A hit series that thrived off the back of its ability to mix police procedural drama with fantasy intrigue, exceptional characters, and a gradually expanding story world of supernatural characters and societies,Grimmran for six seasons from 2011 to 2017. It primarily follows Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli), a Portland detective who learns he is descended from a long line of warriors known as Grimms, giving him the ability to see inhuman creatures disguised in civilization and, with the help of his friends and colleagues, sets out to defend his city.
Growing darker as the series went on,Grimmhas offered everything from comedic and fun-filled episodes to more harrowing and horrific entries.The 10 best episodes of the series exemplify both its vast tonal range and its consistent brilliance, emphasizing whyGrimmbecame such a beloved cult hit of modern television.
13“Twelve Days of Krampus”
Season 3, Episode 8
What do you get when you combine Christmas and Halloween? You get a great episode ofGrimmin the form of the Season 3 episode “Twelve Days of Krampus.” Here, a group of rowdy teens goes missing, and the gang is on the hunt for the prime suspect of the kidnappings: Krampus.
The episode managed to be scary and tender at the same time.The B-plot involved Monroe, with the help of Juliette, surprising Rosalee to make their first Christmas together a truly special one. It was a sweet B-plot that meshed well with the A-plot, which, combined, came together to make a sweet, but terrifying holiday episode that’s good for both Halloween and Christmas.
12“El Cocuy”
Season 3, Episode 15
It may seem like a bulk of the best episodes fromGrimmoccurred within Season 3, and your eyes are not deceiving you. Ask any fan of this underrated show, and they’ll tell you that Season 3 was the pinnacle ofGrimm, and “El Cocuy” is one of the reasons why.
In this thrilling episode, criminals are getting whacked in brutal fashion, thanks to a character from a latino legend that believes in heavenly justice. While it can be easy to root for the spiritual anti-hero,“El Cocuy” makes you wonder how far is too far when taking justice into your own hands?
Season 2, Episode 4
After the virus-that-shall-not-be-uttered affected life all over the planet in 2020, we’ve become more conscious of deadly diseases. Maybe that’s why the season 2 episode, “Quill” is still quite an effective episode over 12 years later, as it’s unnerving in a sense that anything could be possible.
In “Quill,” a contagious disease begins to spread, which causes those who are infected to become feral and violently attack people.It is a truly horrifying episode, one that isn’t afraid to up the body count;and we are truly scared that some of our protagonists may not make it through the episode unscathed. That’s the beauty of “Quill,” and a big reason why this is a must-watch forGrimmfans.
10"Revelation"
Season 3, Episode 13
Following on immediately from the previous episode, “Revelation” opens with Nick brawling Monroe’s father as Monroe’s (Silas Weir Mitchell) family dinner plans take a horrific turn. Once the squabbling ends, however, the episode begins to find its true strength in its exploration of the show’s central relationships while focusing on Adalind’s (Claire Coffee) escape from Prince Viktor’s (Alexis Denisof) residence and the murders being committed by Woden (Matt Lasky) in Portland.
It is intrinsically concerned with the nature ofthe bond between Nick and Monroe, with the duo’s friendship largely defined by Nick’s total reliance on the Wesen to learn cultural elements about the creatures he hunts. Also giving Juliette and Rosalee (Bree Turner) more of an emotional focus as well,“Revelation” is a brilliant episode for its work with character dynamics and their evolution.
9"Map of the Seven Knights"
Season 5, Episode 10
An episode that allowed a lot of Season 5’s moving parts to start coming together while introducing a whole new idea into the plot, “Map of the Seven Knights” is about as busy and frenetic an episode thatGrimmpresented. Monroe’s uncle, in possession of Grimm books, flees to Portland with hopes of selling the collection to Nick as he is pursued by agents of Black Claw. Meanwhile, Captain Renard (Sasha Roiz) helps out a political figure and Trubel (Jacqueline Toboni) meets with Eve to discuss Nick and Adalind.
For all that transpires though, it is possibly the episode’s final moments that define its brilliance, with Nick and his friends discovering an ancient map leading to something significant that could help them in their struggles against Black Claw. Igniting an adventure to Europe while imbuing Season 5 with a great sense of urgency and excitement, “Map of the Seven Knights” isa highlight ofGrimm’s rollicking, thrill-seeking sense of adventure at its absolute best.
