1151 replies to this topic

[AimingforYoko]

Holly Hunter makes her foray into series television this July on TNT. Here an overview from Wiki:

Saving Grace is an American television crime drama series on Turner Network Television, which premieres in the summer of 2007 and stars Academy Award-winner Holly Hunter, Kenny Johnson, Laura San Giacomo, Leon Rippy and Bokeem Woodbine. The drama focuses upon the troubled life of Grace Anadarko (Holly Hunter), an alcoholic Oklahoma City police detective. She is given a chance at redemption and the chance to save the life of a man, whose fatal injuries she caused while drinking and driving, by an angel named Earl, who appears to her as a homeless man (Leon Rippy). The accident is erased on the condition that she changes her attitude towards life, stemming from the death of her sister in the Oklahoma City bombing. Grace is tough and unforgiving, with a hard-nosed approach to her job, although she has a reputation for closing cases. Grace is having an intense affair with her partner, Det. Ham Tipton (Kenny Johnson) who also has tumultuous life, caused by his strained marriage with his wife, Darleen. He feels guilty about his extramarital affair with Grace, yet he continues to go back and forth between both women. Det. Butch Stillwater (Bailey Chase) also had an affair with Grace, although very briefly, and is very frank with her about her life. Leon Cooley (Bokeem Woodbine), a convict, can also see the angel. Rhetta Rodriguez-Ardmore (Laura San Giacomo) works in the crime lab and is Grace's best friend. The hour-long show is set to air in the 10:00 p.m. slot.

The angel thing scares me a little bit, but I'll definitely check this out, since I'm a fan of Hunter.

[kenziegirl]

I really hope this turns out well because I really like HH and Laura San Giacomo.

[AimingforYoko]

More info from the Saving Grace Homepage.

[AimingforYoko]

Bump.
Small blurb from ew.com: #12 of the Top 20 shows to watch this summer.

[jcpbmg]

I have mixed feelins about this show. I'm fine with TNT ripping off its own shows (hey it worked for CBS) and I loved HH in Broadcast News, but the premise just seems forced.

I have to wonder if HH is going to be able to pull off that mix of being somewhat insecure and vulnerable while still being rock solid at her job and aware that shes the best at what she does (like Kyra and Hugh Laurie do on their shows). Granted HH pulled half of this off on BN, that was a long time ago and I'm just not buying her doing it in the capacity of a police officer.

[Bill C]

Kenny Johnson and the luscious Laura San Giacomo in the same show? I'm down...

[anstar]

I read an article about this one in TV Guide. I like Holly Hunter, and I'll give this one a shot, but I'm leery. What's with the angel? Is this going to be some kind of Law and Order meets Highway to Heaven?

[AimingforYoko]

TNT is pumping this show. I think I counted five of the "Amazing Grace" promos during The Closer. Here's a long promo from Youtube.

[ainoarwen]

At TNT's DramaVision site, you can watch the long promo as well as three other promos where the actors "discuss" the series. The other promos are located in the Shows - Saving Grace section.

I'm in this for Holly, Laura and Kenneth. Especially Kenneth. Who's looking mighty fine in the "Drama is... Humor" promo. *thud*

[jcpbmg]

I think I counted five of the "Amazing Grace" promos during The Closer.

Yea, I saw one on the the in and another on the out of every commercial break.

Is it me, or does Holly Hunter look nothing like she did 10 years ago. I mean it's not just the hair, but if she didn't have that voice I wouldn't recognize her.

[hurtinfrog]

T'ain't fair to be critical of a program yet to air...but redeeming drunks that has issues with the OK city tragedy by crossing the path of a homeless angel ???? Also carrying on with a fellow married officer... seems this would be better as a movie rather than a trainwreck to visit each week. Hope the waterfall effect doesn't wash out The Closer, with Heartland leading the night...oh, btw,
the latest commercial for SG was promoting the humor in the program...grim

[salsashark]

Anadarko, Tipton, Stillwater, Ardmore.

Seriously?

Cause no one in Oklahoma has, you know, regular last names.

[kailess]

Anadarko, Tipton, Stillwater, Ardmore.

They're having a little tongue-in-cheek humor with those names. Those are all names of cities or towns in Oklahoma. As someone who has friends in Oklahoma I immediately got a chuckle when I saw the last names.

Edited by kailess, Jun 30, 2007 @ 12:49 AM.

[nowhat]

Saw the promos. Looks absolutely horrid.

[Femvamp]

Saw the promos looks like a keeper.

[jcpbmg]

Saw the promos. Looks absolutely horrid.

While I agree the promos look pretty bad, I still have confidence that the awsomeness that is Holly Hunter will pull the show through.

