Grimm TV series is a cop procedural featuring Grimm-inspired monsters.
The Brothers Grimm is synonymous to strange, gruesome, and terrifying stories.
Most of the original versions never stray into mainstream media. The stories published today have been scrubbed and sanitized, a far cry from their monster roots.
Can you imagine Cinderella being a talented witch? This one would have been fun though. How about the wicked witch in Snow White really being Snow White’s mother and not her stepmother? And don’t get me started into the horrifying details in Sleeping Beauty. The older version is pretty twisted. Clearly, the authors didn’t have children’s bedtime story in mind.
I think it is safe to say Grimm is a fantasy series riddled with folk and fairy tale elements grounded on police work.
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Monroe and the German mythology and folklore
Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell) easily fits to the handful of TV characters I have enjoyed so much. This sweater guy is a walking encyclopedia of monsters and can rattle off those German sounding names like ingredients for his quinoa blueberry pancake. Oh how I love it when he does that. He is witty, sweet, funny, protective, and a loyal friend.
He is perhaps the big bad wolf in our nighttime folktales. In Grimm, he is a reformed Blutbad (wolf-like creature); a vegan who loves Pilates; plays the violin; and tinkers with clocks for a living. He forges an unlikely friendship with Nick and is one of the shows best characters.
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The Medieval Weapons
Handed down from Nick’s Grimm ancestors, each of these weapons is designed to kill different kinds of wesen from all over the world.
Wesen (VES-sin) comes from the German language meaning a being or a creature.
One particular device generates a targeted sound waves strong enough to destroy a Murcielago (a bat-like wesen). I enjoyed that episode. And that powerful triple barrel rifle? Awesome! It is the weapon with bullets that can penetrate a thick Siegbarst (ogre-like wesen) skin. Monroe branded it as the ogre gun.
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The Book Collection
Just like the weapons, Nick inherited the books. They are handwritten accounts by generations of Grimms about their personal experience on their first encounter of wesen. The books illustrate how to destroy these creatures. It is a mine of information for wesen hunters.
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Aswang
This fetus-eating wesen stands out among all the monster episodes because it is a famous folktale from my country. According to Grimm, Aswang is indigenous to the Philippine islands.
Almost everyone in the Philippines believe in the existence of this creature. In the rural areas, some people swear they have seen an Aswang. I thankfully, however, haven’t seen one.
Thanks Sergeant Wu (Reggie Lee) for the nod to Philippine folklore.
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Nick and Trubel
Nick of course! The eye candy, what else? Nick (David Giuntoli) comes from a long line of Grimm — the wesen hunters a.k.a. decapitare.
When Trubel (Jacqueline Toboni) shows up in the later seasons, things would become bloodier and more interesting. This unknown Grimm can slash a wesen’s head off before you can blink. Obviously, her weapon of choice is a machete. She can also devour two big bowls of spaghetti without shame. Attagirl!
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Rosalee’s Exotic Spice and Tea Shop
This seemingly unassuming apothecary shop always has something brewing to save the day. You want to neutralize a zombie? Ask Rosalee. Cure for an insomnia? Call Rosalee. She has an endless supply of herbs and whatnot for your next concoction to help a friend or harm your foe. Take your pick.
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The Main Cast
The storyline sometimes takes a 180 degrees turn you would wonder who is going to renegade next.
Captain Sean Renard (Sasha Roiz). This hot royal bastard is perfect for his role. His being able to speak several languages: English, French, Russian, German, and Latin, raises his hotness level to epic proportions.
Adalind Schade (Claire Coffee). I hated her with a vengeance during the early seasons. Laughed with her when she did all those creepy things to get her powers back. Loved her towards the end of the season. That’s a roller coaster ride of emotions if ever there is one.
Juliet Silverton (Bitsie Tulloch). If I have to draw my feelings with Juliet, it would look like a flat line with little bumps from beginning to end of season. But she gives the damnedest lesson. Careful who you trust. You never truly know a person, not really.
Hank Griffin (Russel Hornsby). Nick’s detective partner. When he was eventually in the loop, he was pretty cool with all these shape-shifting creatures walking among humans. But not before having horrible nightmares when a wesen woge (shifted into a monster) in front of him.
Drew Wu (Reggie Lee). Sergeant Wu is in the same precinct as Nick and Hank and is often the earliest to arrive at the crime scene. His first encounter with a wesen was a terrifying one, prompting him to admit himself to a mental health clinic for counseling. Can’t blame him. If you’re the one confronted with your childhood boogeyman, how would you react?
Side Character that needs honorable mention
Martin Meisner (Damien Puckler). When he took his shirt off and pretended to be in bed with Adalind to help her escape from the Royals, the room suddenly turned hellishly hot. Kidding aside, this guy can seriously kick ass. When he fought for the Resistance, that was heroic. When he led the Hadrian’s Wall, that was great. But nothing beats the episode where he haunted Renard. That was brilliant.
The only thing that bothers me is the exaggerated use of Verfluchte Zwillingsschwester (fair-FLOOKH-tuh TSVIH-leengs-shveh-stur).
Yeah, I copy pasted that one. It is a spell used to turn into another person. I think the show exploited it more times than I am comfortable with. Hey, it’s a difficult and dangerous spell. Even Hermione didn’t get it right, remember? But whatever. Those were some of the silliest moments in the seasons.
Grimm’s shade of horror is scary just enough so it wouldn’t give you nightmares. The story arc wraps around protecting friends and family making it a fun show to watch.