Grimm - Season 3 Episode 8 - Recap - Twelve Days of Krampus
Grimm - Season 3 Episode 8 - Recap - Twelve Days of Krampus
NBC's Grimm comes up to bat in the normal time-slot of Dracula, bringing a Christmas-themed monster tale that pits our hero Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli) against the legendary Krampus. Ah, the Krampus. European counterpart to Santa Claus, the Krampus is a horned demon-like being with a long forked tongue. He travels with Santa to deal out justice to the naughty list by stealing the kids away to his cave, that I have to assume is called the Krampus Kave.
The episode opens on some bad kids. They've got a bunch of stolen Christmas paraphenalia, but they're clearly just in it to ruin everyone else's good time. Luckily, a monster in a Santa suit shows up, terrorizing the group and stealing their leader away in his sack. The Krampus! This Krampus, as Nick and Hank will discover the next morning, attacks kids and leaves behind coal. One victim hid in the car and was able to escape the worst of it by seeming dead, so there's a witness at least. Nick and Hank visit the kid at the hospital, but he's not too much help. He identifies his friend who was taken, but flips out when he spot's the hospital's volunteer Santa.
Krampus steals another kid, leaves another lump of coal. This time, an adult witness who isn't traumatized by the experience turns up. He points them in the right direction, saying he saw a monstrous Santa steal a kid. The first Santa Nick and Hank find turns out to be Wesen, and he is not happy about talking to a Grimm. He runs, Nick chases, Santa gets arrested in front of a bunch of horrified children. Merry Christmas! Monroe gives us the Krampus backstory, also letting us know that this show's Krampus also eats the kids on the winter solstice... which of course is tonight! He's taking them to the tallest tree at the tallest spot, just according to the lore, so the team knows where to find him. Bud, Monroe, and Hank are charged with emptying the tree full of kid baskets while Nick goes and Grimms the Krampus all by his lonesome. Krampus is subdued after a little fight, and the team insists that Nick kills him. See, they can't bring in a full Volga monster. Before the debate gets all shooty, midnight strikes and the Krampus reverts to his human form. He doesn't remember being Krampus, nor has he ever heard of Wesen.
The Renard Club, their little resistance movement, is all together now, and beset on all sides by enemies. They're in Europe, and Renard takes a visit to Analind's quarters. He finds her gross jar of blood, which makes him Volga a little bit. Must be strong stuff. He leaves a note for Analind, warning her of the cameras and asking her to meet. This whole plot has taken so long to unwind that I find it difficult to keep track of what's going on with it. There's political intrigue, which I like, but the show needs to let us spend more time getting invested in the machinations therein if we're meant to care about this piece of the show! I want to care about Renard and Analind and the royals! Let me! Help me out here!
Monroe is sneaking around while Rosalee is out, enlisting Juliette's help to secretly set up Christmas all over the house. They get everything set up, but Monroe has gone just far too overboard. There's music and a model train and at least two plastuc Santas and a big tree covered in neon lights and every surface is gardlandy. Rosalee's reaction is lukewarm at first, and then she becomes visibly upset. Then she reveals the Gremlins backstory about why she hates Christmas: Her aunt and uncle were killed in a car accident on the way to her house for the holidays when she was younger. Feeling just terrible about overwhelming Rosalee, Monroe can't sleep. He spends the night removing Christmas from the house. Rosalee feels like junk about it, and she goes to Juliette for advice. Once Monroe comes home from the Krampus adventure, the house is decorated again. Aww!
One of the best things about this episode is that the monster is achieved via makeup and special effects rather than computer graphics. I stay fully engaged with the monster plot, really feeling the threat and menace, while also getting to appreciate the craftsmanship of a superb rubber monster prosthesis. It reminds me of co-creator David Greenwalt's prior co-created show, Buffy The Vampire Slayer spin-off Angel, and that is a very good thing. The presence of Alexis Denisof last episode probably lent some to that feeling also! Anyway, here's a little clip of the episode, your last taste of Grimm until the new year!