(All photos courtesy of NBC Universal)
Grimm is growing up in Season 3. I like it. Now, instead of Nick lying to everyone but Rosalee and Monroe (Season 1) and everyone lying to Juliette (Season 2), everyone is in on the lie. The reactions were interesting to watch: Rosalee had no problem lying to protect Nick. Monroe was furious with Renard’s family, and given an opportunity, would have done more to Renard than just scowl at him. We know Captain Renard was all right with the lie because he trashed the bar’s office and stole the surveillance equipment. Since we don’t completely know Renard’s full loyalties, I put his lie in the category of self-preservation first, protection of Nick second…somewhat distantly. He needs Nick right now, so he’ll protect him. Down the line, that could – and likely will – change.
Juliette was interesting. She wanted to lie to protect him but she had to check with Hank first. That was a nice distinction as Hank, like Nick, is a police officer: sworn to uphold the law. Hank, unlike Nick, unlike Renard (also sworn to uphold the law but with suspicious motivations) has no family heritage to live up to. Juliette also has no family heritage to live up to regarding Grimms and Royals and Wesens, but she loves Nick and that brings its own complications. However, once she knew Hank was on board with lying to protect Nick, she was all in. I think she just needed to check Hank’s headspace because he is not only Nick’s partner, but he is Nick’s friend, and he’s Juliette’s friend as well. I was pleased to see that Juliette, like Rosalee, convincingly pulled off the lie.
Where the writers left things messy, either by design or simply ‘loose’ writing (seems nicer than calling it sloppy writing, especially as they may have a plan to tighten it up later) is in regards to the whole gang being at the family’s house that Nick terrorized. This is a gaping hole just waiting for a tank to drive through. That family, at the very least the husband, saw Hank and Monroe in their house, and the husband saw everyone outside their barn. I can’t see the two detectives ignoring that lead in regards to their questioning. Also, the way the husband was portrayed, I can’t see him not following up to see that the madman, known as Thomas Shirach, isn’t captured.
It would have been better, as it stands now, had the Captain informed the detectives that he and Hank and all the rest had tracked Shirach to the family’s home, lured him outside and trapped him in the barn only to have him escape. They gave pursuit without success and abandoned. Hank and the Captain could have even radioed in Shirach’s ‘last known position’. It would have given everyone a false lead to chase down and Hank’s and the Captain’s absence (as they were transporting Nick to the spice shop) could have been explained away, although a bit awkward but not horrible, as they needed to get the civilians out of harm’s way.
However, lest it be said that I’m beating up on Grimm, I’m truly not. Grimm is my fun, Friday night adventure. It’s popcorn fun without high expectations. I don’t expect it to be a Blacklist (which I’ve dabbled in and quite enjoy. I’m way behind though.) It’s not a Person of Interest. It’s not a Supernatural in its earlier days. I don’t expect Grimm to keep everything tied up real tight, but they could have done better. Just saying.
Other than that, I really enjoyed this episode. I really like that the team is now all in it together. They lied. Unravel the lie and everyone comes crashing down, Nick, Juliette, Rosalee, Captain Renard. Hank right now is outside the line of fire of those investigating detectives, but enter the father, and the game is all over for Hank’s innocence as well. As it stands though, Nick had to do some major soul searching at the end of the episode, and he did it quick. I like that it took the combined efforts of Juliette, Hank, and Renard to get through to Nick; and that it wasn’t until Nick saw the surveillance footage, and heard Renard’s final thoughts, that he got it: Confess to something that is wholly unexplainable, and you will go to prison for life. The end result? The Royal family wins. It’s a no-win situation for Nick. It makes it darker, edgier. It has great potential.
Grimm, as I said, is growing up. Gone are the lighter days of Season 1 when Nick and Monroe forged an unlikely partnership and explored the wonders of Aunt Marie’s treasure trove trailer. Gone are the confusing days of Season 2 as Juliette’s annoying amnesia is out of the way and Renard’s duplicity has been revealed. Season 3 is darker and more dangerous. Nick has to figure out how to adapt his life’s philosophy of serve and protect, something as a Grimm he was able to do without too much difficulty, save keeping his secret, with the fact that he’s killed a civilian, who was simply (forgive me) collateral damage in the schemes of the Royal family, things just got a lot heavier for him.
If you notice I skipped any mention of Adalind’s story this week, it’s because I only have one word: Gross! I think her storyline, once she’s back in Portland, once she’s scheming against the whole Grimm gang, once she has to deal with what it truly means to make a deal: sell your baby, get your powers back (and whatever else is tagged into that), then Adalind’s story will be more interesting. As for now, all I could think was, sheesh, how many gross things can you dream up for this gal to do? Yikes. Let me know when the scene is over and I’ll go back to licking that melted chocolate off my fingers from my leftover Halloween candy, because, eww, she cut the thread with her teeth, you know, the thread with the gross stuff on it that could look like melted chocolate…gross!
Still, if I were to sum up Grimm in seven words (yup, I’m a spoilertv.com lurker) it would be: Grimm is back, Friday’s just got better!
Thanks for reading. Elle2
First – did you really have to put this horrible picture here? It’s gross written in capital letters, fie!
Second – agree with you that Grimm is pure entertainment with quite a number of interesting characters. If only Grimm himself was a tad more compelling. Renard is an enigmatic and powerful frenemy, Monro and his girlfriend are funny and endearing, even Juliette looks less like a wooden doll in this season, but Nick is still a good-looking and overall good boy without any distinctive features to talk about. This is where the possibilities to improve the show lie imo. Let Nick become a character with his own past, desires and dreams. Why is he so proactive, what does he really want? We’v e known him for more than two years already, and we still have no idea why on earth he’s in police and what food he prefers! And I would like to know more about other characters. Now they are standing like chessmen on the board before the game, so let the game start!
Hi, Novi, disclaimer alert: I have no control over the photos. Our beloved Alice Jester (who has quite a wicked sense of humor/sarcasm) controls all that. 8)
Secondly, I agree with your comments as regarding Nick. I’m really hoping that this darker, edgier story that they’ve got for him helps Giuntoli sink himself more into the role. the gang is all together, as you said, the characters are chessmen on the board…yup, let the games begin!
Honestly, that picture is nothing compared to what was aired in the episode itself. Gross, gross, gross. Anyway, NBC provided, I posted!