Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Grimm: Season 2, Episode 3: Bad Moon Rising



“Then she began to weep bitterly, and said, ‘What can a poor girl like me do now?’”

We have a girl and her father talking about her hefty curriculum – being watched by a canine-Wesen. Who later kidnaps the girl while watched by another canine-wesen (a Coyotl). They take her to a farm where they meet a third man and lower her into a well, tied and gagged.

When she’s pulled out during the day there are 4 men – who apparently knew her when she was very young. They’re mad because apparently her dad took her and her mother away from their group when she was very young and they intend to bring her back into the pack – they say as their eyes glow.

Nick has not given up on Juliette and is determined to include a product placement for Apple. I mean, show Juliette some pictures of them together to try and jog her memory. She remembers her work, even individual cases in her work, she remembers her co-workers and she even remembers her home. Nick shows and tells Juliette that they have lived together for 3 years – and she doesn’t remember any of it.

In almost desperation, Nick brings Monroe to see her, though Monroe thinks there’s zero chance of her remembering him. Turns out she can remember him – every last moment they spent together (which, admittedly, isn’t many) but not that Nick was in any of those memories. Of course, she asks how Nick and Monroe actually met and that’s an awkward question in and of itself.

At work, Nick and Renard discuss the murder of Catherine, the Hexenbiest. I love this conversation because they’re both in the know and neither knows it. Since Catherine has a lot of money but no gainful employment – and a whole lot of herbal items around the house, Nick presents the idea she may be a drug dealer. And adds that Adalind has completely disappeared.

Hank is also having issues with his exposure to the Wesen world, talking to a therapist about anxiety, nightmares and fears – and how he is sure the man he shot changed after he died. He is edgy and panicky and even grabs the therapist in a brief panicking moment.

Hank confides his worries in Nick after Nick pushes past the “I’m fine.” Hank tells Nick he’s been shooting at shadows and how he lost it in therapy. Hank is considering telling Renard and maybe even quitting, maybe the jobs getting too much for him. Nick can’t stand to see Hank quit over this – and says they need to talk (the big reveal!) But they’re interrupted by Wu who has a Jarold Kemfer who wants to speak to Hank – he walks in and it’s the kidnapped girl’s father. He’s an old friend and is worried about the girl (Carly) who disappeared. Her mother’s been dead 5 years and no-one has seen her – and in his stress Jarold Woges into a Coyotl for Nick to see. Nick tries to get some clues as to Jarold’s personal life –but Hank says he’s known him since high school and Carly is his goddaughter, so he doesn’t need to ask those questions.


Nick does some research in the Grimm trailer and with Monroe and learns about Coyotls – who Monroe labels thugs and bullies, street gangs – and that leaving the pack among them is extremely forbidden among them. And that Coyotl females have to go through some kind of fertility “consummation” ritual when they turn 17 (Carly’s age) to be introduced to the pack, during the full moon.

At work, in a brief moment when hank is getting coffee, Nick quickly fills in Jarold that he knows he’s a Coyotl, he’s on Jarold’s side and could the disappearance involve Coyotl-ness? They both also reflect how hard it is to keep a secret like this from Hank. Nick raises the consummation ritual and Jarold says they want nothing to do with it, it’s barbaric and it’s something his dead wife’s family wanted – it’s one of the reasons they left Texas.

Hank returns and they pass on the information with the Wesen-ness removed – and it turns out Jarold’s wife’s brother, Hayden is no longer in Texas, he’s moved to Portland. They check his place of work – but he isn’t there (they are observed by another Coyotl, though) and from there to his home. They break in since they smell decomposing flesh – and find it empty but with rotting animal carcasses in the bathtub. They do find a foreclosure notice for a farm which is their next port of call.

Carly has to endure lots of creepy menacing and being stripped, forced into a tub of water and scrubbed by 2 men and tied up to a frame

On the way we have more difficulty of Jarold being unable to spill to be big secret to Hank. They arrive and find all the Coyotls playing the “I never heard of her” game while Jarold yells and rages that he knows Carly is there. He runs off and Hank follows, while the nice friendly Coyotl asks Nick how Nick found them, if he doesn’t mind them asking. Nick doesn’t mind (oh and that’s an evil little smile there, Nick).

