First (and I said this in my review of the series) I like Grimm. I like it not only for what it is (clever, well-cast, interesting) but also for what it is not. It is not barking mad, which is pretty much the fate of most shows in the current primetime lineup (including shows like ARROW and S.H.I.E.L.D) because (it appears) in order to capture the ever-diminishing attention span of the modern viewer, modern TV writers keep throwing more and more story arcs into their scripts. Loosely basing their literary narrative style, such as it is, on the old adage about spaghetti -- just throw it against the wall and see if it sticks. But (a thousand pardons, Effendi) that is not the point of this review. The point of this review is to congratulate the writing team for slyly -- without fanfare -- paying homage to two great films of the past in the climax of this specific episode. Namely, Orson Welles' incomparable Lady from Shanghai, borrowing the unforgettable "House of Mirrors" scene, if only for a moment; and, piece de resistance, ending the action sequence with a riff on the unforgettable closing scene of Todd Browning's FREAKS (where the other members of the circus troupe take justice into their own hands.) I watch a lot of TV but this type of artistic flourish buried deep within a prime time series is rare -- and much appreciated.
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