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Saving Grace (TV series)

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Saving Grace
Saving Grace title card
GenreCrime drama
StarringList of Saving Grace characters
Country of origin United States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes21 (list of episodes)
Production
Running time40–45 min. (not including commercials)
Original release
NetworkTNT
ReleaseJuly 16, 2007 –
present

Saving Grace is an American television crime drama series on TNT, which premiered on July 16, 2007 and stars Academy Award-winner Holly Hunter in her first TV series, Kenny Johnson, Bailey Chase, Laura San Giacomo, Leon Rippy, and Bokeem Woodbine. The show is set in Oklahoma City — including numerous shots of local buildings and landmarks (such as the Oklahoma City National Memorial the downtown skyline) — while much of the show is filmed in Vancouver and Los Angeles.

The theme song for the show is written and performed by US rapper/musician Everlast. Saving Grace is rated TV-MA in the United States for language, sexuality, and violence.[1]

Plot

The plot focuses on Grace Hanadarko (Holly Hunter), a smoking, binge drinking, and promiscuous Oklahoma City detective. In the series opener, Grace meets up with her "last-chance" angel, when after one of her drinking binges she runs down and kills a pedestrian with her Porsche. In desperation she calls out for God's help, and a scruffy, tobacco-spitting man who calls himself Earl (Leon Rippy) appears. Unfolding his wings to reveal his divine origins, Earl tells her that she's headed for hell, and asks if she's ready to turn her life over to God. When he finally disappears, the person she struck is also gone and it's as if the accident never happened. The only evidence left is a small amount of the victim's blood on her blouse, which she brings to her best friend, forensics expert Rhetta Rodriguez (Laura San Giacomo), to analyze. With Rhetta's help, Grace discovers that her accident "victim" is actually an inmate on death row, Leon Cooley (Bokeem Woodbine), who is also visited by Earl on a regular basis.

Passionate in her job, Grace investigates homicides and other major crimes with the fellow officers in her squad, including Ham Dewey (Kenny Johnson), Butch Ada (Bailey Chase), Bobby Stillwater (Gregory Cruz), and Captain Kate Perry (Lorraine Toussaint).

Off the job Grace drinks heavily, engages in numerous one-night stands and casual encounters with men, and is having an affair with her partner, Ham. One of her hobbies is flashing her elderly neighbor, happily indulging him as he waits at his window to watch her get in and out of the shower. Grace also lies to friends and family on a regular basis to cover up her behavior. Aside from her faults, Grace is an extraordinarily loving and generous person to those around her. In particular she loves her young nephew, Clay (Dylan Minnette), and devotes a great deal of her time to him.

Earl appears to Grace throughout the series, hoping she'll turn away from her more self-destructive tendencies and seek God's help. Saving Grace does not promote any one religion but does use Grace's story to discuss the topic of faith, and how difficult faith can be in such an imperfect world.

Oklahoma City

Series creator Nancy Miller [2] grew up in Oklahoma City, and as a result Saving Grace includes many references to Oklahoma City and the state of Oklahoma. For instance, many of the characters' last names are the names of Oklahoma towns: Hanadarko is derived from Anadarko, Oklahoma; also Clay Norman, Ham Dewey, Butch Ada, Bobby Stillwater and Captain Perry all have last names taken from Oklahoma towns and cities.

The 1995 bombing of Oklahoma City's Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building and its aftermath are frequently incorporated into the plot and character development of the series. In the show, Grace's sister, who was also Clay's mother, lost her life in the bombing.

In an October 2007 trip to Oklahoma City by the cast, writers and producers, Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett presented Miller and Hunter with Keys to the City.

DVD release

The Saving Grace - Season One DVD was released on Tuesday, July 15, 2008.[3]

Show run

Following a 13 episode first season, TNT renewed Saving Grace for a second season of 15 more episodes which began July 14, 2008. The show will be on hiatus after the August 25, 2008 mid-season finale, You Are My Partner, but will return in March 2009 with the rest of the second season.

On September 16, 2008, Saving Grace was renewed for a third season to air the summer of 2009.[4]

Cast/Characters

Main article: List of Saving Grace characters

Main Crew

Episodes

Main article: List of Saving Grace Episodes

Awards

Main article: List of Saving Grace (TV series) awards and nominations

U.S. Ratings

Season Timeslot Season Premiere Season Finale Viewers
Total
(in millions) 		Viewers
Age 18-49
(in millions) 		Viewers
Age 25-54
(in millions)
Date Viewers Total
(in millions) 		Viewers
18-49
(in millions) 		Viewers
25-54
(in millions) 		Date Viewers Total
(in millions) 		Viewers
18-49
(in millions) 		Viewers
25-54
(in millions)
1st Monday 10:00PM July 23, 2007 6.4[5] 1.94[5] 2.47[5] December 18, 2007
2nd Monday 10:00PM July 14, 2008 5.2[6] 1.61[6] 2.29[6]

For calendar-year 2008 on a first-run basis, the series garnered 1.59 million adults in the 18-49 demo. [1]

References

  1. ^ TNT - Saving Grace retrieved 2008-09-30
  2. ^ Nancy Miller at IMDb
  3. ^ http://news.tvonmedia.com/tvom_news_by_show/Saving-Grace-Complete-1st-Season-Press-Release.shtml
  4. ^ TNT Renews 'Saving Grace,' 'Raising the Bar'
  5. ^ a b c "The Futon Critic: 6.4 MILLION VIEWERS SEND TNT'S SAVING GRACE SOARING AS AD-SUPPORTED CABLE'S #1 SERIES PREMIERE OF 2007 (Released by TNT)". July 24, 2007. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |source= ignored (help)
  6. ^ a b c "The Futon Critic: TNT'S THE CLOSER SCORES AS AD-SUPPORTED CABLE'S #1 SERIES TELECAST FOR THE YEAR-TO-DATE, WITH MORE THAN 7.8 MILLION VIEWERS (Released by TNT)". July 15, 2008. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |source= ignored (help)
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