[nonnybaby]

I'm intrigued and will probably watch this, but from looking at the gazillions of previews for this show I get this weird vibe from Holly Hunter like she is channeling a grown-up version of her daughter (played by Evan Rachel Wood) from the movie Thirteen. It's probably just me...

Edited by nonnybaby, Jul 3, 2007 @ 10:54 AM.

[brightman73]

If I hear that darn Amazing Grace I am going to scream!!! How am I suppose to know what the show is about with those goofy trailers? UGH!

This show looks like "highway to heaven" - all we need is Victor French singing "old dan tucker."

[anstar]

This show looks like "highway to heaven" - all we need is Victor French singing "old dan tucker."

I said before that the promos make me think this is going to be a cross between Highway to Heaven (or Touched by an Angel) meets Law and Order.

The more promos I see, the more I worry that this show is going to suck, but I'll still watch the pilot because I love Holly Hunter. That's more than I can say for Heartland. (Could barely make the first commercial break on that one, and only for the 'next week' on the Closer.

[AimingforYoko]

This show looks like "highway to heaven" - all we need is Victor French singing "old dan tucker."

I don't think Highway to Heaven ever showed Michael Landon nude, in the throes of climax. But I might have missed that ep.

[Ghost Dog]

I love Holly Hunter, so I will give this a try despite the somewhat ridiculous premise and those fucking awful braids she has in her hair.

Plus, Kenny Johnson in his underwear? Bonus! If he wears a kevlar vest and carries a shotgun, I'm in for life. (RIP, Lem)

[hurtinfrog]

I wonder if the Jack Daniels bottle is a shout out to the CW fans. This show has it all....angels,
priests, a love interest that is married to someone else (will the HH character do the wife in?). a child ?....anyway, the promos have everything except the loyal dog or sweet kitty. Could be they
will show up this week of adv. Are the law enforcement in OK elected?

[anstar]

I've seen a "holy cow" in the promos hf, but no dogs or kitties.

I'm afraid Holly's character will be too 'hard edged' for me.

I'm not from OK, but I wouldn't think the law enforcement were elected. If they're anything like Texas; a police chief would be an 'appointment' by the city manager and a sheriff or constable would be elected, but the officers/deputies would just be employees. Some places are civil service (which I understand gives you some protections) and some are "at will". The department I worked for for about 10 years was "at will". I signed a piece of paper saying that I was employed at the will of the sheriff and could be terminated at any time. Caused a lot of stress around election time when a new sheriff would come in and bring his own cronies with him, but it didn't really affect those of us in the rank and file too much. Mostly it was department heads who were in the line of fire.
Given the little I've seen from the promos, she better hope she's not an "at will" employee, because unless she single handedly brings down every criminal in town, (and probably not even then), her behavior would lead to her being fired, quickly.

[ainoarwen]

Plus, Kenny Johnson in his underwear? Bonus! If he wears a kevlar vest and carries a shotgun, I'm in for life. (RIP, Lem)

70 per cent of me is in this for Teh Johnson and 15 per cent each for HH and LSG. Holly Hunter kinda bought a lifetime of credit from me with A Life Less Ordinary. I'll show myself out now.

[AimingforYoko]

Are the law enforcement in OK elected?

She's an OK City detective, so I assume it's just like any other municipal police force. That means union, so you really have to eff up to get fired.

[Ghost Dog]

Good! Even if the show totally sucks, we can still post and squee over KJ.

I hope they dont bash us over the head with the religious themes. I'm just not sure what to make of the whole premise. We'll see soon enough I guess.

[nutgoodie]

If I have to sit through the promos every time I watch Law & Order on TNT I may have to give up Law & Order. TNT plays the promos all the time. LIke way too much. Like we get it: Holly Hunter plays atough as nails detective with a heart of gold.

[revbrett]

Curious to see how it plays, although I think the whole "OK cities as last names thing" is kind of lazy. Especially since they added an "H" to Grace's name so it doesn't match exactly. I haven't driven through Anadarko since that happened, but have been no reports of town-wide depression or ill-feelings that I've heard of.

For someone who asked above, the Oklahoma City Police Department is a municipal force, which means its personnel are hired and thus the situation is much like how another poster described it. The Oklahoma County Sheriff is an elected official, but as I understand it, Hunter's character is supposed to be an OCPD detective.

I'll probably watch a lot to see if I recognize places or people, I imagine.

[YoungAtHeart]

the promos have everything except the loyal dog or sweet kitty.

But there will be people with developmental disabilities (sister of one of the regulars and a few others).

I'll probably watch a lot to see if I recognize places or people

They are filming in LA.

[hurtinfrog]

I seem to be stuck back in the '50's time frame of history...is OK still sorta like Hawaii, meaning that land is designated for "the natives"? Although this is to take place in OKCity, does most high level wheeling and dealing happen in Tulsa?