It’s been over 3 weeks since the last new episode of ‘Grimm’ and tonight’s show ends the drought for us Grimmsters. Continued from the last episode, Nick and Juliette are still trying to figure out their relationship while the Nuckelavee, sent by the Royal Families, sets his sights on Nick. Meanwhile, Monroe helps the detective with some undercover work.
By the way, this week’s fairy tale is not from the Brothers Grimm, but from the famous Greek storyteller Aesop and his fable titled ‘The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing.’
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.
Now let’s get to the recap!
The episode opens with Nick meeting Bud who tells him that Juliette called him over to their house. He confesses to Nick that he let it slip that Nick was a Grimm and feels really bad about it. Nick tells him not to stress and that he didn’t do anything wrong. Bud assures Nick that the next time Juliette calls, he’ll be unavailable.
Over at McFadden’s Mulch, Norman is working late at the office. As he leaves he hears something in the shop. He yells out to see if it’s his assistant Paula (because it’s always a good idea to yell and let an intruder know where you are)and a hooded figure with glowing red eyes appears causing Norm to change into a Seelengut before being knocked out. The attacker attaches Norm to a scooper and drops him into a mulcher. (Mmmm…Wesen tar tar)
The next day Nick is confiding to Hank at the police station about his frustration that Juliette still can’t remember him. As they near their desks, Sgt. Wu tells them that a Reverend Calvin is there to report a theft. He tells them that his bank called him to tell him there was no money in the church’s account when there should have been over $357,000. The bank informed him that the money was transferred out to an account in Curacao buy a computer which belonged to Norman Brewster, a church member who offered to do the books for free. Rev. Calvin tried to reach Norm to ask him about the money but he was not home and did not report to work. The detectives tell the Rev. they will get in touch once they find something.
While investigating the case, Hank wonders if Norm may have embezzled from his day job so they go visit the mulch company. There, they talk to Paula who tells them that she saw Norm a few days ago and that the company’s bank account was intact. Just then, a worker runs up and tells her they found out why the wood grinder stopped working.
The detectives head outside with Paula were they find a leg stuck in the machine. The worker tells them that if it wasn’t for the metal hip, the leg would have just gone through. Paula realizes that the leg belongs to Norman as he had a hip replacement 4 years prior.
Back at the station, the detectives realize that Norm was set up and they suspect Rev. Calvin as he was the reverend at a church in Little Rock who accountant was accused of stealing their money causing the church to go bankrupt 2 months later. The money was then traced to an account in Barbados but never recovered. Now Calvin moves to Portland and takes over another struggling church. Renard tells them to investigate it further.
Nick and Hank visit the church and meet Rev. Calvin’s assistant, Megan, who leads them to the Reverend who is delivering the bad news to the church board. As the detectives come in, Nick notices that one of the board members turns into a Seelengut while expressing his agitation of the situation. As Rev. Calvin tries to pacify the board, Megan interrupts to tell him that the detectives would like to speak to him.
The detectives tell the board they found Norman but he’s dead. Everyone is upset and they turn into their Wesen form. Surprisingly everyone is a Seelengut except for the Reverend who happens to be a Blutbad.
In the Reverend’s office, Nick tells him that he finds it surprising that a flock of Seelenguts have a Blutbad as their pastor. Rev. Calvin counters that he finds it surprising that Nick is a Grimm but insists that he has transcended his violet history and assumes that Nick has to and they are all God’s creatures. Hank asks where he was at the time of the murder and the Reverend tells them he was in his office working on the next Sunday’s service. He calls Megan who confirms his alibi.
Nick, not quite believing everything that Reverend Calvin says, pays a visit to Monroe with Hank. Munroe fills them in on what a Seelengut is (peaceful herd-like Wesens) and tells them that having a Blutbad lead Seelengüter is like a recipe for lunch unless the Blutbad has been reformed. Nick tells him that’s what Reverend Calvin claims but he would like Monroe to go undercover to check it out for him. Monroe is up for the task.
Monroe heads to the church as Rev. Calvin is preaching to the flock. The Seelengüter sense Monroe is a Blutbad and panic all the while changing into their Wesen form. Monroe tells Rev. Calvin that he is there for salvation as he’s been shunned by other churches. As they talk privately, Reverend Calvin tells Monroe that in the past he, too, dabbled in the flesh hunt but has seen the light. He recognizes that Monroe is at a crossroads too and invites him to stay at the church.
