murtagh (Damon Wayans). Murtagh watches as Riggs is taken into emergency surgery and is left clutching his friend’s bloody jacket.
Murtagh sits in the waiting room as Riggs fights for his life. When the doctor comes out, it’s not good news. Riggs is dead. Murtagh breaks down and cries over his friend’s death. The show flashes forward six months later, and Murtagh is still not over Riggs’s death.
He’s left the force and dedicated to making sense of Riggs’s death. Garrett killed himself after murdering Riggs, but Murtagh thinks there’s more to the story. However, Bailey shows him a video from Garrett’s cell phone where he admits to killing Riggs. That’s it. There’s no complicated explanation.
Murtagh is lost in the wake of what he’s learned, but he finds hope in former CIA operative Wesley Cole, played by a great Seann William Scott. They hit it off immediately. Murtagh even puts in a call to the captain to have Cole become his new partner. This is a second chance for Cole, who’s got his own demons.
“I take this partnership very seriously,” Murtagh says. Cole knows that he has “pretty big shoes to fill.” Murtagh notes that they were “boots — old, ratty leather boots.” Cole says that Riggs sounded like “quite a character.” Murtagh replies, “He was.” Cole is well aware that he “can’t ever replace” Riggs, so he “won’t even try.” But he wants to make this partnership work. I love that the show, despite what went on behind the scenes, isn’t pretending like Riggs never existed. He may be gone, but he’ll never be forgotten.