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Characters / Lethal Weapon (2016)

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For characters from the film series, see Lethal Weapon.

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    Main Cast 

Roger Murtaugh

Played by: Damon Wayans

A veteran detective with the LAPD's Robbery Homicide Division. He recently returned to work after suffering a major heart attack during the birth of his youngest child. His desire to reduce his stress levels as much as possible is constantly stymied by Riggs' hard-charging ways.

  • Odd Couple: He's the uptight one in his partnership with Riggs, constantly on edge due to the epic messes Riggs leaves in his wake.
  • Papa Wolf: Post a picture of his daughter in a bikini on your Facebook page. Just go ahead.
  • Sharp-Dressed Man: He's almost always dressed impeccably (especially in contrast to Riggs) and keeps at least five spare outfits at the office in the event his clothes get dirty while on duty.

Martin Riggs

Played by: Clayne Crawford

A former Navy SEAL and El Paso Sheriff's Deputy. He is in deep mourning after the deaths of his wife and unborn child and wishes nothing more than to die and see them again.

  • Ambiguously Human: Riggs could well have superpowers, given that he can heal completely from bullet wounds in what appears to be days (and severe bruising in hours), explosions barely faze him, and he can tackle a woman off the top of one building and through the window across the street. Add to that his ability to function as a very competent detective despite near-constant drinking, unbelievable reaction time, and he almost never misses.
  • The Alcoholic: Bourbon is never too far from Riggs' grasp. He even swigs from a flask while at work.
  • Call-Back: When Riggs grabs the front end (mouth) of a shotgun, firmly presses it against his forhead without hesitating, and fearlessly dares the robber holding the gun to blow his brains out, telling the masked thug to "do him a favor: don't miss" in a menacing tone of voice, it's revealed (in a flashback in Season 2) to be a reference to his father Nathan doing the exact same thing when Riggs as a young boy did it to his abusive father after a brutal beatdown.
  • Cowboy Cop: Unquestionably. The man is less a police officer and more a force of nature. He even has a Southern accent and wears cowboy boots for emphasis.
  • Dark and Troubled Past: His pregnant wife Miranda was tragically killed in a fiery car crash. Following that nightmarish event, he became depressed, grief-stricken, heartbroken, lonely, reckless, unhinged, maniacal and suicidal. In Season 2, it's revealed through a series of flashbacks that he had a tough upbringing and a very unhappy, miserable and traumatic childhood. As a young boy, Riggs was ruthlessly and sadistically beaten up, abused, tormented and maltreated like dirt by his alcoholic, abusive father Nathan after his mother died. His cruel, abusive father still haunts him through a series of recurring nightmares and Riggs having flashbacks of his childhood.
  • Death by Adaptation: Surviving the entire film series, but in the TV series, Riggs is killed visiting his wife's grave.
  • Death Seeker: Just like in the first film, Riggs is nigh-suicidal on the job. To the point where he offers himself as a victim to a bank robber, saying that the death of a cop will give the robbery crew better leverage for negotiation. Of course, Riggs then grabs the gun and quickly shoots all the robbers dead.
  • Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life: Riggs is absolutely desperate for something to give his lonely, widowed life a sense of meaning and to find something to live for.
  • Flashback Nightmare: As shown throughout Season 2.
  • I Cannot Self-Terminate: Riggs assures Murtaugh he's not going to commit suicide. He says doing so would shame his deceased wife. His intent is to die on the job.
  • Jabba Table Manners: He is disgusting when he eats. Murtaugh can only stare in shock.
  • Made of Iron: Gets knocked back by an explosion, thrown off a car, and shot twice (once in the shoulder and once in the foot) in the first episode alone. None of these injuries stick; by the next episode, he's as fit and capable as ever.
  • Odd Couple: He's the messy one in his partnership with Murtaugh, causing mass destruction to Murtaugh's chagrin.
  • Porn Stache: Murtaugh's barber unfavorably compares Riggs' look with that of a 70's porn actor.
  • Screw the Rules, I Have Connections!: Part of the reason why he's allowed to get away with so much as a detective is that his father-in-law is the City Attorney.
  • The Stoner: Riggs likes to toke, although his usage is depicted as being driven more by grief than pleasure.

Dr. Maureen Cahill

Played by: Jordana Brewster

A LAPD psychiatrist who's been assigned to monitor Martin Riggs. She's one of the few people who can see through his flippant facade and knows about the deep issues affecting him.

  • Brainy Brunette
  • The Shrink: Her job is to monitor police officers' mental health and make sure that they are fit to serve the city.

Trish Murtaugh

Played by: Keesha Sharp

Roger Murtaugh's wife and a very successful criminal defense attorney who maintains a friendly rivalry with her husband's co-workers. Her immediate acceptance of Riggs is a source of consternation to her husband.

  • Adaptational Badass: original movie version was just a housewife; this version is a high-powered attorney.
  • Beware the Nice Ones: Trish is kind, upbeat, and reasonable....most of the time. In the courtroom, defending her client, she takes no prisoners. Riggs finds this out the hard way.
  • Friendly Rivalry: As a criminal defense attorney, she's constantly going up against the LAPD's desire to lock up every person they arrest. It's normally friendly, though, with both sides sharing good-natured barbs.
  • Mama Bear: If her family is threatened or harmed in any way, she becomes so ferocious that Roger meekly steps out of the way for his own safety.
  • Pintsized Powerhouse: Nearly a foot shorter than her husband, but so formidable when properly motivated that even Riggs will back off. He remarks that she somehow seems to have gotten taller.

Captain Brooks Avery

Played by: Kevin Rahm

Murtaugh's former partner who accepted a prestigious promotion (and hefty pay raise) to run LAPD's Robbery Homicide Division.

  • Da Chief: He's constantly at his wit's end with Riggs and Murtaugh's wanton destruction of public property, even keeping track of their ever-increasing tab on a whiteboard in his office.
  • Hoist by His Own Petard: He does too good a job of covering for Riggs and Murtaugh's antics and he ends up being the one labeled unstable by the LAPD.
  • Punny Name: reversal of Avery Brooks.
  • Sharp-Dressed Man: Murtaugh notes that Avery is wearing nicer clothes now that he's a captain.
  • Straight Gay: His homosexuality is mentioned in passing.

Scorsese

A forensics specialist with LAPD's Scientific Investigation Division. He was saddled with his nickname because he graduated from film school.

  • The Nose Knows: After Riggs has beer spilled on him, Scorsese is able to smell it on him and correctly identifies the brand of beer and that it was in a plastic cup.
  • Only Known by Their Nickname: He was introduced as "Scorsese" and has only been addressed as such so far.

    Recurring Cast 

Leo Getz

Played by: Thomas Lennon

A sleazy ambulance chasing lawyer whose need to stick his nose in other people's business puts him in danger. Like his movie counterpart, he becomes a close friend to Riggs and Murtaugh.

Roger "RJ" Murtaugh Jr.

Played by: Dante Brown

Riana Murtaugh

Played by: Chandler Kinney

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