SkimIt
Grimm is on Friday nights, which isn’t the primo time for adult television watching, but if you’ve never caught an episode of this sci-fi cop dramedy, put it on your DVR and give it a shot. Now in its second season, the ratings have increased a bit, beating the sophomore slump, but for some reason it is still a guilty secret amongst fans. It could be the combination of different elements that makes Grimm difficult to classify – usually too many chefs spoil the recipe, but in the case of Grimm, every episode is a perfectly tasty treat, with a little something for everyone.
Grimm starring David Giuntoli and Bitsie Tulloch airs on NBC Fridays at 9:00 pm ET.
Sci-Fi for the Twilight Fans
The central focus of Grimm is the battle for control of Portland, Oregon between fantastical characters inspired largely by the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tales, set against the backdrop of unsuspecting human characters. In the first season, the main character, Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli), discovered that he is a “Grimm,” or a guardian of the peace between the supernatural “Wesen” characters and humanity. His Aunt Marie (Kate Burton) died suddenly, leaving him a mysterious legacy and a trailer full of history and potions. Special effects junkies will love the quick changes as the Wesen reveal themselves to Nick and flip back into their human guises, and fantasy lovers will thrill to the modern twists on fables and legends. The mixture of supernatural stories with current-day Portland is a surprisingly good fit, and it grounds the fantasy in reality.
Good Cop, Grimm Cop for the Law & Order Fans
The other main aspect of the show is crime drama, as Nick is a homicide detective who uses his newfound Grimm talents to help him solve crimes. This season, his partner Hank is finally in on Nick’s spooky secret, and the two of them work with Nick’s friend Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell) to defeat various forms of evil running loose in Portland. If you’ve finally seen all the re-runs of Law & Order you can handle, this is certainly a shakeup to the tried and true cop-drama formula. Furthermore, though Nick doesn’t know it, his boss at the precinct is a half-human, half-creature mixture with his finger on the pulse of the monsters in town.
You’ll Laugh, You’ll Frown, You’ll Swoon
The Monroe character, a werewolf turned vegetarian yoga enthusiast, brings a much-appreciated comedic foil to the seriousness of the murder mysteries. He adds the current tone of self-awareness that runs through most successful, recent horror flicks and provides the audience with a voice to comment on the fantastical situations. The character is mixed into the formula for just the right amount of eyebrow raising, without slowing the suspense or sliding into camp. The drama itself is a clever swirl of bizarre and familiar that is always ultimately satisfying.
Finally, Nick’s central relationship with his veterinarian girlfriend Juliette (Bitsie Tulloch) provides romantic intrigue. Juliette suffers amnesia as the result of a coma induced by one of the monsters and now cannot remember anything about her relationship with Nick. The Hexenbiest spell is drawing Juliette closer to Nick’s boss, as she struggles to remember her former affection for Nick. Anyone who digs a love story or an old-fashioned battle between good and evil will be hooked by the tug-of-war within Juliette.
Go ahead, do yourself a favor, give yourself a weekly escape into the world of Grimm – you won’t regret it! The final fall season episode recently aired, but until the new episodes resume in early 2013, you can catch up on what you’ve missed with full episodes available on NBC.com.
