TNT rolled out two new hours of TV last night: the third-season premiere of Saving Grace and the debut of the brand-new hospital drama HawthoRNe. I’ve always liked Holly Hunter’s performance in Grace, even though I find her “last-chance angel” Earl to be a tiresome character, a frequently lame plot device.
But last night, in an episode written by show creator Nancy Miller, Saving Grace was particularly good. The series has moved Grace closer and closer to her colleague-now-lover Ham in a believable way, and to start off the season with Grace telling Ham about Earl was a big deal in the Saving Grace universe. Among other things, it shows how much Grace’s character is growing — she’s trusting Ham enough to believe he won’t laugh or run away from her if she confides in him about her otherwordly, winged pal.
I was going to begin this next paragraph by writing, “in contrast,” but there is no contrast between the new HawthoRNe and Saving Grace: It fits TNT’s new winning combination for their dramas. Like Grace and The Closer, it features a strong female character as its lead (in this case, Jada Pinkett Smith as a Chief Nursing Officer at a big hospital), who breaks the rules and stands up to authority (the latter includes Alias‘ Michael Vartan as Chief of Surgery).
Like Hunter in Grace and Kyra Sedgwick in The Closer, Pinkett Smith’s Christina Hawthorne occasionally bends her iron will, but only for the comfort of the innocent and the afflicted. She’s a good caregiver, but this character just isn’t as interesting as the ones in those other two series. It’s not because this is the umpteenth hospital show — there were umpteen crime shows before Saving Grace and The Closer — it’s because the dialogue in the premiere was pretty trite and the plot twists predictable.
How about you? Did you watch both Saving Grace and HawthoRNe? What did you think of them?
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As far as TNT series go, there is “The Closer,” and there is everything else. “HawthoRNe” fits in “everything else.” Blah and bland.
HawthoRNe needs to use Michael Vartan more! I enjoyed the new show and liked all of the characters. It has drama and humor, combined with a lot of heart!
I agree, Katie!!
who was the woman who played dr. marshal on hawthorn
I have watched Saving Grace since Episode one. Like the show very much, but The Closer is still my favorite. It’s going to take me a minute to get use to Jada back on TV the first episode was pretty good. It was good enough for me to add it to my DVR lineup TNT is doing great things. These leading ladies are making cable worth watching!
I love Jada Pinkett Smith! I was very pleased with her new show HawthoRNe. I’m looking forward to the upcoming episodes.I’m also interested in seeing more of Michael Vartan. The Closer is by far still my favorite show!
I watched 5 minutes of Hawthorne, then I deleted it from my Tivo. I just don’t want to spend time with shows that don’t grab me from the start.
Hawthorne was very blah. Pinkett Smith is a very bland personality. I don’t want to see Michael Vartan in another show where he always looks like he has gas–let him smile.
Lets face it Jada Pinkett has no talent or depth she is either super together and fierce or what? She is the most boring actor and if it weren’t for her “connections” I question whether we would have to put up with so much of her. There is nothing interesting or wanting or real about the women or the characters she plays and honestly if she weren’t Black and Wills wife the reviews she would get for this abomination would be scathing. The show sucks, she sucks. Since she is the first lady of Hollywood black elite she will be spared. Too bad so much content coming outta hollywood is bad (Typer Perry) but because it’s black we don’t get fair critques for fear of being called racist but come on you guys call crap what it is. It happens to be such a fragile time for women of age and color in Hollywood . Hawthorne will add more firs to the argument women of color don’t sell shows, pity. There are many actors who could pull off a three dimentional character and Jada isn’t and never was one
Not sure my earlier post went through. Show is bad because Jada can’t act and now there is more fuel for the argument women of color don’t sell shows. What a pity!
Jada cannot act never has if it were not for her marriage to Will we would be spared. Now this…an abomination which will be blamed on the entire black female race. Can’t someone ever stand up to the truth and could you guys please critique bad product (Everything by Tyler Perry)without fear of being called racist . Risk it. So many talented people who can act out there just not everyone knows Tom or Will or hang with CAA. Pity.
loved Saving Grace (second only to The Closer) but the new Hathorne series I wasn’t thrilled with. The scenes seemed way to contrived (the anniversary of her husbands death, the suicide attemt – and he had a DNR which she noted & yet she did not fight to keep the docs from bringing him back to life – what gives???) the sucicide guy actually jumping was a surprise & caught my attention… I lasted until the homeless lady showed up with the baby – what was Hawthorne suppose to do let the woman keep it? way to contrived & did not make me care, one way or the other, for the characters
Don’t know about her acting, but Jada is hot: http://www.actressscene.com/search/label/Jada%20Pinkett%20Smith
I think HawthoRNe is going to get better. I feel that the nurse with the prosthetic leg was a very interesting twist and the EMT bringing her glue for her leg was romantic.
