TNT’s Saving Grace is back on air tonight at 10, as Academy award winner Holly Hunter’s character, Detective Grace Hanadarko faces new challenges both professionally and personally.

At the end of the last season, Grace’s partner Ham (Kenny Johnson) told her that he was done working with her. Replacing him for four episodes as Grace’s partner will be Christina Ricci of Black Snake Moan fame. Her character Abby Charles is rumored to have been written with Ricci in mind and will reveal a lot of complexities as the episodes get moving.

Even with a new partner Grace Hanadarko remains the feisty detective she is and her personal life is still going hard and fast. Defending her character Holly Hunter says, “It’s much more fun to play somebody who is who she is. I would say there’s nothing linear at all about the show. It’s not like she’s learning new lessons all along the way.”

Holly Hunter, winner of an Academy award for The Pianist got Golden Globe, Emmy and Screen Actors Guild nominations for her portrayal of the peppery, hard drinking detective.

Calling her nominations and the success of the show a “privilege”, Holly said it was the connection the show created with the audience that she is thankful for. She also thanked the entire team of Saving Grace for its success. When asked what makes Grace stand out, she revealed, “There’s a hook-up with Grace because she’s a woman of extremes. I do think Grace is made up largely of love. She’s not fully real. She says and does things that are slightly fantastical at times.”