In tribute to eye candy, Grimm opens with a shirtless Nick running on a treadmill. The doctor continues to increase the speed and incline but Nick's heart rate and blood pressure never increase. The doctor asks about changes in his life. Nick obviously can't tell him, but they can recap what was just in the previouslies though. Urgh! Nick: "Well work has been a little stressful." Ha! That's an understatement. At least someone is getting down time though. Monroe and Rosalee relax at the new Raven and Rose restaurant. Rosalee compliments Monroe's wine choice as Monroe launches into the most convoluted and bumbling request to move in together ever heard. It's adorable. Rosalee makes him work for it too. Rosalee: "You want me to move my clothes into your closet." Ha! He's interrupted by a waiter bringing petite beef and truffle tartlets, but Rosalee keeps him from temptation. Rosalee: "Ah, no time to fall off the meat wagon now. I'll save you." Monroe does finally pop the moving in question and Rosalee has thought about it too. They exchange "I love you". Awww. Even a non-shipper has to root for this couple. Excellent sweet moment. Grimm does a great job of keeping sweet from turning to saccharine, partly because they don't draw it out. A former client and friend of Monroe's interrupts to compliment Monroe on his watch fixing skills before leaving Monroe and Rosalee alone to gaze into each other's eyes…which makes the man running in the forest so jarring a switch. His stomach swells and gurgles to intense proportions before he starts climbing a tree. Huh? The last thing I want when I feel nauseous is to start climbing. Welcome to Portland level weird.
Speaking of weird, Nick's predilection to turn zombie worries Juliette. It's not a broken machine either, Nick. Juliette maintains that Nick is still affected by his supernatural adventure, and of course she's right. Nick freaks out over explaining to the doctor and not knowing if it is permanent. Juliette tells him to calm down and asks for the ten zillionth time how he feels. Nick says he is hyperaware but questions if he's just more observant now. Juliette: "What I saw was very, very real so I'm just not going to let you go very far for awhile." They kiss. Nick: "I think I feel better already." Again a well-done awww moment, interrupted by Tree Sick, whose stomach is even worse. He blutbads out and then bursts open. Gross! The next day Nick heads to the office, but Hank catches him. Hank: "Don't get comfortable." It's time to explore the tree yuck. Good times! Hank: "A little picnic in the woods. Dead body in a tree." Nick: "In a tree?" Like that's the weirdest thing you've seen in Portland, Nick! It is however one of the grossest. Body pieces litter the ground as the camera pans up to his gaping stomach cavity. PSA - Never, ever eat when Grimm is on. Blech! Thankfully it's on to royal intrigue as Castle Spy calls Renard. The police are investigating, but that can hardly be news since he was assassinated by car bomb. However the royals are in-fighting and Castle Spy says it's going to get bloody. (Better that than a literal tree blood bath.) Renard tasks Castle Spy with finding Frau Pech, but the call is interrupted by Adalind. Score - Castle Spy is named Sebastian. Adalind asks about royal succession, which is not telling and in bad taste at all. Sebastian: "The last royal standing." Uh, oh. Adalind smiles. Yeah, someone's jockeying for Queen Mother.
Back at the crime, Wu snarks about the victim. Wu: "Ironically he's an organ donor, although I'm not sure who'd want what's left." Nick just stares. Wu: "I'll run the name." Ha! No one appreciates his humor. Well, except me. Hank and Nick interview the victim's wife, who swears everything was great. They just celebrated their 5th anniversary 2 nights before. Meanwhile a random couple kisses under a tree when blood starts dripping down. I sense a theme here. Sweet romantic scene followed by full-on gross. Nice. It's Tree Sick #2. Nick looks a bit queasy himself, staring at Mitchell Zinc's drivers' license photo, the guy he killed in the bar fight. Another pointless flashback and Nick's conscious sends him running to Renard. At least he remembers things so the amnesia plot should end soon - yippee! Renard reminds Nick it was an accident but he doesn't care. Renard: "Let me ask you something, Nick. What's really bothering you? The fact that you killed somebody or the fact that you killed somebody who wasn't Wesen because God knows you've killed plenty of them? That's what you Grimm's do, isn't it?" Good on you, Renard. It's not the first time Nick's killed nor been a party to killing. I certainly hope this snaps Nick out of it and keeps him from spiraling into guilt and despair. Nick is stunned by the exchange, but has no time to process. It's off to Tree Sick #2. Wu snarks about Portland tree huggers, but I don't get the joke. Nick and Hank don't laugh either. Tough crowd. They rifle through Tree Sick's stuff and find she ate at Raven and Rose. Wu raves about the place but Nick and Hank go Grumpy Old Men on him and I feel bad for the guy. No one laughs at his jokes tonight. At least they found a case connection though. Tree Sick #1 ate at the same restaurant…as did Rosalee and Monroe. While Nick and Hank go to check it out, Sebastian checks out Frau Pech's place and calls Renard with a hotel room number.
