Article first published as GRIMM Review Season 4 Episode 2 Octopus Head on Seat42F.
Tonight’s
GRIMM on NBC is called “Octopus Head” because of the type of Wesen
causing trouble in town. Trubel (Jacqueline Toboni) continues to hunt
the creature, past the boundaries Nick (David Giuntoli) sets for her,
which of course leads her into trouble (yes, I know what I just did
there and I am appropriately ashamed). But the killer isn’t the only
problem in town as Nick remains without his Grimm powers, which not
everyone thinks he should try to get back, and Captain Renard (Sasha
Roiz) is dead.
Thankfully, Renard
stays dead only a very brief time before his unseen-until-now Hexenbeast
mother revives him. Sure, there is something to be said for killing off
main characters, and it is an effective tool that GRIMM has yet to use.
But the way in which Renard dies isn’t high on dramatic impact, so it’s
better that he survives now to die another day.
Besides,
Renard is our connection to the European royalty, namely, Viktor Albert
Wilhelm George Beckendorf (Alexis Denisof), whom Adalind (Claire
Coffee) returns to in “Octopus Head.” Adalind took Nick’s powers in the
hopes that Viktor would give her baby back, but since Viktor doesn’t
have the infant, that presents a problem. This means Adalind winds up in
a dungeon instead of reunited with her child, something that seems
totally in-character for Viktor to do to her. I’m sure he’ll let her out
again as soon as he has another use for her, but poor Adalind is merely
a piece in someone else’s game these days.
Unlike
Adalind, Trubel resists any attempt to be a pawn at every turn,
refusing to go along with what anyone tells her to do. This streak is
noticeable in her before, and on a show like GRIMM, that means it’s only
a matter of time before she gets hurt. That happens twice in “Octopus
Head,” once when confronting the Wesen she’s hunting, who gets the drop
on her, and again when she is kidnapped by Agent Chavez (Elizabeth
Rodriguez).
Viewers are not clued
into what Chavez’s plans are yet, but since she doesn’t immediately kill
Trubel, the girl is probably safe enough for now. When Trubel does
eventually get out of the situation, though, will she have learned her
lesson? Or will she be as fool-hardy and independent as ever? I get her
life up to this point has prepared her for the latter and a quick taming
isn’t in the cards. But I also see the way she relates to Nick and
Juliette (Bitsie Tulloch), craving their approval, so I hope she calms
down before something really bad happens to her, which, since she’s not a
main character, could be her fate.
With
Trubel out of action, Nick needs to be a Grimm again more than ever,
but it’s no simple task to restore his powers. Monroe (Silas Weir
Mitchell) and Rosalee (Bree Turner) are skipping their honeymoon to try
to find a cure, but Juliette asks them to hold off, thinking her life
might be simpler if her boyfriend was not a hunter of the supernatural.
She’s right, I’m sure, but that doesn’t mean she’s making the right
decision.
I don’t think anyone
believes Nick will stay Grimm-less for long, no matter what Juliette
says; the fact that Monroe and Rosalee ignore her request to halt their
work supports that. However, I’m more interested in what it will do to
Juliette and Nick’s relationship if she doesn’t come around. Things are
already rocky between them after Adalind tricks Nick into sleeping with
her. Nick ignoring Juliette’s wishes could further jeopardize the union.
Something
else in jeopardy is Wu’s (Reggie Lee) place in the dynamic. He knows
Nick and Hank (Russell Hornsby) have been lying to him. He has put the
pieces together about Trubel, if not the Wesen. He’s clearly getting
into the loop one way or the other in the very near future. The question
is, will Hank and/or Nick ease him in, or will he force his way in,
causing conflict among the main cast? The latter option is more
interesting, of course, and seems to be the way GRIMM is heading, but
eventually, we’ll want to get to the former so the detectives better
quit burning bridges with the under-used officer, who, as a fan of Lee,
I’m excited to see take on a larger role.
“Octopus
Head” is an episode that moves the larger arcs forward, but doesn’t
stand on its own. This is the type of installment I prefer, advancing
the story without worrying about a procedural format. GRIMM often does
this well, though not always on a weekly basis.
GRIMM airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.
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