Ep 12. Negative Autopsies and New Partners

In Rosewood season 1 episode 12, titled "Negative Autopsies and New Partners," the team is back to solving another case in Miami. The episode begins with Dr. Beaumont Rosewood Jr. (Morris Chestnut) and Detective Annalise Villa (Jaina Lee Ortiz) examining a corpse found in a swimming pool. Despite being drowned, there are no apparent signs of struggle or any other injuries, which makes the case more difficult to crack. It's eventually discovered that the girl was taking illegal drugs and had passed out before her head went submerging into the water.

Meanwhile, the police department is conducting an internal investigation on Miami's police force, which leads to Captain Ira Hornstock (Domenick Lombardozzi) assigning detectives on his team to be partnered with officers from different districts. Rosewood is given a new partner, Leon Warrick (Eric Winter), who has transferred from the narcotics division. Warrick is not thrilled about the switch at first and makes it clear to Rosewood; his disdain, paired with his constant interference in Rosewood's style of work, makes for an intriguing dynamic in the episode.

On the other hand, after the autopsy report confirms their assumptions, Rosewood and Villa investigate the deceased teenager's environment to see if they can trace the drugs' source, and in the process, the journey leads them from a party to a club that is notorious for its drug association. They eventually learn that the drug's dealer is a wealthy student who is attending a high-end secondary school in Miami.

As the detectives work the case, they find out that there is a connection between the drug dealer, the murdered girl, and the wealthy families of the secondary school. Eventually, when the team tries to arrest the drug dealer, they realize he is not who they thought he was. Another twist in the case comes up that leads them to the real culprit of the murder, which was disheartening for Rosewood. The mystery revealed is not something that either Rosewood or Villa was expecting.

The episode also features the development of several personal storylines within the Rosewood universe. The tensions between Rosewood and his mother, Pippy (Gabrielle Dennis), who is still recovering from her surgery, are high as Rosewood is pushing her to return to work, while Pippy feels he is meddling in her business. Meanwhile, TMI (Anna Konkle) and Pippy try to figure out their relationship status, and Hornstock learns that his wife is pregnant.

Overall, "Negative Autopsies and New Partners" is an exceptional episode of Rosewood that highlights the show's strengths: dynamic characters, engaging mysteries, and personal relationships that bring a sense of realism to the program. It keeps the audience guessing throughout the episode and successfully juggles the crime of the week with the ongoing narrative arcs of the characters. For those looking for a thrilling and intriguing mystery series with charming characters, look no further than Rosewood.