Grimm 2.2: "The Kiss"

Grimm concluded its three-part take on the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale last week with an episode oh-so-appropriately entitled "The Kiss." And it was AWESOME. Very nearly unbearably so, as I couldn't stop grinning or squealing at the television for the entire hour. The episode opens with the quote "If a man of pure heart were to fall in love with her, that would bring her back to life" -- referring, of course, to the comatose Juliette (Bitsie Tulloch). The only question has been who would wake her, what condition would she be in following Adalind's spell, and how would it impact the show to have someone other than Nick break the spell? Based on this hour's activities I have ridiculously high hopes for this season -- this show is setting up what promises to be some fascinating tension between the major players. And I cannot WAIT to see the action unfold!

This episode picks up right where last week's left off, with Nick (David Giuntoli) and his mom, Kelly (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) entering the warehouse where the Mauvais Dente killed two FBI agents. I have to be honest here, while the sabre-toothed, catlike creature is pretty terrifying, I was a little underwhelmed with how he was incorporated into this storyline. I think the Wesen work best when they tie into the storyline in a meaningful way -- at this point my best guess is that the Mauvais Dente "works" for the royals? I'd love to hear any theories. :) (Side note: It was really odd last week watching Warehouse 13, where the actor playing this Wesen played a hockey star, and then transitioning straight to the Grimm world.) ANYWAYS...to make a long story short, Nick and his mom dispatch the creature and leave a really horrific mess for the police and FBI to clean up -- along with Nick's gun, which he discharged during the fight. More on Nick's potential unraveling in a moment...

Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell) and Rosalee (Bree Turner) have been busy whipping up a potion that they hope will stop Juliette's hexenbiest-induced memory loss -- but the clock is ticking, with the window of opportunity for successfully administering the potion closing fast. I loved how Monroe, Rosalee, Nick, and Kelly descended on Juliette's hospital room, defying the staff's orders to leave her alone, with Monroe, Rosalee, and Kelly putting aside their differences to present a united front in support of Nick. I'm so glad that through these two Kelly is being forced to acknowledge that not all Wesen are out to get Grimms. Despite the fact that I'm positive Kelly has some ulterior motive in returning to Portland (something to do with those pesky coins? or something even bigger?), I loved seeing her "protective" instincts kick in during this episode -- it's as if she wanted to make up for lost time by helping Nick no matter what. Also, I love how freaked out she makes Monroe -- his expressions, his wariness when around her are absolutely priceless! When he and Rosalee agree to drive Kelly back to Nick's house, that was a bit of comedy gold as far as this show goes. :)

Speaking of Monroe and Rosalee, were those two not the most adorable pair ever in this episode? I am SO happy the script finally allowed Bree Turner to "loosen" up just a bit during some of her scenes this hour. Granted she's had ever reason to be somber and serious during her tenure thus far on the show (given her past addiction issues and her brother's murder) -- but it is SO nice to finally see her relaxing a bit around Monroe, and yes even flirting! I love it. :) Speaking of comedy gold, the scene where she hugs Kelly and then tries to convince herself that Mama Burkhardt was smiling was priceless (as was Monroe's less-than-optimistic take on Kelly's rather pained facial expression). *wink* And when Monroe gets all protective after Catherine (Jessica Tuck) visits the shop for her own potion ingredients and threatens Rosalee, I could not stop smiling. When are these two going to become an official couple? The tension is killing me!!! (Did I mention that they are ADORABLE??)

So, back to Nick...after he administers the potion Rosalee made to Juliette, with no visible, immediate impact, he heads back to the carnage at the warehouse where he has to pretend to Hank (Russell Hornsby) and Renard (Sasha Roiz) that he has NO IDEA what is going on. Prior to this episode, Nick's always done a passable job of managing both his "Grimm" life and his "cop" life, but this latest episode has blurred the lines like never before as he is actually put in the position of hiding evidence (his pistol) that he was at the scene of the crime. The FBI agents assigned to investigate the deaths of their own people are understandably eager to bring the killer(s) to justice, and when a phone call from one of the dead agent's phones links Nick to the scene he is placed under immediate suspicion.

I felt SO badly for Nick throughout this entire episode -- and if he's operating under this level of tension all season, I don't know how I'll stand it! :P He understandably feels he must conceal what he knows of the crime, since not only is his story fairly fantastic but it would also implicate his mother. It just killed me when Hank realizes that Nick is hiding something from the FBI, but he trusts his partner enough to back him up -- and having that trust verbalized, knowing what he's keeping from Hank? That just eviscerates Nick. Giuntoli is really stepping things up in the emoting department thus far this season. Thoughts on Nick reading Hank into his situation, especially given the latter's glimpse of Monroe in his Blutbad state last year? If Hank actually buys into it, and that is a big if at this point, it could bring an interesting dynamic to the show -- I don't think they can go forever with Nick's only allies being Grimms and a few friendly Wesen creatures.

