Preview–Grimm returns in January for sixth, final season

The fifth season of Grimm was simply fantastic, full of gripping writing and a change-up of character roles in a way we’ve not seen on television. Who knew a horror series full of fantasy, magic, and monsters could fare so well? Grimm is still going strong after so many competing shows dropped by the wayside: Constantine, Hannibal, Dracula, and more. In just two weeks a bittersweet sixth season begins, but based on the fifth season finale we’re thinking this show will barrel through to the final episode like the action-filled freight train of fun we’ve come to love.

Grimm’s completely new universe of storytelling surprised us year after year. In season five we saw the best action, twists and turns, and flat-out excitement of any series in 2016. So many factors make this a standout series that will stand the test of time. It’s not another New York or Los Angeles or even a Vancouver-based series. It is another “save the city” series like The Flash and Arrow, but it uses the lavishly dark, forest-trimmed Portland, Oregon as its background for an all-out war over the supernatural world. No matter how the series wraps, there will always be room for a reboot.

Everything about Grimm has been unique. Local supporting acting roles were filled with the local theater community, providing a look of realism and familiarity for the show. The main cast proved their range and revealed that each individual–from David Giuntoli to Claire Coffee to Russell Hornsby, Bitsie Tulloch, Silas Weir Mitchell, Reggie Lee, Bree Turner and Sasha Roiz–will likely go on to even bigger roles in 2017. CGI and make-up monsters provided us that “monster of the week” series we’ve missed since classic episodes of The X-Files. But Grimm proved to be even better than that classic series.

Just look at the storytelling. Grimm’s writing team pulled from folklore of Western and Eastern mythologies and everything in between. Supernatural world staples like Grimm books from Monroe’s uncle, and a magical wooden wand that heals were highlights of the past season. The best was what they have done all along: taking the story in a direction no one could have predicted. They brought in a new young Grimm named Trubel and made her edgier and grittier each new year. Even Officer Wu got powers. They took the Hexenbiest Adalind’s powers away, and then gave them back. They took Nick’s love interest Juliette and made her more powerful than anyone as the sinister stealer of senses and torture-master, Eve.

And then with a switch they unraveled it all. Captain Sean Renard started as a bad guy, but then spent years as a good guy. Then he was manipulated from all sides into someone no one could like. He was even manipulated by his very young daughter Diana. Who would have thought a little girl could have played such a huge part in setting up a new playing field for season six? And that leaves us even more to hope as her half-brother Kelly gets older over the summer.

All the main cast, luckily, is still here for season six, although we lost a key good guy and what could have been the most powerful villains of them all with the finale. Power and manipulation will certainly again be major themes for season six.

Here is a preview of the sixth season of Grimm: