So. You know. It's back.
Objectively I knew that Grace wouldn't kill Father Murphy, but the episode was skilfully constructed all the same. From the initial shoot&chase (and the dog, bless) to finding that Grace had essentially kidnapped Father Murphy, to the other victims and the final reality of sexual abuse, this episode was insane. You had the usual bouts of humour (the dog was initially horrifying but seeing the team rally behind Grace at that point was pretty amusing) and the continuing brawl-off between Ham and Butch. The teams affection for Grace continues to be a source of great happiness to me ("I don't know whether to hug you, or kick your ass." "Hug (!)"), and Rhetta's conversation with Grace's brother was also a great scene.
The scene when Grace's mother returned was beautiful - I guess the ambiguity there is because the mother doesn't actually know the truth of Grace's exposure to Murphy. And then the scene with Grace's sister's friend was heartbreaking because, of course, we understand and sympathise with Grace's guilt over her sister's death.
The scene where Grace was abusing Father Murphy - those were horrible to watch, because for all of Grace's inanities, for all her caricature nature, her character has some stamina and some pride. But watching that display was just shameless, and so horrible to consider that in a sense, Murphy had created that anger and that shamelessness in her. Seeing her glee at his death was also terrible (because even though Rhetta concurred, there was quietess to Rhetta's reaction). To then find out that Earl was Murphy's 'last-chance' angel, too, and to have him silhouetted at the moment when Grace sends her childhood acquaintance off (to continue the chain of abuse, though she has yet to figure that out) was so saddening.
I find Ham's defensive impulses annoying (I much prefer Butch's quieter, kindlier approach to Grace) but to see his actual concern quieten around Grace, that was lovely, and to see her desperation mixed with her lust and her frustration, that all felt very true to her character, too.
The closing scene, with Earl, was gratifying because the one thing that girl needed all the way through the past few episodes, was release, someone to treat her with comfort. And it had to be Earl; wouldn't have it any other way.
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I am so excited that the series is back! This was a brilliant opener to the season, though a little pacier than we're often used to with this show. I hope that the episodes go back to being a little more focused (I can forgive it in a season opener because I know how TV works) but really, this was a perfect open and I'm so, so, so psyched to see more already!
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