Gracepoint 1.02 Review: “Episode Two”

Here we are in week two of Gracepoint. Two weeks in, a show has to do a lot to keep your attention. Let me again preface the rest of this story by reiterating that I have NOT seen Broadchurch, nor do I have immediate plans to watch it. My perspective is that of a new viewer. Just felt like I needed to repeat myself.

Gracepoint has a lot going for it. The two leads are excellent, the supporting cast is great, and the story is twisty, compelling, and entertaining. Gracepoint is obviously a town with a LOT of secrets, and they’re definitely compelling enough for me to want to uncover. I’m certain that, the way the show is structured, that they will continually solve the smaller mysteries and uncover smaller secrets until one of them finally reveals Danny’s killer, but so far, I’m interested.

Detectives Carver and Miller very strongly represent two opposite ideals. Their views on people are polar opposite one another. Carver (David Tennant) represents the ideal that people are generally evil. He’s suspicious of everyone, and treats everyone like a suspect. Miller (beautifully portrayed by Anna Gunn) represents the opposite. She believes that people are generally good. The perceptions she has of everyone in town are slowly being changed by her job, but she still believes in them. The contrast sounds tired and hokey on paper, but it really is a compelling contrast in the cinematic world.

The mystery is a beast right now. I don’t know if it’s the skeptic in me (I’m a little more like Carver than Miller, I must admit) but I think everyone is behaving extremely suspiciously. Of course, the way this kind of show can go, the murderer will probably turn out to be the only character that didn’t do anything suspicious. I have my theories on some of the other mysteries right now, but my top suspects are: the creepy lady who lives in the RV, the slightly less creepy Jack Reinhold (Nick Nolte), and the only a little creepy preacher (played masterfully by Breaking Bad‘s Kevin Rankin). Of course, right now Michael Pena’s Mark Solano (Danny’s father) is the chief suspect, but there is certainly a more elaborate explanation which has 8 more episodes to be revealed. I’m actually slightly suspicious of that reporter from the big city, too.

I think the most compelling scene of the whole episode was the brief scene between the Pastor (Paul) and Mark. I understand that losing a child would be difficult, but why all of a sudden lose it on the pastor? Obviously, there’s history there. If there’s any relationship on the show I want to see more of, it’s this one (aside from Detective Carver and that reporter, of course).

As much as I’ve been questioning Danny’s parentage, Mark’s faithfulness to his wife, the pastor’s celibacy, etc., the biggest question I have so far is what is up with Detective Carver. We saw him freak out and give himself a shot in the bathroom, but were given no other clues. Is he having PTSD issues from his last case? And what happened with that last case? Most of the other characters have some kind of tell-tale sign that makes them suspicious, but Carver only has these little tidbits. I think David Tennant is masterful in the role, and his American accent is actually quite good. If you don’t think about him being British, you wouldn’t even notice.

Gracepoint, thus far, has offered up all the basics of a compelling TV series. It has offered enough questions to keep us interested, there’s definitely a doubt as to who the killer is, and the acting and storytelling is all beautifully done. The big question is, how will they continue? If they continue on the trajectory they’ve created, they will have a compelling 10 episode story told, but if they veer TOO far just to try and keep Broadchurch fans guessing, that’s when I’d start to worry. I have a feeling they won’t need to do that for long, though.

What did you guys think? Are you still watching Gracepoint? What did you think of the episode? Let us know!

[Photo via FOX]