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Offbeat crime procedural 'Grimm' may have happy future By John Crook © Zap2it "Sweet Dreams" by Euryth- mics underscores the show's opening moments, but it's the stuff of childhood night- mares that lies at the heart of "Grimm," the imaginative and decidedly offbeat police pro- cedural premiering Friday, Oct. 21, on NBC. Those first scenes show the shocking attack on and (off-camera) murder of a young jogger wearing a red hooded sweatshirt in the Ore- gon woods, a case that draws the attention of Portland homi- cide detective Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli), whose world is about to turn upside down. His first signal that something is awry comes when he starts seeing apparent hallucinations in which the faces of some of the people around him abruptly morph into hideous, beastly parodies of humanity, a startling phenomenon that coincides with the unexpected arrival of his beloved Aunt Marie (guest star Kate Bur- ton), who bears a heap of bad news. For starters, she's dying, which means it's time to reveal to Nick their family legacy. Like Marie, Nick is one of the last in a long line of monster hunters descended from the Brothers Grimm, who weren't mere yarn-spinners - they were the David Giuntoli stars in "Grimm," premiering Friday on NBC. 19th-century equivalent of criminal profilers, documenting various dangerous creatures that stalked mankind. With Marie's death fast approach- ing, it now falls to Nick to battle those beasties, who are vividly aware of "Grimms" like Nick. It's only after his case leads Nick to Monroe (the excellent Silas Weir Mitchell of "Prison Break"), a reformed Grimm creature himself, that the de- tective is able to start making sense of his new destiny. "In the first several epi- sodes, Nick is in denial," Giun- toli says of his character. "He really does not want this to be happening to him. He doesn't want his new destiny. But eventually he comes to terms with it throughout the season and really wants to make good by his aunt. Stutzman MOTOR SALES , INC. 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US 33 West, Goshen • 533-1166 "He's learning about his family, about his heritage, and getting more and more comfortable in his new iden- tity. He's able to solve these crimes now. It's a lot easier now, but he's going to suffer and pay a price in his personal life. He has had this whole new identity shift that is pulling him toward this Grimm world and away from what his life used to be." For various reasons, Nick is reluctant to share the new truth of his life with either his girlfriend, Juliette (Bitsie Tulloch), or his police partner, Hank (Russell Hornsby), which forces him, almost by default, to form a tenuous alli- ance with Monroe, who is no more thrilled by the prospect than Nick is. "The trust has to be earned on both sides," Mitchell ex- plains. "A mutual respect of a kind begins to percolate, because we're equivalencies to each other: When I was growing up, Nick was the big scary thing my parents told me stories about, and when he was growing up, I was the big scary thing, and each of us through our own paths have come to this place of reckon- ing in our own lives. Nick in particular is learning new stuff all the time about his situation, whereas I have lived in my situation and had an aware- ness of it, for a long time, so I am more at ease with the creature/Grimm dynamic. Certainly I've never seen (a Grimm) before and never even knew that they were really real, so despite the necessary suspicion, there is a kind of recognition there." It's that fertile, often funny relationship between this distinctly odd couple that is probably the most promis- ing aspect of "Grimm," which was developed by executive producers David Greenwalt ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") and Jim Kouf ("Angel") from an initial idea by Sean Hayes ("Will & Grace") and his pro- ducing partner, Todd Millner, who likewise are executive producers on the NBC series. Maybe it's partly the "Buffy/ Angel" DNA at work here, but the "Grimm" pilot strikes an uncommonly self-assured blend of the light and the dark, juxtaposing genuinely creepy moments with the banter between Nick and Monroe (and kudos, by the way, to whoever was responsible for the inspired casting of the very recognizable guest star who plays the killer in the opener). "There is very much a sense of gallows humor, which is a big part of this world," Mitchell says. "If you were a creature who had spent his life feeling creature things, dark things, then you would find an ease with it in a way that a layperson might be a little shocked by. You've also got the twisted geniuses of Jim Kouf and David Greenwalt be- hind a lot of this stuff, and they have a great sense of humor that doesn't shy away from the dark, which is wonderful. It's a richer kind of humor, I think, and I like it. The grisly element is part of its charm in a weird way." Each episode takes a fairy tale and twists it or stands it on its head, but while the first episode very obviously is "Lit- tle Red Riding Hood," viewers Information on your doorstep Whether you're a teenager, a baby boomer or a senior, newspapers are a great source of information. At The Goshen News , you can find the latest local and business news , sports highlights, travel features, financial tips and more. Subscribe today! 533-2151 ext. 393 8 The Goshen News • Viewer's Choice • Saturday, October 22 - Friday, October 28, 2011 S PECTRU M EYEWEAR GALLERY Can also be seen in Syracuse. To make an appointment call • GLASSES • CONTACTS • EYE EXAMS • SUNGLASSES David Britzke, O.D. is no longer at the Vision Center in Goshen. Please call 574-970-7444 to schedule your appointment. 56028 Parkway Ave., Suite E Elkhart • 574-970-7444 574-457-4476 Allergies? Asthma? We Can Help! Snoring? Daytime Fatigue? Morning Headaches? Excessive Sleepiness? Yatin J. Patel, M.D. Diplomate, American Board of Pulmonary Medicine You may have sleep apnea. Sneeze & Snooze C L I N I C 2417 South Berkshire, Goshen 574-534-9911 www.md4lungs.com Watch informational videos on our website. Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. may have to dig a little deeper as the series unfolds and the tales become more embedded in the personal lives of the show's main characters. "You might see something called 'Thinderella,' " Greenwalt reveals. "You might be seeing 'Little Goldilocks and the Three Bears' and 'The Three Little Wolves,' a take on 'The Three Little Pigs.' All kinds of great stuff is coming down the pike. It won't be only Grimm stories. It will be fairy tales from all over the world." BILL'S COLLISION SERVICE C OLLISION • BRAKES • EXHAUS T A LIGNMENTS • OIL CHANGE 13024 US 20, Middlebury • 574-825-2965 Weblinks The NBC comedy-drama "Chuck" returns for a fifth season of spy hijinks on Friday. Get caught up with the unlikely agent and his espionage team by clicking on www.nbc.com/chuck/ Starting Sunday on Style Network, "Wicked Fit" features trainer Katie Boyd and her Boston gym. Keep an eye out at www.my- style.com/mystyle/shows/wickedfit/index.jsp On Thursday, MTV premieres "Good Vibes," an animated show about an awkward New Jersey teen who moves to California. Click on www.mtv.com/shows/good_vibes/series.jhtml Deborah Ponce, RN, MSN, NP-C Nurse Practitioner Our friendly staff is ready to help you!

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