As the first episode of Amazing Grace begins, Grace Cresswell (Kate Jenkinson) helps a woman give birth. After the intro, she complains to Jim Delaney (Ben Mingay) because he ate her last biscuit. Jim tells her about the problem that he bought a house with his ex-wife who still lives there. He wants to sell it but can’t because of her. We see a pregnant woman walking down the street while Grace learns more about Jim’s issue. They role-play before the pregnant woman shows at the St. Brigid’s Hospital Birthing Centre. Grace turns her attention to Laney (Catherine Van-Davies). Then, she steps outside and is promptly introduced to the new student midwife Max (Ben O’Toole). Grace tells him how the male midwives usually stay until they get their hours and leave.

She agrees to train him with the expectation that he’ll be moving on. His first task is to track down creamy biscuits. Next, Sophia (Alexandra Jensen) is introduced to Grace. Sophia is 17 and it is her first pregnancy. She is 37 weeks. Grace tells her what labor is going to be like before learning nobody is going to be there for her. Sophia says her adoptive mother is dead but her birth mother is still alive. Sophia apologizes and tries to leave but Grace convinces her to stay. Grace steps out of the room and tries to pull herself together after hearing Sophia’s story. She talks to Laney before Max shows up with the creamy biscuits. Grace goes outside with Laney and they talk about Grace’s daughter who she gave up when she was 17. She believes Sophia is her daughter.

Grace would like to spend time with her but Laney reminds her she has to give a presentation to the board. Laney isn’t sure she should cancel the presentation since it could cost their funding. When Grace returns, Sophia is nowhere to be found. She finds her in the hallway and tries to convince her to stay until she finishes the presentation. She rushes over to give the presentation and Diane Cresswell (Sigrid Thornton) watches closely. Grace is not feeling it. She rushes through the paperwork and gets out of the presentation as quickly as possible. Diane makes an excuse for her before going after her. Diane wants to know what is going on since she stuck her neck out for Grace. The conversation ends shortly so Grace can return to Sophia.

She tells Sophia she was 17 when she had her and that her life was very different back then. Renee (Ainslie McGlynn) interrupts the conversation because her heart has been beating really fast. She worries something is wrong so Max takes her to a room. Sophia agrees to stay while Grace deals with it. Grace checks Renee and her vital signs and suspects everything is just fine. Grace asks it if has something to do with Doug and whether he has been violent. Renee confirms it by showing the bruises on her arm. Then, Grace goes to Laney and says she needs her because it is something serious. They go to the bathroom and discuss the abuse. Renee doesn’t have anywhere to go since she has left her husband.

Laney promises to make sure Sophia doesn’t leave while Grace deals with another problem. She goes to Sophia, tells her where to plug in her phone, and gives her something to eat. Grace attends another birth and assists along the way. Max watches closely as Grace calms the woman and helps her. The baby is born seconds later. Then, Grace and Laney help Renee while Sophie continues waiting for her mother to return. Sophia texts someone saying this is a joke and she is leaving. She tries to do so but her water breaks and she rushes to clean it up. Sasha (Kat Hoyos) stops her on the way out before Grace catches up with them too. Sophia is taken to a room before she tells Grace she doesn’t want her to contact anyone. She says she’ll call her father in a minute.

Grace gets her comfortable before calling Bonnie (Catherine Mack) and Jim. She tells Jim about her daughter. She isn’t sure how Sophia found her but Jim learns about the baby. Grace admits she doesn’t know what to do. Jim tells her to be strong before the conversation ends. Diane confronts Grace and admits she was disappointed by her behavior. She wants to know what is going on. Grace doesn’t want her to know though. Diane doesn’t intrude and only tells Grace good luck. Grace returns to Sophia and helps her. Max joins them and tells Sophia that it is his first day. Once again, Sophia doesn’t want to call anyone, including her dad or the baby’s dad.

Grace wants to know why Max entered. He explains Laney told him to do so and tells Grace that he isn’t her problem. Grace notices Doug leaving with a baby and tells Sasha to call the police. Grace and Max confronts Doug (Sam O’Sullivan) who admits Renee left him. Doug learns the police are coming so he tries to leave but they quickly try to talk him out of it. Grace manages to convince him to give her the baby before giving it to Max. The police arrive and Grace goes off on Doug for almost hurting the baby. She tells him there are consequences. She could shield him from them but she thinks he needs to feel them. After a break, Grace tells Renee that he won’t be allowed back in there. She’ll also be getting a visit from a counselor who will help her find a place when she leaves.

Grace gives her money that Renee reluctantly takes. She pleads with Renee not to go back with Doug for her sake and the sake of the baby. When she steps into the hallway, she finds Diane trying to pressure Laney into telling her what is going on. Diane learns about Sophia and the upcoming birth. Diane wants to go in there but Grace tells her mother she isn’t going in there. Diane agrees before Grace turns her attention to Sophia. She is submerged in water while Grace coaches her. Sophia holds her mother’s hand and pushes. Before long, Sophia’s baby is born. After that, Grace approaches her mother and confirms it is a baby girl. She says they’re doing well before showing Diane a picture of the baby.

At the end of the day, Grace goes out with Laney who wants to know why she didn’t tell her about her daughter. After discussing their love for one another, they talk about the new midwife. Grace passes instead of failing him. Before Laney leaves, she tells Grace she swiped right on a guy for her. Evan catches up with Grace moments later. She drinks with him and tells him about giving her baby away 17 years ago. She tells him about her daughter giving birth and everything else. Before leaving, she hopes he’ll get sex before the night is finished. When she steps outside, she finds Max talking to Sasha about nonprofits and the Middle East. He explains he spent time in Syria and elsewhere as a nurse. Later that night, Grace sits next to Sophia who screams and wakes up. Grace admits she can leave, but Sophia can’t return to her father yet.

She is going to spend the night with a friend of a friend. Sophia goes back to sleep before she can leave. Grace researches Sophia and finds information about her emergency contact. She calls the number but hangs up when a man answers. She returns to Sophia and finds her packing her bags. Grace gives her a place to stay and a place for the baby. Grace tells her she is getting the place ready to sell because her marriage broke up. Sophia asks Grace to hold the baby momentarily. She gives the baby back before stepping out of the room and crying.

 

Amazing Grace Review

I think Amazing Grace was a good idea but I am worried that adding Sophia might’ve complicated it a bit too much. I think it would’ve been a better show had they just followed Grace and her encounters with her patients. Nevertheless, I appreciate the unique storyline though and felt it was pretty interesting.

It was a bit cheesy at times. We also have to ignore the idea that Sophia just shows up out of the blue to reunite with her mother. Other than that, it was fairly entertaining. I’ll likely stick with it because there isn’t much else on to watch right now. The opening episode scores a 7 out of 10.