Cries for Justice. Review: Grimm – “El Cucuy”

Season 3, Episode 5

Air Date: Friday, November 29, 2013 at 9/8c on NBC

Rating: ★★★★★

“Duérmete niño, duérmete ya…Que viene el Coco y te comerá.” “Sleep child, sleep now…Or else the Boogeyman will come and eat you.”— Grimm

I’m convinced, now more than ever, parents from the old days were demented and sadistic. To tell a child they better go to sleep or they’ll be eaten by a mythical beast is just…wrong. I’m, for once, glad my Korean mother didn’t tell me twisted bedtime stories. I was simply afraid of my mother if I didn’t go to sleep…she was real, and scary enough. As we dive into “El Cucuy,” we learn this mystical monster was called upon when evil lurked in small Latino villages; the women would cry out to “El Cucuy” to save them from the bad plaguing their “barrios.” If you thought about a life of crime, after watching this installment of Grimm, you’ll probably change your mind, or at least you should. While “El Cucuy” does provide some gory excitement, there are too many areas of WTH that diminish the episode.

Neighborhood Watch Goes Awry

A violent robbery in a section of the Portland working class area leaves a young man in critical condition. His mother’s prayers cry out for help, “Listen to my cries for justice.” I really enjoy how the writers tapping into cultural legends add a different flavor to the plot lines of Grimm. This is the second Latin American themed story we’ve seen, the first being “La Llorona” from season two. I’ve heard about El Cucuy but the stories I’ve been told by some of my Hispanic friends say El Cucuy is a ghost. I’ve never heard of El Cucuy being a feral beast that attacks and kills. I appreciate how the writers have taken this myth and turned it around. Either way, I liked “El Cucuy,” but didn’t love it.

Ray Bolton isn’t afraid of the cops, not even a Grimm.

There are a few characters that irked me; David Florez (guest start Manny Montana) being number one on my list. Florez is an impassioned young man trying to protect his neighborhood. Montana’s over the top performance makes me wish El Cucuy would nick him just a little—you know, draw a little blood to shut him up. The way he bounces around the crime scenes, heckling the police officers made me roll my eyes with exasperation. I also don’t appreciate him donning his U.S. Marines dress blues to seek his own vengeance on his menacing neighbor Ray Bolton (guest star Matt McTighe). It would have been better to have Florez go over there in his street clothes. Saying he is a former Marine is enough; we don’t need to see him in uniform to get the point across. If anything, he should have been in camouflage gear, which would have made more sense. McTighe’s performance, on the other hand, is chilling and spot on. You believe he is a local thug who means business. It doesn’t help that he’s a vicious Wesen known as a “höllentier,” which is some kind of beast from hell. McTighe embodies the persona of Ray Bolton—a local drug dealer/gang banger type dude with a chip on his shoulder he knows no one can touch. His being Wesen gives him a false sense of security. Even when he meets Nick (David Giuntoli) and realizes Nick is a Grimm, Ray doesn’t flinch.

Random Thoughts

Juliette helps Nick go through journals to find clues to El Cucuy

I’m very thankful Juliette (Bitsie Tulloch) doesn’t dawdle and asks Nick directly about the suspicious email he received from “M.” Since their situation is a bit out of the ordinary, with Nick being a Grimm, it’s plausible for Juliette to buy the story Nick’s selling so readily. I just hope the writers figure out something better for Juliette other than being a surprisingly good computer geek, tracking IP addresses and such. I also hope they give Nick’s mom Kelly (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) an exciting return story. I’m becoming a bit bored right now.

Rosalee (Bree Turner) and Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell) are settling into their routine but they still haven’t told their respective parents about their living situation. After Rosalee answers an unexpected call from Monroe’s mother, the conversation Monroe and Rosalee have is comical but at the same time, a pinch on the lame side.

Monroe: “I mean, we’re grown people.”

Rosalee: “We’re adults. So…when do you think we should…”

Monroe: “Later.”

Rosalee: “Later…right…ok…bye.”

Aside from the cute couple hosting dinner parties and telling Nick about Wesen creatures, I hope this isn’t the extent of what Rosalee and Monroe’s storyline will be. They have so much more to offer and their story arc needs a huge injection of excitement to shake things up. Come on writers, I know you have something up your sleeve for these two other than being a wealth of Wesen knowledge for their friendly neighborhood Grimm pal.

Across the pond, Sebastian (Christian Lagadec) discovers the reason Adalind is in Vienna. The shocked look on Captain Sean Renard’s (Sasha Roiz) face is priceless when he sees the video. Isn’t it strange how the doctor hears two heartbeats during Adalind’s ultrasound? Twins would certainly throw a monkey wrench into Adalind’s plans,1 and I’m sure Stefania (Shohreh Aghdashloo) would be delighted to have two royal babies in her possession.

And finally, bringing our psychic friend Pillar (Bertilla Damas) back for one scene seems pointless. Could all that information about El Cucuy not be delivered over the phone? Not that I’m not a fan of Pillar, but her bizarre psychic readings and knowing things is making me wonder if there is something she’s hiding from Juliette. The way Pillar says she already knows who Nick is when Juliette introduces them for the first time is a bit strange to me. At any rate, the scene with Pillar felt…rehearsed and very fragmented.

Overall

“El Cucuy” has moments of dark and scary but it doesn’t have much bite. I’m hoping the tiny clues, if you will, that are hinted at in this episode bear better fruit in upcoming episodes.

Tune in to Grimm, Fridays at 9/8c only on NBC.

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Follow these cast members on Twitter: @russellhornsby, @mistergiuntoli, @BitsieTulloch, @sasharoiz, and @MrReggieLee.

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Judy Manning

Dream chaser extraordinaire! Judy tends to be a tad sarcastic and kind of goofy! She is an avid admirer of all things supernatural, paranormal, celestial and mystical. She loves to read, write, and watches way too much TV. She enjoys many genres of film and music (and let's be honest, most music from the 80s). She also has a wicked sweet tooth. Cupcakes beware.