At Raven and Rose, the chef is a Gordon Ramsey-like douche. Chef: "How many times do I have to teach you the meaning of cuisine? This is an art, not carpentry." Hey, much of carpentry is art too, buddy. Chef and the whole crew woge out. They're bauerschwein. When questioned, Chef says he doesn't know the victims but he cooperates. Nick and Hank are stumped though because the victims ordered different items, no one on staff has a record, and Tree Sick #1's wife doesn't know them. Worse, the tox screen comes back negative. Nick seems prejudiced against bauerschwein, as Renard alluded, but given his last run-in with them it's to be expected. Fortunately, Juliette comes in with the vet knowledge. She says the people were suffering from severe bloat, emphasis on severe. Nick exposits the blutbad-bauerschwein feud but can't figure out how Chef is poisoning them. Juliette graciously interrupts to remind Nick he's supposed to move out of Monroe's that night. Hmm, I figured he already did. Juliette: "Or have you changed your mind on me?" Nick: "No, I'm on my way." Cute couple scene…cue the gross out. Or not. Instead it's awkward Monroe and Nick banter for the win. They discuss the oddity of blutbad and Grimm roommates and don't seem to know how to say goodbye. Talk about odd. I'm not quite sure what they're going for in this scene. It does give Nick a chance to bring up Raven and Rose though. Nick is more bothered by it being run by bauerschwein restaurateurs than Monroe is, by the way. Nick asks if Monroe is feeling okay, and he goes all lovesick puppy face that is starling and fun on such a big, bearded man.
Ask Nick goes to leave, Monroe helps by stacking boxes in Nick's arms until he can't see. Nick: "Monroe, I thought you said you were going to give me a hand." Ha! Monroe: "You're not actually going anywhere just yet." Hey, they're throwing Nick a moving out surprise party. Hnh? Never heard of that, but hey, any excuse to party after all they've been through. Best part, Bud's there with another fabulous creation from his wife. It's amazing. Halfway through Monroe's toast, the phone rings, which Rosalee answers. I guess she feels at home already. Monroe and Nick banter more but Hank interrupts. Hank: "Uh, could we get to the drinking part?" Hear, hear. Sadly, Watch Guy from the restaurant is missing and Nick's suspicions are confirmed, at least 2 of the 3 victims were blutbads. Bud: "Oh God, this is really bad. Bauerschwein going after blutbadden. I mean isn't it sort of the other way around?" Nick: "You'd be surprised." Ha! Juliette and Nick exposit the facts so far and Rosalee remembers something pertinent at the Spice Shop. Alas, nothing will help Watch Guy. He's up a tree, literally. Rosalee's books shed light on the case. The murder weapon is 'shrooms, specifically the Black Despair Mushroom. Really? Who would eat something called Black Despair anyway? Yikes! Basically it affects carpenter ants and blutbadden, because they're so similar. Sorry but I don't buy that blutbadden climb trees because the ants do. Monroe grabs his stomach, but Rosalee figures out the mushrooms are in the tartlets. Hey, she inadvertently saved Monroe's life. Awww, time to watch Watch Guy explode.
