Contributor: John Keegan
Written by Richard Hatem
Directed by David Solomon
With the events of the premiere now more or less resolved, the focus of “Grimm” turns to more character-driven fare. Nick tries to return to the job, but there is still the not-so-small matter of Juliette’s memory issues and Hank’s mental instability. And this is a problem compounded when Hank’s goddaughter is abducted, and Nick discovers that she is one of the Wesen, and her old coyotl pack wants her back.
Juliette’s memory issues are very specific. In every other respect, she can remember her life in perfect detail. She even remembers events that involved Nick, but it’s as if he was excised from those memories completely. Have I mentioned that Juliette looks luminous in just about every scene in the episode? That has to twist the knife in Nick’s gut even more, when she is released to go home, and she doesn’t know how to deal with their relationship.
Mark Pelligrino guest-stars as Gerald, Hank’s old friend, in a role that is very different from his usual villainous turns. It’s actually nice to see him play something other than a sinister mastermind like Lucifer, Bishop, or even Jacob. Knowing that Hank has been good friends with one of the Wesen, even one that has more or less stepped out of that society, makes his mental state all the more interesting. If he has issues just knowing that such things might exist, on some level, how would he react to knowing that it’s always been a part of his life, hidden beneath the surface?
Carly is intended to be the fertile teenage centerpiece of a ritual to perpetuate the pack, a practice that is essentially in-breeding through gang rape. Unfortunately, Hank’s involvement in the case is a bit of a complication, since neither Nick nor Gerald is ready to explain the depth of the problem to Hank. It’s a stark reminder that one ongoing issue with the series is Nick’s decision to keep Hank in the dark, even if it puts him in constant risk.
This situation finally brings that to a head, and Nick admits that Hank isn’t crazy and hasn’t been seeing things. It’s nice that the pack acts so nice and slow so all of that can play out, and it’s an incomplete process, but at least the basics are on the table. Hank makes a pretty good member of Nick’s Scooby Gang within a matter of minutes, despite his misgivings and doubts, and it just underscores everything I’ve been saying about how necessary it was to bring him into the fold!
Hank’s embrace of Nick’s world is neatly facilitated by the connection to his old friend, as it turns out, which does make it feel a bit quick and easy. If it hadn’t been for Hank’s near-breakdown before this point, it definitely would have been a cheat. As it is, Nick’s ability to finally be honest with Hank is a nice counterpoint to his inability to get through to the woman he loves. It’s not the most elegant step forward, but it’s definitely progress!
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4
Final Score: 8/10
