User reviews

I was in the demographic this was geared towards at the time, and I must say I loved it. I thought the setting, writing, characters, & music were superb. I remember something along the lines of the network changing between seasons 1 & 2 and it getting lost amongst all of that. It was a really popular show at the time so surprised it didn't last longer.

Flash forward to 2016 with the State Of Grace reunion and trying to #streamstateofgrace. I really thought after they did that panel that Hulu or someone would try and snag the rights. I get that there is so much music in this series that would have rights issues but people need to see this. The only song worth fighting to keep is the theme song, replace the rest.

Please bring this back so us fans can see it again!

"State of Grace" was a Family Channel coming-of-age show that lasted 44 episodes (back in 2001 and 2002). If you watched the Family Channel regularly back then you probably saw all but the last few episodes because they were repeated many times each week.

Like "Freaks and Geeks" and "Firefly" (from the same period) it was sophisticated in a unique and quirky way; making it surprising that it lasted as long as it did given the limited demographic for this type of programming. It managed to be very age inclusive, the whole family could enjoy the universal themes in the episodes and the humor worked nicely on several levels.

The show centers on Hannah, the repressed 12-year old daughter of a Jewish family that has just moved to North Carolina in the mid-60's. She attends a Catholic girl's school where she becomes friends with the title character (Grace), a rich southern belle in training who is anything but repressed. The production design nicely captures the period details; language, clothes, and music.

Each episode of the show had a central theme, with 2-3 seemingly unrelated stores illustrating that central idea. At the end the narrator (a grown-up Hannah) would do a voice-over commentary tying the stories together under that episode's theme.

For example, a episode appropriately titled "Crime and Self-Punishment" has a theme about doing (and not doing) the right thing. Tattie (Grace's mother) can't help listening in on private phone conversations when the local phone lines become crossed; Hanna gives into peer pressure and shoplifts a sweater; and Evie and David (Hannah's parents) promote a black employee to foreman and weather racist reactions from many of the white employees-something that made them hesitate over making the deserved promotion-this is after all set in1965 North Carolina.

In the end, despite finding a way to pay for the stolen sweater, Hannah donates it to the thrift store where it is displayed in the window as she starts her end of episode voice-over. "Everyday of our lives we have to make decisions about what's right and what's wrong. Sometimes because we're human we can't stop ourselves from doing the wrong thing (shot of Tattie trying to listen in on another phone conversation). Other times we can't stop ourselves from doing what is right (shot of black foreman helping white machine operator). And sometimes if we're lucky, even a wrong decision can lead to something good (shot of a poor girl leaving the thrift store proudly wearing Hannah's donated sweater).

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

OMG! I REALLY MISS THIS SHOW!! I used to watch it with my sister ALL THE TIME!! We watched it when it was new, but now we can't find it anymore!! Both of us really liked it! It was about people in the '60s!! I love the '60s!! The theme song was fabulous too ((Do you Believe in Magic)) and the people were so funny!! My favorite episode was the one where Grace is in a dressing room (?) and she kicks the stereo box thing with her shoe!! It looks like SO MUCH FUN!!! I also love how they say the name Hannah in this show, its just way cooler than normal!!

IMPORTANT!!:: If anyone knows when and where it's on ((if it's even still on!!!)) PLEASE TELL ME!!!

I miss this series. When the show debuted, it was on the Fox Family cable channel. I found the series to be very well written and well acted. I looked forward to seeing the young characters getting older and dealing with the issues in the 1960's. After the show was renewed for a second season, Fox sold the network to Disney. I knew the show would not last beyond season two and it did not. It was canceled. How did I know it would be canceled? Disney likes to put its own programming all of its channels and the show was not a Disney property. The official reason it gave for canceling the show was that it did not attract enough adult viewers. So, children are not enough to make a "family network" a success anymore? I don't buy that reason. Anyway, it did remind me of the "Wonder Years" but as I recall, "Wonder Years" was added to the ABC schedule after "Stand By Me" was a hit in theaters. If, as some posters here have suggested, this show is a "ripoff" of "Years", is "Years" a ripoff of "Stand By Me"? The bottom line is "State of Grace" deserved more of a chance than it was given and every time I watch the episodes I recorded, I'll miss it even more.

