Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Grimm: Season Two Blu-ray Movie Review

Not my cup o' joe, but seven million viewers can't be wrong. Can they?

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown September 5, 2013

Spoiler alert: The following review assumes that the reader is familiar with the entirety of Grimm: Season One. If you have yet to finish the series' first season, proceed at your own risk. A review of Season One can be found here.

Grimm, a guilty (or not so guilty) pleasure of many a network TV junkie, shows significant signs of improvement in its divisive, monster-mashed second season. It also shows significant signs of uncertainty and carelessness, all of which keep it dangling somewhere between addicting and irritating. Silas Weir Mitchell remains the series' greatest asset, yet isn't backed by the sharp scripts his fan-favorite Monroe deserves. David Giuntoli remains the weebly wobbly Grimm of the hour, but doesn't quite have the chops to rally newcomers and detractors to his cause. Russell Hornsby is the lock-jawed, tough-guy cop, shaken briefly by revelations of the supernatural sort but wedged into a part we've seen a hundred times before in the reality beneath the reality shows and films. Bitsie Tulloch's Juliette earns far more attention and screentime this season than proves necessary, and suffers through the kind of contrived amnesia subplot that should henceforth be exiled from any and all television series. Adalind (Claire Coffee) is benched far too often and... the list goes ever on. And that's without even touching on the still-fledgling mythos' slippery and uneven storylines, the hit or miss creature designs and visual effects, the prevalent monster-of-the-week filler episodes, the third-tier actors cast in bit parts, and the generic plotting, cinematography and music. Some of it works wonders, some of it fails miserably.

The mythological underworld rips away at the fabric of reality in Grimm, as one Portland homicide detective must battle killers only he can see. Plagued by his supernatural lineage, Nick (Giuntoli) must hunt the fantastical creatures of German storytelling ('Wesen') that wear human faces, while fighting to keep his secret from the people he loves the most. This season, Portland homicide detective Nick Burkhardt begins to fully embrace his identity as a Grimm, tackling even more gruesome and bizarre crimes linked to creatures of lore. With the help of his partner Hank (Hornsby) and Wesen confidants Monroe (Mitchell) and Rosalee (Bree Turner), Nick must face an ancient royal bloodline linked to the mysterious Captain Renard (Sasha Roiz), race to hold onto the love of his life, Juliette (Tulloch), and contend with curses, amnesia, fatal potions, deadly plagues, child abductions and even UFOs.

Is Grimm's second season a waste of a timeslot? Or in this case a Blu-ray release? Not at all. Too many millions enjoy the show too much to dismiss it so casually. The fact that its viewership hasn't dwindled over the course of its two seasons speaks volumes, and stands as something of a broadcast rarity. But that doesn't mean Grimm is for everyone, or that it's the next supernatural phenom. It isn't, and it isn't. More acquired taste than decadent delight, it divides but rarely conquers, and offers very little that can't be found elsewhere in greater, grander series.

Grimm: Season Two Episode Guide:

