Because The A.V. Club knows that TV shows keep going even if we’re not writing at length about them, we’re experimenting with discussion posts. For certain shows, one of our TV writers will publish some brief thoughts about the latest episode, and open the comments for readers to share theirs.
- While there’s a lot of things I liked in “Where The Wild Things Were,” I found myself unable to embrace it as much as I wanted to with only three episodes left in the series’ run. Part of it is a natural consequence of being a two-parter, but a bigger part is that it introduces an entire new world that there’s not enough time to explore.
- The world past the mirror winds up being a full dimension, an Other Place dominated by feral wesen who live in a constant state of woge and stalk humans (who look like extras from Vikings) for prey. It’s a fascinating idea that we only get a taste of as Nick and Julievette run through the woods, trapped behind language barriers and near-death situations. Even though there’s still time to get into it, there’s so much else to tie up before the end that it wouldn’t be time narratively well spent.
- However, the time we get in the Other Place is rewarding. It’s fun to see our heroes out of their element, stripped of their usual authority and interacting with people who don’t understand them for completely different reasons. The moment where Nick gets served a plate of Blutbad meat and can’t refuse is a high point. “How do you say ‘I’m vegetarian’ in German?” (Shame he didn’t bring Monroe with him.)
- Our black-skulled friend finally gets a name: Zerstörer, German for “destroyer.” We also get a full look at him, and he makes for an imposing figure—as long as you can overlook he looks like the extra-crispy cousin of Killface from Frisky Dingo. And it turns out that his excursions are all for the purpose of acquiring Diana to become his child bride.
- The clear push here is to establish Zerstörer as the Big Bad of the final episodes, something of a First Evil looking to create and unleash his spawn upon the world. While his goals mesh with Diana’s import, it would have been good to get an earlier idea of his intentions and reach, rather than establishing him as a literal Satanic figure so late in the game.
- Nick and Julievette finally have the heart-to-heart speech that’s been simmering all season. Julievette’s message is clear—her remorse at what her past self did, her acceptance that said past self is no more, and that whatever relationship she and Nick had is gone along with it. It’s an effective sentiment even if the show (and a good chunk of its audience) have been done with this relationship for a couple of seasons now.
- Back in our world, Renard finally comes back into the confidence of Team Grimm as they admit they need his assistance to figure out what’s going on. They remain rightly suspicious of his motives, but so far Renard’s paternal concerns appear to be subsuming his natural instincts. He doesn’t even take advantage of the fact that no one else in the room speaks Russian to hold back some of what Dasha tells him.
- Speaking of, the deus ex Siberian Skype remains underwhelming. There’s a frustratingly passive quality about it, a feeling that this is the only solution the writers’ room could find to explain everything to our heroes. And if they have questions about Schrödinger’s cat, they should be directing them to Jared Dunn.
- Renard’s reactions at realizing the treasure of the Crusaders has finally been uncovered reminds you how important that idea used to be to the show’s narrative. I would love to travel back in time, reveal the end result to David Greenwalt and Jim Kouf, and see if it’s even close to what their original idea was when they introduced the key.
- The score, always on point, is exceptionally good tonight as it sets the mood for the Other Place. Richard Marvin crafts some mythical notes reminiscent of Howard Shore’s Lord Of The Rings score.
- Interesting detail that this is the first time Adalind has ever woged in front of Diana. Still reticent to draw on her Hexenbiest powers, even after after so much time spent trying to acquire them, because her maternal instincts trump all of that.
- Of course Monroe knows the exact year Constantinople was sacked.
- In terms of a cliffhanger moment, the sight of Julievette’s woge through the mists of the Zerstörer’s staff is pretty great at stoking anticipation. Whether or not she’s in control, this should be a fight to watch.
- “Some other magic mirror unlocking gizmo?”
- “A stick. They buried a stick?” “Yeah, it gets that reaction a lot.”
- “Happy doesn’t interest me anymore, Nick. It just gets in the way.”
- This Week In Portland: Nothing here, because this is a week where almost no time is spent in Portland. But another tip of the hat for the production team’s ability to locate the right wooded areas to shoot in.
- This Week’s Epigram: “Hell is empty and all the devils are here.” A frequently deployed William Shakespeare quote, most recently heard in the Westworld pilot as one of the cryptic messages dropped by the malfunctioning hosts.
- Know Your Wesen: A smorgasboard of mentions tonight, as we open on a battle between Blutbad and Bauerschwein (a feud that’s been part of Grimm all the way back to the sixth episode). That also appeared to be a Mauzhertz scurrying away from Nick and Julievette; Julievette name-drops as references of the Other Place Hundjäger, Klaustreich, Coyotl, Klaustreich, and Schakal; and the residents of the Other Place are very excited by the idea their new visitors could take down a Kackenkopf.
- No luck at the Grimm prop sale to date, as there was a lot of competition. I’ll try my luck over its last weekend and provide updates.
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