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Grace canceled. After this season. Which was extended.

OKC Memorial

Well, boys and girls, its official.  Saving Grace has been canceled. A year, or so, from now, Grace Hanadarko will … er … grace our television screens no longer. Yeah, I said a year.  TNT moved the second half of this season, originally scheduled to run this winter, to next summer, and added three more episodes, for a total of nine. It’s definitely the kind of cancellation I would have loved for Journeyman, Firefly, or Defying Gravity (just hedging my bets, but Brett is going to remind us all how poorly it’s doing).

It will be a shame to see this show go. Nothing I’ve seen on TV has taken such an interesting approach to examining religion. The hard living Grace as some kind of unwitting agent of God, assisted by her “last chance angel” Earl…. That’s just not a pitch I expect is heard often in the offices of network executives. The show could be uneven at times (I’m still trying to figure out when Ham and Grace stopped seeing each other this season; I know it happened, but I don’t remember it happening), but overall, Grace was a unique show, and a great part of TNT’s lineup.

Extending the season the season to include a couple more episodes probably gives the writers an opportunity to bring the series to a natural close (not sure how much, if any, of the back half has been broken or shot), TNT marketed tonight’s episode as the “season” finale (though, had they been doing that before the cancellation announcement?). I hope they know where they want to take things, as I think the overall narrative of this season as been pretty lacking.

You might as well call this summer Saving Grace 3: The Search for Neely, as it has been the main storyline much of the season. Frankly, that search worked about as well as its Star Trek analogue: Ultimately successful, but boring as hell in the meantime. We never were given a reason to care about her. We never got to know her, nor were we (or Grace) ever told why she was important, just that she was important. Grace may have not truly connected with Leon Cooley until the very end, but the audience got to know him from episode one. Not so much here. I think that the show has suffered greatly with the importance placed on the character without ever really explaining it.

I also think that there was a lot of opportunity missed with evolving Grace’s character this season. Let’s face it, the woman went through a lot, but came out from each instance seemingly unchanged. When you look at the list, it looks like God was testing Grace, but as there was no consequence, there was no change. Certainly feels like they dropped the ball. Along those same lines, Bobby sure recovered from his demons rather quickly at the beginning of the season.

Don’t get me wrong, though, as otherwise I think the show had a very strong season. Other storylines have worked considerably better and certain elements of each episodes have really stood out. What — examples you ask for? Well, Earl’s reaction to Grace’s kidnapping, including the “angel search party,” is an immediate stand out. Grace being tempted by another angel, Grace’s reaction to her family being targeted, the introduction of Butch’s fiance…. All good stuff, but that good work is easily discarded when two women survive a jump from a twelve story building.

What I will miss most about the show (other than the practical jokes), was the constant undertone of survival. Many television shows are set in New York, so we occasionally see the affects of 9/11 on their characters. Grace, set in Oklahoma City, lives in the shadow of the Murrah Building bombing. Especially early in its run, the exploration of how that event still reverberates in that community fourteen years later. The writers have done a great job reminding the rest of the country of a tragedy I think we too often forget.

Photo Credit: Ivey West

24 Responses to “Grace canceled. After this season. Which was extended.”

August 19, 2009 at 1:18 PM

Really? Canceled? WTF? I blame Neely. Her storyline was horrible, nothing near what we came to expect from the intricacies of Leon Cooley, and it definitely affected the otherwise engrossing nature of the show.

I was shocked that her nephew was hit so hard he fell and bruised his face, but that Grace’s reaction was so mellow. Everything with her seems off-kilter. I still don’t know what happened with she and Hamm, although they offered up last night that he is getting serious with the Tamara Braun character. How did that happen??

Oh well.

August 19, 2009 at 1:42 PM

I made it through Season 1 and then it became a real chore watching the show for me… it was kind of interesting in the beginning and then it felt as if it was all about sex sex sex. And I didn’t find the lead actress to be enthralling enough to keep watching her “doin it”.

