Grimm, Ep. 3.11, “The Good Soldier” a solid, enjoyable return to format
Grimm is back to its usual breakdown of serial and standalone this week, as Nick and Hank investigate their case of the week while Adalind gets up to some mischief abroad and Rosalee and Monroe take their turn filling the romantic subplot quota. The procedural scenes benefit from some notable guest stars, including genre and TV-fan favorites Emily Rios (Breaking Bad, The Bridge) and Kirk Acevedo (Fringe, The Walking Dead), and it’s surprising how refreshing it is to see Nick and Hank work a case that at least initially appears odd, rather than specifically Wesen-related. The Wesen of the week, manticores and a steinadler, are interesting and creative and in a rarity, writer Rob Wright and director Rashaad Ernesto Green manage to surprise viewers with the solution to the case. Grimm only occasionally manages to do this, often revealing Wesen perpetrators early on so the audience can spend time with them as they elude capture, and it’s nice to have a mystery element added in here.