Saving Grace - Season 1

Just the, er... bare facts?

It's amazing how much nudity is packed into one season, but there you are. It doesn't bother me, particularly, but for those that don't like some rather graphic adult scenes you should probably steer clear. This show is not for the easily offended.

I'm torn on my opinion of the show. On one hand, I do like a lot of the characters. There's depth and flaws and interesting little background bits that really round them out. On the other hand, how much dysfunctional drama can you pack into one show? It does get a little tiring, and it's nice that there are a few (very few) normal characters to help tone it down. There are also some little bits of dialogue and a few scenes that jar and don't seem to fit (a few with Earl, especially), but overall the story flows through the whole season well and picks up momentum until it leaves you hanging at the last second.

Said cliffhanger is the reason I will go on to season two, though without it the jury might still be out. As interesting as it was while watching, it's one of those shows that seems to fade inexplicably into oblivion after awhile. There was nothing completely unique or completely new or astounding to the plot. And though the acting is good and the episodes interesting and well-written, there's nothing (other than the naked!) that really makes this show stand out over the dozens of other shows out there.

If you like gritty drama and don't mind the religious overtones (which were not overwhelming at all, I admit that was very well done) this might be a show for you. December 31, 2008

Saving Grace

Very confrontational. This deals with the gritty yet volunable female detective in realistic manner. Well written. I felt that the persons involved with this series were very familar with Tabu subjects of Childhood abuse and female sexuality. These areas well both addressed in succint and honest manner. I really enjoyed the series. December 20, 2008

Awesome Show

This series is incredible! The story lines are current and the cast is exceptional. Granted, the idea of an angel appearing to try to save someone from the path they're going down might be difficult to adjust to but somehow in this show, it works. Holly Hunter is absolutely fabulous in her role. Be aware though, there are some adult scenes so wait to watch it when the kids are in bed. October 2, 2008

Best show on TV

This is the best show on TV. I don't miss a show and I plan on buying them all. You have to watch this show. September 17, 2008

Strong, gritty series with a 'hokey' Okie naming element

Seeing the series is almost like coming home. My husband and I lived in Oklahoma City for nearly thirty years and yes, some of the places in the episodes are very familiar. Probably the most familiar even to non-Oklahomans is the Murrah Building Memorial.

The concept is interesting, Grace Hanadarko (Hunter) can't even be favorably described by an angel. She's an OKC-PD detective who drinks too much, sleeps around a lot including with two co-workers one of whom is married.

One night, while driving drunk she hits and kills a pedestrian. While trying to resuscitate him, she prays to God (whom she really doesn't believe in) for a miracle.

What God sends her is Earl (Leon Rippy), a tobacco chewing beat-up looking angel who's the last stop between her and Hell. It's Earl's job to help Grace save herself, but it's not going to be easy. The girl's got issues, including blaming herself for a sister who died in the Murrah Building bombing and dealing with abuse by a priest when she was a child.

As you can imagine, the show's pretty gritty. Grace has to redeem herself while dealing with one of the most stressful jobs in the world and her squad doesn't seem to do low profile cases. We're talking kidnapped little girls, witnesses under threat, hotel murders, etc. I don't think anyone but Holly Hunter could pull the performance off. Rippy is great as Earl, as well.

The show has some excellent elements, character, place, tension. The script occasionally bogs down and a bit of it is 'hokey.' One aspect that amuses me is giving the characters Oklahoma place names as their surnames, including: Hanadarko (Anadarko); Yukon, Purcell, Stillwater, Norman, etc. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens when they run out of names and start using Tahlequah, Tishomingo, Tonkawa and Pottawatomie. (Yes, those are also real Oklahoma place names as well!)

Rebecca Kyle, September 2008



September 8, 2008

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