Geekscape Recap: Grimm “Stories We Tell Our Young”

There’s really nothing better than when a great show invests in some quality world and myth building—especially when they can tell a decent story at the same time. Grimm managed all of that on Friday’s episode, “Stories We Tell Our Young,” bringing in the Royals, the Council, Wesen law, ancient traditions and still managing to touch on Nick’s new super-senses without ever seeming scattered, forced or exposition-y (that’s a word we just made up. You’re welcome.)

Exorcisms, Wesen and Royal Intrigue

So we start with Renard checking his passport and then telling Nick and Hank that he’s leaving town on ‘vacation’ and that any normal communication from him is to be ignored because it won’t be him (uh-oh) and he’ll contact them indirectly through Rosalee if he needs to.

Next, we go to church, where Mr and Mrs. Keary (Tim Griffin and Julianne Christie) and a (really adorable Gabriel Suttle) kid are met by a nervous seminary student (Quinn Armstrong) who escorts the child into a side room where the Monsignor (Tobias Anderson) waits (clearly we’re doing some sort of exorcism) and sure enough, the Monsignor pulls out a super-cross and, after assuring Daniel that he’s just there to help,  Monsignor asks the parents to step outside. Seminary kid locks the door behind them, and the rite begins.

It doesn’t take long before Daniel changes into a truly demonic looking other, breaks free off his bonds, knocks seminary kid across the room and attacks the Monsignor (who dies). Mom and Dad can’t get inside since the door is locked.

Hank and Nick get to the scene (the only time we see Wu, which just isn’t enough) and Nick finds Daniel because of his new, super-hearing (he could hear Daniel breathing under the font).

They take Daniel to the hospital, where the Doctor tells them that Daniel has elevated platelets, low white cell count and a stressed immune system and they are keeping him sedated while they run tests.

Mr. Keary tries to explain the exorcism—Daniel had undergone an extreme personality change starting about a year ago, he would become violent and he would physically change (like a Wesen!) but Daniel is not adopted, and neither Mom or Dad is Wesen.

Wesen, Kehrseite and Vorherrscher–and Who Said German Wasn’t A Pretty Language?

Renard joins up with Meisner (Damien Puckler) and they go over the situation, which means more new names and factions to learn: Fornay (ally?), Tavitian (ally?), Lucanus (dead). Tavitian is apparently consolidating his forces (Ceux de la Resistance Nord and Resistencia Maquis) which gives him control of the South. Which doesn’t sound good for Renard, who we assume is back in Vienna to shore up support and make a bid for the throne. The two leave for a safe house.

Nick and Hank suspect Daniel’s a Wesen of some sort, but are at a loss to explain what kind…so onto our favorite Wesen couple, Monroe and Rosalee (looking super-cute all snuggled up with each other at the spice shop), who explain that two Wesen parents = Wesen kid; a Wesen and a human (Kehrseite) = 50/50 chance at Wesen kid; and a Wesen and a Human carrier of Wesen-ness (Kehrseite-Gentrager, or a Wesen who can’t shift? The term wasn’t really explained) = Wesen kid. Two different Wesen’s have a “Vorherrscher” but that wasn’t explained either.

Just as confused as we are, Nick and Hank have to leave because back at the hospital, Seminary Student dude has woken up.

Renard and Meisner get to a cellar that’s set up as a safe house; there is a secret exit through the sewers if there’s trouble. Apparently Renard stayed in similar places as a child when he and his mother had to run for their lives. They are waiting for a meeting; Meisner removes one of the steps and reminisces that his father taught him that—the father Renard’s family killed.

You Won’t Like Him When He’s Angry

Back at the hospital, Seminary dude defends the whole ‘exorcism was the only option’ thought process and confirms that Daniel definitely shifted into something not-Human. Nick and Hank are seriously considering that Daniel is possessed by a demon.

Meanwhile, a nurse goes into check on Daniel and draw some blood. Daniel wakes up and shifts into the not-Human beast and throws the Nurse off—she reacts normally, by screaming and running out. Nick and Hank get there, see the demonic face as it fades and realize that the beast only comes out when Daniel feels threatened/confronted.

Hank puts a guard on the room, and Nick convinces the Doctor to stop all tests and limit contact with Daniel to observation and basic care. She gives them 24-hours and then Daniel will be released from the hospital.

In Vienna, Adalind is summoned to the ‘house’ with no further information. A car will be sent.

Monroe, Rosalee, Nick and Hank meet and after after describing how Daniel shifts, Rosalee and Monroe think Daniel might be a Grausen—at one point thought to be a Wesen spirit who possesses a human child; now it’s thought to be a mutation. The Wesen Council deals with them—by making them disappear.