I know there are more levels, a lot more levels to this show, but I just didn’t care to look for them. The sex scenes became annoying and that was it for me…

August 19, 2009 at 2:32 PM

I guess they call can’t be the 14 year old that plays Castle’s daughter, can they? :) I kid, I kid. But, seriously, if Holly Hunter, even today, is still getting it done.

But I do disagree with your premise… This show, while absolutely including some provocative scenes, has never really been about sex. Sorry, brother, you missed out.

August 19, 2009 at 4:45 PM

It’s not really the age. It’s that she’s so extremely skinny – unhealthy skinny if you ask me. She looks like someone from africa. She drinks. And she whores around. I _know_ that that part was important to the story (redemption et cetera) but who gives a damn when the lead actress doesn’t interest you in the least? I honestly IMDbed Holly Hunter just to find out what she was in before that made her so damn famous that she got the role in the first place. She made an appearance on Craig Ferguson’s show a couple of months back and man I found her extremely ugly there too.

Besides: Amanda Righetti isn’t a teenager. Spot the similarities. You know what I mean ;-)

Which now reminded me of Molly Ringwald. I guess I’ll watch “Pretty in Pink” again tonight followed by “Some kind of’ wonderful” No alcoholics there :-)

August 19, 2009 at 4:57 PM

Well Broadcast News and The Piano were pretty big deals, including the Oscar for the latter.

I see what you’re saying, but I think that you can be pretty skinny or otherwise. I just happened to watched Once More with Feeling, and when Anya and Tara backed up Buffy, I was struck, as I always am, that these are two incredibly beautiful women that are shapped disimilarly.

August 20, 2009 at 5:24 AM

Oh don’t get me wrong – when I’m in _love_ I don’t care about shape or size at all. Judging by appearance is by definition shallow if you don’t really care for the person you are looking at. And of course I have certain preferences what I find beautiful – you know that ;-) But honestly, really, I think she looked unhealthy thin in the first season, which seemed to fit with the story but I just found it excruciating watching her drink and have sex. There was nothing attractive about her. As another example I could say that the scenes Robert DeNiro and Rollergirl had in Jacke Brown I didn’t care for at all as well (because of DeNiro mind you, not Rollergirl). And another example would be “Leaving Las Vegas” or “Blow”. Don’t care for those movies either. I hate drug related storylines. To be honest I don’t really care for all the drinking on “Rescue Me” either. I guess it is because I don’t drink that much and I don’t smoke. I drink Coke (a lot) and that’s my only vice.

Considering Broadcast News and The Piano: I really didn’t know about those two. I knew the name Holly Hunter but I never knew why she was famous.

Anyway, let me give you a comparison: I think Saving Grace is worth watching, yet I didn’t like it. Eli Stone on the other hand I found insultingly idiotic for an agnostic like me and some of the casting I found to be absolutely indescribably moronic on that show. I dropped Eli because I felt insulted. I dropped Grace because the characters didn’t manage to interest me any more, that’s all.

I also don’t watch “The Cleaner” anymore, although I watched the whole first season. I guess they always lose me during the hiatus. Dunno. I might pick up “The Cleaner” again though. Who was it again who was so into Grace Park? Could this person please tell me if Season Two has supercars and skimpy Grace Park outfits? :-)

August 20, 2009 at 1:47 PM

I guess we just completely disagree on just about everything. I thought Stone was an interesting show, and thought the casting was spot on. Though, at this point, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that our tastes in TV are so divergent.

Tim-1 is the big Grace Park fan.

August 21, 2009 at 12:46 PM

I guess that’s just about Eli Stone. It totally rubbed me the wrong way.

August 19, 2009 at 2:46 PM

I read an article saying that 6 episodes we already done and that they ordered 3 more, so 3 episodes will need to close the show up.

August 19, 2009 at 2:50 PM

Yeah, I wasn’t sure if those six episodes were already in the can or not. If they are, they already had their season long-type arcs wrapped up (b/c it was the end of a season), and could build from there.

