Release Date: June 3, 2014
Rating: TV-14
Running Time: 528 minutes

From the creator of “White Collar” comes a gritty, tension-laced crime drama inspired by actual events featuring a hot young cast led by Daniel Sunjata, and Aaron Tveit. It seems like a sweet deal when new FBI Agent Mike Warren’s (Tveit) first assignment lands him in a beautiful L.A. beachfront mansion with other young undercover government agents, including his idol, legendary FBI agent Paul Briggs (Sunjata). But loyalties are tested and lives are put on the line when Warren is ordered to secretly investigate Briggs in this action-packed series that also stars Vanessa Ferlito, Manny Montana, Serinda Swan, and Brandon Jay McLaren.

First, can we talk about all of the reasons why I was on board to watch Graceland even before the show premiere? One. Aaron Tveit. I loved him in Next to Normal on Broadway. Loved!!! Two. Daniel Sunjata. Y’all may have loved him most recently on Grey’s Anatomy (and I did too) but he was on this little show called Rescue Me on FX that anyone who’s been reading this blog for awhile knows is one of my favorite shows. Three. Brandon Jay McLaren. I loved him in Harper’s Island along with plenty of other shows that he’s worked on and knew that he’d deliver. Four. The best for last. Jeff Eastin. Creator of White Collar. His shows are smart and fun. You know exactly what you’re getting with Eastin and I wanted it.

Then the show premiered and I immediately fell in love with the rest of the cast, Serinda Swan, Vanessa Ferlito, and Manny Montana. As well as the setting. And directing. And cinematography. The tone of this show is a gritty I can’t recall having seen on TV before. Clean gritty. You’ll know what I mean if you catch even five minutes of the show. Each of the main characters do their job well but everyone has strengths and weaknesses and a story behind them and watching these stories come out over time…it’s why I love TV so much more than movies – and I do love movies but this, the time you get with characters on TV is beyond satisfying. Watching these characters interact as roommates in Graceland, their house, as co-workers, as human beings, as strangers… in the Pilot, Graceland is a safe haven and by the end of the season, the fate of Graceland is out of their hands. How it gets from point A to point B along with the cases that we follow them on, it’s quite exciting!

Without spoiling anything for you because I went into this show blind and would encourage you to do the same, I can say that this isn’t your typical undercover cop show. It’s so much more. It’s not case by case though we do follow them on some cases that bring the agents in some very compromising positions in drug deals. There’s on overarching story here and it’s all wrapped up in Graceland and the people who live there. Is Briggs a good agent? Is it in Mike’s best interests professionally as instructed or personally as a friend to his roommate agents to investigate Briggs who he lives under the same roof with? Can Charlie depend on Briggs to do the right thing? Can Mike depend on Johnny and Dale to do the right thing? Are Charlie and Briggs meant to be together? Johnny and Paige?

Who can they trust? Who are they willing to disappoint if it means getting done what needs to be done? When deals go wrong, how will they get out? There is so much that happens on this show but the pacing of this show is fan-freaking-tastic it’s never overwhelming. Every character, every setting, every plot, subplot, emotion, everything has its time and place and the writers deliver. The cast delivers. There are only twelve episodes in season one and every single episode is just as thrilling and funny and heartbreaking and memorable as the last. This show is one show you do not want to miss.

Bonus Features:

*Deleted Scenes (15 minutes) – There are eleven deleted scenes and of those elevn, there are only two that I found to be unnecessary. Though I’m biased because I love this show so much that any extra footage of this show there is, I’ll love. This show is so character driven that even the deleted scenes do its job. I think all of the right notes are hit for most of these scenes, perhaps the main reason they were cut was for time. Regardless, they’re on the DVD and it’s worth taking the 15 minutes to catch these scenes.

*Gag Reel (8 minutes) – Everyone loves a good gag reel and this is no exception. My favorite parts? Well, I’ll just say that one actor leaves his cell phone on by mistake and it goes off on multiple occasions, another actor uses the wrong accent in his scene, another’s got the whole cast saying “Ha!” in between shots – can you guess who for all of these? – there are multiple shout outs before rolling, dancing parrots, and more. Must watch!

*The Real Graceland (10 minutes) – I’m usually wary of short features that are anywhere under 15 minutes but this feature actually has some depth to it so it’s still a feature I’d recommend any fan of the show watch. The main cast, Jeff Eastin, and Russell Lee Fine talk about working with the real life former DEA agent who was in the position they play each day. Not only was the agent on hand to consult, as many of the cases are pulled from actual cases and many other situations call for his expertise, the main cast did train (with guns and such) to continue to make this show, their roles as authentic as possible.

Along with watching everyone talk about making this show as genuine as possible, they talk about agents working undercover, working as a female DEA agent, discovering the many sides of agents who are also their roommates, and so much more. I loved when the former DEA agent said, “Whatever can go wrong will go wrong,” and when Brandon Jay McLaren says that he thinks everyone will find a piece of them in each character. These statements are so true and so much a part of why I am so drawn to this show. Basically, this feature shares so many of the reasons why watching this show is so gratifying. Such fantastic research and writing, directing and casting, settings, everything. Everything comes together beautifully but the pieces to this puzzle individually are truly just as fascinating. Not many shows can say that. This show should be very proud.

Appearing in this Feature:
Creator/Executive Producer, Jeff Eastin
Former DEA Agent, John Marcello
Producer/Director, Russell Lee Fine
Cast Members, Serinda Swan, Aaron Tveit, Daniel Sunjata, Vanessa Ferlito, Manny Montana, Brandon Jay McLaren

Own Graceland The Complete First Season on DVD today. Watch the Season Two premiere of Graceland this Wednesday, June 11, 2014 at 10/9c on USA.