Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Grimm: Season Five Blu-ray Movie Review

The Best 'Grimm' Yet.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman October 12, 2016

This review assumes knowledge of previous seasons and the end of season four in particular. For refreshers, or for newcomers just entering the 'Grimm' universe, please click through the links below before moving forward with this review.

• Season One
• Season Two
• Season Three
• Season Four

Official Synopsis: At the heels of his mother's beheading and Juliette's "death," Nick's life has taken a turn he never expected. Having lost so much, Nick must now come to grips with fathering a child with his once sworn enemy, Adalind. With even more dangerous Wesen coming out of the shadows, the Black Claw uprising Team Grimm has been dreading is approaching in full force.

Grimm hasn't always been the poster child for TV excellence, middling about as a watchable but hardly memorable show about monsters in disguise and the mediocre special effects that make them so. Season five, with some help of season four's final push of madness, mayhem, and emotion, brings the series to a new level of fun. Still a rather pedestrian show in the grand scheme of things but now infinitely more watchable and momentum-based, season five doesn't really reinvent the wheel but it does, most assuredly, refine it. It's taken Grimm four seasons to reach its stride, and the wait has been worth it. With the series celebrating its 100th episode midway through, which takes viewers right back to a mystery from the beginning, and a dramatically intense push into new territory for the show, season five gets off to a fast start and holds tight for the ride. It offers fresh storylines, a heightened pace and sense of urgency, and a clear dramatic uptick that still maintains the show's procedural roots but pushes through a much broader, more engaging story with the Black Claw at the heart of season five's run.

The season's new threat gives the show a focus it hasn't had before, as does baby Kelly. With that comes a greater evolution of the show's scale and sense of purpose and a refinement of its storytelling chops. The Black Claw allows for a cohesive, running arc that interestingly digs much deeper, narratively, than is usually possible (even permissible) in the standard procedural format. The end result is a harder edge, and a welcome one at that. Character growth -- for all, not a select few -- is more prominent throughout the season as well, and the writers have tied it all together neatly with plenty of aggressive best-foot-forward confidence. Nearly every episode is a winner, and even if the show doesn't ditch its procedural feel, the more precise, engaging narrative ties it all together in a way that Grimm hasn't enjoyed before, and it's a much better product for it. The only real question, then, is if wading through almost four seasons of mediocrity is worth the payoff. For fans? Absolutely. For newcomers? Eh. Maybe. There's still better TV out there, but Grimm has definitely stepped up its game.

The following episodes comprise season five. Summaries are courtesy of NBC's Grimm webpage (spoilers follow).

Disc One:

• The Grimm Identity: Nick's search for answers after his mom's and Juilette's deaths puts him at odds with those closest to him while impending fatherhood looms large.
• Clear and Wesen Danger: Nick must make some major changes to keep his newborn child and Adalind safe. Plus, Capt. Renard assigns Hank a new partner.
• Lost Boys: Nick, Hank and Monroe race against the clock to find a missing Rosalee before she meets an unhappy ending.
• Maiden Quest: Nick investigates a Wesen tradition gone wrong with Hank, while homelife brings him and Adalind closer together.
• Rat King: A mythical Wesen comes to life in Portland, while Trubel returns and faces a new threat.

Disc Two:

• Wesen Nacht: When Nick and Hank are ambushed while investigating a Wesen gang, a mysterious figure comes to their aid.
• Eve of Destruction: Nick and the gang are rocked by the return of "Juliette," plus, Monroe and Rosalee turn to the Wesen Council for answers about the rising violence.
• A Reptile Dysfunction: The return of a local legend sends Nick and Hank searching for a lake monster.
• Star-Crossed: When an ancient, barbaric Wesen ritual finds its way to Portland, Nick, Hank and Wu send Monroe undercover to find a serial killer. Plus, Eve and Trubel team up against Black Claw.
• Map of the Seven Knights: Nick and the gang must retrieve a cache of Grimm artifacts before Black Claw can get to it first.

Disc Three:

• Key Move: Nick and Monroe travel to Germany to search for the seven knight's treasure. Plus, Black Claw makes a deadly move in Portland.
• Into the Schwarzwald: Nick and Monroe must escape Germany with a centuries-old-treasure - and their lives.
• Silence of the Slams: One man's quest to be a winner leads him to a dangerous Wesen ritual.
• Lycanthropia: While investigating a savage attack in the woods, Nick and Hank learn about the Wesen origins of the werewolf myth.

