Grimm season 5 episode 13 review: Silence Of The Slams

This review contains spoilers.

5.13 Silence Of The Slams

After the build-up to Grimm’s 100^th episode last week, the show’s writers apparently felt the need to put a chokehold on some of the heavyweight storylines we’ve been treated to recently, and instead fall back on a regular Wesen-of-the-Week case.

It’s a shame the show is pulling its punches at this stage in the season when there’s so much going on, least of all a global Wesen uprising and the discovery of an ancient artefact that can heal the sick and dying. But no, let’s create an episode centred on the Portland wrestling scene!

Hands up; I love wrestling so seeing the two worlds collide did provide a little excitement this week. Sadly though, the plot wasn’t anything we haven’t seen before a thousand times. A young luchador is frustrated with his jobbing role on the Lucha PDX circuit – he is paid to make more established wrestlers look good by losing to them – and is convinced a new mask is the key to his winning matches, as masks hold special cultural and historical significance in Mexican wrestling.

Mask maker Benito can create a mask that will enable him to win his matches, but warns him of the dangers associated with dealing with ancient Aztec powers. On cue, the arrogant young man, Goyo, chooses to ignore Benito’s warning – the ensuing power goes to his head (literally) and as such he has to take the fall. We know exactly what’s going to happen, play-by-play, as the wrestler goes through the motions of being consumed by the power of the mask, and then ultimately being forced to pay the price. So far, so predictable.

As a side note, Goyo, apparently doesn’t realise he’s paid to lose, and should probably try renegotiating his contract with the matches’ promoter before entering into an ancient contract with mystical forces.

The method by which Benito, a Vibora Dorada, procures the mask is more interesting. He uses his sharp fangs to inject a paralyzing neurotoxin into his Wesen victim, before slicing off their woged face for the mask, in the style of Hannibal Lecter. This also is the pun behind this week’s episode title, Silence Of The Slams. You see what they did there?

As a result of all this in-ring entertainment, the writers devote only a little time towards moving on the big storylines we saw develop last week.

First of all we know nothing more about the magic stick. (They have to give us something other than ‘stick’ to go with, maybe Wu’s description of “healing-stick-magic-wand-thing” is better?)

The only thing the gang decides is that they should tell no-one about uncovering the stick, or its powers. Interestingly, this includes Adalind. Well, she slept with Nick two episodes ago so it’s only natural they should both start keeping secrets from one another. He’s found the healing-stick-magic-wand-thing, her Hexenbiest powers are returning – come on, which couple doesn’t have their little secrets?

In fairness, not telling Adalind might be a good idea in the long-run, if she decides to align herself with Renard. Yes, the Captain now looks increasingly likely to make a heel-turn and team up with Black Claw to further his own desire for power. But to make the play for mayor, he is told he needs a family, which means bringing Diana back to Portland – and for this, he needs Adalind in his corner.

This whole ‘family’ argument in no way makes sense. Why does he need a family to be a mayoral candidate? Did Andrew Dixon have a family? Renard is already a public figure – more so now he’s a hero for killing Dixon’s assassin – so won’t the public already know he’s a bachelor? Won’t it be odd when this wife and child appear out of nowhere?

Besides that, he swallowed the suggestion by Wood way too easily, leading, essentially, to this phone call: “Oh hey, Adalind. How’s it going? Just wondered if you fancied getting our daughter back?”

Does he honestly believe Black Claw want him to get Diana back for a mayoral campaign and not, let’s say, to use her superpowers for evil? And they say wrestling storylines are unbelievable.

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