Critic Reviews

[A] bust doesn't go as planned and sets up what promises to be a nicely complicated season. [13 Jun 2014, p.76]

The answers unfold with a delicious tension that makes Graceland an unexpected pleasure.

It's the kind of work that I like to classify as "deep shallow," in that it deals in familiar tropes and simple themes but articulates them in a clever, stylish way.

Graceland is Not The Wire. But it won't have you shooting up your television set, either. [31 May/7 Jun 2013, p.131]

It wouldn't hurt to pick up the pace, but Graceland is a successful move toward true grittiness. [3 Jun 2013, p.43]

It’s the broader story of Briggs--is his hat white or black?--and his unfolding relationship Warren that elevates Graceland a cut above your dime-a-dozen crime dramas.

Based on the three episodes I've seen, there's a lot of potential here, and an interesting blend of self-contained and long-form storytelling.

We've seen that countless times. But Sunjata and Tveit are both appealing, and the rest of the cast is colorfully eclectic, including Vanessa Ferlito as Charlie, a DEA agent undercover as a druggie.

Graceland is an entertaining addition to a strong summer lineup in which attractive people trade witty banter and engage in serious work that provides good clean episodic fun while teaching the main characters the importance of love and loyalty.

While it's not exactly Breaking Bad, stepping away from the too-pat world of "blue sky" TV into something edgier is a welcome diversion.