GRIMM Finds Leverage

Episode 4:10 “Tribunal”

In many ways this episode could have served as a series finale, not just a season finale. Which makes me wonder why it came in the middle of the season. Also, what does this mean for the rest of the season? I don’t know. Maybe they’ll bring in more storylines to keep the intrigue going.

There’s one storyline this week. Nick and Hank are desperately trying to fit the pieces of information together and save Monroe. They also give Wu woge lessens, courtesy of Bud. They want him prepared for when Wesen woge in front of him. The lessons are not lost on Wu and of course they come in handy later.

This episode fought the truth that everyone who’s been watching Grimm knows: Monroe and Bud were not going to die. The episode held the tension very well. It was a race against time and the cavalry coming to the rescue was a rewarding ending. Just the same, there was little doubt that they’d be saved at the end.

The way Captain Renard explained the case to the media after they took down the Wesenrein didn’t make any sense. How, in this modern world, are you going to explain what happened in those woods as a suicide-murder death cult? I don’t recall any of the deaths being suicide. With modern forensic science I just don’t see how that sort of story will hold up.

The other problem is, while many of the Wesenrein died that night, not all of them did. Wouldn’t this just add fuel to their fire? Maybe this is the assignment that the Captain gave his reptilian henchman last week. He simply said he wanted anyone tied to the Wesenrein. But we never saw anything of the guy after that. Perhaps he was working on the larger job of dismantling the whole Wesenrein organization, not just this local tribunal.

I was glad to see some things that did surprise me. I felt better about the writing this week. Last week I complained that the episode was way too predictable. This week held some unexpected moments that still made sense and fit in the Grimm world. Three that come to mind all happen near the end of the episode.

• There was the moment that Hank and Nick let on that they will be accompanying Monroe and Rosalee on their honeymoon. It was both humorous and good to see they finally take the newlyweds’ safety seriously.
• The reveal of who is studying in Aunt Marie’s trailer. I thought it would be Juliette in search of Hexenbiest answers. But it’s Wu casually eating fries and handling antique books with his greasy fingers.
• The moment Renard answered his doorbell. I thought it would be Adalind fresh from Vienna. Instead it was Juliette desperate to get help for her Hexenbiest issues.

It seems that Juliette as a Hexenbiest is the story that will be continued next episode. So far she hasn’t told even Nick what’s going on. She asked Rosalee a bit about Hexenbiests, but with all that was going on she didn’t get much information. She’s only used her dangerous side to defend herself, so far. I couldn’t tell how she killed Jonah, the Wesenrein who had her pinned. Whatever sort of power that is, it’s mind blowing.

The promo for next week would have you believe that Juliette is in grave danger. That becoming a Hexenbiest, even though it was a side effect of helping Nick regain his Grimm, will make them mortal enemies. I don’t buy it. Not even with the images shown of Nick approaching their bed with an axe. I’d believe that Juliette is again having nightmares. But it would go against everything thing that Grimm has set up for Nick to suddenly be trying to kill her. That’s just not how things work on this show. For reasons that would never work in the real world, Grimm characters embrace others who are dangerous or have killed before.

I miss Trubel. I’m hoping she’ll be back soon. Surely she’ll come back at least to visit Portland. We’ll see what’s in store for the rest of the season.

[Show site at NBC]     [Previous recap: “Wesenrein”]