Disc Four:

• Skin Deep: Nick and Hank search for a Wesen answer when a beautiful young woman is found dead and aged 70 years overnight.
• The Believer: Nick and Hank investigate an evangelical preacher who uses his Wesen identity to grow his flock, while Eve gets closer than ever to Renard.
• Inugami: After a severed head is found under a bridge, Nick and Hank search for a Japanese Wesen seeking revenge.
• Good to the Bone: A terrifying Wesen with the ability to liquefy and remove bones from a body begins attacking Portland.

Disc Five:

• The Taming of the Wu: As Black Claw closes in, Wu's Lycanthrope bite causes unforeseen consequences.
• Bad Night: With Adalind and Kelly gone, Nick sets his sights on taking down Renard. Plus, Hank and Zuri's relationship takes an unexpected twist.
• Beginning of the End, Parts One and Two: With Black Claw closing in around them, Nick and the gang prepare for a deadly showdown.

Grimm: Season Five Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Grimm: Season Five's 1080p, 1.78:1-framed transfer is up to par and reflective of the series' fairly warm and low-light structure. Colors are vibrant when environmentally permissible, with bright natural greens, assorted attire, blood, and other splashes of intense color impressing in most every instance. They're often forced to compete with a generally dim styling that favors lower, warmer light and shadowy backgrounds that give the show a somewhat bleak and foreboding visual tone. Detail is very good. The digital source material is a bit flat but not texturally devoid. Faces -- pores, hair -- are satisfyingly complex, even in those lower light shots. Darker clothing sometimes struggles to find depth and definition, with black attire prone to crush that leaves it more globular than naturally defined. Environmental details -- woods around homes and such -- show enough raw definition to please. Modest levels of noise scatters around the darker backdrops, but rarely does it rise to a level of distraction. For the show's rather dark and unforgiving façade, Universal's transfer holds up very well.

Grimm: Season Five Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Grimm: Season Five features a rip-roaring DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. While it may not be the most nuanced on the market, Universal's presentation features no shortage of high energy music, big time cues, and lots of fun. Music, whether the aggressive opening title theme or various pieces within the show proper, seems always at full-blast as it spills into the stage. That includes both substantial bass and a very healthy rear channel wallop, with both high end clarity and high volume. Action scenes are awash in the sounds of mayhem, which is very well structured even considering what is, sometimes, a jumble of elements competing for space in the listening area. Crashes, thuds, and other details are very prominent but focused on the task, particularly considering the season's edgier style. Lighter atmospherics are complimentary and nicely integrated, particularly background office din where chatter, clatter, and ringing phones help define the environment. Dialogue delivery is clear and detailed with well prioritized front-center delivery.

Grimm: Season Five Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Grimm: Season Five contains deleted scenes on all five discs and several additional extras on disc five. A UV digital copy code is included with purchase.

Disc One:

• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Scenes from "The Grimm Identity" (0:22) and "Maiden Quest" (4:25).

Disc Two:

• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Scenes from "A Reptile Dysfunction" (2:46), "Star-Crossed" (0:59), and "Map of the Seven Knights" (5:27).

Disc Three:

• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Scenes from "Key Move" (1:58), "Into the Schwarzwald" (1:34), and "Silence of the Slams" (3:04).

Disc Four:

• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Scenes from "Skin Deep" (1:27), "The Believer" (1:11), "Inugami" (5:00), and "Good to the Bone" (4:39).

Disc Five:

• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Scenes from "The Taming of the Wu" (7:20), "Bad Night" (1:29), and "Beginning of the End, Part Two" (0:25).
• Gag Reel (1080p, 7:47).
• A Grimm New World (1080p, 9:12): A discussion of season five's new direction, key story lines, shooting locations and the season's depiction of Portland, how the locations define the season's themes, character arcs and dynamics, and more.
• Unlocking the Mystery: Inside the 100th Episode (1080p, 5:06): Episode 100 circles back to the series' premiere episode. It looks at shooting in Germany and combining that footage with Stateside stage locations, stories from the shoot, and more.
• Fome Tour (1080p, 2:09): Production Designer Adam Reamer tours Nick's new loft and discusses why it works within the season's contexts.
• Grimm Guide (1080p): An interactive look at some of the series' key creatures. Included are brief text descriptions, a photo, and a video clip.

Grimm: Season Five Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Grimm's fifth season is far and away its best yet. It's risen from mediocrity and, frankly, season five probably represents the high point for the concept in this form and with its four season history, but it's nice to see it grow and do so unflinchingly and with enough confidence to pull it off. Season five benefits from a tighter arc that still accepts its procedural roots, greater character growth, and better scripted and executed action and drama alike. Grimm: Season Five's Blu-ray release is up to par, too, featuring high quality video and audio to go with an average allotment of extras. Recommended.