TNT has announced that production has begun on the fourth season of Rizzoli & Isles, their popular crime drama. The cable channel has ordered 15 episodes which will start airing sometime this summer.

Here’s the press release:

Production Begins on Season 4 of TNT’s Blockbuster Crime-Drama “Rizzoli & Isles”

Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander Star in Award-Winning TNT Series Set to Return this Summer

Production is now under way on the fourth season of TNT’s hit series Rizzoli & Isles, from Warner Horizon Television.The drama, which wrapped its third season in December ranking among the Top 3 original series of 2012, stars Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander.

TNT has ordered 15 episodes for the fourth season of Rizzoli & Isles, which is slated to begin this summer.

About TNT’s Rizzoli & Isles

TNT’s Rizzoli & Isles was developed for television by executive producer Janet Tamaro from characters created by best-selling crime novelist Tess Gerritsen. In the series, Angie Harmon plays tough-as-nails Boston police detective Jane Rizzoli, while Sasha Alexander is the smart, impeccably dressed medical examiner Maura Isles. Despite being complete opposites, the two women share an offbeat chemistry and strong working relationship that lets them solve complex murder mysteries in the city of Boston.

Rizzoli & Isles also stars Lee Thompson Young as Detective Barry Frost, Jane’s squeamish, computer-savvy partner; Bruce McGill as Sgt. Detective Vince Korsak, Jane’s steady old-school Homicide Squad teammate; Jordan Bridges as Jane’s brother, Frankie Jr., who dreams of becoming a detective like his sister; Brian Goodman as Lt. Detective Sean Cavanaugh, the head of the Boston Police Detective department; and Lorraine Bracco as Angela, Jane’s handful of a mother.

Rizzoli & Isles is produced for TNT by Warner Horizon Television, with Janet Tamaro of Hurdler Productions, Bill Haber of Ostar Productions and Michael Katleman serving as executive producers.

After premiering in 2010 with what was at the time the biggest ad-supported series launch in cable history, Rizzoli & Isles went on to become one of cable’s most popular series. In 2012, the third season of Rizzoli & Isles drew more than 7.5 million viewers to rank among the year’s Top 3 original series on basic cable. It also ranked among the Top 15 original series with adults 25-54 (2.7 million).

Rizzoli & Isles has earned two Gracie Awards from the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation, one for Tamaro as writer/executive producer and a second to Harmon for her performance as Jane Rizzoli. Tamaro has also earned a Women’s Image Network (WIN) Award and Prevention magazine’s Healthy TV Award for her work on the show.

Warner Horizon Television (WHTV) is one of the entertainment industry’s leading producers of scripted series for the cable marketplace and primetime reality series for both network and cable. Founded in 2006, this second production entity allows the Warner Bros. Television Group to expand its programming offerings and explore creative options made possible under a new business model. WHTV’s current unscripted series include The Voice for NBC, The Bachelor franchise – which includes The Bachelor, The Bachelorette and Bachelor Pad – for ABC, Oh Sit! and the upcoming The Hunt for The CW, and the forthcoming Deon Cole’s Black Box [working title] and Who Gets the Last Laugh? for TBS, as well as Marshal Law: Texas (working title) for TNT. Scripted programs from WHTV are Rizzoli & Isles and Dallas for TNT, Sullivan & Son for TBS, Pretty Little Liars and The Lying Game for ABC Family and Longmire for A&E.

About TNT

TNT is television’s destination for drama. Seen in 99 million households and ranking among cable’s top networks, TNT is home to such original drama series as Rizzoli & Isles, Falling Skies, Dallas, Major Crimes, Perception, Franklin & Bash, Southland and the upcoming Monday Mornings. The network also features dramatic unscripted originals like the upcoming Boston’s Finest, 72 Hours and The Hero. In addition, TNT is the cable home to popular dramas like Castle, The Mentalist, Bones, Supernatural, Smallville and Law & Order; primetime specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards(R); blockbuster movies; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR, the NBA and the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship.

TNT is part of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company. Turner Broadcasting creates and programs branded news; entertainment; animation and young adult; and sports media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

What do you think? Are you a fan of this TNT series? How long would you like to see it continue?