Monroe settles into his room and hears voices. Peeking out, he sees Rev. Calvin kiss Megan.
The detectives are in the precinct and do a background check on Calvin. They become suspicious as his record only goes back 7 years. Nick receives a call from Monroe saying he is staying the night at the church and tells Nick about the kiss he was between Calvin and Megan (which is freaking Monroe out in a non-prejudicial Wesen way). Nick warns Monroe that Calvin is a con man and to watch out.
The Nuckelvee has broken into Nick’s home and is searching the bedroom. He finds a picture of the key that Nick had drawn awhile back as well as Juliette’s engagement ring. Speaking of Juliette, she arrives home but the Nuckelvee manages to get out without her noticing.
Hank finds a picture of the groundbreaking ceremony of the church that Rev. Calvin was preaching at in Little Rock. In the picture is Megan who happens to have also been the church accountant’s wife. They bring her in for questioning. She tells them that the accountant left her with the church’s money because she thinks that her husband found out she was having an affair with the Reverend. When she thinks they suspect her of wrongdoing, she becomes upset and turns into a Seelengut. She realizes that Nick can see her Wesen form and cowers against the wall for fear of him hurting her. Hank assures that Nick won’t harm her and she insists on her innocence.
Back at the pastor’s home, Calvin comes in and find Megan in his bed. She tells him that the police questioned her but she didn’t tell them anything. She wants to leave where no one can find them but Calvin has a plan. They will frame Eddie for Norm’s murder and live out the rest of their days in Curacao.
Nick is in the trailer doing some research. As he leaves and locks the door, he is attacked by the Nuckelvee. The fight continues inside the trailer where Nick is able to kill his attacker. As he searches the body to find out who he is, Nick finds the picture of the key from his home.
In the morning, Juliette and Nick have a talk. She tells him that she is trying to remember but it’s hard to hear how much in love they were and she doesn’t remember any of it.
Inside the church, Megan finds a pregnant Harmony who is in tears as her boyfriend found out that the baby she’s carrying isn’t his. Megan asks Harmony who’s the baby daddy and she tells her it’s Reverend Calvin. (dum dum dum!)
Hell hath no fury as a woman scorned and Megan is scorned indeed! She tells the congregation that they have been deceived by Rev. Calvin and that he killed Norman and stole the church’s money.
Eddie is meeting Rev. Calvin in his office who gives him a gift of a letter opener (actually he just wanted Monroe’s fingerprints on it). As the preacher and Monroe turn into Blutbads to battle, the parishioners barge in. Calvin tries to convince the group that Monroe tried to attack him but Norm’s laptop was found in one of the pastor’s drawers proving Megan’s claims. Megan tells Calvin that she told Harmony to name the baby Calvin.
Calvin loses it and begins to rant about how pathetic they all are so the parishioners turn and assault him in a group as Megan and Monroe look on. Megan sneaks out and Monroe follows but the Seelengüter think that he’s Calvin’s partner and go after him. The Seelengüter trap Monroe on the balcony but just as they are about to attack, Nick and Hank arrive just in time! (That herd mentality is brutal!)
Speaking of herd mentality, the detectives close the case and tell Renard that all 25 parishioners claimed that Calvin attacked one of their own and they all came to that man’s defense. As for Megan, nobody saw where she went but the detectives have a pretty good idea.
On a beach in Curacao, Megan and Harmony enjoy paradise as they soak up the sun….
This was a nice stand-alone episode which really didn’t move the story arc forward much. There were some great inside quips throughout the episode tying it in with the fable ‘The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing.’ Other than that, the episode was cute and a nice break from the overall plot. I just think that after waiting for almost 4 weeks for an episode, this was not a strong one to return to. While the Nuckelvee seemed formidable in the episode before, the use of this Wesen in this episode seemed week. This wouldn’t be considered as a favorite of mine but it was a good change of pace episode.
Episode Observations:
* Really like the new opening and theme music. Much more dramatic that the old one.
* Love the tie in to the moral of Aesop’s tale to the episode story: The evil doer often comes to harm due to his own deceit.
* Little tidbit: The name Seelengut is actually a German adjective meaning good souls. Quite apropos for this episode, don’t you think?
If you missed the last ‘Grimm’ episode, make sure you catch up by reading the recap of ‘Quill’ here! Until next week….