Quick Thoughts: GRIMM, "Bad Teeth" and "The Kiss"

One of the biggest surprises for me as a television viewer was NBC's Grimm. Most critics disliked the pilot and didn't give the show much of a chance, but its Friday night timeslot gave it a chance to develop into an entertaining yet flawed genre piece that got a somewhat surprising renewal. Season 2 opened up with a two-parter that did a decent job at showing the world what it has to offer.

"Bad Teeth" and "The Kiss" was probably the most successful at establishing the mythology that surrounds Nick and his cohorts in crime solving while also keeping the police procedural overtones that will be an easier in for new viewers. I have to give the Grimm showrunners credit for doubling down on the mythology so early on because newbies could have easily been confused, but "Bad Teeth" eased people into the larger world. "The Kiss" picked up and really emphasized the larger mythos and the role that Captain Renard plays while Nick juggled being a cop and a Grimm. Pretty good stuff.

Oh and of course, we got some great scenes from Monroe and Rosalee who could easily steal the show every time they're on screen. The additions of Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and James Frain were welcomed as they added more to the backstories of both Nick and Renard.

By far the better of the two episodes was "The Kiss," which was a good Captain-centric installment, but what was really captivating was watching Nick struggling to keep his two lives separated. The fact that he's now covering up his own crime scenes, destroying evidence and lying to the FBI has given him a slightly edgier side that's very much welcomed.

If I had to pick out a weakness of the Season 2 premiere, I'd have to go with the fact that there was too much mythology. Now, I'm not going to get down on a show that wants to create a solid foundation when it comes to its storytelling, and I do think that Grimm's mythology is its strength, but there was a lot to process. Lore can be a double-edged sword for genre shows because it adds a lot of depth but if it's too complicated it can be confusing and off-putting. Right now, Grimm's doing a good job at walking the line, but it needs to be careful and not dump too much on the audience if it wants to be accessible.

Overall, I've been really happy with the start of Season 2, and it was good to have the show back. It showed what it does best and has also shown some improvement over its fun but less than stellar first go round. Let's just hope NBC's approach to airing it will pay off in the long run.