“She’s just flat-out meaner than Jane Rizzoli,” says Angie Harmon (above) of Hazel King, the gruff ex-hitwoman who’s finally brought Harmon back to TV six years after TNT’s cop dramedy Rizzoli & Isles ended.

In Buried in Barstow, the first film in a planned franchise, Hazel’s low-key life running a Barstow, California, diner while raising her headstrong teen, Joy (Lauren Richards), is disrupted by the return of her former boss, Von (Rizzoli’s Bruce McGill). Harmon dishes.

Why Hazel?

Angie Harmon: Her devotion to her child. Being a mom myself, when your kids get hurt, it’s difficult not to just go absolutely bonkers. Hazel got to do all the things that I’ve really wanted to do. She’s trying to be on the right path. It’s just every time she turns around, something new is happening.

She and Von have an interesting relationship.

It’s nothing short of admiration on his part and hatred on hers.

He admires her skills. Was it difficult to get back into badass mode?

Hazel’s retired, her back is bad, she’s got bum feet. I wanted her to look dramatically different than Jane.

Kristoffer Polaha costars as Hazel’s new dishwasher, who has secrets of his own. Will we see sparks?

Without giving anything away, there’s a lot of twists and turns that keep them circling each other.

Buried in Barstow, Movie Premiere, Saturday, June 4, 8/7c, Lifetime