Grimm: Thanks for the Memories Recap

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBpuhnmlcws]

Grimm: Thanks for the Memories (04×01)

Synopsis: After Monroe and Rosalee’s wedding, the team has to rush back to Nick’s house to figure out what the hell happened to the Captain and the mysterious man Trubel ended up killing. Nick has to deal with his lack of Grimm abilities while a crazy octopus Wesen is on the loose in Portland stealing people’s memories.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

The Grimmiere took off from where the previous season ended. Hank, Nick, Juliet, and Trubel are fleeing the wedding after Trubel showed up and caused quite the ruckus as a Grimm in a room full of Wesen. It also came to pass that, somehow, Nick’s powers had been taken from him due to Adalind’s schemes to get her baby back. Stuck in the car, fleeing an angry mob at a friend’s wedding, the four of them appeared to be trying to process what happened.

Never mind the fact Captain Renard was rushed to the hospital after being shot multiple times in Nick’s house and was on the cusp of death.

Needless to say, everything went to Hell in a hand basket during the season finale and this season is going to fight to put the pieces back together. This episode definitely set the groundwork for the season as it dealt with not only what’s happening in Portland, but gave viewers an update on what is happening in Europe with Viktor, the Royals, and their crazy plans for world domination. Or something of the sort.

While all of that is being sorted out, there’s a Wesen on the loose stealing memories and killing people. He looks like an octopus, tentacles and all, and attacks his victims by wrapping his tentacles around their head. Somehow he takes their memories and leaves them behind with a severe case of dementia. The police end up getting involved because he had to kill a victim’s girlfriend who came home early from a trip to find her boyfriend, the victim, barely hanging on, on the floor of the house.

The Wesen got away and the episode switched gears to Austria. Viktor found out that Renard had been shot, and while he seemed pleased by this, he realized they would be in a world of trouble if Renard died. The King, who happens to be Renard’s dad, is already pissed off at Viktor after last season when he screwed everything up with Adalind’s baby. Now they have to deliver the news that his bastard son may be dying, and that’s not going to be good. So they’re dealing with the aftermath of that, and all the while Adalind is on a plane headed straight for them under the impression that they have her child.

Of course the main thing this episode wanted to tackle seemed to be the shift from Nick being a Grimm, to Trubel picking up the mantel. She killed the man who killed Renard, which meant she had some serious explaining to do to the authorities. Even though her first instinct was to run, Nick convinced her to stay and face what had happened. Things get a little rough when the FBI get involved, especially when one turns out to be a Wessen who is suspicious of Trubel. Nonetheless, she is honest and gets through it.

There was a bit of turbulence when Trubel was added to the show, but I think I’m enjoying her character development. She does sort of fall into the “troubled kid” trope, but they’re doing a good job with her. For a long time she thought she was crazy and wouldn’t be able to get anywhere in life. Now that she’s met Nick and the team she has a purpose, especially since Nick’s powers are gone for the time being, and in that purpose she is flourishing. I’m excited to see her continue to figure out who she is in light of being a Grimm.

Since the issue of Trubel, the shooting, and beheading was dealt with the focus of the episode switched to the previously mentioned octopus-Wesen. As the episode moves forward it is revealed that he is working to uncover some sort of classified or confidential information for a mysterious man in a suit.

He used his ability to steal memories to access passwords to some sort of government contracted organization and transferred data from their servers for some mysterious buyer. To be honest, this seemed like kind of a random plotline. It definitely deviates from the usual procedural style of the show and digs into something a bit more spy-like. It might be a fun development, but it seemed weird.

Also weird is the fact the “crime” in question was not solved by the end of the episode, which points to a great plot arc and possibly the introduction of some other worrisome entity. Or else this Wesen is somehow connected to the Royals and the game they are playing. Time will tell.

The episode ended with Nick using Trubel to figure out who the Wessen was and they end up tracking him.

Finally, the big shocking cliff hanger took place in the hospital. Throughout the episode, Sean Renard’s status had been “critical.” It was nice to see that taking multiple gunshots to the chest and abdomen realistically kill a guy. They took the wounds seriously, and at the end of the episode a woman walked by his room. She’s a mysterious blonde (aren’t they all?) and as she walked by the room, Renard began to seize. A code blue was called, the medical personnel rushed in to try and save him, but time of death was declared as they failure to resuscitate him.

Could this be the end for the Captain? Probably not, but it certainly made for a nice plot twist.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDl4in-lmxQ]