Supernatural horror stories make for great television series. Just look at Supernatural. That series ran for an epic 15 seasons and even survived the end of one network (The WB) to make the leap to its successor (The CW) to tell its story of two supernatural being-hunting brothers. But while shows like Supernatural can be popular, there’s one series that was slightly overshadowed and had a shorter run, but still stands as one of the best series within the genre, blending elements of horror, fantasy, and even police procedural — and it first debuted 14 years ago this week.
The series we’re talking about is Grimm. Grimm debuted on October 28, 2011, on NBC with the series ultimately running for six seasons and a total of 123 episodes. The series, which leans into elements from Grimms’ Fairy Tales, had a simple premise. Portland homicide detective Nicholas Burkhardt (David Giuntoli) discovers that he’s not just a cop but a Grimm, the latest in a line of guardians who have the sworn duty to confront monsters and mythological creatures (called Wesen) and keep the balance between them and humanity. The series also starred Elizabeth Tulloch, Russell Hornsby, Silas Weir Mitchell, Sasha Roiz, Reggie Lee, Bree Turner, and Claire Coffee.
Grimm Is Dark and Complex — And Much More Than Just Monsters
While the premise of Grimm may sound a little like it lends itself something a little campier and fantasy-oriented, Grimm went the other direction with things. Yes, the mythological fantasy element of it was strong, but this wasn’t a fairy tale-based show. Instead, Grimm leaned into the procedural element of things and dug deep to take on not just the various creatures and monsters that Nick had to deal with, but the complicated world it all opened up for him — including ancient vendettas, conspiracies, and the various bloodlines that play into everything. By embracing more than just the monsters, the series functioned as something much more human. Even as Nick is doing his job both as a detective and a Grimm, he’s also dealing with more personal aspects of things, such as his own identity, the balance of right and wrong, and questions about legacy and power. Nothing about Grimm was merely black and white, but always in rich tones of gray.
Grimm also excelled due to its structure. While the series utilized the classic “monster of the week” format, it wasn’t simply beholden to it. While each episode did feature some new creature or challenge that Nick had to take on, it wasn’t simply a situation of dealing with the threat and moving on. Nick’s work complicates everything for him and over time, what he does as a Grimm impacts everyone in his life, creating lasting fallout that left no one untouched — including his love interest, Juliette (Tulloch) who ends up turning into a Hexenbiest and gets shot with a crossbow.
Grimm Made Supernatural Horror More Than Just Monsters — and a Reboot Could Be In The Works
With all its complexity, layers. and characters with their own stories and roots, Grimm elevated the idea of fairy tale creatures and mythological monsters and their intersection with the “real world” into something that felt very grounded and never sugar-coated. Even episodes that didn’t necessarily tie into the overall story arc had importance, expanding the world and history surrounding the Wesen. That approach won over a devoted audience and even saw the world expand to a 12-issue comic book series and three novels.
And Grimm’s story — and its masterful approach to supernatural horror — may not be done just yet. In January, it was reported that a reboot film was in development at Peacock. Not much is known about the status of that project at this time, but Tulloch previously said that she knew a script was being written.
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