'Grimm' Goes Deeper Into The Dark Side

The long awaited season 2 of Grimm debuted with surprisingly high ratings, coming in first last week among all ABC, CBS and Fox categories of its time slot. The producers of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer have come a long way to make this series a success and finally give viewers something sinister to indulge in once again. The previous season ended with an insufferable cliffhanger, leaving many questions to be answered and supernatural afflictions to be diagnosed.

After what seemed to be a bloated season finale, viewers were welcomed by a more palatable season premiere, although there was no shortage of changes. An opening sequence has been incorporated where there was previously none, and the slight whimsy we felt last season has been dispelled — and replaced by something darker. Producers undoubtedly had a purpose in mind: incoming viewers were immediately clued in to the growing enigma, while already established fans were reintroduced to an edgier Grimm (David Giuntoli) and his rapidly evolving lifestyle. There is no mistake about it: our beloved detective is officially Grimm.

Before the first episode even begins, we are given the film noir aura of instant dread. Replacing the usual excerpt from a fairytale classic was a quote from W.B. Yeats' "The Second Coming": "The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere the ceremony of innocence is drowned.” Honing in on the poem’s apocalyptic feel, Grimm threatens to delve into gorier and darker territory the second time around. Graver facets promise to be explored and profuse bloodshed flirts with a reoccurring role — a development which will no doubt please many a demand for more darkness after a relatively benign first season.

The premiering episode, entitled "Bad Teeth," picks up where we last saw our detective Nick Burkhardt. The face-off between him and the Yakuza member from hell, Kimura (Brian Tee), proceeds, but is cut short by the interference of his mother, Kelly Burkhardt (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), who proves to be quite protective of her Grimm son. The detective soon realizes that Kimura is not the one to be anxious about, but rather the vicious “Mouvais Dent," which roughly translates from French as “Bad Teeth.” The Saber-toothed Wesen eventually kills two FBI agents in order to lure Nick in for the kill. Meanwhile, Nick must come to terms with the return of his mother as well as the spell-inflicted coma and amnesia of Juliette (Bitsie Tulloch).

“Bad Teeth” ends with the dreaded “to be continued…” — but episode 2 does not disappoint by taking Grimm viewers deeper into the rabbit hole. Captain Renard (Sasha Roiz) may just be something other than what we were lead to believe. Renard consumes a Hexenbeist brew made by none other than Catherine Schade (Jessica Tuck), which spurs on a gruesome, agonizing, morphing period by which he becomes “pure of heart," presumably with the intention of then waking up our angelic Juliette from slumber (as only the pure of heart can do so). Next week, viewers will be tuning in to see if it works, but may also hope to answer the unnerving question: why can’t Nick bring Juliette back with his kiss?

The first two episodes of this supernatural drama haven’t disappointed and, if the producers keep it up, this might be Grimm's best season thus far, possibly developing a True Blood sub-fan base with Jessica Tuck and James Frain playing Eric, Renard’s brother. More importantly, we can't wait to see what's in store for our lead Grimm, as he finally begins to embrace his Grimm-hood and step into his ancestor’s shoes with confidence, all the while trying to maintain an upright moral standing and having to say goodbye to his mother again as she heads off to destroy the coins.

"Bad Moon," the third episode of season 2, airs Monday, August 27, 10/9c on NBC.