• Bad Teeth: "The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere the ceremony of innocence is drowned." Nick copes with the return of his presumed dead mother (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) while racing to find a cure for comatose Juliette. Meanwhile, a new horrifying Wesen arrives in Portland with one target in mind.
• The Kiss: "If a man of pure heart were to fall in love with her, that would bring her back to life." As Nick and his mother continue to battle the Mauvais Dentes, Monroe and Rosalee fight against the clock to save Juliette, who receives a visit from a surprise savior who may or may not be as pure of heart as he seems.
• Bad Moon Rising: "Then she began to weep bitterly, and said, 'What can a poor girl like me do now?" As Hank continues to seek help to cope with the inexplicable sighting he had, an old friend needs his help when his daughter goes missing. Nick's expertise as a Grimm comes into play as he investigates the disturbing motives linked to the disappearance.
• Quill: "Death stood behind him and said: Follow me, the hour of your departure from this world has come." While investigating an accident site, Nick comes upon a bizarre and gruesome Wesen disease that is spreading quickly. A romantic day out for Monroe and Rosalee takes a dangerous turn when they encounter an infected creature that is out for blood.
• The Good Shepherd: "Dressed in the skin, the wolf strolled into the pasture with the Sheep. Soon a little Lamb was following him about and was quickly led away to slaughter." When a local reverend reports that his church has been robbed, Nick quickly learns that it's a Wesen church and enlists Monroe to check for any suspicious activity regarding the shepherd's flock.
• Over My Dead Body: "Whilst he thus gazed before him, he saw a snake creep out of a corner of the vault and approach the dead body." Monroe's ex-girlfriend (Jaime Ray Newman) returns to Portland she becomes an unlikely ally when Monroe's fate is on the line.
• The Bottle Imp: "'Let me out, let me out,' the spirit cried. And the boy, thinking no evil, drew the cork out of the bottle." After investigating a grisly murder, clues lead Nick and Hank to a seemingly unstable father who is on the run with his daughter. As they learn more about the case, they realize that the girl's father may be the least of their worries.
• The Other Side: "I thought of making myself a beautiful marionette. It must be wonderful, one that can dance, fence and turn somersaults." Nick and Hank are called to a local high school, to the scene of a murdered academic and decathlete. Elsewhere, Captain Renard realizes Juliette is drawing closer.
• La Llorona: "On many a dark night people would see her walking along the riverbank and crying for her children." Halloween. A series of horrifying child abductions make their way to Portland, bringing Nick and Hank alongside another detective.
• The Hour of Death: "And branded upon the beast, the mark of his kin. For none shall live whom they have seen." When a brutal vigilante homicide is made public, it sends Portland's Wesen community into a frenzy. Has another Grimm come to Portland? Or is another, more sinister force at work?
• To Protect and Serve Man: "The beast was simply the Call of the Wild personified... which some natures hear to their own destruction." Seven years after he arrested a man for murder, Hank enlists Nick to reopen the unusual case with the hope of saving the man from being executed.
• Season of the Hexenbiest: "Oh! There is a terrible witch in that house who spewed her poison over me and scratched me with her long fingernails." Adalind returns to wreak havoc in everyone's lives and avenge her mother's brutal death.
• Face Off: "The will to conquer is the first condition of victory." Nick and Renard finally go head-to-head in light of Nick's discovery, while Juliette and Renard's magnetic attraction reaches dangerous new heights.
• Natural Born Wesen: "So the animals debated how they might drive the robbers out, and at last settled on an idea." The Wesen code of honor comes into question when a trio of rogue Wesen robs a series of banks using their Grimm identities. Meanwhile, Juliette finds herself tormented by hallucinations.
• Mr. Sandman: "'Now we've got eyes -- eyes -- a beautiful pair of children's eyes', he whispered." A hideous fly-like creature feeds on human suffering by drinking tears. Rosalee furthers her attempts to cure Juliette's amnesiac state.
• Nameless: "Then he seized his left foot with both hands in such a fury that he split in two." When a gruesome homicide brings an office party to a screeching halt, Nick and Hank find themselves battling a Wesen on a completely new platform: online.
• One Angry Fuchsbau: "He sang a sweet song in tones so full and soft that no human ear could resist them nor fathom their origin." Rosalee is called to jury duty and takes on a lawyer with unusual powers of persuasion. Elsewhere, Monroe sparks the return of some of Juliette's memories.
• Volcanalis: "The demon came home, and he declared that the air was not clear. 'I smell the flesh of man.'" After a Mount Hood geologist is murdered, Nick discovers a new fiery Wesen is out for anyone who steals volcanic rock from its mountain.
• Endangered: "They'll kill you, and I'll be here in the woods all alone and abandoned." Mysterious cow mutilations put Nick on a case that forces him to question the existence of aliens within the Wesen world. Meanwhile, Nick digs further into the key, and Juliette's romantic memories of Nick start coming back in a big way.
• Kiss of the Muse: "Tell me O'Muse, from whatsoever source you may know them." Nick falls victim to a muse-like Wesen who's dangerously captivating. Meanwhile, Juliette's feelings towards Nick intensify as her memories come back.
• The Walking Dead: "Papa Ghede is a handsom fellow in his hat and coat of black. Papa Ghede is going to the palace! He'll eat and drink when he gets back!" Nick and Hank rush to stop a dangerous man assembling an undead army. In Vienna, Adalind tries to sell her unborn baby in exchange for her lost powers.
• Goodnight, Sweet Grimm: "And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest." As Juliette begins to fully embrace Nick's life as a Grimm, Eric Renard's undead plot threatens to bring all of Portland to a panicked halt. Meanwhile, Adalind makes a desperate push to get her powers back.

