Contributor: John Keegan
Written by Dan E. Fesman
Directed by Omar Madha
One of the best things about the second season of “Grimm” is how willing they have been to expand the implications of the mythology. Earlier in the season, when Hank was first exposed to the truth about the Wesen, he discovered that a lifelong friend was actually one. It was a big reason for Hank’s quick and much-appreciated acceptance of Nick’s world.
But one of the less obvious implications is seen in this episode. How many cases, branded as particularly strange or unusual, are actually the result of mundane law enforcement running into the Wesen? How many police officers and first responders would find that incidents in their past make more sense, when the Wesen can be taken into account?
At the heart of the episode is the legend of the Wendigo, which ties in nicely with the Jeffrey Dahmers of the world. Perhaps because it’s too easy to have Hank associate a past case with a more recent killing spree, the writers frame this as Hank reflecting on a past situation as a man on Death Row approaches his date with lethal injection. As mildly artificial as this imposed deadline might be, Hank’s thought process is an organic way for him to be reconsidering the world as he sees it now.
Meanwhile, Captain Renard and Juliette are coming to a crossroads with their relationship. Can they resolve this obsession, or are they going to have to deal with it? Because it wouldn’t be nearly messy enough otherwise, Renard contacts Monroe to see if something can be done, and that means that Monroe now knows about Renard and Juliette.
This is a mess on a number of levels. For one thing, Nick falters once again when given a chance to explain things to Juliette. Never mind that he now has Hank to help back him up! What exactly is Juliette going to think if this experience with Renard and Monroe either triggers her memory of that previous night, or makes it impossible for her not to see the connections?
Monroe might seem conflicted in this instance, but I can’t imagine that he wouldn’t tell Nick (or otherwise make sure he finds out). After all, this is pretty much the easiest way for the writers to let the characters put the pieces together and see how all of this ties into Adalind’s little scheme in the first season finale. And since her return has been in the cards for a while now, it feels like the logical culmination of events to this point.
The writers did the right thing with Hank, and I hope that this is just making the process of Juliette’s inclusion in Nick’s Scooby Gang more varied and unusual. If the purpose is just to use Juliette as a plot device, I’m going to be very annoyed. Taking away her agency has thus far been acceptable only in the sense that Renard, too, has been a victim as well. If Juliette is killed to ramp up the stakes, after this ordeal, it’s going to be a misstep.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4
Final Score: 8/10