Saving Grace was pretty good. I love “The Closer” and “Leverage” because they are consistently interesting. “Saving Grace” just doesn’t measure up to the ensemble casts of the other two. I couldn’t even stand the commercials for “Hawthorne” so had no interest in tuning in. Looks like a 70’s throwback.
Very good point about Grace’s angel pal Earl being an increasingly lame and irritating character. (Lame idea to start with.) Holly Hunter is terrific, though, and keeps me coming back. I admit, another source of fascination with Grace is that she has The Worst Hair on Television. What, they don’t have Pantene conditioner in Oklahoma???
I enjoyed “Hawthorne.” The commercials looked interested, and I thought the show was pretty good. I found her character interesting enough, considering her back story — dead husband, mom-in-law is annoying and on the hospital board and clearly they have a bad relationship, and then the rebellious daughter. ANd the secondary characters really made the show for me. But, BEST OF ALL, was just seeing that gorgeous and talented Michael Vartan again. That man is far too underused.
I personally have never gotten into “Saving Grace,” mainly because I find Holly Hunter’s voice much like nails on a chalkboard to me. I’m sure its just me.
I have never been able to get into “Saving Grace” despite the hype, and I still have HawthoRNe on my DVR to check out. Have never been the biggest fan of Jada’s acting but I’m interested to see if this show will be any different from the others with women as leads. I have to at least try, in support of that premise!
I enjoyed Hawthorne. Jade Pinkett Smith is a good actress, and the show was very interesting. I will continue to watch it. Also, Jada Pinkett Smith was acting and successful way before she married Will Smith. One can argue that his career did not take off until he married her. She convinced him to do Men in Black, which essentially catapulted his career and made him a blockbuster star.
I enjoyed Hawthorne. Having recently had a death in my family, the end was extremely touching to me. I liked the interaction of all the characters and Jada’s role in particular, standing up for her staff. As a manager, I find myself doing that daily and it was good to see someone else go up against the “old guard” and defend her staff and territory. I liked this premiere episode so much, I watched it twice! I look forward to the next show.
I LIKE SAVING GRACE. DID NOT WATCH HAWTORNE BECAUSE OF ANOTHER SHOW I WATCH AT 9PM. I LIKE EARL. HE IS IN THE SHOW TO HELP KEEP GRACE ON THE RIGHT PATH. THAT WAS THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF THE SHOW FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. I LOVE THE CLOSER. KYRA IS AWESOME.
HawthoRNe will get better. Good supporting cast and characters. (Love the two actresses from Men in Trees & American Dreams-?) Jada’s character needs to soften just a bit down the road. Joanne Cassidy- as the mother-in-law – brilliant.
I think hawthorne was good. Everyone is right, its not the closer, however i liked the plot twists. i didn’t expect the it the bum to actually be the mother of the baby, and i think they bi-racial daughter is definitely something new. is hawthorne going to end up with another white male, or will she go for the predictable black man, her husbands friend? Plus what will the headline read when the scenes become hot and heavy? I can’t wait for all the drama, on and off the set.
First time watching saving grace and it was suprisingly good except for over the top Earl mmmm… and Hawthorne well what can i say i enjoyed but it needs some work but it is only the pilot episode good job TNT
I loved the show Hawthorne, and can’t wait to see the next episode. Jada looked like Micheal Jackson at the end of the show. Slow down on the plastic surgery.Other than that she is a beauty.
Does she play a nurse (not a doctor)? That would explain “RN” because I’ve been a bit confused.
I found hawthorne to be intriguing. the hour went by so fast! i will be watching it again next week. i find saving grace a little bit overacting at times. i loved holly in the piano but she over does it in grace. it’s an ok show.
Hawthorne needs some improvement, and hopefully we will see some of that next episode.
I was not excited about HawthoRNe. I mean, really–another medical drama? But it was actually a pretty compelling hour of television. Perhaps I enjoyed it because I went in with such low expectations, but I think the point is that I *enjoyed* it.
It would take two handsful of fingers to count the situational cliches on HawthoRNe, and as many more to count the cliches in the dialogue. It’s beautifully made, technically, but I’ve seen/heard it all before and glossy production values alone do not a quality series make.
Saving Grace, on the other hand, has taken its high concept premise and than created interesting and engaging characters that are fresh takes on the various types [hard-boiled cop; enthusiastic forensics person; ball-busting boss, etc.] and made them new again by tweaking them in unexpected directions. Earl is a prime example of playing against expectations – nobody expects an angel to look like a redneck, but by making him appear in that way, the show’s creator both makes him more accessible and undermines the stereotype of the dumb redneck. That’s pretty brilliant stuff, if you ask me.