Hanks gets a hit from the APB on Watch Guy's car and they head to the forest where Watch Guy's intestines are emulating that Alien scene. You know the one. The Grimm Trio get on the scene just in time for splat. Eww, eww, a thousand times eww. Monroe's really shaken up by it but Nick says they have no real evidence. Monroe: "He's a bauerschwein. What more evidence do you need?" Nick: "Well I need something I can take to court." Monroe: "Not this time, Nick. Either you take care of this or I will." Nick: "Let me handle this." Monroe: "I've already lost 2 friends, man. I'm not losing anymore so one way or another, that pig is going down." Monroe stalks off as Hank returns. Hank: "He's not going to go vigilante on us, is he?" Nick: "Oh, he might." Very intense scene and kudos to the actors, but at this point, there was too much evidence so I thought Chef could not possibly be guilty. On crime shows, the one thing that usually remains true is whoever looks guilty at midpoint is rarely the one who did it. Imagine my surprise when Nick confronts Chef and he admits it. Hmm. He's kind of cocky about it too, considering he's talking to a Grimm/cop. Chef: "You're a Grimm. I have witnesses here." Nick: "Oh, you mean the accomplices." Ha! Sadly, Nick channels his inner woobie. "Well I was hoping you'd confess." Chef: "Really?" Nick: "That'd be the right thing to do." Yeah Nick, crazed killers always look to clear their conscience, confess, and go to jail for their crimes. (eye roll sigh) Chef counters that everyone on staff has lost loved ones to blutbadden attacks, and so goes the feud. Nick: "So this is about the past." Chef: "No, no this is about the future, the civilized future where we are finally on equal footing. Where we no longer live in constant fear. You really think you can hold me responsible for the blutbadden's own weakness? I think you need to come to terms with the new world order." Nick: "There's not going to be a New World Order. Not as long as this killing continues." Chef: "Well that's an interesting sentiment coming from a Grimm." Ouch, 10-ton anvil falling. Great scene though. I love Intense Nick.
Back at home, Juliette questions what Nick will do as he compares the blutbad-bauerschwein feud to the Middle East, Rwanda, and Ireland. Nick: "Somebody always has a very good reason for killing somebody they don't like." Very true. Nick says he can't stop Chef as a cop. Juliette: "Well what are you going to do? Kill him?" Nick: "That's what my ancestors used to do." What I wouldn't give for Mama Grimm to enter and take care of the whole mess. Nick: "And if I don't do anything, Monroe will and I don't want him going to jail for murder, 'cause that they can prove." Zombie Nick reappears at this time as Nick goes pale and checks out. A frantic Juliette tries to snap him out of it, while I try to figure out a pattern. It can't be stress or intense emotional duress because the last time he tranced, he was asleep. Here's hoping for answers soon. Plus going in a trance when in stressful situations is not good for a Grimm's life span. Juliette grabs Nick's hand and he instantly comes to with no knowledge of his zombie moment. He shrugs it off to go to the Spice Shop, where Rosalee tries to get Monroe calmed down. Monroe: "I just watched a friend of mine explode in a tree." Yeah, he has good reason to be upset. Rosalee says Nick will handle it, but he doesn't have much choice. Monroe: "This is between blutbadden and bauerschwein, always has been, always will be, and if we let them get away with this man, it's going to be open season on us. And what happens when they don't stop at blutbadden and they kill a few fuschbauer. Then what are you going to say." Good point. Nick walks in to confirm that Chef is knowingly murdering blutbadden, but cannot convince Monroe to let it go. Monroe: "No, not after what they did to Ned and Sam and Hap. I am not going to let them get away with it." (Nice reference to episode 1.06.) Monroe woges and stalks out while Rosalee asks Nick to do something.
Since nothing interesting at all is happening in Portland, it's back to Austria. Adalind watches the same news clip Renard did last week about Prince Eric's death. For some reason she starts crying blood. I'm not surprised by the blood but by the tears. She didn't seem anymore interested in him than she did in Renard. Perhaps she thinks her best shot at power is now gone. A knock at her door calls out room service, which she of course did not order since Sebastian used it as a ruse to find out who is in the hotel room Frau Pech wrote down. I'm sure it'll be important later, but right now it distracts from the real action. Chef pulls out his toxic mushrooms and then heads home, trailed by Monroe. Perpetuators of would-be genocide should probably not walk home. Monroe is joined by a car of blutbadden and Chef finally realizes he's in trouble. Running into an alley probably isn't the best option, idiot. He's trapped. Monroe: "Oh so what shall we serve the blutbad tonight? Wait a minute. How about the chef himself?" Ha! Chef: "I haven't done anything. Stay away." Monroe: "Oooh, I like it when dinner talks back." Snicker worthy, cheesy line if ever there was one. Nick and Hank pull up to save us from the dialogue. Woo hoo!