Again, its nice to see them allow the writers an opportunity to end the series, instead of just dump it.

August 19, 2009 at 4:46 PM

If only all shows were treated to this “Extra Three”. That would be so great. Journeyman… *sigh*

August 20, 2009 at 12:21 PM

Just started to play catch up the other day for the show. Only 2 episodes in and not sure if I should bother now?

August 20, 2009 at 1:04 PM

Sure why not? Ivey just told you how great the show is and that it will get a definitive ending. How often do you get that in TV?

You’d never go to the cinema expecting the movie not to have an ending, on TV you do that all the time. Just go for it :-)

August 21, 2009 at 10:06 PM

Sebastian

Grace Park is as lovely and awe-inspiring as ever as she guest stars on “The Cleaner” (which this site as well as tv squat, to their great shame does not cover). Your compliment to her convinces me of the depth of your good taste and fine appreciation of true beauty. I know it is the kiss of death to be kind to someone on this site but when it comes to Grace Park….whoever is kind to her is my friend. Which is a lot more than I can say of most of the bloggers on this snotty site. I do like to continue to monitor Ivey’s (Dorv) blog and bsgfan’s when she writes however, as well as any BSG news. Thank you for the mention of awesome Grace Park, Sebastion.

August 21, 2009 at 10:19 PM

Hello Dear, I hope all is well with the little fella!

Write something about about the Cleaner! Maybe you can convince me to watch again ;)

August 21, 2009 at 11:27 PM

bsgfan

I have seen and experienced many things in this world. I have been places some have never heard of. I have laughed in the South seas and I have cried in the mountains and I have loved and I have been loved. But I NEVER knew what real happiness was until I held my beautiful little boy….my new life. My son brings to me a new meaning of the word joy. All my worldly gains will be for him now. I am going to educate him to be a scientist so to improve and leave the world a better place than we left it. He will definately have all the eyes of the finest ladies (He has his old man’s dashing looks).

August 21, 2009 at 11:48 PM

That’s beautiful, buddy. I’m glad you’re enjoying parenthood so much :)

August 22, 2009 at 6:16 PM

Wow, Tim-1. For someone who goes out of their way to suddenly call this site “snotty,” you’re putting yourself well within the definition of the word. Not sure where we ever came off a such.

August 20, 2009 at 1:50 PM

Basically look at it from the perspective that you’ll have XX episodes of a TV show to watch.

I’ve always stated that while Grace had a lot of good qualities, especially the take on religion, that it was, for the most part, inconsistent. It was worth it to me, however, for the pay off. Watching it all at once might actually mask those inconsistencies some, though.

August 20, 2009 at 1:51 PM

And by XX, I mean 46.

August 20, 2009 at 6:40 PM

I don’t get it. Have the dumbells from NBC come over to TNT? This is the best show on TNT next to Leverage. Are they keeping on Hawthorne which is terrible and axeing this? Everytime there’s a good program they axe it for no reason. This cast is the best! Dumb, dumb, dumb.

August 20, 2009 at 6:56 PM

Oh, don’t worry; Dark Blue’s still around! ;)

August 21, 2009 at 7:31 AM

my understanding when this was first announced – last week? – was that TNT was willing to renew it. the studio that produces the show was not willing to do a 4th season. Remember that the studios put up most of the money for these shows hoping to recoup on the backend with DVD sales, repeats, etc. I would guess that the DVD sales haven’t been as solid as they hoped. With this show’s content, it’s not able to be repeated in anything but late evening timeslots, so that income stream is limited as well.

Remember that the network fees for a first run show are a lot of money, but they don’t cover all the expenses of making a show. if there’s no potential for additional income somewhere down the road, there’s no incentive to keep making the show for the producers. They are making a product, not art. and I say this as someone who has greatly enjoyed Saving Grace and would like to see it continue.

August 21, 2009 at 5:20 PM

I thought I’d read somewhere that the hang up had been foreign syndication rights not selling as forecast.

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