Episode Title: “A Dish Best Served Cold”
Writer: Rob Wright
Director: Karen Gaviola
Previously on “Grimm:”
After hitting the ground running with the first two episodes of the season, “Grimm” slows things down a bit with a mostly procedural hour that sees Nick (David Giuntoli) torn between the call of duty and the call of his ancestors.
When several patrons of a popular local restaurant are found dead with their stomachs burst open and entrails about, Nick and Hank (Russell Hornsby) are on the case. There’s no evidence suggesting the victims had been poisoned, but they all have two things in common: they all ate the “chef’s special” and they’re all Blutbaden.
The detectives show up at the restaurant to question the man who prepared their meals, Chef Olster and Nick sees the staff transform into the pig-like Wesen known Bauerschwein. When Juliette (Bitsie Tulloch) suggests the death-by-bloating the victims appear to have suffered from could be a “breed-specific” condition, it becomes clear Olster is targeting Blutbaden. According to Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell), the two Wesen have a history of conflict. Rosalee (Bree Turner) hits the books and learns that Ostler is using a deadly mushroom imported from Germany to poison his Blutbaden patrons. When Nick returns to confront the chef, Olster quickly realizes that Nick is a Grimm and explains that he’s only taking revenge for all the Bauerschwein that have been killed by Blutbaden. And he has no plans to stop.
With no plausible evidence or motive, Nick can do nothing, but Monroe refuses to stand by while Ostler targets his own kind. Nick and Rosalee try to stop him, but Monroe storms off, presumably to kill Ostler. He stalks the the chef as he leaves the restaurant and chases him down, along with several other Blutbaden. Nick and Hank arrive and demand Monroe stop but he refuses, leading to a brief scuffle that ends in Nick shooting Monroe. Olster begs the detectives not to leave him, but Nick threatens to go unless the chef confesses his crimes. In a panic, Olster takes the deal rather than be left to the wolves, so to speak.
It’s not exactly a brilliant fake out, as we know Nick would never shoot Monroe, at least not over a murderous Bauerschwein chef, but it is a clever solution to a reoccurring problem Nick faces as both a Grimm and a cop. At the same, sidelining the show’s serialized elements for an in-and-out case is a little disappointing. With just a few minutes left in the hour, it looked like this case might be a two-parter, with Nick and the gang trying to reel in a “vigilante” Monroe next week, but instead we get a last-minute resolution that feels a little rushed.
The episode does touch on a few ongoing storylines, like Nick’s super-human cardio and occasional lapse into a death-like appearance. There’s still no explanation as to why and Nick doesn’t seem terribly concerned. Meanwhile in Austria, Adalind (Claire Coffee) cries tears of blood over Eric and worries about who will take his place in the royal family while Renard (Sasha Roiz) has his spy, Sebastian (Christian Lagadec) keep tabs on her when he’s not searching for Frau Pech. The whispered phone calls, (sometimes in French, sometimes in English for no apparent reason) between Renard and Sebastian and random drop-ins on Adalind are starting to get a little tedious. Vienna is definitely no Portland.
At least we get the good news that our favorite Wesen power couple is taking their relationship to the next level when Monroe asks Rosalee to move in with him. And let’s not forget a brief appearance from Bud (Danny Bruno), was nice enough to bring a cake for Nick’s “moving out” party. Turns out easily-frightened beaver folk make great friends.