Grimm: Season Two Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Like Season One, Grimm: Season Two features a strong, sometimes fierce 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation, with the season's twenty-two episodes spread comfortably across five BD-50 discs. Some inherent crush and a bit of spiking noise are the only distractions to be found, and neither one amounts to anything I'd label an "issue." Banding, macroblocking, aliasing and the like are MIA, ringing is kept to the barest of minimums, and next to nothing interferes with fine detail, which is exceptionally well-resolved. Edge definition is crisp, textures are refined, and overall clarity is terrific (minus several less-than-terrific visual effects shots hindered by numerous source-born shortcomings). The series' palette holds its own too, with both warm and wintry hues, excellent primaries, lifelike skintones and deep, ominous blacks. Long season short? No complaints here. The latest high definition Grimm outing is a (relative) beaut.

Grimm: Season Two Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Season Two's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is comparable to its Season One predecessor as well. While its soundfield isn't always the standout of the NBC fold, the rear speakers and LFE channel deliver the goods, without anything in the way of mishaps or glaring oversights. Low-end oomph is weighty and dominant, and directionality is precise (though a tad underutilized). Dialogue remains clear and intelligible throughout, and dynamics are more than serviceable. The only real downside is that Grimm falls short of more cinematic series' sound designs. But it barks almost as well as it bites and leaves a mark.

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

• Extended Episode: Over My Dead Body (HD, 59 minutes): Disc Two features a 59-minute extended version of "Over My Dead Body," as well as the episode's original 43-minute broadcast cut. The downside? Several visual effects shots are incomplete, and several pickup shots are missing (identified only by on-screen text). The extended version is also presented with 192kbps Dolby Digital 2.0. No lossless audio is available.
• Grimm Guide (HD): An interactive guide to the many beasts and beasties that populate the Grimm-verse. Brief descriptions and equally brief video clips accompany most of the monster entries.
• Myths, Monsters & Legends (HD, 10 minutes): A plot-n-creature featurette about Grimm's expanding mythos.
• Creatures and Chaos (HD, 3 minutes): A monster-morph and creature-attack montage.
• Bad Hair Day Webisodes (HD, 9 minutes): A 4-part online mini-episode.
• Deleted Scenes (HD): Deleted scenes are available for numerous episodes.
• Monroe's Best Moments (HD, 2 minutes): A rapidfire shot of Monroe.
• Gag Reel (HD, 5 minutes): Grimm Lite. Being on set looks like it'd be a blast.

Blu-ray/DVD/UltraViolet Combo Pack Contents (Subject to Change): The initial combo pack release of Grimm: Season Two features a slipcover (with the original pressing), five BD-50 discs, an UltraViolet digital copy of the season (UniversalDigitalCopy.com download via redemption code), and a small bundle of collector cards. Please note: the Grimm: Season Two UltraViolet digital copy is not iTunes compatible.

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

Grimm: Season Two has a long way to go before it can be the Big Bad Wolf of supernatural series, but little by little, it's getting better, even if its growing pains are still all too apparent. I'm a Supernatural man myself, and it's more than possible my love of the Winchester saga continues to prevent me from reaping the rewards of Grimm. Even without Supernatural, though, I doubt I'd be one to warm to the modestly successful NBC series. There are just too many issues that keep me at a disengaged distance. At least Universal's 5-disc Blu-ray release doesn't disappoint, despite its small spattering of special features. With an impressive video presentation and a solid DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, Season Two pops its claws and makes its presence known. Now if I could only say the same for the series' latest twenty-two episodes...