Beeware (Grimm)

"Beeware" is the 3rd episode of the supernatural drama television series Grimm of season 1, which premiered on November 11, 2011, on NBC. The episode was written by producer Cameron Litvack and consulting producer Thania St. John, and was directed by Darnell Martin.

Plot

Opening quote: "She'll sting you one day. Oh, ever so gently, so you hardly even feel it. 'Til you fall dead."

In a streetcar, a man turns on a boombox with the song YMCA, which prompts the people in the train to dance inside. When everyone leaves the streetcar, the driver discovers a woman, Serena Dunbrook, dead in the streetcar. Nick (David Giuntoli) and Hank (Russell Hornsby) respond to the scene where they find the corpse. It looks as if she was allergic to something, which turns out to be anaphylactic shock from a bee poison. They deduce the attacker seized the chance to kill her.

In the station, they interview 22 people who boarded the streetcar, all of whom say they were told to be on that streetcar at a certain time. During the interrogation, Nick discovers two of the people, Doug Shellow and John Coleman, are Mellifer species. Nick and Hank follow them to a factory where they meet with a woman (Nana Visitor). Nick and Hank are then attacked by a swarm of bees. Hank is wounded and is treated by Juliette (Bitsie Tulloch). Nick heads with Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell) back to the warehouse where they discover an envelope addressed to the woman he saw: Melissa Wincroft. They go to her mansion and which they discover is empty and filled with dead bees and hives.

Captain Renard (Sasha Roiz) calls Nick and Hank to a crime scene where Camilla Gotleib, Serena's co-worker at a law firm, was killed. Contacting a third attorney, Nick finds out the attorney is Adalind Shade (Claire Coffee), the woman who attacked him in the hospital but he remains silent. The forensics show Nick that both victims' tongues had a mark below, indicating the victim was a Hexenbiest. After Nick interrogates Shellow again, Shellow sends a message to alert Melissa to target Adalind.

Nick and Hank take Adalind to a hotel. Once alone, Nick confronts her about her Hexenbiest form. A swarm of bees invades the hotel, looking for Adalind and she flees to the basement. Nick discovers Melissa is also in the basement where she tells him that he needs to kill Adalind as "something bad is coming". Adalind attacks Melissa and both pressure Nick to kill the other. Hank arrives, sees Adalind in distress and in a moment of defense, Nick shoots Melissa. She warns Nick that "he" is coming for him before dying. The episode ends as a bee stings Nick in his house.

Production

The episode was dedicated to Clay Green Cambern, an assistant editor who died from a heart attack on November 8, 3 days before the episode aired.^[1]

Reception

Viewers

The episode was viewed by 5.18 million people, earning a 1.6/5 in the 18-49 rating demographics on the Nielson ratings scale, marking an 14% decrease in viewership and ranking second in its timeslot and third for the night in the 18-49 demographics, behind Blue Bloods and CSI: NY.^[2] This means that 1.6 percent of all households with televisions watched the episode, while 5 percent of all households watching television at that time watched it.

Critical reviews

"Beeware" received mixed-to-positive reviews. Amy Ratcliffe of IGN gave the episode a "okay" 6.5 out of 10 and wrote "It's a series that lends itself to formula, and they seem to get and embrace it. It's not a bad thing, but it's not remarkable either. I'd like to see even more of the supernatural aspect because that's what differentiates Grimm from every other procedural on television. Small hints of mythology and clues about a bigger plot point were dropped in, but I still need more. I'm entertained, but I want to be enthralled."^[3]

The A.V. Club's Kevin McFarland gave the episode a "B" grade and wrote, "The opening quote on the title card comes from the 1955 Joan Crawford film Queen Bee, a veiled reference to the more obscure Brother's Grimm tale of the same name. The very idea of bee people seemed rather ludicrous within the scope of the fairy tale setting, but 'Beeware' overcome a terrible pun in its title to not only come up with the best and tightest episode of the show yet, but expand the larger mythology in such a way that set up some bigger arcs for the rest of the season."^[4]

Nick McHatton from TV Fanatic, gave a 3.8 star rating out of 5, stating: "All lame jokes and flash mobs aside, this episode did provide some much-needed conspiracy that was absent last week, shedding some light on Adalind and Captain Renard. Although, I wish a little more was laid out than what we saw here. Overall, 'Beeware' was another enjoyable episode, and who doesn't enjoy a good flash mob? I just wish some things were progressing along a little faster and smoother."^[5]

References