It’s the end of the road for Grimm and the writers have poured have ensured it’s been a memorable one for fans of the series.
While the Emmy-nominated show may have slipped under the radar of fans of the supernatural genre, it is a compelling watch and has been so since the first season.
It was also a big deal for 36-year-old actor David Guintoli.
After a series trying to land his breakthrough role on either the big screen or small screen – with a number of guest appearances on Nip/Tuck, Veronica Mars, Grey’s Anatomy, Ghost Whisperer, Without a Trace and Cold Case – Guintoli was cast in the lead role as Nicholas “Nick” Burkhardt.
Amid shooting the Grimm, he was - for a brief moment - even considered for the lead role in Man of Steel before it went to Henry Cavill.
Like Banshee actor Antony Starr, Guintoli’s height remains one of his greatest obstacles as an actor.
That said, he has proven to be a remarkable revelation in Grimm. Maybe going forward, his talent will impress and, like Tom Cruise, it won’t hinder his future chances.
Guintoli has brought an intensity to the eponymous character.
His special gifts as a Grimm serve him well in his job as a homicide detective with Portland Police Department and in helping him fulfill his family legacy of hunting dangerous wesen, mythological creatures living among people and threatening the harmonious balance of the world.
Guintoli masterfully masterfully handles the transformation from normalcy to being a Grimm, which opens his eyes to a whole new world.
This also leaves him terribly conflicted about letting his loved ones as he feels he has to protect them.
This hero is helped by his friends: wesen couple Monroe, who is a Blutbad, and his partner Rosalee Calvert, a Fuchsbau; Hank Griffin, who is Nick’s partner and best friend and Sergeant Drew Wu, a police sergeant, who eventually gets roped into this world of fighting supernatural creatures.
Captain Sean Renard is a Zauberbeist and the bastard son of an influential Royal family. He has also been Nick’s ally… until now.
Then there are the messy romantic links with Nick falling for Adalind Shade, a Hexenbiest and the mother of his son (she also has a kid with Sean), while Juliette, his former veterinarian girlfriend who, in a previous battle with Adalind, inherited her powers, is looking to rekindle things.
Let’s not forget about Trubel who has proven to be invaluable in the ongoing battle.
Last season, Black Claw was threatening to overrun the city and had Sean in their back pocket. They fueled his political ambitions, which turned dark and deadly fast.
And the mayhem that followed with Black Claw leader Bonaparte playing puppeteer with all their lives ended with his death – ironically at the hands of Sean, who was unwittingly doing his daughter Diana’s bidding. Her magical powers surpasses that those of her parents and her protective nature makes her dangerous.
For the final season, the writers are going full throttle on the action. And they ensure there is enough suspense in every episode to keep viewers tuning in.
After Monday night’s episode, it’s safe to say that the supernatural chaos has the new season has hit the ground running, with Sean going after Nick with the full force of the law. The battle lines are drawn and only one of them is going to walk away from this.
Meanwhile, Monroe and Rosalee are excited about their pregnancy, but they are too distracted by the current status quo to take a minute to enjoy their the idea of becoming parents.
The complications and conflicts are amplified this season as the writers wrap things up. And there are a fresh batch of wesen interwoven into the narrative to keep things interesting.
Grimm airs on M-Net Edge (DStv channel 102) on Mondays at 7pm.