photo: nbc
Kiss of the Muse
Original Air Date: May 7, 2013
Wyner C – Senior Reviewer
wyner@thetwocentscorp.com
“Tell me O’Muse, from whatsoever source you may know them.”
No profession is safe from the Portland, Grimm curse. Geologists, rangers, lawyers, ranchers, and now artists! Not even a vagabond can be safe (see: Organ Grinder). Who wants to live there after all these weird deaths? Our Grimm and his Scooby Gang, that’s who. Portland, Grimm better have a day dedicated to these hard working fools.
Hank is back from his vacation with a torn Achilles tendon (explains that odd vacation sendoff two episodes back – real life injury = character injury). He tore it zip-lining with his ex-wife, Nadine – that’s right, Hank is dipping into that pool of trouble again. My question? Ex-wife number what – doesn’t he have at least twelve? Another question? How can you tear anything zip-lining? You basically sit on a harness and “fly.” Did Hank do something funky? With ex-wife, maybe?
Nick and Hank are the first on the scene of a homicide – a novelist gunned down at a book signing. Nick catches a glimpse of the killer – a Luisant-Pêcheur, otter-like creature who can stay under water for an extended period of time. The murderer, Anton, struggles with Zoe, the dead novelist’s girlfriend and Anton’s ex. The Luisant-Pêcheur escapes by jumping into the water and not resurfacing.
To thank Nick, Zoe kisses his hand as he’s questioning her – ick, germs!! Nick seems distracted after his meeting with hand-kisser. He forgets dinner plans and zones out while Hank talks to him. The Grimm, inexplicably, visits Zoe at her house for further questioning when he can easily ask her to come down to the precinct. It is at this meeting that Zoe tells him she gravitates to artists; she’s their muse. She is attracted to Nick because she feels power. They make out and she shows her Wesen side. The snogging stops when Nick has to leave for dinner with Juliette.
The kissy-kissy with Zoe leads Nick into an obsession-fuel foul mood. He snaps at Monroe, dismisses Juliette, punches tipsy hipsters, and is an all-out Grump Monster. Good thing Nick drew a picture of Zoe’s Wesen form for the Scooby Gang. Hank teams up with Monroe and Rosalee to do some research. The Wesen’s a Musai, an Elfin-like creature who can unlock creative doors and whose kiss leads to obsession; normally leading to madness for the kissee.
Scooby Gang enlists Renard’s help in curbing Nick’s craziness while they try to find an antidote. It seems there is none, except maybe true love. So corny!! It’s lucky for Nick that Juliette finally remembers the Grimm/Wesen confession. She starts to believe, especially when Monroe and Rosalee confess in trusting Nick’s Grimmness and existence of Wesen.
Nick’s irrationality comes to a crescendo when he finds Anton in Zoe’s house and beats the Jebus out of him. Zoe says she’s unwilling to be with Nick if Anton is alive so Grump Monster has a mission – kill Anton. The Scooby Gang, along with Juliette, arrives in time to stop Nick from shooting Anton while the murderer is in lockup. Juliette’s presence calms Nick and snaps him out of his obsession-trance. Our Grimm didn’t do anything too stupid.
Renard banishes Zoe from Portland, Grimm. He shows his half-Wesen side and I think she’s going to take her muse powers somewhere else. Aww… Renard does care.
Favorite moments/Things to ponder:
1. The quote is from Homer’s “The Odyssey.” I guess it has the word “muse” in it so it applies? MeThinks the Quote Finding Department is getting lazy.
2. Loved Rosalee’s giddiness when she first entered the trailer. It’s centuries of Wesen history all in an easily accessible, unprotected, uninsured place! Her enthusiasm waned when she realized the history was written by Grimms – Wesen murdering fools.
3. Loved Hank’s reaction to Zoe’s overconfidence. She claims she has mass appeal to men; guys fall for her easily – that’s the way it is. He was skeptical at best! Ha! He’s like, bitch, please – you ain’t all that.
4. Van Gogh was driven mad by a Musai. That is a pretty cool real-life connection that makes sense. I mean, dude cut off his own ears so it’s plausible.
5. Nick was super rude to Monroe – telling him to get a life. I agree with Monroe, it’s time for Nick to get alternate lodging. Good thing for Nick, he was under a spell.
6. Nick double booking dinner plans is wrong. Granted, veggie steak doesn’t sound too appetizing but he can at least call Monroe to cancel! Seeing two sets of plates and only one diner was so sad!! I want to give Monroe a hug! I’ll even eat the veggie steak with him. Monroe’s such a good roomie – Nick? Not so much.
7. Almost everyone in the Scooby Gang has been in an obsession hex: Hank (Adalind), Juliette (Renard), Renard (Juliette), Nick (Zoe). They need to come up with a fresh idea soon – this is played out.
8. I include Renard in the Scooby Gang – a distant member that’s on eternal probation. Hank relied on him to keep Nick in check. He protects Nick as best as he can. I know he has ulterior motives but he’s a reluctant Scooby Gang member.
