Welcome to part two of my watch of Grimm! This time we have RatPeople, PigPeople, more WolfPeople, and OgrePeople. Please no spoilers for future episodes in the comments since I’m trying to watch without knowing what’s going to happen.
Episode 5: Danse Macabre
Nibbled to death by rats! Ew. Ew. Ew. This whole episode is so disgusting. I think rats are occasionally cute, but this was mostly horrifying and gross. Although I guess I shouldn’t complain — they could’ve been cockroach people. Yeah, ponder that one for a moment (and if that happens in a later episode, don’t tell me; I want to be surprised and nauseated all on my own!).
So “Danse Macabre” brings in the RatPeople, the “bottom of the food chain” according to Eddie, and they’re the outsiders of even supernatural society. Or maybe I should put that “society” because they don’t seem to socialize between species.
Roddy is the bullied outsider, who is a brilliant musician of classical violin by day and wildly popular secret rave DJ at night. I would think that having so many people appreciate what he does would help, but I suppose the intent is that he has to do it in secret, so it’s doesn’t count. Like his father, he also has an expectation of being treated badly by the rest of the world, so when that worldview gets confirmed, probably none of the ‘good’ things matter, because they’re transitory. I’m sympathetic enough that I hope we see him again, but not as a villain.
The Spoiled Rich Kids are awful and in classic High School Narrative fashion, they get punished, though no one dies. I’m still surprised by how many people survive this show who would be dead meat on other shows. I don’t know if it’s a good or bad thing, but I find it an interesting choice.
Also of interest:
Episode 6: The Three Bad Wolves
The Three Bad Wolves is an okay episode. I don’t have a lot to say about it. For an episode that on paper should be a Monroe showcase, it falls a little flat for me because it reinforced things we already knew, but didn’t bring out much that was new.
Angelina was fun, and Jaime Ray Newman is always a hoot, but the character needed some nuance. Hopefully we’ll get some when (I’m assuming) she comes back.
It’s the funniest ‘Don’t be in the teaser’ moment I’ve seen in a while as poor Hap goes to retrieve one of those ridiculous vibrating weights, and his house blows up behind him.
It’s interesting that there are some creatures who are not enemies of the Grimms. So that means the Grimms don’t and haven’t butchered all supernatural/non-humans without exception, over time. I think it makes the job a bit harder for the Grimms since that means that to a Grimm, not all supernaturals are evil and need killing, and that’s always been true. They’ve always had to use their judgment, to some extent at least. So then it becomes a matter of policing the bad ones, rather than a mandate of genocide (though that seems to be what some of them believe).
Juliette was mostly not present in this episode, which is often the fate of the love interest who isn’t also involved in the cases. Maybe she’ll turn out to be a secret member of the Hans Christian Andersen Clan, ancient rivals to the Grimms? Because that would be awesome.
I suspect that Lieutenant Orson is correct and Nick-the-cop and Nick-the-Grimm are going to conflict more. We’ve seen a bit of it and more in this episode, but it seems like a fruitful place for problems to arise.
Clacked by Liz Tamura 
on Jun 25, 2012 @ 19:25 EST5EDT
