David Giuntoli

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.

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.

The true intentions of the Grimm creators become clear this episode. The revelation arrives during a tête-à-tête between Nick and Renard (with Hank out of the way, these two characters are forced to talk to each other, the way warring parents are when their teenage kids aren’t around to carry messages).

In Grimm the Wesen crimes Nick has to solve fall into two types: those concerning Wesen’s with emotional issues (like the Mauzhertz in ‘Of Mouse and Man’ or the Genio Innocuo in ‘The Other Side’) and those concerning Wesen’s with eating-people issues. The show is always at its best with the latter at the center of the tale and this is what we got this week. This Wesen not only morphs into a parasitic fly, it enjoys using its proboscis to lick up the tears of its victims, but only after it has infected their eyeballs with its flesh-eating young.

Grimm, Episode 2.14 “Natural Born Wesen” Written by: Thomas Ian Griffith & Mary Page Keller Directed by: Michael Watkins Airs Friday 9.00pm EST on NBC After a block of episodes devoted to the Nick/Juliette/Renard love triangle, this week’s show sees a welcome return to more general Wesen issues, specifically a series of bank robberies carried …

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 8: “The Other Side” Written by William Bigelow Directed by Eric Laneuville Airs Fridays at 9pm (ET) on NBC Nice little resonances through the Grimm storyline this week. We have a Wesen who, due to evil genetic tampering by his mother (genetics are always evil in TV shows) is torn between …

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 6: “Over My Dead Body” Written by Spiro Skentzos Directed by Rob Bailey Airs Fridays at 9pm (ET) on NBC This week is couples night on Grimm. Juliette and Nick seem to be making some headway on repairing their relationship. Monroe and Rosalee similarly meet up for an intimate dinner a …

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 20, “Happily Ever Aftermath” Written by David Greenwalt & Jim Kouf Directed by Terrence O’Hara Airs Friday at 9pm ET on NBC An important issue distracted me during this week’s Grimm episode and it was this: why is Captain Renard’s tie so red? In a show which devotes itself to …

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 …

Captain Renard has to exert his authority in the Vesen world when a cage fighting ring gets out of control. Grimm Review, Season 1, Episode 12: “Last Grimm Standing” Written by Naren Shankar and Sarah Goldfinger (teleplay) and Cameron Litvack and Thania St. John (story) Directed by Michael Watkins Airs Fridays at 9pm EST on …

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. …

Grimm Review, Season 1 Episode 3, “Beeware” Written by Cameron Litvack & Thania St. John Directed by Darnell Martin Airs Fridays on NBC at 9pm (ET) Early in the episode, Nick is trying to access a tweet from a cloned phone, but the suspect using the phone is cautious and has found a way to …