This chapter of Grimm was one of the lesser to come out of the young series. It was slow, tedious, predictable and offered little in challenging our imaginations.
There were a lot of missteps in the episode. The snake and mouse conflict (in Grimm-speak Lausenschlange and Mauzhertz, respectively) seemed forced and uncomfortable in the mythology of the series. It came across as if it was being jammed down our throats as the “creature of the week” offering; it most definitely could have been put together. (I’m not opposed to the weekly introductions of German mottle-named beasties, but cane we do so more intelligently, please?) How about “the “twist” … Marty’s delusion of seeing his father’s image in practically everyone he despises? That didn’t even surprise me.
There were plenty more: Marty overtook Mason during their conflict and came out the victor? Really? Even Monroe mentioned one “rarely encounters a Lausenschlange and lives,” so I reject Marty’s rather easy triumph … regardless it actually happened. How about the glaringly obvious blood trail Marty left disposing of Leonard Krane’s body? Or Natalie’s gullibility toward Marty as his confidence changed?
I’m not opposed to building up the mythology of this series in the manner the writers have been doing, showcasing characters and creatures week to week. But let’s nix the mediocrity … because it’s not helping matters and it’s not winning fans.
There were a few tidbits in this episode, however, as noted below. And the final one, which I dug with anticipation, was Monroe’s promise to Nick with reference to his attack: “Next time … we’ll be ready for them.”
Notes:
Clacked by Michael Noble 
on Jan 22, 2012 @ 11:45 EST5EDT
Hmm, I agree with your concerns, but I still enjoyed the episode. While I wish they’d delay the reveal (or have a normal perp), I thought having two creatures as possible perpetrators a nice change. I especially enjoyed the early aging in the initial victims (which they later explained).
It seems like they’re deliberately inverting the fairytale predator world. In the pig episode, the fire inspector stated it was the first time a pig went after a wolf. We have that happening again in this ep.
The girlfriend’s naivete felt odd. But, she clearly had a thing for creepy guys courtesy of her abusive father i.e. her assertive yet abusive boyfriend, the assertive serial killer snake, and now Marty (once he turned assertive and psychotic).
Overall, I’ve enjoyed all of the recent episodes in terms of writing, acting, directing, and lighting. They’ve maintaining all the elements I enjoyed in the pilot, particularly the suspenseful eeriness in the creepy door scene.
*POST AUTHOR*
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Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm …
I wonder if Natalie wore flats in the episode …
Marty’s victory over Mason, while admittedly too quick and easy, can be explained by the fact that Mason didn’t see Marty as a threat…mice always run. Not this time.
Monroe is getting into it. That visit to the trailer really got him going. And Monroe seems to genuinely like Nick even though Nick has no personality whatsoever. Maybe that’s the real mystery.
*POST AUTHOR*
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Todd:
Monroe may be “getting into it” but I don’t think it was because of his visit to Aunt Marie’s trailer. His interested got fueled way before then. “Lonelyhearts” (the 4th episode) put a little fire in his belly when he staked out Billy Capra at the Blue Moon …
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I forgot to mention the fact that I enjoyed the episode. I enjoyed the episode.
I don’t know how you can say this episode was a step in the wrong direction when it finally addressed the issue with Nick’s wife Juliet and considering that it went up 1.3 million viewers from last week. Not to mention this is the first episode that there was some confusion on the who the killer was. Mason or Marty.
*POST AUTHOR*
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Will:
I detailed my reasons above as to the “wrong direction” without getting duly nit-picky. I didn’t go off the viewership, I went off the show itself. (Rather difficult to play off viewership when a post is usually done the night of its airing. This one was not, but I didn’t pay attention to the stats.)
This may have been an episode where you saw some confusion as to the perp, but I zeroed in on Marty as being the killer from the get-go based on the Of Mice And Men nods. I didn’t have any doubt in my mind it was Marty.
Sadly, I can assure you that the average viewer has not read Of Mice And Men. So they had no idea what was coming. I have read it and I didn’t really know. Just because they were nodding to a book didn’t really put them under any obligation to resolve it in the same way.
Re. Monroe in this ep — the evolution there shouldn’t be hard to grasp. In the beginning of the season, Monroe and Nick weren’t friends. as of “Game Ogre,” it was clear they’d become just that, and this week’s ep cemented that. Not to mention it was only a matter of time before Monroe broke out the Big Teeth — the show has never forgotten what he is and what he’s capable of.
I really liked this episode. I enjoyed the Of Mice And Men nods, but I didn’t feel it gave away the climax, not really. Shows nod to books and films and other shows all the time but don’t resolve their plots in the same way, so there was really no way to know for sure it was going to be Marty. Not to mention the vast majority of the audience who probably hasn’t read Of Mice And Men, a fact the writers are no doubt well aware of, so from that standpoint Marty being the murderer was a twist.
Marty overcoming Mason I scratched up to him finally having the balls to do something and taking Mason by surprise. Monroe never said that the Mauzhertz were physically weak, just that they were usually timid and somewhat cowardly, or to be nice, “conflict avoidant”.
As for Natalie, you’ve obviously not been acquainted with many battered women. This observation isn’t unkindly meant, but they tend to be drawn towards people that are just on the edge of crazy, for whatever sad psychological reasons stem from their broken childhoods. As she said, her father was one of those people, so it’s no mystery why she repeats the pattern over and over.
The only thing I did wonder about was why the Reapers left Monroe alive. Why didn’t they just kill him? Maybe there’s an explanation for this, like maybe they have some kind of code about not killing their own kind. Or maybe they hope to use Monroe to get to Nick. Or a more chilling thought: maybe they already are and Monroe is now working for them to save his own hide.
Or an even more chilling thought: maybe the writers will read your post and consider “turning” Monroe. Remember, created characters can be recreated, and often are. Usually to the detriment of the character’s credibility.
Fred [aka: Freddy, Fredrick] Koehler was formed into “his customary meek persona” by the warping effect of playing Chip on “Kate and Allie”. One small boy, two teen-age girls, and two divorced moms created a great show, but a limited acting school.