I said last week that Grimm was growing up.  That continued here.  There has been a definite shift in tone among many of the characters.  Juliette is smart and a capable partner to Nick, not only in her concern for him but also with her medical degree and knowledge.  Nick is right, he should talk to her more about stuff – and now he can.  Hank is comfortably blending his work as a police officer with his knowledge of the Wesen world:  He wants a confession, for without such, they’ll not catch the murderous chef; therefore, mix a bit of the Wesen world with police work and they manage a confession.  Case closed. 

Monroe and Rosalee are back to working on their own relationship now that the furor over zombies and the Royals has settled a bit.  Their relationship is fun to watch and a nice counter to Nick’s and Juliette’s:  Wesen love on one side, human love on the other.  As for Nick, well, he is still struggling – rightfully so – with his recent actions, however, Captain Renard gives him a good dose of some much needed tough love.  Nick has killed plenty, Wesen that is.  Granted, he’s never killed them for the sake of killing them, but the guy in the bar wasn’t Nick’s first kill. 

Renard asked a piercing question:  which bothers you more, the fact that you killed or the fact that he was human?   Nick is being forced to face and accept the hard facts of life as a Grimm, things are dark and dangerous and you’re going to have to get your hands dirty.  I remember how Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio played the role of Nick’s mother – please have her back soon!  She didn’t play the role gently.  Grimms are dangerous.  Grimms do dark and awful things.  It’s not a life for the weak.  Our dear Nick has some growing to do.

I like that Renard is not hand holding.  After all, Renard knows the stakes.  He too has killed, plenty.  He’s also done so with malice aforethought.  And the consequences of that are only just beginning to play out.  Where all the family intrigue goes, what the twists and turns are and how Adalind plays into all this I do not know. 

This week’s episode moved the Royal family intrigue and Renard’s actions and Adalind’s place in it to the B story.  The A story was the straight up case of the week, which gave us a bit of a breather while still moving other bits of the story and the characters’ lives forward.   Nick has moved back in with Juliette.  Monroe and Rosalee are likely to move in together and move their romance forward.  Nick’s zombie aftereffects continue, he has greater strength, greater focus, and what else there may be, well, time will tell. 

Thus far this season Grimm seems to have greater focus as well.  Renard is very purposeful in his actions, and his mole in Europe appears quite capable.  There’s intrigue that is building, building, building. 

Admittedly many things in this episode didn’t surprise me:  I was suspicious when the waiter brought Rosalee and Monroe the complimentary treats.  Right.  I also knew, back when the previews first came out, that Nick wasn’t going to actually shoot Monroe.  Don’t take those as criticisms though.  I like Grimm.  It’s my Friday night popcorn, and it’s quite yummy.

The episode worked.  There was a decent case to follow with clues that were processed and leads followed.  It is part procedural after all.  In the end, as the case hit Monroe especially hard, not only friends killed but a feud that despite his best efforts he cannot completely escape (shades of Nick’s life as a Grimm) Nick was able to blend his life as a Grimm and a police officer and bring justice.  At the end of the episode, we saw Renard congratulate his detectives on solving the case, and in that moment there is a little nod to the fact that Nick is both a Grimm and a detective.  He can, if he works hard and uses all that is at his disposal – especially friends/allies – be successful as both a Grimm and a detective.  It will help Nick as he reconciles that that very life, life as a Grimm and all it encompasses, directly led to the death of an innocent.

A Dish Best Served Cold gave all the characters a chance to shine, especially the amazing Bree Turner who manages to deliver all the tricky words and potions and whatnot and make it appear effortless.  I don’t know how many takes it requires, but she is a joy to watch and to listen to.  It gave the viewers a chance to settle back and watch the characters adapt to their new roles.  It gave those who love gore some truly disgusting moments to watch, rewind and watch again – me not one of them.  😉  And it moved forward enough of the Adalind/Royals intrigue to at least get us past the blood and gore of the first two episodes.  Don’t worry.  I’m sure there is more to come.

Until next week, thanks for reading.  Elle2
 

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