It’s an odd idea that we have hopes for TV characters–they’re cartoon characters after all, their lives flattened into two dimensions and squished into half-hour segments with a piquant point or a hastily arranged outcome, the way life doesn’t.
After last week’s episode of TNT’s “Saving Grace,” I was caught hoping Grace Hanadarko was going to get a steady thing going with her stargazing atheist fellow, and we were going to get a steady chat about God’s existence. But this week Grace is back to mixing it up with her partner, not the stargazer. And the show is back to episodic criminal cases that deliver tidy moral packages.
Not that the moral in last night’s show was trivial. A defense attorney—the kind with a fancy haircut and a shoeshine—attempts to get his murderous client off by impugning the character of Grace and the other detectives who got him to confess. In the process, a lot of the cops’ personal information comes to light, including who’s been sleeping with whom. Truthtelling becomes the order of the day. Ham up and admits his love for Grace, and pretty much everybody in the precinct better once their secret is out. The meaningful looks the detective share over their desk lamps indicate that truth can only heal if forgiveness is also applied to the wound. That’s pretty good for a cop show.
It may be that the show will pay this lesson forward to Leon, the convicted killer who is another of Grace’s angel’s charges. Leon has surrendered to Allah, prays five times a day, and reads the Koran. His admits his crime and he’s going to pay for it with his execution in two years’ time. But he’s still mighty angry with everyone. Could this be because he sees the truth but hasn’t forgiven or asked forgiveness? Does the show have the attention span to let one episode’s moral carry over to other episodes and other characters? Here’s hoping.
posted December 19, 2007 at 9:58 am
The last episode of the four in December sure left a great cliffhanger. And what better addition to the cast than Auberjunois as a pedophile priest! I hope he and the (left dangling) potential boyfriend play greater roles next summer. They would create some pretty intense conflict for Grace. My favorite scene from the penultimate episode – the line up of Grace’s lovers, and the “outing” of Henry. The layers of grace to Grace and the complexity to her concept of love and justice is astounding. So well done! I can see why Earl has shed a tear or two for her. I am sure more will drop, too.
posted December 19, 2007 at 11:23 am
Great finale!! Being a devout “Saving Grace” fan, I am constantly amazed with the writer’s of this show. Excellent!!!
Grace surely has some redeeming qualities. I can’t go for all the sex she’s having on the show, but hey, if it’s necessary for the story line, who am I to complain (I may just be a little jealous). Can’t wait until next season – - – - -