8"Leave it to Beavers"
Season 1, Episode 19
The first season ofGrimmmaintained a crime-of-the-week formulaas it established its balance between real-world drama and fantasy intrigue, an approach that provided a number of fun and well-contained supernatural mysteries. The best of them comes in the form of “Leave it to Beavers” as it follows Nick’s investigation of a construction worker’s death that involves a Hässlich construction manager who sets two reapers on Nick to kill the grimm.
With a witness to the murder being an Eisbiber, the episode sees fan favorite side character Bud Wurstner (Danny Bruno) play a more significant part as he rallies his fellow Eisbibers to find courage and stand against those who oppress them. Also featuring Monroe being invited to have dinner with Nick and Juliette and Nick’s fight with the reapers,“Leave it to Beavers” strikes a perfect balance between action, mystery, and charming character momentsto be the most well-rounded installment of Season 1.
7"The End"
Season 6, Episode 13
In terms of television entertainment, there are few things as rewarding as a hit series finishing on a high.Grimmdid exactly that with the aptly named finale, “The End”, which brought the series’ six-season, 123-episode run to a close. With the evil Zerstörer (Wil Traval) roaming around Portland, Nick and his allies must be willing to sacrifice everything to prevent the world from meeting a terrifying end.
The episode abounds with defining character moments, from heroic sacrifices to sparks of genius that turn the tide of the fight against Zerstörer slightly in Nick’s favor. Exciting and, on a number of occasions, entirely heart-stopping, “The End” excels at generating all the thrills that fans were hoping for from the finale, while still deliveringa rewarding and triumphant ending that felt earned and conclusive.
6"The Law of Sacrifice"
Season 3, Episode 18
An adrenaline-pumping installment that saw the series' major heroes and villains set aside their differences to combat a greater evil, “The Law of Sacrifice” is as rewarding as it is exhilarating. With the Verrat learning that Adalind has gone to Captain Renard to protect her and her baby, they dispatch agents to retrieve the child. Nick enlists the help of his friends to stand against the Verrat while his mother, Kelly (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), tries to deal with the Wesen royals.
The episode offers plenty of excitement in its uneasy character alliances, while its expansion of the series’ mythology exhibits just how goodGrimmis when it actively commits to undertaking such a task. However,the episode will always befondly remembered for its gripping twists, the best of which comes in the final moments when Kelly takes baby Diana herself to take the powerful child to a safer place.
5"Zerstörer Shrugged"
Season 6, Episode 12
As Diana grew older throughout the series, so too did she grow more powerful, with many evil entities seeking to use her power for their own foul schemes. The final arc ofGrimmrevolves around this, with the penultimate episode, “Zorstörer Shrugged”, seeing the titular Wesen arrive in Portland with plans for the child. Nick revisits his past in search of answers. Rosalee, Monroe, and Eve make an important discovery about the nature of the mysterious stick, and Hank (Russell Hornsby) and Wu (Reggie Lee) are called in to a crime scene with ties to the gang’s emerging threat.
As a build up to the grand finale,“Zerstörer Shrugged” excellently builds up dread and suspense while setting the stage for what will be the most important battle of Nick’s life. It’s exploration of the Other Place is intriguing without being overbearing, while the final moments in which Zerstörer kills not just one but two of Nick’s allies make for one of the most shocking moments in the entire series.
4"Cry Havoc"
Season 4, Episode 22
Using the shocking conclusion to “Headache” – in which Nick finds a package containing his mother’s head – as a springboard, the Season 4 finale operates at a frenzied pace as Nick is dragged through an emotionally devastating journey. Still distraught but desperate for revenge, Nick tracks down Kenneth (Nico Evers-Swindell) beforefacing off against evil Juliette. Meanwhile, his police associates clean up the aftermath of his vendetta to their advantage, while Trubel helps him do what he cannot.
With Nick on the warpath and his friends left with little option but to help him where they can, “Cry Havoc” is defined by its urgent sense of purpose and its scintillating narrative tempo. However, it still finds time for Nick to revel in his pain that is piled on by one brutal blow after another.UndoubtedlyGrimmat its bleakest, “Cry Havoc” still stands as one of the series’ most emotionally weighted and complex episodes.
