Grimm, Episode 79 “Trial by Fire” Broadcast on February 13, 2015
Written by Sean Calder
Directed by Norberto Barba
“Previously on Grimm,” Juliette shows her Hexenbiest face and abilities, with Nick coming home asking how she killed an intruder.
“And glory like the phoenix midst her fires, Exhales her odours, blazes, and expires.”
A man watches the lights go out at Harrison and Son’s Outfitter’s Store. Inside, two employees charged with clean up duties decide to do something bad. The man outside uses a key to get in the back. He strips to his underwear in the basement and goes up to open the building’s power box. He raises a hand which bursts into flame. He fries the entire panel, causing a blackout in the building. In the boss’s office, the employees are drinking their employer’s liquor, and decide to do something in the darkness. The Wessen has gone to the main floor and ignites, becoming a human torch, burning everything around him. Meanwhile, at Nick and Juliette’s, Nick’s taken care of the corpse and Juliette still can’t tell him she’s a Hexenbiest. Back at the store, the Wessen continues to torch the place, and the smoke from his destruction finally hits the two amorous teens, who try to exit the flaming building. The boy bashes out a window with a chair, creating a backdraft and the flames explode through their room and out the window. There is no way they could have survived. Cue opening title sequence and first commercial break.
Three things shot this episode to one of my favorites for the season. One, the return of Daniel Roebuck as Peter Orson. He was in the first season of Grimm in a terrific episode that pitted him against Monroe and the same fire was still there between the two. Silas Weir Mitchell got some dynamite stuff to do with Roebuck, and two stunning scenes with Bree Turner as Rosalee. Calder’s script was outstanding to bring this past character and the tension he brings into the present. Outstanding! I actually began to feel a little sorry for Orson, though he is a murderer. Two, a nice spiraling out of control paranoia to the villains of the piece. They began to collapse on each other, though make no mistake about it, Damien Barso, played by Gideon Emery, was the big bad of this episode. He reminded me of Willem Dafoe for such an evil presence. The effects when he was in full flames were really good, and his conclusion against the Grimm gang was fantastic. The effects crew are to be congratulated for this episode’s work. And, three, the final action sequence at Nick and Juliette’s. I can’t say what happens, but I’m glad I DVRed it, because I’m going to watch all of it several more times. The knives were a spectacular touch.
The good: Bitsie Tulloch, Claire Coffee, Silas Weir Mitchell, Daniel Roebuck, Bree Turner, Gideon Emery, Sean Calder’s script, the effects, the newest addition to Nick’s weapons locker, and the look on David Giuntoli’s face in the final scene.
Fun lines: “Hell, no!”, “Seriously?”, “This is gonna hurt,” “You?”, “You!”, “This,” “Well, it’s not an exact science,” and “Bring it on, bitch!”
The bad: Viewers have to wait a week to see what Nick’s going to do! I love and hate the writers for this!
The final line: A good mystery, a good return from a past character, and the mother of all fight scenes. This episode was on fire! Overall grade: A+
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