Nick and Monroe fight - less woo, but it's well done - and Nick pulls a gun on Monroe, saying he's under arrest. Yeah, something is very fishy here. Monroe: "He killed my friends." Monroe continues that Chef must die as voices in the back shout with him. He moves forward, Nick shoots, and the blutbadden howl. Monroe dramatically "passes out" as Hank touches blood on his shirt and more blutbadden arrive on the scene. To end the feud, Chef must confess so Monroe comes back from the grave to overact. "There's nothing you can do to stop us." Nick gives him the raised eyebrow, which is universal for "your acting is going to blow it," so Monroe dramatically "dies" again. Bwah! Hank joins in. Telling Nick they need to save themselves, they both start to leave. Rather than face the blutbadden, Chef capitulates. One confession coming up. Back at the station, Hank gives a signed confession to Renard, while Monroe complains to Nick. "You know you connected on a couple of those." Nick: "Yeah, you too." They celebrate a con well played before Renard takes us out with the most hammy line of the night. (See Grimm writers, I can do it too.) Renard: "And this little piggy…went to jail."
This episode worked well as a standard Grimm episode for me. The case of the week was interesting with its death by rare allergen plot. I loved that it also connected to Monroe's life since I feel even case of the week episodes are better when there is that personal tie. Overall I thought the romance was well done too. The moments were sweet but not overwhelming and the pacing kept things from getting too sticky, since every time the romance kicked into high gear there was an interruption. Other highlights for me included learning Sebastian's name, the reappearance of Bud, Juliette and Rosalee both having crucial information for the case, and the Nick and Monroe moments. The only real issues I have is the continued interspersing of Adalind at the worst times and adding recaps within the episode. The first is an issue because these scenes stop the forward momentum of the action. I would rather have an extended scene in the middle that gives us all of Adalind at one time, than splicing her haphazardly throughout the show. The transitions are never smooth and inevitably they come at a time when far more interesting things are happening in Portland. They rarely cut to Adalind in exposition scenes. However the rest of the episode was solid and a good reminder of why Grimm and Sleepy Hollow are my favorite supernatural-themed shows on air right now.
Episode Awards:
Grade - B
Best Scene - Renard calls Nick out on killing Wesen
Best Moment - Monroe overacts and Nick gives him the raised eyebrow
Best Unseen Character - Bud's wife
Best Reason to Watch - Monroe
Most Underappreciated - Wu
MVP - specialized knowledge (both Juliette and Rosalee)
Biggest Questions -
1. Why would any blutbad eat at Raven and Rose again. Surely the Wesen community has a news chain.
2. Isn't there a Wesen Council to handle things like this?
Most Likely to Raise Ratings - Shirtless Nick on the treadmill
Cheesiest line - tie - Renard: "And this little piggy…went to jail." / Monroe: "Ooh, I like it when dinner talks back."
Best Quote - Monroe and Rosalee say, "I love you."
Other Great Lines -
Rosalee: "You want me to move my clothes into your closet."
Rosalee: "Ah, no time to fall off the meat wagon now. I'll save you."
Wu: "Ironically he's an organ donor, although I'm not sure who'd want what's left…I'll run the name."
Renard: "Let me ask you something, Nick. What's really bothering you? The fact that you killed somebody or the fact that you killed somebody who wasn't Wesen because God knows you've killed plenty of them? That's what you Grimm's do, isn't it?"
Nick: "Monroe, I thought you said you were going to give me a hand."
Hank: "Hey, can we get to the drinking part?"
Hank: "He's not going to go vigilante on us, is he?" Nick: "Oh, he might."
Chef: "I have witnesses here." Nick: "Oh, you mean the accomplices."
Nick: "And if I don't do anything, Monroe will and I don't want him going to jail for murder, because that they can prove."
Nick: "You do this, you risk everything." Rosalee: "Listen to him." Monroe: "No, not after what they did to Ned and Sam and Hap. I'm not going to let them get away with it."
Monroe: "You know you connected on a couple of those." Nick: "Yeah, you too."
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