I need to say off the bat that I don’t watch TNT’s Saving Grace, so this review of the first few episodes of the third season comes from someone who isn’t completely familiar with the show. I’ve seen a couple episodes in the past but for the most part, my perspective on the third season opener is as a non-regular viewer.
In that sense, it took me a to the second episode and viewing the fantastic season 2 finale before I was able to fully get a sense of what’s going on with this series. Oh, the premise is simple enough. Grace (Holly Hunter) is a gutsy Oklahoma City Police detective with a messy personal life. Added to that, she’s visited by her “last-chance angel” Earl (Leon Rippy). While only she can see him, her friend Rhetta (Laura San Giacomo) apparently knows about him as the two have various conversations about Earl. Earl’s trying to get Grace on track but her task proves to be tricky due to Grace’s erratic and often self-destructive behavior.
Season three begins with Grace attempting to reach out to a woman who’s also been visited by Earl and is far less willing to believe in angels as Grace is. Grace is also trying to find a balance in her relationship with her partner Ham (Kenneth Johnson), who’s just been through the final phases of his divorce. And while all of this personal drama is going on, it’s twisted up in Grace’s work as a detective.
The second episode of the season is what really caught my attention. Titled “What Would You Do?,” Grace meets another angel, one who basically tells her that if she could turn her life over to God, he’ll give her anything she wants. This is a much different tactic from how Earl has been approaching his work with Grace. Does Grace fall for the temptation to be given her hearts desires in exchange for simply throwing her hands up and saying “You win, God?” Could it be that easy? The episode serves to shine a light on Earl and his approach to saving Grace as well as to really emphasize how well Earl seems to understand Grace and the importance of the relationship they’ve established with one another.
Holly Hunter is fantastic in this series. While she’s surrounded by a strong cast, including Leon Rippy’s excellent portrayal of an angel on a mission, it is Hunter’s performance as the messy but often amusing Grace that truly makes this show worth watching.
Saving Grace - Season 3 Premiere
Starring: Holly Hunter, Leon Rippy, Kenneth Johnson, Bailey Chase, Gregory Cruz, Yaani King, Dylan Minnette, Lorraine Toussaint and Laura San Giacomo.
Premieres: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on TNT.