Rosalee feels compelled to report the Grausen to the Council because to do otherwise would be too dangerous—fatally dangerous—despite Monroe and Nick asking her not to.

The Council (so glad the Council are back—it’s such a dense world and the mythology just seems really deep. It was nice to explore it) sends Alexander (Spencer Conway) to Portland to ‘deal with’ Daniel.

Paging Dr. House

Juliette and Nick go over the Grausen entries in one of the Grimm reference books, and the last entry (in 1920) states that the 1920 Grimm didn’t think it possession or mutation but an illness. Which gets Juliette thinking that maybe it’s some sort of rare virus or bacteria—and how nice it was that this episode we finally see Juliette totally capable? Not just capable, but acting like someone with a science background and medical training (yes, yes animal medicine but still). She recommends talking to the parents to see if they had been anywhere or come in contact with anything/one that could cause an illness.

Side note: Because apparently the hospital, nor none of the doctors or specialists the parents took Daniel too, ever did a complete medical history. Where’s Dr. House when you need him?

Sure enough, the family took a vacation through Egypt, Israel and Jordon last year (again, NO ONE asked this before?) and Daniel got the flu (which they treated with antibiotics? First they diagnosed it as the flu, and then they prescribed antibiotics?? THIS IS WHY WE HAVE SUPERBUGS, people.).

So, Juliette thinks that Daniel got a protozoa (and kudos for how well she handled telling the story which got them to the protozoa diagnosis, because it could have easily gotten info-dumpy. Another made up word. You’re welcome.).

He Wasn’t Expecting the Wesen Council

At Monroe’s, a loud knocking wakes him and Rosalee—and it’s Alexander, aka Council Guy. Rosalee tells him that Daniel is at the hospital. Monroe, upset at Rosalee, calls Nick and tells him that Alexander is here and heading to Daniel.

Nick and Juliette—who are still talking about protozoas and parasites because, well, someone has to explain how it could be scientifically possible that this could happen—rush to the hospital only to fine Daniel was already released to his parents.  Hank shows up just in time to go with them to Daniel’s house.

A nice door-open reveals Alexander overhearing the whole conversation from the bathroom.

At Daniel’s house, Juliette convinces Daniel’s parents that Daniel could actually just be sick and that they would need to run more tests. Upstairs, Alexander goes all Wesen, which wakes up the parasite in Daniel. Daniel fends off Council Guy and runs outside. Hank, Nick and Juliette chase after him.

Nick gets Council Guy and leaves him with Hank, and he and Juliette and Daniel’s Dad find Daniel in a fort he and his Dad had built—though Nick was already going in the right direction because he could hear Daniel breathing (because he’s Super-Grimm).

This is Not the Boy You Are Looking For

Daniel is suffering from hypothermia. Juliette wants to warm him up but Nick—remembering his basic science—points out that a temperature drop in the host could kill the parasite. There’s some discussion about whether or not to warm the kid up, at which point he gets cold enough to kill the protozoa (which oozes out greenish-yellow and then turn black and dies, which was sufficiently creepy, thank you).

They grab Daniel (cured, yay), a sample, and everyone heads back to the house.

Renard and Meisner are attacked by Wesen with machine guns, and escape through the sewers. Once they get out, Renard throws out Meisner’s  phone and says ‘my turn.’

Nick brings Alexander in to the precinct and gives him Daniel’s file, and brings up the Wittenburg charter of 1682 and tell him to take the report back to the Council—and that Daniel is off limits, since he’s cured. Then Nick lets Alexander go.

Alexander takes the report back to Head Council Guy, who isn’t convinced but is…intrigued. He orders observation of the boy. And on Nick.

Ramping Things Up For The Midseason Finale

Juliette and Nick put a new entry in the book together, which was a very nice scene because it finally showed Juliette as knowing more than Nick and being an equal partner (yay!) who was instrumental to the episode.

Adalind goes to the ‘house’ and meets…someone. Who introduces themselves as the new prince (wha?).

All in all a great episode. Really, really good stuff this week—and next week looks awesome. A two-hour midseason finale with Krampus (aka Santa Claws–ha, that never gets old).

On a ‘that was weird’ note: Did anyone notice Juliette putting her shoes in the drawer, noticing it, and then leaving them there?

Grimm airs on NBC on Friday’s at 9 p.m.

You can watch past episodes on Hulu, and whole seasons, starting from the pilot, on Amazon Prime.

Check back next week for our last recap until Grimm returns in 2014!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sz2B6kc29pM