With Monroe-mance in the air and Wesen zombies on a rampage, this week’s show combined the perfect mix of hilarity and gore. “Quill” is the first episode of Season 2 to strike the original tone of the series, which is a relief after watching mommy issues and moodiness consume the past three episodes.
Monroe, equipped with zingy one-liners and awkward relationship tactics, not only stole the show but resurrected Grimm from its macabre rut. The lovable blutbad’s attempts to woo Rosalee amidst a plague outbreak allowed him to save the damsel in distress while fighting off zombie-like attackers, transforming the sidekick into a hero for the night. While Nick’s claim to the protagonist’s role isn’t in question, seeing Monroe in the spotlight was a welcome change of pace. Both Monroe and Rosalee bring a brighter lens to the otherwise shadowy Grimm universe, and their presence saves the show from devolving into a gory horror flick. Their budding romance also raises some specific questions (What happens when different species of Wesen have families? Are half-breeds even possible?) which would be interesting to explore in Grimm lore in the future.
Not even Juliette’s initially frustrating amnesia could dampen this episode. What began as a seemingly cliché plot twist has served to bring Juliette closer to understanding Nick’s hidden identity, even if she is clueless to the ramifications of the label “Grimm.” Props to the writers for turning the oldest cop-out in film into a significant plot device; let’s just hope it doesn’t last much longer.
Other highlights of the night included a psychotic cat stalking Rosalee from the ceiling and the reappearance of the neurotic, yet adorable, refrigerator repairman. Rejoicing is also in order for the improved opening sequence! The cheesy coloring and the split-panel frames of the opening would still be a better fit for a ridiculous reality show hunting Bigfoot, but the embarrassing voiceover has been nixed (hopefully) for good.
Best Monroe Quote of the Night: “As long as we’re letting the blutbad out of the bag, I was the one who hit you in the park the other day.”