Grimm season 3 finale review: Blond Ambition

This review contains spoilers.

3.22 Blond Ambition

TV weddings never go without a hitch – we know that. But this is Grimm, and when we talk wedding drama, it’s probably going to be something more serious than a bridesmaid who’s drunk one too many mimosas and is dancing on a table (although that was likely to happen too, given a chance.)

No, this was the big Grimm season three finale, and Blond Ambition certainly delivered with shocks, scheming and even a few laughs – albeit marred by some shout-at-the-TV levels of stupidity among some of the characters.

Manipulated by Viktor, it was finally time for Adalind to put her plan into action to strip Nick of his zombie-Grimm powers. This involved taking a potion to appear as Juliette to seduce Nick and, ahem, steal his mojo. (I think we can gather by Nick’s eager response to the Adalind’s charms that afternoon delight isn’t usually on the menu at the Burkhardt-Silverton residence.)

Adalind’s plan is somewhat convoluted by her messing with Sean Renard’s head, you know, just for fun. She visits him in the guise of Juliette and pretends she still has feelings for him. But even when later Renard speaks with the real, and obviously clueless, Juliette, he still doesn’t twig it’s Adalind at work. I mean, really? This is a woman with some of the best manipulation skills you’ve ever seen, whose child you stole and who you already know is hatching a devious plan involving Juliette in some way, and you don’t put two and two together? Captain, you should be stripped of your detective badge.

Also, Adalind is making random phone calls to Juliette to ask her if Nick will be home alone, and Juliette suspects nothing! She’s reverted back to season one levels of gullible… Oh I barely have the energy. I can see how it moves the plot forward, but it’s so frustrating.

The 40 watt bulbs finally go off in Nick and Juliette’s heads, but it’s too late. Nick has slept with Adalind and Juliette is pissed. (We can tell this from her words, rather than her face, which remains almost impossibly blank.) She begins to think she’s had enough of life with a Grimm, what with that mean girl tricking her all the time. You can see her point.

In fact, the only character with any sense of awareness about her was Trubel, who really is shaping up to be a bright and interesting addition to the ensemble. She can’t, however, stop the most shocking event of the episode, where Renard is gunned down by Steward, leaving his broad chest riddled with bullets! Steward hasn’t been incapable of doing a single thing right since he first appeared this season, but he manages this, which is almost as shocking. He soon pays the price for it, thanks to Trubel, but the Captain is left in a pool of blood in Nick’s hallway, and we don’t know if he’ll survive.

There were moments of levity this episode too – Rosalee’s drunken sister ruining the disgusting wedding dress was brilliant. “I’m doing you a favour,” she slurs. Yes, you really are! (Monroe’s admission that they both hated the dress anyway was the icing on the cake.)

Another moment of insight comes from the cop investigating Renard’s shooting at Nick’s place. He asks Wu: “Doesn’t it seem to you that a lot of weird stuff happens in this house?” Spot on, officer.

Speaking of Wu, the sergeant discovers the ancient books Trubel has been studying at Nick’s, including a picture of the Aswang he thought he had imagined. I hope next season Wu takes everyone down for letting him think he was going crazy.

Meanwhile, the episode gathers pace for the big showdown. Just as Monroe and Rosalee say their vows – but before we get to find out Monroe’s last name, damn it – it all kicks off with Trubel, who rather naively bursts into a room full of Wesen wedding guests.

However, it’s not an edge-of-your seat cliff hanger you might expect. In fact, the episode concludes in a rather muted fashion with Nick’s dawning realisation that he has been stripped of his powers, and what that could mean for his life as a Grimm.

With the show’s two alpha males effectively taken out of the game, we’re left to wonder, what’s next? You would expect season four to kick off with Adalind’s inevitable realisation she’s been tricked by Viktor, Wu being brought into the loop (I hope) and Renard’s battle to survive the assassination attempt. But much like the season three opener, it’ll mostly be about Nick’s struggle to regain his powers.

Season three has had its ups and downs; there have been long periods where you wished they’d just move the action along a little faster, and not leave long-term plotlines hanging. But overall it’s covered some interesting topics that will resonate with much of its audience, and has continued to deliver what’s its best at – gruesome creatures, kick-ass fight scenes and likeable characters (even the ones who aren’t meant to be likeable.)

I’m genuinely looking forward to season four, and seeing the gang back again on screen later this year.

Read Christine’s review of the previous episode, The Inheritance, here.

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