Pilot Review: Graceland

Graceland (USA)
Premiered June 7 at 10pm

There’s nothing quite like a summer show that really reminds you that it’s summer. Setting a series in California helps with that, but featuring federal agents living in a home on the beach and surfing half the day truly achieves the effect. This show fits the USA bill of “Characters Welcome” perfectly, bringing together a host of colorful, clashing personalities who, each week, get to play someone new as they go undercover. This pilot takes the familiar approach of the young, naïve wunderkind who is actually much quicker on his feet than he looks and uses his smarts to earn the trust and respect of those who can be considered veterans in the business. Aaron Tveit, who most moviegoers will recognize as scene-stealer Enjolras from “Les Miserables” is a fine choice to play newbie Mike Warren, and he’s surrounded by a dependable cast of recognizable TV faces, including Vanessa Ferlito (“24”), Brandon Jay McLaren (“The Killing”), Scottie Thompson (“NCIS”), Clayne Crawford (“Rectify”), and, the most charismatic of all, Daniel Sunjata in the best possible follow-up role to “Rescue Me.” This show is light entertainment that fits in so well with USA’s brand, and the added twist of Mike serving as an internal affairs mole to keep an eye on Sunjata’s Briggs should liven things up considerably. This is far from essential viewing, but, at the start of the summer, this is just the kind of fare that’s well worth watching.

How will it work as a series? It seems like both Mike and Briggs are technically leads, but there’s plenty of room for accommodation for the supporting cast members to step up and take the spotlight. That should help to balance the quieter demeanor of Mike and the showier style of Briggs, and to keep things exciting by shifting around the specificity and field of the cases.
How long will it last? After a strong start following the final season premiere of “Burn Notice,” this show should have no trouble getting renewed after a lot of promotion from its network that started a while ago. This show feels like it belongs in USA’s lineup, and I suspect that few will disagree.

Pilot grade: B