why you should be watching graceland

I like to push shows on people.  I'll go on and on about the characters and the plot and how original it all is. I've seen pilot episodes countless times just to make sure someone understands how good Veronica Mars, Sons of Anarchy, or Supernatural (the first 4 seasons) are.  It takes time to accept a new show, I get that... it's an undertaking.  Especially if you're about to binge watch.  There are all these names and personalities you have learn; an entire world you have to willing to delve into and dedicate yourself to understanding.  As someone who's done this a gross amount of times, I feel your pain.  But I'm going to ask you to do it again.  For Graceland.  And let me tell you why.

"These aren't the good guys, but they'll protect you from the bad guys."

 

This isn't your typical USA drama.  Yes, there's some crazy good-looking men and women solving cases by using their innate intelligence who have deep and unwavering friendships, but this time, there's not one pair hogging up all the screen time.  No Peter and Neil, no Annie and Auggie, no Harvey and Mike.  There's a crew, a whole group of FBI and DEA agents living undercover on Long Beach.  They get in too deep as they try to worm their ways into the drug and gun world, while always having time for a beer on the beach.  This show is about partnership and loyalty more than anything else.  Who do you trust, who can you trust, and who trusts you?

This show is advertised to make you think it's a show about Mike (Aaron Tveit).  I assume this is because people know his face, and those who don't, want to once they've taken a gander.  He's a beautiful man.  But he's not the focus.  Sure, he's new to Graceland (which is what they call their house), so we're introduced to the world with him, but this cast shares the screen.  They all have roles, whether it's Johnny as the comedic relief or Briggs as the leader, each of them influences the ongoing storyline.  This is a nice change of pace honestly.  While it's not comparable to Sons or Game of Thrones in its character count, there's still enough moving pieces to keep viewers from getting bored; you're never watching the same two people have the same conversation over and over again.  I love White Collar, but watching another conversation about whether Peter trusts Neil is going to push me over the edge.

Let me break this down to make it a little easier for you to decide.

1. It's funny.  Not I'm-so-nervous-and-the-funny-guy-made-a-mildly-amusing-joke-so-I'll-laugh kind of funny - like actually funny.  All the characters have different senses of humor and they say humorous and sarcastic things with the intent being achieving a laugh.

2. It's beautiful.  The show is well shot and the location is gorgeous.  These people live in an oceanfront beauty.  They spend their nights on the beach by a bonfire, if they aren't busting a drug deal, and their days on the surf or making their way down the boardwalk, if they're not undermining a major gun trader and his team.  Intense scenes are dark and shadowy, while others are bright and almost cheerful.  Not in a cheesey way, but in a realistic way.  Life is both and so is Graceland.

3. It's fucking good.  My roommates and I are watching the pilot talking about how it's good and funny and all that, but nothing is astounding us.  Mike seems a little generic and we can guess what the next few episodes will be like... We'll watch the next episode, but we're not blown away.  Then the end comes.  Whoa.  There was such an obvious set up for one particular twist and then the show goes a whole other way, it was great.  TV is making this a regular thing, but we were still surprised.  USA doesn't take risks like this... Oh wait, they do now.  And they only get better.  The last episode had me so stunned, I watched all the credits.

4. Its characters are bad ass.  Every single one.  There's no differentiation between the males and the females, which I love.  These aren't "strong females," they're strong people.  The guys on the show treat them the same way they treat each other.  Sexual tension is mutual as is love and lust.  Relationships or their potential aren't ignored or focused on.  They're a part of the story because it's only natural in a world where "your lies are your life" and only your roommates know the truth, but they aren't immediately falling into bed.  Every character has a sense of self, which is impressive and interesting since they're always pretending to be someone else.  They do so with ease, yet you see them relax into themselves as they fall back onto the couch and drink a glass of wine.  These people are more than friends, they're even more than family - they're all they have and the only people who actually know who they are.

 

 

5. Because I feel there should be five... LOOK AT THEIR FACES

 

 

I rest my case.

 

Tune in Thursdays 10/9c on USA (Catch up on Hulu).