Most episodes of Grimm begin with a passage from a fairy tale. The Grimm season 2 premiere does not. Instead, a short passage from “The Second Coming” by W.B. Yeats starts the new season:
“The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere the ceremony of innocence is drowned…”
What does this mean for the premiere? Let’s just say that the dark, bloody imagery is very appropriate.
WARNING: There are a few Grimm season 2 spoilers scattered throughout this piece. None of them should impede your viewing experience. But I make no promises.
Should You Bother Watching the Grimm Season 2 Premiere?
Yes. Yes, you should.
At some point in its first season, Grimm changed from a creepy procedural to something more. The mythology underlying this dark, fairytale world came into focus, and the characters suddenly had more purpose. It worked.
This sense of purpose continues in the season 2 premiere. And we get even more mythology than ever before! Ever wonder how the Grimms came to be? What the relationship might be between a Grimm like Nick and a Royal like Renard? How about an explanation for Aunt Marie’s mysterious key?
The Grimm season 2 premiere gives us answers to all of this. And those answers promise to fuel storylines for weeks — and possibly seasons — to come.
Picking Up from Where We Left Off…
Please understand that when I say no time has passed since the Grimm season 1 finale, I mean no time. In fact, we kind of scoot back a few seconds in order to watch those final first-season moments from a different point of view. The plot of the season 2 premiere simply moves on from there.
What does this mean for our various characters?
Nick — Having almost lost a struggle against an assassin-like creature trying to get the coins, Nick is surprised by the sudden and creepy appearance of a woman. A woman who happens to be his mother.
(Note: Yes, she is his mother. And yes, she is creepy. Also she makes pancakes!)
Juliette — Thanks to Adalind’s evil cat, Juliette is in a coma. She kind of stays that way for awhile. Watch for Sleeping Beauty references as a result.
Monroe and Rosalee — Everyone’s favorite “nice” creatures are hard at work trying to find a cure for Juliette. It’s good that they have something to keep them busy — Nick’s long-lost Mommy isn’t a big fan of her son’s monstrous friends.
Hank — You don’t need to worry too much about Hank at this point. Sure, he’s staying awake at nights, shotgun in hand, to ward off the monsters. But otherwise, he’s cool.
Captain Renard — Still creepy. Still up to nefarious, secretive deeds. Still secretly controlling stuff unbeknownst to Nick
Now for the Minor Spoilers!
- When blood pours from under a closed door, it’s better not to open it.
- Experienced Grimms have a tendency to pop up unexpectedly.
- “Our last family reunion, we lost two cousins. And a sheepdog.”
- Guest star James Frain (True Blood, The Cape) has a close relationship to at least one character.
- Written in blood: “Ce soir j’ai ete beni par la presence d’un m*** (illegible) mais pas pour longtemps”
- This guy is bad. Obviously.
The Grimm season 2 premiere ends with a cliffhanger and a “To Be Continued.” Fortunately, audiences need to wait only a week for the second half. Grimm will premiere on Monday, August 13 at 10pm on NBC. The show will continue in that timeslot for five weeks before moving to its regular time Fridays at 9pm on September 21.
(Images courtesy of NBC)
Senior Writer, BuddyTV
Laurel grew up in Mamaroneck, NY, Grosse Pointe, MI and Bellevue WA. She then went on to live in places like Boston, Tucson, Houston, Wales, Tanzania, Prince Edward Island and New York City before heading back to Seattle. Ever since early childhood, when she became addicted to The Muppet Show, Laurel has watched far too much TV. Current favorites include Chuck, Modern Family, Supernatural, Mad Men and Community. Laurel received a BA in Astrophysics (yes, that is possible) from Colgate University and a PhD in Middle Eastern Studies and History of Science from Columbia University before she realized that television is much better than studying.
