Grimm – 1.01 – Pilot – A to Z Challenge – Day 07

“The more I see, the less I know for sure.”
“What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Magician's Nephew

Prologue

This episode falls into the category of “Firsts”.

It took some time for me to actually fall in love with this show. I was very hesitant to even try the show because I thought David Giuntoli was Brandon Routh (you know the guy who played Clark Kent/Superman in ‘Superman Returns’). Once I actually did a little research I thought ‘sure, let’s give this show a go’. But then I had another worry: the premise sounded a little bit like Once Upon a Time. I wasn’t sure if my TV viewing plate would allow for two shows based around fairy tales.

Quick aside: It’s funny because I really enjoyed the first few episodes of Once Upon a Time but I’m currently not watching that show anymore and so in the end Grimm won out.

About the Show

Seasons: 3| No. of Episodes: 59|Premiere Date: 10/28/2011 |End Date: N/A |Status: On-Air

Genre(s): Supernatural drama, Fantasy procedural, Horror

Story in a nutshell: Homicide Detective Nick Burkhardt of the Portland Police Department learns he is descended from a line of "guardians" known as "Grimms", charged with keeping balance between humanity and the mythological creatures of the world called Wesen, the German word for being or creature (pronounced "vessin" on the show). Throughout the series, he must battle against an assortment of dangerous creatures, with help from his friend Monroe (who is a reformed creature), and his partner Detective Hank Griffin.

Best Reason to Watch the Show: If you like your shows a little dark and gritty this might be the show for you. If you like your procedurals a little odd then this might be the show for you. If you like a show that launches you into a theory making and researching frenzy then this might be the show for you.

Best Thing about This Episode: Hank and Nick are too dang cute together.
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Story by: David Greenwalt & Jim Kouf and Stephen Carpenter/Teleplay by: David Greenwalt & Jim Kouf
Director: Marc Buckland

Episode Summary: After the mysterious brutal attack of a local college student, Portland homicide Detective Nick Burkhardt discovers he is descended from an elite line of supernatural hunters known as "Grimms", charged with keeping balance between humanity and the mythological creatures of the world. As he tries to hide the dangers of his newfound calling from his girlfriend, Juliette Silverton, and his partner, Hank Griffin, he becomes ever more entrenched in the ancient rivalries and alliances of the Grimm world. With help from his reluctant confidant, Monroe , a reformed Grimm creature himself, Nick must navigate through the forces of a larger-than-life mythology and track down a killer.
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Awards
Character of the Night
• Nick

Best Character Interactions
• Nick & Hank
• Nick & Monroe

Best Line
• Nick: I’m only getting married once, not four times.

Best Scene
• Opening montage of a jogger getting mauled to death set to Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) by The Eurythmics

Highlights
Memorable Moments
1. The scoring when dramatic things were happening. Very creepy and set the right tone.
2. Nick comes home to a dark, cold and quiet house and you think something bad is about to happen but it doesn’t.
3. The outdoor scenes were breathtakingly beautiful and lush.

Notable & Quotable
1. Hank: Oh, you’re a happily ever after guy.
2. Nick: I didn’t know you couldn’t sing.
3. Monroe: What did you just get the books tonight?
Nick: Wait… you know about the books?
Monroe: Of I know about the books. We all know about the books. You people started profiling us over 200 years ago.

Superb Scenes
1. Hank and Nick investigate a crime scene in the woods. Their banter back and forth is just great and their chemistry makes you buy into them being partners for a awhile.
2. The Monroe and Nick confrontation.
3. The fight scenes between Nick and Aunt Marie versus The Grimm Reapers.

Lowlights
• This episode was intentionally a little campy and cheesy. It clung to some clichés a bit too much. It was off putting on the first watch.

• The visual effects were (and continue you to be) bottom shelf quality. Either you can accept or you can’t. I learned to love it. I just think of the awful Buffy vampire prosthetics and say, ‘hey at least it isn’t THAT bad’.

Miscellaneous
My Favorite Main Character
• Monroe

My Favorite Side Character
• Hank

Least Favorite Main Character
• Juliette

Least Favorite Side Character
• Captain Sean Renard

Fun Fact: David Greenwalt and Jim Kouf, who had worked together before on projects such as Angel, conceived the show. Grimm was pitched to NBC as "The Brothers Grimm in the Modern World.

Tasty Tidbit: Grimm had the highest non-sports rating on a Friday for any network since New Year's Eve of 2010.

Side Note: Grimm was the third TV series to be produced in Portland.
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Grade: B+
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Comparable Shows
If you like this show, then I highly recommend you watch one, some or all of the following shows: Lost Girl, Once Upon a Time and/or Supernatural.
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Up Next: If you like cannibalistic serial killers that are full of charm and class or perhaps you’ve been tempted to eat the rude be sure to check out my blog tomorrow because I’m writing about the pilot of Hannibal.