Grimm will tear your "Face Off"

Article first published as Grimm will tear your "Face Off" on TheTVKing.

NBC's Grimm has really grown into something special in its second season. Sort of like a darker Buffy (at least compared to the early seasons of Buffy), Grimm is about a group of people, some with supernatural powers, some without, who fight the evil beasts who threaten their world. More and more people are brought in on the secret, gearing up for an epic battle.

Unlike season one, which mainly focuses on a case every week, season two travels one long arc, as Juliette (Bitsie Tulloch) loses her memory of Nick (David Giuntoli) and finds herself hopelessly and passionate attracted to Nick's boss, Captain Renard (Sasha Roiz).

Last week's episode, "Face Off," picks right up where the fall finale left off, so much so that it feels like the second hour of a two hour episode. Not only do we find Juliette and Renard fighting their feelings, but Nick is called to investigate four bodies that he himself kills in the previous hour. It's really quite exciting that the story just keeps going, even if I feel little like I need a refresher viewing of the previous episode.

It's because of this that Grimm has moved from good to great. There's a deep mythology and forward momentum for the series. The characters continue to grow, and the consequences of their actions come back to bite them down the line. Each story cannot be considered separately, and is part of a larger whole. Plus, the characters are easy to connect to, and the stories feel like they have high stakes, making the result quite entertaining.

That being said, I'm ready for the Juliette / Renard plot to come to an end. Nick is almost about to spill the beans to her about what he is and the supernatural world around them before her coma, and since then it's felt drawn out. It's frustrating to watch Nick and Juliette be apart week after week, with her not remembering him at all. It's time for her to know everything and get on the same page as the rest of the characters.

Hopefully, that will happen next week. Nick drinks a yucky concoction in "Face Off" that is the first step in a two step process to break the spell.

It's a little disappointing that Nick has to step in and save the day here. Yes, he's the central hero of the story, but Renard has been trying to figure out a way to stop the attraction himself. Also, Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell) and Rosalee (Bree Turner) are the ones who have been researching the issue and concocting an antidote. Why not let someone else share a little more of the spotlight?

That is probably my only complaint about the direction of the show so far: Nick is getting too much of the focus. He has a great group of friends, and the show has a strong ensemble. I think the stress of being responsible for everyone is getting to him. He has plenty of reason to be mad at Renard and Juliette, before he learns the full story, but there's a darkness in his gaze at the house where they are that isn't present in the character before. I think there might come a breaking point before long where he just can't do everything himself, and that will not only be good for the character, but also for the show.

I'm also intrigued by Adalind's (Claire Coffee), especially if the baby is, in fact, Renard's. This will not only shake up the dynamics of the central group, which I'm hoping Renard will soon be a part of,  but also the royal family over in Europe. Grimm is giving us pieces of the royals' story slowly, but I feel like they may be bigger players in upcoming stories, and I'm looking forward to that.

Grimm airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.