9. Nick’s obsession progressed faster because he’s a Grimm. So I guess Grimms have some sort of power. What does that mean? Do you think when the 7 keys reunite, only a Grimm can unlock the treasure due to their special powers?
10. Juliette remembers and is willing to believe Nick about Wesen and Grimms. Finally! Maybe because she’s slowly being included in the loop – she was less annoying. I didn’t want to kill her myself. Also helping? Her apologizing to Nick for being a royal biatch. It’s a start.
11. “Really?”
~ Renard, the best deadpan I’ve seen lately; said after Anton tried to grab Nick’s gun off the floor while Nick/Juliette was having a “moment”. I actually laughed out loud.
This was a nice episode with great Scooby Gang action – Hank, Monroe and Rosalee need to have more scenes together. Did you like the episode? Do you think Juliette was less annoying? What will be her role after she finds out Grimm/Wesen are real? Will she join Scooby Gang? Renard is coming along as part of the gang, no? Discuss away!!!
TheTwoCents 
Let us not forget the obsession problem that struck Rosalee, although it was a wessen disease rather than a hex (but then, so was Nick’s problem, in a way).
I did think about Rosalee’s disease but that was more violence without love. The ones I mentioned all involved simulated love. Still, the writers should come up with something new. How many times can a group of people be love-hexed?!
Thanks for reading and commenting!!
Nice recap and review. I’ve never been here before. I’ll come back again.
I really liked the way they weaved the Juliette thread into the main story.
Yes, the big Grimm reevaluation for Juliette comes through the back door. I was wondering how the writers were going to do that.
The Grimm Team now has enough people in it to challenge some Wesens to a game of hoops.
Rosalee is like a Weson Geek. Really into the memorabilia, the history, and the intellectual side of the trailer.
Thanks for coming to our site. We have other great recaps for other shows, look around!
As for Juliette, it’s about time her storyline involves knowing the secret. I wanted her to know since season 1. It dragged on too long. I think it made her character stale and insignificant. I still have a bad taste in my mouth for her character and it’s going to take a while for me to warm up to her. It’s the writers fault for that. Other than this flaw, the series has come along really well.
Love the addition of Rosalee. She was a much needed “motherly” character to smooth out the testosterone in the Scooby Gang.
Hey Wyner, I’m a first time reader and I enjoyed your review, your sense of humour really enhances the piece. Any thoughts as to the last name given to the Musai character (I believe it was Sedgwick)? Is it possible the writers were referencing Edie Sedgwick who, it can be argued, was a “muse” of sorts for Andy Warhol and Bob Dylan? Or an I just over thinking it? 🙂
Hey! Glad you enjoyed it! Our site has great writers for other shows, look around and enjoy!
According to the NBC Grimm site, her full name is: Zoe Sedgwick. I didn’t think about Edie Sedgwick and Andy Warhol at all!! Nice catch! But Bob Dylan isn’t too crazy…maybe he found true love?!! Nice catch.
Loved Reynard, Monroe, and Rosalee. Each had at least one strong moment.
I really liked it up until the end when the solution was “the power of love”. Maybe if I bought that there was any real feelings between Nick and Juliette, it might have been emotionally powerful enough to distract from the corniness. But with the lack of chemistry and lack of interest in the pairing, I just hated the ending. It made me dislike Juliette more. Before she was sidelined to her own boring story. This felt like they were just trying to find a way to tie Juliette’s plodding arc into the main story. So we got a lame ending in service of Juliette’s seemingly never-ending plot, which leaves me even more frustrated with that arc and that character.
Like the blond wesen in season 1 who kidnapped Juliet, the Zoe character also made me wish we could erase Juliette and get a show with a better love interest for the lead. Not that every lead character necessarily needs a love interest, but when you’ve got one, it should be strong. The weak love interest really holds this show back from its full potential.
Well, I have never made my homicidal wishes for Juliette a secret so I’m with you! I found the “true love” thing so corny! I, too, don’t feel the love and chemistry between Nick and Juliette. I don’t know if it’s the writing, the actors or my hatred of Juliette’s character. Hopefully, now that she knows about Grimm/Wesen, she’ll be less annoying.
Nice recap. I will def be back.
Maybe I’m wrong, but wasn’t she Chloe Sedgwick?
In the opening quote, should there really be an apostrophe after the O? It’s not a contraction like o’clock is.
So glad Juliette knows. I’ve felt so bad for her!
You know? I thought it was Chloe too throughout the episode but on the website, it had Zoe. The Grimm Guide where they list Wesen names and definitions – because I am not good with weird Wesen name spellings – they listed Zoe as a Musai. That’s why I went with Zoe. NBC knows best, right?
As for the opening quote’s apostrophe, it was there and I just quoted. I don’t correct.
Juliette should have known since the beginning of the season. Maybe I wouldn’t have hated her character so much.