Grimm: Island of Dreams

“Is there enough for everyone?”

“NO!”

Oh my God. This is by far the most arc-heavy episode yet. Yes, there are minor bits like the obsequious “refrigerator repair man”, but there are two particularly exciting things going on. One involves Hank and cookies, while the other involves Monroe and possibility of luuuurrrve.

We see the return of Adalind, that sinister hexenbiest woman from the earlier episode, and she’s still trying to seduce Hank, no doubt for nefarious purposes. This time she bakes some cookies with some suspiciously “eye of newt” style ingredients which suddenly cause Hank to become obsessed with her. This isn’t resolved and clearly carries on into future episodes. What is resolved, seemingly, is a little comedy subplot in which Wu eats a cookie he was told not to and goes all poorly and that. There’s a moral there for us all, I think.

Even bigger is the introduction of Rosalie, clearly intended as a love interest for Monroe, who so far has been largely defined by his bachelor lifestyle. Rosalie’s character, given her limited amount of screen time so far, is largely undefined, but my initial impressions are favourable. It’s interesting, though, to have a new regular character arrive and to hear her comment on the “rules of the show”  as she asks the big question as to whether the police are aware that Nick is a Grimm. Unbeknownst to all the characters, of course, is that our sinister Captain is not only aware of this but also seems well aware of what is happening to Hank!

Arc stuff aside, the episode concerns a dangerous hard drug, seemingly analogous to crystal meth, which only affects Wesen. I found it odd that this drug should be legal and yet be just as underground as it would be were it legal. This just does not chime with my anti-prohibitionist views, but perhaps I’m seeing things that are not intended. It’s fascinating to see all this operating from what looks very much like an old fashioned opium den, however. I’m not sure if this was intended.

If this episode marks the start of a heavier stress on the arc as opposed to the story of the week, I’m very much in approval. Roll on the next few episodes!