SEASON 1 ORIGINAL EPISODES, MONDAYS @ 10PM ON TNT
This week's episode was far and away the best of the season. Finally the writer's got the hint that we need some more compelling stories to follow and less of Grace half naked on top of a new guy.
Last week I mentioned that the show lacked a compelling storyline linking each episode to each other. While it still lacks an overall storyline (other than the basic premise of Grace needing to be saved) the show is far better when the cops are on a case that is thrilling and interesting. Last week they tracked down a killer soldier and touched on issues connected to the War in Iraq. This week Grace and the other officers tried taking down a drug dealer and his crew. The opening got the episode off on the right foot as we watched Grace, her fellow detectives, and the Swat Team swarm the home of the suspected drug dealer. It was intense, exciting, and exactly what this show should be all about.
The truth is that this show is MUCH better when the focus is NOT on the wildness of Grace. Her character's tendencies are certainly compelling and the core of the shows purpose but they're more poignant when they aren't the only thing we're watching. In fact, Grace is much more likable when we watch her doing her job and doing it well with interjections of her wild personality. As I watched Grace handle the drug dealer and his crew in a few face-to-face confrontations I was impressed by how smart and crafty she can be. Then when her wild side came out I didn't mind it as much as I did when I had to watch her drunk and having sex for half the episode. It was actually nice to see Grace working out when she couldn't sleep in the beginning of the episode rather than downing a 12 pack of MGD.
It was funny when each of her partner's fought over who would stay the night with her when she passed out on her couch the night after being shot in the raid. Obviously we know why Butch and Ham wanted to stay but I was a little surprised that Bobby wanted to say also. I guess she has a way about her that gets all these guys wrapped around her finger. She needs to open up to Butch though. He made her a great breakfast after staying the night when he didn't really have to and all she did was tell him that she usually skips breakfast. She totally dissed his attempts to get closer with her. She's much better off with Butch than she is with Ham, not only because Ham's married but Butch just seems to be a bit more together than Ham. Anyway, this group affection for Grace is becoming a very interesting dynamic on the show. Watch out though, Ham and Butch will likely come to blows over her at some point; how can it not.
A great thing in this episode was that the outcome wasn't as telegraphed as some of the events last week. I mentioned that in my review last week that the writer's tend to telegraph outcome's and it hurt the show. They did show flashes of intelligence in the past (i.e. when Grace's boss was shot in the head by his own son without any foreshadowing in episode #2) and in this episode they showed they could do it all the time. I never saw the Grandma as the drug dealer. Maybe I'm naive but I just didn't see the Grandma being the city's crack lord.
Did anyone else think Grace looked much better all cleaned up at the end of the episode? It was refreshing to see a different side of her. Although in the uniform she looks ridiculously tiny.
See you all next week for the Season 1 Finale. If this week is any indication we can expect even better writing in the last episode of the season...
This week's episode was far and away the best of the season. Finally the writer's got the hint that we need some more compelling stories to follow and less of Grace half naked on top of a new guy.Last week I mentioned that the show lacked a compelling storyline linking each episode to each other. While it still lacks an overall storyline (other than the basic premise of Grace needing to be saved) the show is far better when the cops are on a case that is thrilling and interesting. Last week they tracked down a killer soldier and touched on issues connected to the War in Iraq. This week Grace and the other officers tried taking down a drug dealer and his crew. The opening got the episode off on the right foot as we watched Grace, her fellow detectives, and the Swat Team swarm the home of the suspected drug dealer. It was intense, exciting, and exactly what this show should be all about.
The truth is that this show is MUCH better when the focus is NOT on the wildness of Grace. Her character's tendencies are certainly compelling and the core of the shows purpose but they're more poignant when they aren't the only thing we're watching. In fact, Grace is much more likable when we watch her doing her job and doing it well with interjections of her wild personality. As I watched Grace handle the drug dealer and his crew in a few face-to-face confrontations I was impressed by how smart and crafty she can be. Then when her wild side came out I didn't mind it as much as I did when I had to watch her drunk and having sex for half the episode. It was actually nice to see Grace working out when she couldn't sleep in the beginning of the episode rather than downing a 12 pack of MGD.
It was funny when each of her partner's fought over who would stay the night with her when she passed out on her couch the night after being shot in the raid. Obviously we know why Butch and Ham wanted to stay but I was a little surprised that Bobby wanted to say also. I guess she has a way about her that gets all these guys wrapped around her finger. She needs to open up to Butch though. He made her a great breakfast after staying the night when he didn't really have to and all she did was tell him that she usually skips breakfast. She totally dissed his attempts to get closer with her. She's much better off with Butch than she is with Ham, not only because Ham's married but Butch just seems to be a bit more together than Ham. Anyway, this group affection for Grace is becoming a very interesting dynamic on the show. Watch out though, Ham and Butch will likely come to blows over her at some point; how can it not.
A great thing in this episode was that the outcome wasn't as telegraphed as some of the events last week. I mentioned that in my review last week that the writer's tend to telegraph outcome's and it hurt the show. They did show flashes of intelligence in the past (i.e. when Grace's boss was shot in the head by his own son without any foreshadowing in episode #2) and in this episode they showed they could do it all the time. I never saw the Grandma as the drug dealer. Maybe I'm naive but I just didn't see the Grandma being the city's crack lord.
Did anyone else think Grace looked much better all cleaned up at the end of the episode? It was refreshing to see a different side of her. Although in the uniform she looks ridiculously tiny.
See you all next week for the Season 1 Finale. If this week is any indication we can expect even better writing in the last episode of the season...
1 comment:
watch Saving Grace online if you have not been able to catch it on TV. This is a great series but definately one of those shows you want to watch back to back episodes of, in that way very similar to the series 24
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