State of Grace was a fabulous show and one I thought had more depth than Wonder Years (although I was a big fan of Wonder Years also). Perhaps I liked it so much because I am the mother of 2 daughters, perhaps because my daughters are the result of a mixed religion marriage. At any rate, the acting was sublime: both my girls and I adored both Hannah and Grace. The interactions between Hannah's parents and the growth of Grace's mother (played WONDERFULLY by Faye Grant) made the show a delight for parents as well. My little one still gets teary when she hears "Do You Believe in Magic?" Trust Eisner to f*&^ up again.

I've been watching State of Grace since it first came on, and I can safely say that it's one of my very favorite shows.

All of the actors seem fit for the parts. You'd expect that modern twelve-year-olds would not be able to act well in a 1960s setting, but Mae Whitman and Alia Shawkat do a great job. All of the characters are very well cast.

Another thing is that they seem like normal people. Grace and Hannah worry about normal things that typical seventh graders do. They don't try to behave beyond their years or sit around and gossip about boys. Neither of them seem stuck up, and they're people that normal kids would like to know.

The show has also improved a lot in the past year. Some episodes were kind of boring in the first season, but now I wouldn't miss one! There is a lot better of a balance concerning air time between the Rayburns and the McKees. In the first season, the plot would usually focus on one of the families, but it's so much more interesting now that they're both featured in every episode. It makes it a lot more fun to watch.

I'd give this show a 10/10.

Ok, so I may be WAY behind on my television watching, but I have just recently found the delightful program entitled, State of Grace. What a pity that this has been cancelled!!

The show centers on two 12-year old girls growing up in the South in the mid 60s. I can speak with authority about this because I was 12 years old, growing up in the south in the mid 60s. Great attention has been paid to detail of the period - from the behavior, to the costumes, to the sets. The incidental music is from the mid 60s and fits right in with the situations that are occurring at the time. For instance, in the episode "Saving Grace", Grace is rebelling a little against the school dress code. When she walks down the hall wearing her mini dress with pop art material, groovy metal flower pin and textured hose, the music that is playing is "England Swings". Carnaby Street fashions were all the rage at that time. I nearly choked when the "sister" made Grace get on her knees in the hall while she measured the length of distance from her hem to the floor. How many times did I have to do that??

Nay-sayers have criticized this show for ripping off "The Wonder Years". I have tried to watch that show, but it is not an experience like "State of Grace" is. TWY just doesn't transport one back to the time like SOG. I just don't get the feeling of the era as I do watching Grace. Also, just because someone has an idea, does that mean no one else can ever expand on that idea? What if we complained that the telephone had been invented and no one else should tamper with it? Where would most people be without their beloved cel phone attached to their ear? In this case, someone took the idea of The Wonder Years, and MADE IT BETTER!

Every actor in this show is absolutely perfect for his or her part. The script is tight and well written - sometimes funny, sometimes poignant. When it's funny, it's really funny. I loved the part in the episode, "Eve of Discussion" where the Rayburns were writing a big ad for the newspaper. When they checked the morning paper for their ad, they found that instead of reading, "You'll sink in our sofas!" it read, "You'll STINK in our sofas!" (I'm chuckling as I write this - OK it sounds a little sophomoric, but you just had to be there.) KUDOS to everyone involved in this production, and thank you for giving me a slice of my youth, if only for a little while.

I love this show, it is slightly predictable but is a goodhearted show. Its hard to find shows like that and it is one of the few good shows ABC family has to offer. The characters and easy to like and laugh at. Good hearted comedy is needed more then ever in a society were television is made up of sex, swearing and death.

