Last season’s Grimm ended with some major bombshells. Nick and Juliette discovered that Nick had unintentionally had sex with Adalind, who appeared to him in the guise of Juliette. Nick lost his Grimm powers, Renard took a bullet to the chest, Wu appeared to be on the brink of discovering the existence of Wesen and Trubel crashed Monroe and Rosalee’s wedding. Shwew.
In anticipation of the season four premiere on October 24th at 9/8c on NBC, OHSOGRAY participated in a conference call with the Grimm himself, David Giuntoli. Here’s what he had to say on what fans can look forward to this season.
After the chaos of the season 3 finale, what can we expect in the first few episodes of season 4?
Adalind and Nick are now connected in some magical — horrible — way. I don’t know if I can say why. I certainly can’t say how this all ends. Juliette – well, let’s see. What’s going on. So Monroe and Rosalee, honeymoon postponed, due to the chaos that’s ensued. Wu getting very suspicious of what he’s been seeing. Me, obviously, where’d the Grimm go? I’m freaking out. Hank’s just, you know, having a good time. I don’t know what I can say. But, yes, everybody is in a state of chaos. And that never really ends on our show. That’s kind of the fun.
How does Nick handle the loss of his Grimm powers?
Grimm powers are gone from Nick and he may or may not – I mean, he’s kind of enjoying his new normalcy, I think, in a lot of ways. But he also knows that the Wesen are out there. So first and foremost he’s going to be using Trubel as his seeing eye Grimm.
He is going to be tapping Monroe — which he used to do — tapping on his shoulder quite a bit. He’s going to be using his team of Wesen and Grimms to try to do what he used to be able to do. But he doesn’t have his powers anymore, and that means that not only he can’t – can he not see the Wesen, he’s just not as powerful as he was.
How does Nick’s focus change with the loss of his powers?
He has to focus on being a cop again. He used to solve crimes without having blatant tells as to who did this. So now, he has to remember why – remember that he was a good detective and start solving cases the old-fashioned way. Through evidence.
What’s it like to play Nick without his powers?
It’s fun to just be a normal dude again. Who is still somehow, you know, tormented by knowing that there is this other world out there though. He’s no longer really a part of it. He’s just kind of adjacent to it. Yes, playing it like it was a great loss of almost like a loved one. This thing I had become so – I hated so much in the beginning — these Grimm powers — and then suddenly — slowly — came to really love and depend on — now it’s gone.
So it was a painful process to go through and, you know, the bright side could be it could make things better for Juliette and me. But, yes, I am no longer the Grimm. So there is still a Grimm on screen. So it was true to the title of our show. But it was fun to play a normal guy.
How is Nick and Juliette’s relationship impacted by Nick’s “relationship” with Adalind?
The Nick and Adalind spell links us in a very profound and mysterious way. And there needs – something goes down in order to reverse a spell that she has put on me that is just crazy. And it affects Juliette and I in a very intense way.
Nick is not a fan of Adalind, so how does he deal with learning that he slept with her?
Well, you know, I mean what did Nick really do wrong? He didn’t know he was sleeping with Adalind so – and when the bodies transform I think they transform completely. So like what Juliette ate that day was in Adalind’s stomach. I don’t know where this all ends, but how does he deal with the fallout? You just, listen, you just nod. You say yes, thank you. You just be very cautious — walk on eggshells for a little while.
How do Nick’s other relationships change this season?
Even though he’s not a Grimm, the newfound – there’s not like a peace that comes with it. We know about the world. We know what’s going on out there. And they know about us. So the relationship change that depend on – I depend more on Monroe. I depend more on Trubel. She and I grow very close. Again, she’s much like a young sister to me — or a daughter to me. And that’s what you’ll be seeing.
How does Trubel integrate into the team?
She becomes more ingrained in the fabric of our lives. I desperately need to teach her what it is to be a Grimm. It’s not just a free pass to go kick Wesen ass all day long. I try to show her the finer points that, you know, you – I try to tell her that I would actually try to use the law before I would just, you know, go all rogue and Grimm. She lives under the same roof with Juliette and I. So she becomes like a daughter figure to us. And that’s really it.
How is it working with Jacqueline (Trubel)?
Jacqueline Toboni was just such a breath of fresh air on our set. She’s so fresh and talented and eager. It seems as though Grimms can only be Italian Americans. We had Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, David Giuntoli, Jacqueline Toboni. I don’t know if that’s what they’re going for, but it happened. So we love it. And, yes, she’s incredible. She’s like a little sis.
With such a large ensemble cast, Nick seemed to take a back seat last season. Will he move to the forefront this season?
Seems to be the case. That seems to be the case as these episodes go on. We had – we’ve had some great additions to the cast — Jacqueline Toboni as Trubel — and that storyline, it rightfully took the forefront for a little while. And it starts to, you know, get more into Nick, Hank, Monroe, trying to solve these crimes.
But no, I mean, part of the joys of it is it’s become more of an ensemble. That’s lovely to me. And it’s – I think it’s more fun for everyone else too. Get to, you know, act in all these different dynamics and with all these different people. So I think it’s a nice thing.
Is there any chance that Nick will leave Portland for a trip to the Motherland?
If the Motherland provides tax incentives. I think that…
Or new Grimm powers?
…There might be a trip. Exactly.
Will we be returning to the key storyline?
Oh, yes. Without a doubt. We will be getting back to the key storyline. People are after the key. And the more Grimms out there the more people are going to be hunting for those Grimms to get those keys. So it’s alive.
Will we meet more Grimms?
Yes. Sort of. Maybe.
Is there a chance we’ll see James Frain again one day?
Oh, boy. That would be nice. I don’t know. He’s on another series right now — which kind of makes it tough. But we do have some other wonderful actors working with us and I don’t know if James will be back. I hope his series does well. If it doesn’t, then yes.
Has there been any talk of a Grimm/Constantine crossover?
There’s no talk of a crossover. Though Matt Ryan and I are slightly buds. We knew each other a little this summer. And his show is fantastic. I know the writer a little bit and we’re very excited to have Constantine as our pairing. I think they’re going to be very successful.
What is it like to have such an enthusiastic and devoted fan base?
It’s fun to get to go to these Comic-Cons and be lauded by people. It’s fun to have so many people be excited about what you do. But, you know, it doesn’t really change. Everything – all kind of celebrity is outside in. You never feel any different. You just get stopped more on the street.