Bitsie Tulloch

Grimm has long been a series that distinguishes itself with its portrayals of nuanced, independent, and yes, strong (physically, mentally, and morally) women. In “Synchronicity” and “The Law of Sacrifice”, the women take center stage once again and give viewers two of the season’s most engaging and entertaining episodes. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio made an impression in season two but has been wisely kept among the guest cast, popping in here for only the second time; the show is already struggling with its large cast and fun as Nick’s mom may be, there are regular characters who need the time more. Bringing her back now, and for apparently only two episodes, gives needed weight to the Adalind’s baby storyline and a personal touch to the action setpieces along the way without bogging down the entire end of the season in the still underwhelming Royals/Resistance drama.

Grimm explores folk lore and legend on a weekly basis, but this week they go further, adding religion to the mix with the revelation that the Ancient Egyptian gods were Wesen. It’s a fun idea and one that works well for the show, particularly when contrasted with the little we’ve seen of the Wesen community. There’s the spice shop and a few other Wesen-friendly (or Wesen-only) businesses and establishments, and of course the Wesen street gangs introduced this season, but on the whole, the Wesen we’ve meet over the course of the series have been more or less in hiding, passing as human and doing their best to avoid detection.

Grimm thankfully takes a week off from its European drama with “Eyes of the Beholder”, an entertaining installment that improves significantly upon last week’s “Red Menace” by focusing on only two storylines. This week’s episode wisely moves Adalind offscreen and keeps Capt. Renard and Sgt. Wu on the sidelines, giving them a few entertaining moments, but allowing the audience to spend enough time with its new(ish) characters, like Hank’s love interest, Zuri, and Juliette’s former roommate, Alicia, that we actually care what happens to them.

The makers of Grimm cheekily asked us if we saw the big season finale plot twist coming. Why yes, we did. Nick and Juliette have spent an entire season being kept apart – mainly by her amnesia, but also by the interventions of assorted Wesen – only to be allowed to finally kiss in the second-to-last show. It wasn’t too difficult to predict that something was about to come between them. And, as expected, something did.

It’s probably unfair to compare modest little Grimm to David Lynch’s masterpiece Blue Velvet, but in this episode the similarities are there: obsession, art, a woman with a face like a magnet. No one turns up with a tank of laughing gas pressed to their face, but the woman in question does have the Lynch-like touch of possessing poison lips.

Grimm gets a promotion this week, moving from its Friday night ‘death slot’ to 10pm on Tuesday, after the cancellation of ‘Ready for Love’. The show has performed consistently well, hitting 5 million viewers, or thereabouts, every epsiode this season. With a strong fan base, NBC must be gambling that the move will open up the show to a new set of viewers, cunningly timing it as the pace picks up towards the season finale. This means that something pretty special is planned, something the creators want to dangle in front of a fresh crowd, to whet appetites for season 3.

As the cast of Wesens has grown and grown, it’s become difficult to keep them all separate, so it was like meeting old friends to have a familar Löwen, Mauzhertz and Ziegevolk all on screen (or almost) at the same time. These are all Wesens we’ve met before and without the need for introductions, this time the Wesen characteristics could really start to play off each other. The storyline was also recognisable from a well known human version of the courtroom drama (hence the title) except this time the question was not ‘is he innocent or guilty?’ it was ‘will he get away with it?’

Grimm Episode 02.12 ‘Season of the Hexenbeist’ Written by: Jim Kouf Directed by: Karen Gaviola Airs Friday 9.00pm EST on NBC Don’t let the photo fool you. This is what the makers of Grimm wanted you to think the season finale was all about: Nick Burkhardt finally reaching inside and taking firm hold of his …

Grimm Episode 2.11 ‘To Protect and Serve Man’ Written by: Dan E. Fesman Directed by: Omar Madha Airs Friday 9.00pm EST on NBC When is Hank going to get a girlfriend? I’ve asked this question twice now and from this week’s show, I wasn’t the only one anxious to see Hank, whose last romantic experience …

Grimm Episode 2.10 “The Hour of Death” Written by: Sean Calder Directed by: Peter Werner Airs Friday 9.00pm EST on NBC I’m just going to repeat a line from my review of last week’s Grimm ‘Is Ryan Smulson, the clumsy intern at the station, actually a Wesen mole?’ To which question the answer has to …

Grimm Episode 2.09 ‘La Llorona’ Written by: Akela Cooper Directed by: Holly Dale Airs Friday 9.00pm EST on NBC Ever viewed those neighbours with elaborate Halloween decorations with a degree of suspicion? You were right to be wary. They were probably Wesen. Halloween is special to Wesen, and for that reason provides a convenient opportunity …

Grimm, Season 2, Episode 7, “The Bottle Imp” Written by Alan DiFiore Directed by Darnell Martin Airs Fridays at 9pm (ET) on NBC Okay, maybe the reference to The Shining is a little obscure, but c’mon, this is a movie website. I can’t be the only one who flashed to typewriters in the Overlook when …

Grimm, Season 2, Episode 05, “Good Shepherd” Written by: Dan E Fesman Directed by: Steven DePaul Airs Friday 9.00pm ET on NBC It was as if a billion Texan voices cried out at the same time. ‘They did not just compare church goers to sheep!’ Oh yes they did. Grimm keeps adding to its bestiary …

Grimm Review, Season 1, Episode 22, “Woman in Black” Written by: David Greenwalt & Jim Kouf Directed by Norberto Barba Airs Fridays at 9pm ET on NBC A tweet from Bitsie Tulloch revealing that the Grimm special effects wonks had been busy making a cast of her hand ignited fevered speculation that Juliette was heading …

Grimm Review, Season 1, Episode 21: “Big Feet” Story by: Alan DiFiore & Dan E. Fesman Teleplay by: Richard Hatem Directed by Omar Madha Airs Fridays at 9pm ET on NBC It always annoys me when characters in shows have professions as an add-on rather than an integral part of who they are and in …

Grimm Review, Season 1, Episode 19: “Leave It to Beavers” Written by Nevin Densham Directed by Holly Dale Airs Fridays at 9pm EST on NBC The trouble with reviewing a series is that, like it or not, you have to watch it. That’s not so much a problem for the reviewer perhaps, who has at …

Nick’s loyalty to his girlfriend Juliette is tested when a firedancer takes a shine to him. Grimm Review, Season 1, Episode 14: “Plumed Serpent” Written by Alan DiFiore and Dan E. Fesman Directed by Stephen de Paul This week on Grimm,the darker tone continues- the cop banter is a thing of the past and even …

A woman’s death in a hit and run accident puts Nick and Hank on the trail of a seductor who uses more than small talk to attract his partners. At the same time, a new Reaper comes to town with Nick in his sights, but intervention from someone close to Nick turns the assassin around. …