Article first published as GRACELAND Review Season 2 on Seat42F.
USA’s GRACELAND is back for a second
season this week. The show that does for law enforcement what Suits does
for lawyers, it’s one of USA’s best efforts, and it’s gratifying to
have it back on the air after a very long hiatus. What’s more, while
things have changed, all the familiar faces are back, and GRACELAND hits
the ground running, kicking off some new, very interesting arcs.
As season one closes out, Mike (Aaron
Tveit) accepts a job in D.C., his dream posting as he seeks to work his
way up to a top position with the F.B.I. The season two premiere, “The
Line,” picks up months later, with Mike settled into his new life,
complete with a love interest. But Mike is not as happy as he first
appears, and it takes no time at all before the plot forces him to
return to the titular house.
Viewers always knew that Mike would have
to be at Graceland again, a necessity for the premise of the show to
continue, so it will be no surprise that the premiere lands him back
there. What I didn’t expect it just how natural the writers would make
it feel for Mike to return. He is not forced to do so against his will,
nor does he go back because of a single reason. Instead, the complexity
of life suggests a return as an opportunity he needs, and it fits
seamlessly into the larger story.
Which is not to say that GRACELAND goes
right back to a case-of-the-week procedural. Elements of that genre
sprinkle the first season, and some stand-alone missions do pop up from
time to time. However, GRACELAND is not a formulaic, stale series, and
each installment does not exist apart from the others. Mike coming home
is a much larger thread, one that has both solid reasoning behind it and
implications for the future. It’s the start of something new, not just a
reset.
In season two, the house has a new
leader, and the entire team will be working together more. We have
already been introduced to the characters, and while they do tend to
help each other out, the fact that they represent different branches,
such as F.B.I., ICE, and DEA, has necessitated separate stories from
time to time. GRACELAND’s second season has a huge project that needs
all of their attention, and Briggs (Daniel Sunjata) is not the one put
in charge of this operation.
It will be interesting to see how Briggs
handles taking orders. Very clearly, given his illegal activities, this
senior agent is not used to playing by the rules or just falling in
line. The current boss, who takes over in “The Line,” is not a new
character, and knows Briggs well enough to come up with a plan for how
to handle him. But can Briggs be tamed, even temporarily?
The dynamic is further shifted now that
two of the housemates are hooking up. It is unclear in “The Line” if a
real relationship exists or if two friends are just releasing pent-up
sexual longings, but I would definitely lean towards the former. It
seems unlikely that this couple is destined to stay together long-term,
at least not without working through some major obstacles, but the
development shakes things up in the house, even if it isn’t an obvious
big change at first.
Of course, Mike does not return to all
cheery smiles. He has earned the affection of his co-workers, which
include Johnny (Manny Montana), Paige (Serinda Swan), Charlie (Vanessa
Ferlito), Jakes (Brandon Jay McLaren), and Briggs, but that doesn’t mean
history doesn’t influence how they react to him rejoining, especially
as his room has already been given away to a new team member. Will Mike
only stick around long enough complete the assignment laid out in “The
Line,” or can he truly earn a spot among these people, one that will
last?
I kind of hope it takes Mike a few years
to really feel like a full-fledged member of the group. He has
connections, to be sure, and he isn’t a newbie, but there’s still a
feeling of outsider status clinging to Mike. This may have dissipated by
now had he not moved to D.C., but he did, keeping him at arm’s length
from the others. This is actually a good thing for the story, as it adds
a layer of tension that would otherwise not exist. Conflict is what
keeps shows interesting, and GRACELAND has plenty of it among its
central cast.
As if all of this is not enough, one of
the group has undergone a serious personality change. It is not
explained yet, but it is commented on, definitely a purposeful choice
with more to it, rather than an inconsistency. The characters are too
well-defined for such a slip, and instead, it could be another new arc
just getting started.
GRACELAND is a great series and “The
Line” is not only true to form, but a heck of an interesting way to
start the season. Fresh episodes air Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET beginning
this week.
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