I loved this show and was very disappointed that ABC (and Disney) didn't give it a chance. It had great storylines by terrific writers, a very talented cast (was especially thrilled to see Faye Grant back on television!) and it always gave me a good feeling after watching it. We need more shows like this on television and less of the reality programming "crap" that all of the networks have gone overboard with.

What makes "State of Grace" so appealing to me (besides May Whitman and Alia Shawkat, who are ideally cast and so cute!) is its natural flow and ability to capture different brands of humor and customs within the contexts of Hanna and Grace's respective upbringings without being offensive. I think the show has been carefully researched, well-written and the cast has a really good synergy. I especially get a kick out of Erica Yohn as "Grandma Ida". She gave an equally down to earth and warm performance in "Corinna, Corinna". It's nice to turn on the TV once in a while to no courtroom, gunshots, emergency room or police station. Good, clean fun!

I think "State of Grace" is one of the best shows on TV right now. It is a show that I think everybody can relate to. It deals with family, friends, crushes, school and much more. The actors and actresses do a great job. I think many people will enjoy this show and I think it is great. I hope it doesn't get canceled though, because many of the the good shows out there today just keep having one or two seasons then get canceled. I hope the same doesn't happen with "State of Grace". Anyway, if you are looking for a good TV show to watch, you might want to try watching this one!

This is a really well done show. The writing is perfect, and the two girls make the show what it is. I especially like Hannah, how cute! She is just precious. The storytelling so far is interesting, and I like the entire setup, with the woman who is now in middle age, narrating the stories told of her life. The supporting characters, especially Hannah's family are awesome, and they help so much with the humor. Great show, hope it's on for a long time. 9/10

Having grown up in North Carolina in the Sixties in an area known for furniture, I found this very authentic. I was a couple of years younger than the main characters but found most of their situations true to my experiences. I enjoy the reruns but I am disappointed that it wasn't continued. The actors were well cast. Several of my friends and I enjoyed watching and discussing the show each week.

State of Grace reminds us of a time that was simpler, more naïve, a time when family was important. Is this show `breakthrough' television? No, it's not, unless telling a story that doesn't involve idiot parents, sex-craved children and their drug infested friends, or neighbors from another planet can be considered `breakthrough.' We are given a small slice in the lives of two very different families dealing with the small episodes that happen to families on a daily basis. As different as these two families are, they have one thing in common: love. Although the show centers on Hanna and Grace, there is wonderful ensemble playing displayed and the scripts not only let us see the story of these people, but we also see their hearts. With all the `junk' that's available on television these days, `State of Grace' is an island, a safe haven where we can actually care about and learn from the people we're watching. This 60 minute Monday Night Island is possibly my favorite current show (along with `Doc'). `State of Grace' is a sweet postcard that reminds us of a much simpler and naive time.

While it isn't the best television show every made and there is much room for improvement, I think this TV series is very enjoyable to watch, especially the spunk of the two main characters, whom most girls of any age can relate to at some point. The attempt at humor usually fails and is very cliche, but the plots are fun. Given the opportunity (if Fox Family doesn't cancel it!) I think this show will get better over time. I will continue to watch it on Monday nights and hopefully it will establish a relatively large fan base. I will say this- the adults aren't stereotypical "dumb parents" as parents are many times portrayed in kids' TV series and the girls are pretty realistic characters, too. Give this show a chance! And another thing, it's not really for "mature viewers." I think kids can handle the word "Jewish" and it is a little insulting to think that just because a TV series is about a Catholic and a Jewish girl being friends that children under the age of eight couldn't watch it.

This show is pretty good. Sad to see it's going to be canceled. Things were getting a little dull, but with some much history, you think they could have come up with better stories! It would have been neat to see these two girls grow up through the rest of the 60's and into the 70's. Good soundtrack too!

