Grimm gets a monster head-start as a part of NBC's pre-emptive fall programming.
With the Olympics coming to a close in London, NBC is making the decision to jump the gun on their fall programming with the early airing of some of their shows, beginning with Grimm on Monday August 13th.
The newest adaptation of the Grimm fairytales certainly honours its two-hundred year-old namesake. Set in contemporary Portland, the show follows the ongoing discoveries and investigations of Detective Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli), one of the last in an ancient bloodline of warriors descended from the brothers Grimm themselves. As a Grimm, Nick is charged with maintaining balance amongst the world's supernatural elements.
Grimm's freshman season established an astonishing mythology throughout its otherwise procedural format, delving into the history of the Grimms, and the hierarchy of Wesen (pronounced in the show's ubiquitously German etymology, "vessin"), human beings with the animalistic traits of legendary creatures who can only be seen by each other and the feared Grimms.
The show's supporting cast largely revolves around Nick's circle of friends, including his partner Hank (Russell Hornsby) and girlfriend Juliette (Bitsie Tulloch) – both of whom are unaware of his lineage or abilities. His direct connections to the Wesen community are the wolfish Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell) – a constant show-stealer – and the foxily sly Rosalee Calvert (Bree Turner), a welcome series regular in Season Two after what was only supposed to be a guest stint.
After introducing so many creatures in its first twenty-two episodes (dragons, ogres, and the big bad wolves, to name a few), the new season seems primed to explore the mythologies of certain Wesen more deeply. And then there's the ongoing mystery surrounding police Captain Sean Renard (Sasha Roiz) and his status in an apparent shadow monarchy, as well as his unclear alignment in relation to Nick's motives as a Grimm.
With Fringe slated for its final season – with a shortened order no less – Grimm is in the perfect position to offer the same levels of fright and freak-out that television audiences have gotten accustomed to over the last few years. The vast Portland forests offer an appropriately ominous backdrop for Grimm's dark themes, largely featured in the show's cold opens and climaxes. Like the original fairytales, Grimm is gruesome – more when it wants to be than when it needs to be – but it both fits the tone of the show, and upholds the legacy of its source material.
Grimm premieres Monday August 13th at 10 p.m. on NBC.
