Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Grimm: Season Four Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman February 19, 2016

For the uninitiated (who should really close this window, read a review for season one, and come back in a couple of weeks, or however long it takes to plow through the show's first, second, and third seasons), Grimm is a hit NBC TV show that debuted back in 2011. It's a police procedural mixed with a secret: its world is inhabited by creatures, known as "Wesen," capable of taking on human form and hiding their true identity. A shake of the head reveals the individual's creature form, but usually only to "Grimms," an exceedingly rare breed of people who have the ability to see past the everyday human façade. For any gamers in the audience, the show is reminiscent of Telltale Games' The Wolf Among Us , a multi platform interactive story that follows a group of fairy tale creatures, disguised in human form, living in New York City. In it, the player controls one such creature who is investigating the murder of one of his own kind. Grimm's lead character, on the other hand, is Nick (David Giuntoli), a human with "Grimm" powers who spends most of his time solving murders around the Portland area with the help of his longtime partner Hank (Russell Hornsby), a Wesen named Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell), and a crew of friends and, sometimes, enemies.

Burned.

Official synopsis: In the wake of Monroe and Rosalee's wedding, things have never been more chaotic. Nick, having lost his Grimm abilities, must dig deep and decide what type of person he wants to be. With Captain Renard in critical condition after being gravely injured and Juliette trying to come to grips with Nick's recent betrayal, the world of Grimm is spiraling out of control more than ever. As even more dangerous Wesen are making their way to the great northwest, it's going to take all of Team Grimm's strength and energy to keep Portland from bursting open at the seams.

Season four spoiler included below, but the details thereof are withheld.

Grimm has never been, how to say, bold. It's followed its network procedural heritage pretty straight, refusing to get down into the trenches where TV's more raw and emotionally topsy-turvy programs reside. Season four changes all of that, albeit taking the entire season to reach that point. In its final moments, it finally joins the proud ranks of shows that dare upset the cart and kill off a longstanding main character, the repercussions of which will run deep and dark as the series enters its (in progress, at time of writing) fifth season. Season four's climax shakes the series' foundations, upsets the proverbial cart, and promises, perhaps not so much a new direction going forward, but certainly a darker, more personal approach that could potentially accomplish more than simply turning a corner and creating a void that's all but forgotten by the time the opening titles appear on-screen for episode 5.2. Either way, fans have something to really talk about beyond Wesen-of-the-week.

Season four is comprised of the following episodes. Summaries are courtesy of the Blu-ray packaging. Some spoilers follow.

Disc One:

• Thanks for the Memories: With his Grimm powers gone and Captain Renard fighting for his life, Nick is forced to rely on Trubel when a menacing new Wesen comes to Portland.
• Octopus Head: Trubel, being the only Grimm in town, continues to track the Wesen responsible for the murder and memory loss assault. Meanwhile, Adalind arrives in Vienna at Prince Viktor's castle expecting to be rewarded for taking Nick's powers in exchange for her baby.
• Last Fight: Nick, reeling from his strange visions of Adalind, finds himself on a case with Hank investigating a Wesen boxing gym. Meanwhile, Monroe, Rosalee, and Elizabeth work on figuring out a way to restore Nick's powers.
• Dyin' on a Prayer: Nick and Hank are called to an unusual crime scene where a victim has been murdered with clay. In Europe, Adalind hopes that putting trust in her mysterious visitor will help her escape the dungeon.

Disc Two:

• Cry Luison: Nick and Hank investigate a suspect who swears she was driven to madness by a talking wolf. Meanwhile, threats against Monroe and Rosalee's mixed Wesen marriage intensify.
• Highway of Tears: Nick's attempt to regain his Grimm powers coincides with the discovery of a gruesome Wesen ritual involving human sacrifice.
• The Grimm Who Stole Christmas: Nick, Hank, Monroe and Rosalee search for a trio of mischief-making Wesen who are drawn to destroying Christmas decorations.
• Chupacabra: With Nick and Hank on the hunt for the legendary Chupacabra, Wu comes face to face with the Wesen and suffers another breakdown.
• Wesenrein: Nick and Hank search for Monroe with help from Wu, who finally learns the truth about the world of Wesen. Meanwhile, Juliette is reeling from her recent transformation.

Disc Three:

• Tribunal: The Wesenrein prepare to execute Monroe while Nick, Hank and Wu race to find him first.
• Death Do Us Part: When a paranormal investigator is electrocuted at a haunted house, Nick, Hank and Wu investigate if a Wesen is at work. Meanwhile, Captain Renard seeks the help of a mysterious woman from his past.
• Maréchaussée: Nick and Hank investigate a Manticore serial killer who they learn is a bounty hunter working for the Wesen Council.
• Trial By Fire: To catch a serial arsonist, Nick must join forces with a Wesen he put behind bars. Meanwhile, Adalind pays Juliette a surprise visit.
• Bad Luck: Nick, Hank and Wu investigate a murder victim with his foot cut off, and learn the disturbing Wesen origin of the lucky rabbit's foot.