I love State of Grace. Its awesome! The 2 girls are really good! I think the show is really really funny! I really like it b/c my favorite actress is on it. FAYE GRANT!!!! She is awesome and she is very good at being tattie! She hasn't been on TV for awhile so I am very very happy that she is on state of grace. Its great to see her back on TV where she should be! She is gorgeous! I really think the show is great and very funny. Fayes fan

I wrote this in another forum while the show was still on.. Sadly, my prediction came true.

This is a sweet, gentle show, that is hard to find...you never know when it is going to be on... It tells the story of two young girls in a Catholic school in the South back in the Sixties... Hannah is Jewish and newly transplanted from the North when her parents relocate their small furniture manufacturing company there...she is shy and not adventurous, until she meets the irrepressible Grace. Grace on the other hand, is a free spirit, being raised by her rich scatty mother.

She leads Hannah on many new adventures...the stories are told with affection without being overly sweet. And the girls are adorable...two of the cutest faces on TV...and never a one liner out of either of them. It's a story of a friendship of girls from wildly different backgrounds...Hannah from a close knit extended family and Grace from a home where she is loved but with few rules. This show will just fade away for no other reason than neglect and that's a pity.

I keep waiting for this show to be on DVD. I live in NC, where the show was set, and really thought it was one of the best TV shows of that decade. I suppose it didn't have enough bad language, pregnant teens, etc. to survive. I liked the fact that it had two very different girls who were best friends. Also nice to see Southern characters who act intelligent and normal. It shows the ups and downs of growing up, and does it with humor and a positive message. The parents were funny but clearly loved their daughter and the grandparents were warm also. I remember that the grandmother was trying to get a boyfriend. Wish the show had went longer and wish that the network would figure out THAT PEOPLE WOULD BUY A DVD OF THIS SHOW!

Maybe it was a ripoff of The Wonder Years, but it's the only 60s coming-of-age show that I recall that dealt with girls rather than boys. Such a shame it didn't last longer. The two actresses that played the central characters were perfect. I still see Mae Whitman but wonder what happened to the girl who played Hannah. I really hate it when quality shows disappear.

I love this show. I simply wanted to watch this because of Mae Whitman. I am a huge Sandra Bullock fan, and when I saw Hope Floats Mae Whitman seemed like she was a pretty good actress. So I found out she's in this new show, and I just watched two episodes today. I found it very funny, and entertaining. :D Keep up the good work.

When I saw previews for State of Grace, I decided that I would watch it and see if it was any good. I didn't expect anything facinating, but I wanted to see what it was like. I watched it the first time that it came on, and was very impressed. It was a lot better than I expected it to be. The characters are realistic and funny, and the plots are all interesting. If you haven't ever seen it, I suggest that you do, because I like it very much and watch it every week.

I think it is a great show! The plot are usually good but sometimes they are rather stupid. I think that it is very funny and kinda weird but overall it should be seen before you chose it. It is better then the shows they usually have on Fox Family! It can be very entertaining and I love it. lol

I want them to bring th show back I really loved the show It was my favorite show Hanna The girl in it is in, arrested development She's a cousin in it. I don't like the show as much as i loved state of Grace I Loved it so much it really was a great show i miss it a lot crying. I even loved the theme song Do you believe in magic. By Lovin' Spoonful Do you believe in magic? In a young girls heart How the music can free her whenever it starts

And it's magic if the music is groovy it's makes you feel happy like an old time movie

I'll tell ya about the magic It'll free your soul but it's like trying to tell a stranger 'bout rock n roll

If you believe in magic, don't bother to choose If it's just band music or rhythm and blues Just go and listen It'll start with a smile It won't wipe off your face no matter how hard you try Your feet start tapping And you can't seem to find How you got there

State of Grace is a very pleasant show. I think that its underrated and is one of Fox Family's better programs. I think this show is really well done, the writing and the acting are very good, and the actors do a superb job...tune into it if you can.