Ep 1. Pilot

Grace Hanadarko (Holly Hunter) is an Oklahoma City police detective who, like many of her colleagues, is haunted by the death and violence she encounters every day on the job. Unlike many of her colleagues, however, Grace turns to sex, drugs, and alcohol to numb the pain.

Grace's coping mechanisms catch up with her in the first episode of Saving Grace, appropriately titled "Pilot." The episode opens with a montage that illustrates Grace's wild lifestyle: she has a one-night stand, uses drugs in a seedy motel room, and gets into a bar fight with her friend Rhetta (Laura San Giacomo). The next day, Grace goes to work at the police station, but she's hungover and still under the influence of drugs.

While at work, Grace is called to investigate a case of a man who was killed by a lightning strike. The man's wife, an elderly woman named Henrietta, is distraught and claims that her husband was a good man. Grace is skeptical, but as she starts to investigate, she learns that Henrietta is not lying. In fact, Henrietta is one of the most kind and compassionate people Grace has ever met.

Grace starts to examine her own life in light of Henrietta's example. She feels like a hypocrite for judging people and for not being more compassionate. She also starts to realize that she has a lot to be thankful for, including her friendship with Rhetta and her job as a police officer.

While all of this is happening, Grace has a strange encounter with a man who identifies himself as Earl (Leon Rippy). Earl claims to be an angel sent to help Grace get her life back on track. Grace is skeptical, but Earl seems to know things about her that no one else could know.

By the end of the episode, Grace has made some positive changes in her life. She has apologized to Rhetta for their fight, attended an AA meeting, and started to look at life through a new lens. She's still skeptical about Earl, but she's starting to think that he might be onto something.

Overall, the first episode of Saving Grace is a strong start to the series. The episode sets up Grace's character arc nicely, introducing her flaws and challenges while also hinting at the possibility of redemption. Holly Hunter gives a powerhouse performance as Grace, conveying both her tough exterior and her vulnerability. The show also sets up several intriguing mysteries, including the question of whether or not Earl is really an angel. Fans of gritty police dramas and complex character studies will likely be drawn to this series.