Now, I'm sure it will come as no surprise that my very favorite aspects of this episode involved anything and everything to do with Renard. My goodness was he on fire (very nearly literally at one point)! :) I love how the show has teased out this character's reveal -- I'm dying to know what his ultimate plans are, how he really feels about Nick, but I love the suspense of watching the story unfold. This hour paid off my long-time devotion to the enigmatic chief by making some major revelations about his character, and goodness were they worth the wait! At various points throughout this show's run, including during this episode, comments are made about Renard's background, referencing royal antecedents and most tellingly during a conversation with Catherine, where she calls him a "bastard, literally." IF Renard is in fact an outcast in his own family, that raises the tantalizing possibility of some amazing tension between him and his newly-revealed brother Eric (James Frain). They are playing quite the dangerous chess game as during their phone call both of them are trying to ascertain how much the other knows or was involved with the Mauvais Dente's appearance in Portland.

Let me just get this out of the way: I WAS RIGHT ABOUT RENARD KISSING JULIETTTE!!! (I really enjoyed having my hunch from the premiere play out on-screen!) :) Before giving him her potion, Catherine warns him that the cost will be high -- not only will he have to DRINK that glop (the look of disgust on Renard's face was hilarious!), but the result -- giving him a pure heart, so he can awaken Juliette -- will be painful. And it IS, revealing for the first time Renard's true nature, his Wesen identity as half hexenbiest! The post-potion scene was intense, and I'll just go ahead and get this out of the way   -- Renard, shirtless? Made my week. :)

If you haven't read this interview with Roiz, which was posted shortly after this episode aired, it is a must-read. The revelation that Renard isn't a pure-blooded royal promises some interesting tension for this character as far as family dynamics and his place in the royal families' plans goes, doesn't it? And are his personal plans in service to his family, or is he hoping to make a play against them? I'm leaning towards the latter, given how time and again he has protected Nick -- not because he actually likes him necessarily, but because he wants a Grimm on "his" side. And I'm DYING to learn more about how Renard feels about his "mixed" race status, since Roiz hints in the interview that one reason we haven't seen Renard "morph" until now is because he doesn't like that aspect of himself. But most exciting for me is the promise that the purification potion wasn't a one-off deal, and that there will be residual effects Renard must confront in the weeks to come. THAT, my friends, could be very, VERY interesting. :)

So, wrapping things up -- Mama B. offers to "discuss" the Juliette situation moether-to-mother with Catherine, but she clearly has no idea of how to finesse an interrogation as she ends up killing Adalind's mother. (If Adalind ever comes back she is NEVER forgiving Nick, is she?!) The only information Kelly gleans from the fight is that a prince is living in Portland, and only he has the power to awaken Juliette -- but Catherine dies before she can drop further clues about the prince's identity. So Kelly is able to share this bit of intel with her son before announcing that she's leaving Portland to destroy the coins. I don't trust Kelly, not fully, not yet, but I loved her heart-to-heart with her son and her obviously hard-won final advice to never leave and fight for the ones you love. It's clear the woman has regrets -- even if she must lie about her travel plans. Wonder when we'll see her again? And where she's taking the coins in that STOLEN CAR???

Can I say this one more time? RENARD'S KISS WORKED, I WAS RIGHT!!! *wink* It worked and worked quickly -- I've gotta give Catherine credit for delivering the correct potion before her untimely demise. Juliette wakens immediately and has no idea why she's in the hospital -- and most painfully has no idea who Nick is. The look on his face just KILLED me. The question remains -- was Rosalee's potion administered too late, or did something in Catherine's counteract it? Irregardless, watching Nick go from the joy of learning Juliette had awakened to the despair of being unrecognized -- GAH!! It just killed me! More than leading a double life as a police officer and a Grimm, losing Juliette, I think, could really and truly send Nick off the rails -- especially if he blames himself for putting her in harm's way by association. This season of Grimm has gotten off to an amazingly strong start, and I cannot wait to see where this show takes us next! Please hit the comments with anything you'd like to discuss, or anything I may have forgotten -- this episode was SO packed, and I was SO distracted by Renard, I just don't trust myself. HA! :)

*Images copyright Scott Green/NBC