Disc Four:

• Double Date: Monroe goes undercover to help catch a gender-bending Wesen criminal. Meanwhile, Adaline makes a discovery that might turn the tables in her favor.
• Heartbreaker: Nick and Hank search for a beautiful Wesen that kills its admirers out of self-defense. Meanwhile, a new royal arrives in Portland.
• Hibernaculum: Nick and Hank hunt a chilling Wesen whose victims turn up frozen solid. Captain Renard, on the heels of his brutal encounter with Kenneth, considers how best to deal with this formidable new adversary.
• Mishipeshu: A homicide leads Nick and Hank onto a dark and mysterious path of a local Native American power quest. Juliette's erratic behavior lands her behind bars.
• Iron Hans: Nick and Hank investigate a homicide they learn is connected to an age-old Wesen right of passage. Meanwhile, an incarcerated Juliette makes a surprising new ally.

Disc Five:

• You Don't Know Jack: Nick and Hank are called to a series of connected murders that have them wondering if a Jack the Ripper copycat is in town.
• Headache: Nick and Hank grow ever closer to uncovering Captain Renard's deadly secret. Meanwhile, an unexpected ally returns to Portland.
• Cry Havoc: Nick is out for blood on the heels of his horrifying discovery. With Trubel in town, our heroes decide to take the fight to Prince Kenneth.

Grimm: Season Four Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Grimm: Season Four's 1080p transfer lacks grace but remains true to the source. Much of the show is overwhelmingly dark. Prevailing crush is constant. Shadows, dark clothes, and black surfaces tend to lose detailing, but the show's atmosphere tends to benefit. Colors push warm in lower light interiors and, to a lesser extent, nighttime exteriors. Daytime, sun-drenched shots, however, dazzle. Not only a nice contrast to the season's darker backdrop, they offer brilliant, popping splashes of color and a firmer sense of fine detail. While nighttime shots hold firm, it's the season's more evenly lit shots that offer the most striking example of intricate facial features, fine clothing lines, and environmental texturing. Facial imperfections, pores, lines, and stubble are particularly impressive in the show's many character close-ups. Stability holds true throughout; the show is constantly sharp and focused, allowing the audience to soak up all of the practical and digital goodness that abounds. Source noise is rather constant throughout but never quite heavy enough to prove much of a distraction. Compression artifacts are few and far between.

Grimm: Season Four Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Grimm: Season Four's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack isn't quite up to par with the Blu-ray format's finest -- be that in support of film or TV shows -- but it's nevertheless a solid all-around performer. Music is a highlight. It enjoys effortless stage saturation, including a healthy surround channel output; solid instrumental clarity; and a deep but balanced low end. Surround speakers aren't always active outside of music, but they're there in key moments of action -- a helicopter buzzing around the rear, swirling sound elements at season's start -- and prove more than capable of creating authentic location ambience, such as paper shuffling, ringing phones, and chatter at the police station. Gunfire proves nothing more than proficient, lacking any kind of serious thump, and some other action details, like shattering glass, punches, and the like never quite elevate to excellence. Nevertheless, the track performs very well throughout the season, which includes well prioritized, naturally placed, and clear dialogue.

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

Grimm: Season Four contains a handful of extras on the fifth disc. Deleted scenes appear throughout the five-disc set, as noted below.

• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Disc One: Scenes from Thanks for the Memories (0:59), Octopus Head (2:47), Last Fight (1:12), and Dyin' on a Prayer (1:10). Disc Two: Scenes from Cry Luison (3:49) and Wesenrein (1:30). Disc Three: Scenes from Death Do Us Part (1:55), Maréchaussée (0:52), Trial By Fire (2:46), and Bad Luck (5:57). Disc Four: Scenes from Double Date (2:38), Mishipeshu (1:50), and Iron Hans (3:17). Disc Five: Scenes from You Don't Know Jack (1:30). and Headache (1:18).
• Gag Reel (1080p, 4:45).
• A Morphed Reality: Behind the Scenes of Grimm (1080p, 11:04): A look through some of the stories and creatures, digital effects work, and actor performances.
• Set Tour with Jacqueline Toboni (1080p, 1:52): The actress offers a quick behind-the-scenes glimpse of a couple of key set pieces.
• Highlight Reels (1080p): A collection of four entertaining featurettes. Bud Recaps Four Seasons of 'Grimm' (4:17), a breathless look back at the series' key plot details; Fights (2:13), a montage of hand-to-hand combat clips; Ready, Set, Woge! (2:11), a collection of transformations from the show; and Why Do Wesen Fall in Love? (2:10), a look at some of the series' more romantic moments.
• Grimm Guide (1080p): An interactive feature that offers text, photos, and videos of various creatures from the series. The videos play in a small window within the larger screen.

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

Grimm finally shows some dramatic teeth to go along with all of the CGI teeth. Season four ends with a surprise that promises to rewrite many of the fundamentals and take the show down a much darker road. Whether it will actually follow through for the long haul remains to be seen (for those who haven't watched the first half of season five, in progress on NBC at time of writing). Nevertheless, it's a much-needed jolt that, if handled correctly from here on out, could give Grimm a push in the right direction. Grimm: Season Four's Blu-ray release features the rock-solid video and audio qualities fans have come to expect of the series' Blu-ray releases. Supplements aren't thorough but they get the job done. Fans should have no hesitation about picking this one up.