Holy Cow! G-Men!

It was hard to know exactly what to think of the promotional trailers for  BYU-TV's first scripted drama, Granite Flats, when they began to appear in March of this year.  Maybe that's because Granite Flats is hard to categorize.

First of all, it's set in 1962, in a small town next to an army base.

Then, it has kids as some of its major characters.

And it is quirky.

Very. Very. Quirky. 

Think Wonder Years meets Twin Peaks, then add Eureka, with a dash of X-Files and a little Hardy Boys thrown in for good measure.

Yes, I said it was quirky.

Richard Gunn as Sheriff John Sanders

Granite Flats has a handsome leading man, aptly played by Richard Gunn, whose character is - surprise - a down-to-earth family man with a beautiful wife and lots of kids.  (Who says married men with kids can't still be interesting?)  

Sheriff Sanders and his son Timmy

The show begins with the arrival of a boy named Arthur and his recently widowed mother at an army base in Colorado.  The small town of Granite Flats, Colorado is a quiet, friendly place - until part of the army base explodes.  

It gets interesting from there: is this a Soviet attack, an accident or murder?  And who are the mysterious men in black driving around town?

New friends Madeline, Timmy and Arthur in their secret headquarters

Three amateur sleuths and the police chief begin their investigations and start to unravel a complex web of secrets.

And these are no ordinary kids.  First, they are all exceptionally bright.  Secondly, they have their own secret headquarters.

Isn't that exactly what you wanted when you were a kid?

It's the kids who are at the core of this show.  They are all good actors, and portray well-rounded, believable characters.

Confrontations in the lunchroom

This is not a fast-paced show, but it is interesting, entertaining, and at times laugh-out-loud funny.  The various secrets and mysteries are plentiful and our young detectives are bright and engaging.

I'm writing this post, because fortunately, although Granite Flats' first season ended on Sunday, they are repeating the whole season beginning this coming Sunday, May 26th.  So, it's not too late to get hooked on this show!

I invite you to try this one.  It's family fare, but it is not conventional by any means.  I think you'll find it intriguing for the whole family. My neighbors enjoy it, I love it, and my 10 year-old nephew loves it too.

BYU-TV is available on Direct TV, ComCast and other TV carriers.  All episodes are also conveniently available on-line at  www.BYUTV.org.

Check it out!