Jarold finds the empty ritual room and Hank notices a bike from the workplace they visited – knowing the Coyotl’s got a heads up). And Nick sees that the rope to the well is swinging. While Jarold wrestles with several of the Coyotls, Hank and Nick pull Carly out the well. This is when the Coyotls get guns.

Nick and Hank run with Carly, but she is panicking and stressed – and her eyes glow gold, much to Hank’s surprise. She turns to Nick – and sees that he’s a Grimm. She turns to hank declaring that Nick is going to kill her, he tries to reassure her that Nick won’t kill her, but she panics and goes full Coyotl. Hank draws a gun in panic on her – and Nick jumps in the way and talks Hank down – telling him he’s not crazy, that Nick sees what they are – but it’s just Carly. Who has managed to Woge back to human form. Nick has a very very very quick “I see them all and the ones in the past and some you never ever see and we’re not crazy” explanation for Hank. Carly pipes up with “sorry I did that, I didn’t mean to, but I thought Nick was going to kill me because he’s a Grimm”. Which adds more for Nick to explain so he goes with “oh please trust me and we’ll talk later, hostage situation now!”

Hayden has Jarold held at gunpoint and wants to “resolve things peacefully.” Hanks asks if he’s going to shift like Carly did – Nick says yes but they have an advantage, because Hayden and the Coyotls don’t know what Nick is. Hayden enters, Woges (is that a verb, I wonder? It is now) and charges Hank – but Hank, prepared, punches him in the face, knocking him down. Hank and Nick discuss Coyotls over Hayden’s very very surprised face and Carly has the fun job of telling him that Nick is a Grimm. Hank handcuffs Hayden

Next stage of the plan is to have Carly run screaming from the barn. The Coyotl pack (except 1 holding a gun on Jarold) runs into the barn to see what’s happening. They run in, find Hayden captured and Hank and Nick pointing guns at them. To the whisper of “he’s a Grimm” they put their guns down and their hands up.

Outside, Jarold goes all Coyotl himself and bites the guy holding a gun on him – he drops the gun and they roll around fighting. He loses and the guy reclaims his gun, prepares to shoot Jarold – and Carly hits him over the head with a metal pipe. Problem solved.

Back in the police station, Hank is writing up a report with Carly and Jarold, but is a little jarred by writing a report but having to leave out information. Jarold points out he would have told Hank the truth but it’s not easy and Hank accepts that – and says nothing has changed in their friendship.

Time for Nick to have the awkward, apologetic conversation. But Hank is happy – he knows he’s not crazy or seeing things (or, if he is, at least Nick is sharing it) Just knowing he’s not alone and falling apart is a relief.

And Nick gets a call that Juliette is ready to leave the hospital – which is awkward since she still doesn’t remember him and they’re now living together.



I have to say that the acting seems to have gone on overdrive on this show. Nick showing Juliette those pictures and explaining they’ve lived together for 3 years, his keeping calm not to scare her but clearly in pain, while she is confused and trying not to hurt him but doesn’t remember it. That’s some brilliant acting.

I dislike storylines that have a supernatural special victim-ness for women (usually involves either rape or pregnancy). It’s usually unnecessary and feeds into the endless sexual victim-ness that is women. Doubly so since women as victims or villains has been a recurring theme of Grimm (subverted by the lamentably absent Mummy Grimm). At least it was Carly who struck the last blow.

This show wasn’t as packed as the previous episodes (and I miss Mummy Grimm) but it still had a lot of meaty meta and, above all HANK NOW KNOWS! I also like how it was done. Hank was brought into the big secret and didn’t become an observer, he was still an active participant which gives me a lot of hope for the future. He also didn’t do the standard “I’m so offended you didn’t tell me!” schtick – because it’s so possible to tell someone this. I actually like his relieved reaction – which also bodes well for him being involved in the future. It’s looking up.