Air Date: Friday, February 28, 2014, 9/8c on NBC
Rating:
“Still, after a short time the family’s distress again worsened, and there was no relief anywhere in sight.”— Grimm
I don’t use words like “holy shit” very often but holy shit, is “Revelation” one exciting episode! Picking up where “The Wild Hunt” left off, Monroe’s (Silas Weir Mitchell) parents, Bart (guest star Chris Mulkey) and Alice (guest star Dee Wallace), gruffly meet Nick (David Giuntoli), who just happens to be a Grimm, a Wesen’s archenemy. Meanwhile, scalp cutting Woden (Matt Lasky), a “Wildesheer,” continues to wreak havoc on Portland.
Monroe is actually protecting his parents from Nick…he is a Grimm after all.
After what seemed like a very long hiatus, Grimm comes back strong and “Revelation” had me glued to my TV screen. With further insight into the liaison between Stefania (Shohreh Aghdashloo) and Prince Viktor (Alexis Denisof); Sean (Sasha Roiz) continuing to protect Adalind (Claire Coffee) and possibly his child; and the delicate balance of Monroe and Rosalee’s (Bree Turner) relationship, “Revelation” touches on several key plot points, giving us some answers and clarification, but ultimately leaving us with more questions. But, I’m ok with that.
I had been missing the Grimm I fell in love with and “Revelation” gives me what I’ve been longing for – drama, excitement, Wesen fights, and acknowledging the small elephant in the room – Nick’s dependence on Monroe to help solve cases. I think the writers did a great job addressing it and not making it too weird for either party. Nick knows he relies on Monroe a bit more than he should, but I sort of agree with Juliette’s (Bitsie Tulloch) assessment; if Monroe didn’t want to help or had an issue with it, he would have said something to Nick. But would Monroe really do that? With his estrangement from his family and having more Wesen than human friends, I don’t think he’ll rock the boat without provocation. The situation with his parents set Monroe off, helping him to release his unspoken qualms about Nick’s reliance upon him.
“I don’t even know who you (Monroe) are anymore?” Oh, that’s harsh, mom.
The core of “Revelation” revolves around the continued story lines from “Wild Hunt.” The revelations aren’t as obvious but are more subtle, which appeals to me. I like finding the hidden gems rather than seeing them plainly out in the open. Bart confronts Monroe’s vegetarianism, his choice in bride, and his friendship with a Grimm. Then, there’s Monroe’s assertion to his parents, which becomes a heart rendering scene. “Look, I just came to say that I’m sorry you don’t care to understand who I am or listen to anything that I have to say. But I love Rosalee and I’m gonna marry her, and if that destroys the family, then so be it.” Bravo to Mitchell for his performance. It’s obvious how torn he is but he loves Rosalee. Speaking about love, why are the writers making it seem Rosalee doesn’t love Monroe? When Alice asks Rosalee if she loves her son, Rosalee hesitates. Why? Perhaps the writers want us to doubt Rosalee’s intentions. Again, I ask, why? Is this some mixed message about love being blind? Rosalee is very pretty while Monroe has a quieter masculinity. He isn’t the poster boy for sexy but his loyalty, heart, and passion make up for that. I’m curious as to what the writers have up their sleeves for these two.
Sorry, no S’mores at this camp site. Nick would be the prize of all prizes in a Wildesheer’s hat…er, coat.
As Nick investigates more about the origins of Wildesheer with Juliette’s help, Monroe gets wind of what Nick is going up against and tries to help. I love their visits to the Grimm trailer. The weapons, books, and history fascinate me, and the props department really outdid themselves setting this up. The Wildesheer case morphs into mythology and if you know about Sampson and Delilah, you’ll get the gist of how Nick and Monroe have to take down the powerful, scalp-coat wearing Wildesheer. The battle scene among Nick, Monroe, and three Wildesheer is outstanding. You fear for both Nick and Monroe because the Wildesheer are super strong. I found myself gasping and scooting closer to my TV. Thanks for that, writers. And thanks to the actors for making it look so convincing.
One story line that continues to gnaw at me, however, involves Stefania and Adalind. My suspicions were spot on about Stefania working with Prince Viktor. I still don’t know why Viktor wants Adalind’s child but I don’t think he has good intentions. Sebastian (Christian Lagadec), Sean’s spy, warns him about Stefania and Viktor’s plans, spurring Sean to enlist further help from his man Meisner (Damien Puckler). May I just say how grateful I am to the writers, director, and Puckler for that shirtless scene. Yeah, that was really nice. I’m still not 100% about Meisner and his intensions but for now, he seems to genuinely want to help Sean by aiding Adalind’s escape from Viktor’s henchmen.
Adalind is so used to people being nice to gain something, she cannot fathom anyone being kind for the sake of being kind. I could see her apprehension when Sean calls. She is also wary of going along with Meisner’s plan but who else can she trust? Although, I’m not sure if Meisner is a good mid-wife. Baby Hexenbiest is ready to make an appearance, sooner rather than later.
What I liked:
- Shirtless Meisner. Yes, it’s shallow but if you saw what I saw, you would be to.
- Fight scenes. I really liked the dynamic of Nick, the Grimm, and Monroe, the Blutbaden, battling the Wildesheer. Despite Bart’s abhorrence of his son’s choice of befriending a Grimm, Nick isn’t the typical Grimm from Bart’s traditional upbringing. Dinners at…what is Monroe’s last name…will be awkward for a while.
- Alice asking Rosalee to perform a ritual to see if they are compatible. I was afraid for a few seconds after they rub checks in full Woge mode. Seeing a carnivorous Blutbaden rub cheeks with a Fuchsbau had me on pins and needles.
Overall, “Revelation” is an engaging and exciting episode. I know, too many ‘E’ adjectives but hey, it fits. I was thrilled watching and cursed every single commercial break. “Revelation” has drama, suspense, heart, and intrigue. The writers still need to solidify Juliette’s role on the show –whether she will continue to be the research assistant to her Grimm boyfriend or be upgraded to something else but overall, her scenes worked well in “Revelation.”
Now, the only thing to worry about is what is coming next. Bart mentions the presence of Wildesheer signals “something really bad was going to come next”… “that would change the world.” Dun-dun-duh. Will Nick’s mom make an appearance? After all, the next episode is titled “Mommy Dearest.”
So, what did you think about “Revelation?” Leave me a comment below or tweet me at @judybopp. Looking forward to hearing from you!
Check out the interviews from SDCC 2012 where the guys (David, Sasha, Russell, Silas, and Reggie) talk about season 3.
Tune into Grimm, Fridays at 9/8c only on NBC.
For more on the show, go to the official site.
Like Grimm on Facebook.
Follow Grimm on Twitter @NBCGrimm and these cast members: @russellhornsby, @mistergiuntoli, @BitsieTulloch, @sasharoiz, and @MrReggieLee.
Photos ©2014 NBC Universal, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Judy Manning
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