GRIMM: Not All Big Wolves Are Bad

Season 1, episode 6: “Three Bad Wolves”

This episode had nothing to do with the one that aired just the day before. So, if you missed the one on Thursday and thought this one might mot make sense because you missed the previous episode, fear not. “Danse Macabre” had a different feel and set up several little new story lines. “Three Bad Wolves” really only has one story line.  It does not pick up any of the sub-plots or the teasers from the “Danse” episode. In “Three Bad Wolves”, Monroe is different than he has been in other episodes. This time he was not the comic relief. This time the whole story line was very close to home for him. He was not being called to help out with some other sort of creature; he was being asked to protect one of his own.

Spoiler alert

Again, the episode starts with excellent misdirection. The opening shots give the feeling that we are seeing the bad guy, extreme close-ups of Hap’s face. He is smoking and drinking, but then the mood changes. Hap is on his own road of self-improvement. He is working out with a Shake Weight.  Which slips from his grasp and goes flying out the window. He finds it out side his geodesic dome home and when be bends to pick it up his home blows up.  Bummer. And that’s about how much Hap gets upset.

The next day a Harley rider comes and checks out the ruined remains of Hap’s home. This is again use of the misdirection. The biker does not remove the helmet and we don’t know who this is till later. We see the strewn litter of Hap’s belongings from the point of view of the Harley rider. Only there is some thing odd about the way we are seeing it. Turns out we are viewing it with Blutbaden smell-o-vision.  But we don’t know that till much later.

Monroe picks up Hap from the police station. It’s a fun scene to see Monroe get picked up and spun around like a little kid. The police think they have found a motive when they learn that Hap owes several people money.  Hap is not someone you would want to go into business with or lend money to. You are not likely see your money again. But he is as likeable a Blutbaden as you are going to meet. Hap settles in to staying with Monroe, and it’s an uneasy agreement. It’s a lot like the Odd Couple. Monroe interestingly enough is the Felix Unger in this odd pairing.

Hap’s sister, Angelina, turns up as his protector. This is when we learn that she is the Harley rider. It’s also when we learn that she is dangerous. She yanks Nick right out of his car. He is there to question Hap some more. But first he gets roughed up by the smaller but more aggressive sister wolf.  Her residency is the most confusing thing in this episode to me. If someone can explain this to me, please set me straight. At different times it is stated that she has come into or back to town. But then she has a house that it looks like she lives in. So, I don’t know if she usually lives there but was out of town for a short time or what was meant by all of that. Again, if some one can explain that to me please do.

Angelina is an ex-girlfriend of Monroe’s.  She presents a twist that changes how Monroe behaves. It gives him the opportunity to show us a different side of his personality.  I am not sure I’d call it romance. It’s more like a visceral, base relationship he has with Angelina. Despite Monroe giving his word that he would keep Hap in the house and safe he literally runs off with Angelina.

While the wolves are gone frolicking in the woods, ill befalls Hap. He is executed by a Bauerschwein, pig – person, who pretends to be a food delivery person.  In the morning Monroe wakes in the park with Angelina by his side and blood on both their faces.  They return to the house to find police all over the place.

This is one of those times when you see what makes some one tick. Angelina blames the murderer, Monroe blames himself for leaving Hap alone.  This is pretty much where Angelina and Monroe split again. Monroe is in a really awkward place between wanting to avenge his friend’s death and wanting the wolf and pig feud to come to an end. He also has worked hard to change his life and these events threaten to revert him back to the Blutbaden he was. It is visibly painful to watch him make the decision to stay out of what is going on and not continue or escalate a blood feud.

This episode ends with some thing of a stalemate. Angelina attacks Orson, the arson investigator policeman, who killed both of Angelina’s brothers. Nick is in the middle of the two of them.

Both Angelina and Orson are injured. Angelina runs off to points unknown and Orson is taken to the hospital. It’ seems that for the moment neither of them is receiving any punishment for the murders they have committed.

At the close of this episode the score is Wolves, 2 – Pigs, 2. It’s a tie.

[Official Show Site at NBC]   [Previous Recap: “Danse Macabre”]