An Unlikely Pair: Grimm’s Nick and Monroe 

Friday nights at 9 pm are a bit insane for me and my DVR so I usually don’t watch this show the same night, although I’m a fan. I just caught up on a handful of episodes and I have to say with every passing week I’m enjoying Nick and Monroe’s unlikely partnership more and more. In fact, I’m enjoying watching them become friends. With Nick’s Aunt Marie dead and gone, Monroe is really the only “person” Nick can turn to to learn the lore in this Grimm new world. Of course Nick can rely on that trailer full of goodies if he needs to do research but it’s always nice to be able to turn to Monroe – who knows so much about this world – when he has questions or needs backup. 

Nick is always showing up at Monroe’s door unannounced, which I actually kind of love.It doesn’t matter if Monroe is busy or doesn’t want company. Nick needs help often and at all times of the day and night. I like that these two are ignoring – or maybe fighting against – their preconceived notions and mistrust of each other and their kind to try and get along and prevent unnecessary bloodshed. Nick’s not interested in killing anyone/anything unless they have no interest in following human laws. Even then, he’s more interested in putting them in jail than in seeing them dead. Nick knows he’s got a sacred duty as a Grimm, but he’s also got a duty as a cop to uphold the law in the human world. Because he just recently learned what he is and doesn’t have anyone else to turn to, he searches Monroe out a lot. Monroe was born into this world and knows how it works. It doesn’t hurt that his wolfy nose can sniff out a lot that Nick’s misses. And he can be helpful when Nick needs some undercover help or when Nick needs some muscle.

I was so excited to hear Silas Weir Mitchell was cast in this series because I’ve followed his career for a while and I’m a pretty serious fan of his work. I love that he’s a reformed big bad wolf and so much of his performance is about breaking down stereotypes or using what is considered his bad side for a good cause. He’s serious about his Christmas decorations, plays a mean cello and can recognize musical talent in others, and – like all of us – can get carried away by passion. I liked seeing that he hadn’t been totally neutered by his time in rehab when Jaime Ray Newman’s Angelina showed up in “The Three Bad Wolves.” They were so hot together, but she was so bad for him.

The fact that Nick has to keep the secret of his heritage from his partner (and from his girlfriend, which is a much bigger deal) just adds to the tension of this moody drama. Is someone going to discover Nick’s secret? And what about those who know what he is and choose not to reveals what they know? When Nick has to visit Monroe as part of an investigation with his partner in “Game Ogre,” things get weird. And later when Hank needs help because Nick’s laid up in the hospital, it falls to Monroe to help save Hank’s life. It was great to see Monroe come to Nick’s aid and help him save the life of his partner.

In “Of Mouse and Man,” Monroe was attacked by a group of people who aren’t happy he’s helping Nick. I can appreciate that Nick made the offer to stop asking for help, but I appreciate it more that Monroe refuses to be intimidated. Part of me hopes Nick will never rely soley on the things in that trailer to carry out his Grimm legacy. I want to see how this relationship/partnership continues to develop. And I feel like the more Nick comes to trust and rely on Monroe, the less likely he’ll be to go after all the creatures that go bump in the night. I mean, I expect Nick to hunt the bad ones but as long as they’re not doing anything wrong, I hope we’ll continue to see him be tolerant. There are a few things that have been brewing that I hope we’ll get to see more of soon: a) what stake Nick’s captain has in all this and why; b) how the plumber (was he some sort of gopher?) and his friends fascination with Nick plays out; and c) who that couple in the pickup truck are and why they were surveilling Nick and Juliette’s house. But until then, I’m happy to be along for the ride.

Grimm airs Fridays at 9/8c on NBC.