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Grimm 2.04 "Quill" TV REVIEW
Episode 2.04
Writer: David Simkins
Director: David Straiton
THE ONE WHERE Nick and the Grimm team (now including Hank) investigate an icky Dark Ages plague, while Renard is busy searching for Mama Burkhardt. Juliette finds out Nick is a Grimm. Again. Oh and finally – Monroe and Rosalee kiss, although admittedly as first dates go it’s eventful more than especially romantic.
VERDICT If last week's episode was all about Hank, this is very much the Monroe show, and hurrah for that. The case of the week is a Wesen-infecting virus that hits Portland, which makes for some really creepy baddie behaviour in the style of the 28 Days Later zombies, albeit let down with some of the worst CGI the show has ever seen courtesy of Porcupine Man. And let's face it, Grimm suffers on the CGI front on a good day. A newly-knowledgeable Hank helps Nick hunt down the victims of the yellow plague, and the fact he's in on the secret makes for a really fun new dynamic, especially when they're paired with Wu, who's still in the dark.
Elsewhere, all of the plot elements are chugging along nicely, although frustratingly there's not another new episode for a few weeks to keep the momentum building now. Renard is both spying on the Royal Families and hunting Nick's mum, making him his motives murkier and more ambiguous – and interesting to the viewer – than ever. But even Renard at his most interesting is eclipsed by some wonderful moments between our favourite Blutbad and the object of his affection.
Anyone having bemoaned the lack of Monroe in recent episodes (yes, me), can now rejoice. The chemistry between Bree Turner, whose infected Rosalee is laugh-out-loud funny, and Silas Weir Mitchell is great. The first date picnic was both tender and funny and their fledgling relationship is much more interesting than anything between Nick and Juliette, with so much warmth and tentative affection than given enough time to develop it could form the emotional heart of the show. Hopefully they'll get their second date soon, although one can't help but worry there might be a Nuckelavee hitman playing gooseberry...
BEST BIT Monroe on the phone to Nick, suddenly realising that Rosalee being so amorous might actually be a sign of illness rather than her being “infected with love”.
BEST LINE Rosalee: "Did we kiss?"
Monroe: "Sort of like there was no tomorrow."
Narin Bahar
Grimm season two will air in the UK later this year on Watch
