GRIMM in the Head

Episode 4:02 “Octopus Head”

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[photos: Scott Green/NBC]

How fitting to have Grimm to watch on Halloween. This year there wasn’t any mention or reference to Halloween on the show, in the past, Monroe’s elaborate Halloween display was featured. I understand that this season picked up exactly where the last one ended. The Monroe-Rosalee wedding was in the spring. That makes the fourth season still in the spring. Since the show’s season started in October but, it’s spring in the show I wonder if or when they will acknowledge any change of the calendar seasons. Usually shows have special episodes that feature the current holiday. I’m not sure that Grimm will be able to do that this season.

There was concern among fans that Sean Renard being declared dead might mean the last of his character. I think we all breathed a sigh of relief when in stepped the mysterious blonde who brings him back to life with a double ended snake. She’s later introduced as Sean’s mother. She looks no older than Sean Renard. He explains this to Nick and Hank by saying she’s had a little work done.

Most of this episode is about solving the Octo Head case. There’s also Adalind making her way to the Royals’ castle and being duped into a dungeon cell there. Chavez, the female Wesen FBI agent, is intent on discovering who the Grimm is in Nick’s house. Juliette wonders if life with Nick without his Grimm powers might be safer and more normal. Luckily for everyone Monroe and Rosalee decide to continue their search for something to help Nick regain his powers.

What is it about kids and dangerous situations? They never do what they’re told or stay where they should. Trubel is one of the worst offenders. Maybe Octo Head’s wallop upside Trubel’s head will knock some sense into her.

It didn’t make sense to me the way Trubel acted when following Octo Head and looking into the house to find him. I’m not sure if that was the writing or directing. It was out of character for her to be quite that careless. It reminded me of a commercial that has been running lately. There are four young people obviously scared, they are debating where to hide to be safe. The blonde suggests getting in the running car. She’s overruled and they run to hide behind the row of running chainsaws hanging in a rickety wooden structure. Yup, this was like that.

Sgt. Wu is getting really close to figuring out several things. He’s pretty sure that Trubel is also the suspect from a double homicide that happened last season. The first episode that Trubel appeared, in she killed two Wesen young men who attacked her. It was in self-defense but, it still won’t be easy to explain why she’s been living in Nick’s home. Wu visits Nick’s home to show him Trubel’s picture taken from surveillance video in the double homicide case. He confronts Nick about his suspicions that the young lady staying with him is also the murder suspect. Before Nick has to figure out a way to dance around the truth he’s hit with a painful episode. It’s the beginning of what will probably be much more side effects of the curse Adalind put on him.

Story wise, the writers are getting a lot of things right. I enjoy the longer story arc, not needing to wrap one of their police cases or other stories in one episode. I especially like how the monster of the week is bringing in other story points and connecting in some ways to longer standing storylines. It looks like elements from Octo Head are going to still be relevant long after Octo head has lost his marbles. Hank and Nick are just starting to piece together who his targets were and possibly what he was up to.

The most satisfying punishment for Octo Head was the one he gave himself by attacking Trubel, he gained her most horrifying memories. Relieving Trubel of her memories of Wesen attacking her allows her to sleep soundly. I don’t know if they’ll be able to connect Octo Head to Alexander’s murder or the attacks on the other men. Since he’s in jail, it’s unlikely we’ll see any more of his story. Grimm doesn’t usually follow suspects through any of the legal process.

My favorite parts of this week’s episode: that Captain Renard was saved. There is just so much about him that we haven’t learned yet. The introduction of Renard’s mother, Elizabeth Lascelles. I think she’s going to be a fun addition to the show. Keeping Adalind wrapped up in the lives of those still in Portland with the entwining twin curse should make for interesting story twists.

Next week it looks like Elizabeth will be joining the Portland home team. How long will the Royals really be able to hold Adalind in their dungeon? We’ll see.