Episode Title: “El Cucuy”
Writer: Michael Golamco
Director: John Behring
Previously on “Grimm:”
Episode 3.04 “One Night Stand”
Nick (David Giuntoli) and Hank (Russell Hornsby) have a pretty good track record of stopping the killer Wesen that live amongst them in the nightmarish zoo that is Portland. But in the case of the “El Cucuy,” it’s probably best to leave this one be. That’s because this “boogeyman” is actually a seventy-seven year old lady.
But “El Cucuy,” as the folks in the Spanish-speaking neighborhood the creature has been haunting call her, isn’t your typically Wesen predator, driven by blood lust or survival instinct. El Cucuy, which Juliette (Bitsie Tulloch) translates to mean “boogeyman,” is actually a wandering vigilante, answering the call of those in need. And when a band of robbers terrorize a Portland neighborhood, one of the victim’s mothers summons El Cucuy to put a stop to the killing. Or rather, a start, depending on how you look at it.
As the detectives take a close look at Ray Bolton, a local character with a beefy rap sheet who runs a dog fighting ring, El Cucuy continues to elude them and those she saves aren’t willing to give up their savior, no matter how terrifying her methods. It becomes clear the boogeyman is hiding in plain sight and David Flores, an outspoken young man and Marine Corp. veteran suffering with PTSD who shows up at every one of “El Cucuy’s” crime scenes to criticize the detectives for letting criminals run free, fits the profile.
But Flores is no killer, as we learn when he takes a beating at the hands of Bolton and his crew. And when the detectives pick up Mrs. Garcia, an elderly woman who also appeared on surveillance footage at the scene of two El Cucuy killings just before they happened, she comes to Flores’ rescue.
While transporting the elderly woman to the police station for questioning, the detectives are called to Bolton’s place, where they believe Flores is headed to confront the thug. They arrive just in time to stop Bolton, who’s transformed into a Hollentier, a terrifying and fearless Wesen whose history dates back to the Egyptian empire. While Nick and Hank are taking care of Flores, Mrs. Garcia sneaks into the house and brings the wrath of El Cucuy down upon Bolton.
Now aware of the identity of El Cucuy, Nick and Hank question Mrs. Garcia and she admits to being the vigilante killer they’ve been looking for. But like the detectives, the old woman knows no one will believe she’s capable of such heinous crimes. And besides, the criminals she killed kind of had it coming. However the detectives see it, the lesson learned is that some Wesen are above the law, or rather, live by their own law.
Aside from watching Nick and Hank chase the boogeyman, the episode also updates us on the happenings in Vienna, however slow it’s going. Renard’s spy, Sebastian (Christian Lagadec) watches as the very pregnant Adalind (Claire Coffee) goes in for a check-up. During the visit, her doctor hears two heartbeats but assures Adalind it’s probably just an echo. Later, Renard (Sasha Roiz) receives a video of Adalind outside of her doctor’s office as well as an image of the baby. Unfortunately, it’s all a little too cryptic for this slow-moving subplot.
Otherwise, “El Cucuy” is a fun deviation from the usual baddies the detectives encounter. As for the larger story, aside from Renard’s update on Adalind, Nick tells Juliette the truth about his mom and she does a little cyber snooping to help him track her down (Momma Grimm is apparently hiding out in Slovenia and on her way to Greece). Meanwhile Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell) and Rosalee (Bree Turner) realize it’s time to let their folks know about their cohabitation. There’s even a little humor tucked into a dinner party scene where Nick and the gang discuss the El Cucuy murder case while chowing down on edamame tabouleh. Sounds delicious. And there’s Mrs. Garcia exclamation when she realizes what Nick really is. “Aye Chihuahua, you’re a Grimm.” It’s pretty funny coming from a nice old lady who moonlights as the boogeyman.
