I am a big fan of TNT's Saving Grace. Some people don't get the show and feel put off by the behavior of Holly Hunter's character Grace Hanadarko. I like it precisely because her behavior is so unpredictable and unexpected especially for a female character. I think that Nancy Miller, the show's creator is a brilliant and bold visionary.
Most of Nancy's team (Nancy was sick) attended the Women in Film event in LA and I have to say they were an incredibly nice group of people. They love their show, they love their leader and they love each other. Some of these things you can fake, but this seemed really genuine. (Remember I am a jaded New Yorker.)
The people who attended were: Gary Randall (Exeuctive Prodcuer); Laura San Giacomo (Rhetta); Lorraine Toussaint (Kate); Bailey Chase (Butch); Leon Rippey (Earl). Lillah McCarthy (VP of Original Programming for TNT and TBS) also participated. Here are some tidbits I picked up from the conversation:
The second half of season 2 which was supposed to start around January will actually start in March.
- Gary Randall (the Executive Producer along with Miller) said that Miller set out to do a show about a female character who is challenged in her faith. Grace's character was initially written as a journalist but in collaboration with TNT she was transformed into a cop.
- The script was done for a while but couldn't move forward until they found the right lead actress.
- they relayed that Nancy Miller says that it's not a show with answers, it's a show with questions.
- Lillah- It's TV-MA so it can't air before 10pm. Advertisers were scared and Holly being part of it made a big difference. The (success) of The Closer allowed us to put Saving Grace on.
- Gary Randall in talking about Nancy Miller- "everything is subtext, everything is deepely layered, Grace's guilt informs every single reaction."
