SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains major spoilers for American Rust: Broken Justice. Please exercise caution if you have yet to complete the show’s second season on Prime Video.
After 10 episodes of criminal conspiracies, crooked cops, shady energy companies, and so much bloodshed, American Rust: Broken Justice ended with a touching scene where Maura Tierney’s character, Grace Poe, proposed a toast for “new beginnings” at a family dinner. And while it may seem impossible for any of the major players featured in the final scene, including Jeff Daniels' Del Harris, to ever truly escape their pasts, Tierney thinks she knows where her character is going on the binge-able Amazon original series.
Shortly before the show’s second season became available to anyone with an Amazon subscription on March 28th, Tierney opened up to CinemaBlend about a number of things about American Rust: Broken Justice, including the “secret mission” she cooked up, funny conversations she had on set, and her character’s thought process when giving the “new beginnings” toast during the finale. She shared with me that Grace "means it," also noting:
I think Grace means it. I think she says this is to new beginnings. And I think she's able to almost trick yourself into thinking that there's not going to be any ramifications. Like, of course, there's going to be ramifications, I would imagine, unless it's like crimes and misdemeanors and I, and everyone, gets off. I don't know, but I think she convinces herself It's a new beginning.
Much like the show’s first go-around, American Rust: Broken Justice ended its second season with a finale that tied the bow on numerous plotlines while leaving just as many unresolved, leaving fans champing at the bit for more drama, mystery, and righteous violence from the series.
During the show’s second season, Grace Poe, Detective Del Harris, Alex Neustaedter's Billy Poe, and David Alvarez’s Isaac English attempted to overcome all kinds of problems and trauma, both new and leftovers from its first chapter (as seen in the American Rust: Broken Justice trailer). In the finale, the four main characters sat in Grace’s cabin for a family meal to celebrate their new lease on life. And moments before the season ends, Tierney’s character lifted a glass and proposed a toast for those "new beginnings."
As great as it would be for everyone at that table to get away with their various crimes – they’ve all either committed murder or helped cover it up – the show, which was resurrected after being canceled by Showtime, has told us time and time again the past always comes back to haunt you, even when characters think they’ve buried all the skeletons in the closet. For Grace, there could be plenty of “ramifications” for her actions, especially with her role in the murder of Chief Steve Park now that it has been revealed that the officer who witnessed the showdown will survive her injuries. Plus, there’s also everything from the Landwill business that doesn’t look like it’s going away anytime soon.
Though Amazon has yet to announce if a third season of American Rust is happening or not, there are quite a few directions the show could take if a third chapter is greenlighted. Until then, there are still plenty of great new and returning shows set to premiere on the 2024 TV schedule in the coming weeks and months.
