Television Review: Grimm

The aptly named new television show Grimm is about a police detective Nick Burckhardt (David Giuntoli) who discovers that he comes from a long line of Grimms, people who see monster people. He discovers that he sees monster people when a lady lawyer (ok, I’m assuming she’s a lawyer because of the suit outside a courthouse) turns demon face for a moment. He keeps seeing these anomalies in the people that are around him and is confused until his aunt, who has terminal cancer, shows up at his door with a trailer in tow.

His aunt explains his heritage, having hoped that it would be a while before he found out that he must hunt down monsters. UM. OK. So, this is the one big issue I have with the show. She waits until her cancer comes back from remission to tell him? Obviously he’s like the last surviving Grimm from that line of Grimms (his parents are no longer around) and she waits until Death’s Door to tell him. Give me a break. I may not always agree with the parenting style of John Winchester (Supernatural), but at least he raised his sons to be able to deal with the monsters that came with their heritage. I guess Nick is lucky he went into law enforcement so he has some training dealing with monster people.

Screen Still from Grimm

This show features monster of the week type of episodes. The pilot is about Little Red Riding Hood, the second about Goldilocks. But the episodes are darker, and more grim (if I’m allowed to use that pun). And Nick and his police partner are trying to deal with the supernatural without any real guidance. Nick does come in contact with one of the monster people who lives a clean life, eating right, and doing pilates, Eddie Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell). Eddie is a great character, he brings comedy to an over-all grisly show, and he basically does all the exposition of the show in an interesting way. Nick’s aunt’s trailer is also chock full of interesting weapons, vials, and pages in books filled with pictures and some information. Hopefully, the combination reluctant tutor and Book of Grimm can keep Nick alive.

Screen Still from Grimm

I like this show. It is fun, interesting, and gritty. It gives a modern twist to the fairy tales which were never originally as light and fluffy as Disney makes them seem. I like Nick and Eddie’s bromance. I like that it is simply a monster of the week type of show. I think the acting is good, the set is gorgeous lush greenery, and the stories are fun. I just have a hard time with Nick’s aunt telling him that he needs to break up with his fiance because now he is a Grimm for realz. Like, why’d she let him get engaged in the first place? Just saying. But I’m very pleased with the show so far. I’m really in love with these fairy tale television shows Grimm and Once Upon a Time. I think they are classy, fun, with soul.

Read another review here, here, and here.