Grimm: Season Four

'Grimm' is currently in its fifth season on NBC and is one of those shows that has only gotten better with age. Of course, this is your standard "monster-of-the-week" show with the same recurring characters, but what sets this aside from others, is its production value and rather interesting and enthralling, dark story arcs that last the entire season. If you're unfamiliar with 'Grimm', this series is based on 'Grimm's Fairytale' in a vague fashion, where we follow police detectives Nick and Hank as they solve crimes in the Portland area.

They soon realize that there are not just humans, dogs, and cats on Earth, but some dastardly monsters (inspired by Grimm's Fairytales) that show up to wreak havoc. Not all of the monsters are bad. In fact, some of the are good and help out. Nick finds out he is of the Grimm family line and has special powers and that it is his duty to keep the balance between the monster world and human world from imploding on itself. So over the seasons, Nick and Hank have conjured up a team and have formed alliances and romances with monsters and humans alike to keep the evil monsters at bay.

It's a fun story and well made for a prime-time television show. This fourth season picks up in the wake of Monroe and Rosalee's wedding from season three, and things are not all honeymoons and happiness. Nick has lost all of his "Grimm" powers and must find away to exist and do the right thing. It's something he struggles with through the whole season. Then there is Captain Renard who is on the verge of breathing his last breath due to his injury. Then of course there is Juliette (Nick's girlfriend), who takes a center stage this season.

There is more to her than we think this season. In addition to these character arcs, there is a plague of Wesens that have taken over Portland. Wesens are creatures of myth that are not exactly trying to do good in society, so Nick and his team must cope with this monster invasion, as well as with their own issues. Each character is coming into their own, and the writers have allowed some of the other characters to shine this season, which was nice, because things were getting a little stale and redundant.

The suspense is still there and the season finale leaves on a cliff hanger, so that you can catch up with season five, which is airing on NBC right now. 'Grimm' Season 4 continues with its fast paced and energetic storylines, along with some great visual effects, and solid performances. This could easily be one of the best seasons of the show thus far.

The Blu-ray: Vital Disc Stats

'Grimm' Season 4 comes with five 50GB Blu-ray Discs that are Region A locked. Disc one contains the first four episodes, while discs 2-4 contains the following five episodes each. Disc five has the final three episodes along with all of the extras. There is an insert for 'Grimm' promo items as well as an insert for the digital download. The box art insert has a reverse side that lists all of the episodes and gives a brief synopsis on each episode. All of this is housed in a hard blue plastic case with a cardboard sleeve.

'Grimm' Season 4 comes with a very good 1080p HD transfer presented in 1.78:1 aspect ratio. NBC continues to deliver a high end video presentation with each season. Season 4 is no different either. The detail is always sharp and vivid through each episode, delivering rich closeups and wide shots. The closeups reveal all of the fun practical makeup effects, individual hairs, wrinkles, and excellent craftwork in the costumes. The wider shots also look equally sharp, with almost zero signs of softness, even in the darker scenes, which tends to be the tone in this show.

Colors look well-balanced and saturated as well with a few primary colors popping off screen. The show's color scheme is more on the neutral to earthy side, so don't expect a ton of bright and bold colors here. The black levels are deep and inky and the flesh tones are natural. There was some very minor banding, but it's nothing to write home about. There was a tiny bit of softness when the heavier CGI scenes took place, particularly in the lower lit moments, but again, it's not major complaint, which leaves this fourth season's video presentation with great marks.

This release comes with a lossless DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix and sounds great. Like previous seasons, this is a fully immersive prime-time television show soundtrack. The sound effects and ambient noises are full and lively throughout. When the action picks up, you can expect some great directionality and some well-balanced immersion in the rear speakers. The bass rumble nicely, never reaching over to rocky territory.

The score of the show always adds to the suspense in each episode and never drowns out any other noise. The dialogue is always crystal clear and easy to follow, and free of any pops, cracks, hiss, or high shrills. This is one of those shows that has a very strong audio presence and NBC Universal knows how to deliver their powerful sound here. The LFE is excellent and the dynamic range is very wide, leaving this audio presentation with great marks.

Deleted Scenes (HD, 3 Mins.) - There are only two deleted scenes, none of which add any real spark to the story.

Gag Reel (HD, 5 Mins.) - The standard flubbed lines, missed cues, on set accidents, and laughs.

A Morphed Reality: Behind the Scenes of 'Grimm' (HD, 11 Mins.) - This is your better than average promo reel with cast and crew interviews, on set footage, and monster makeup.

Set Tour with Jacqueline Toboni (HD, 2 Mins.) - The chick who plays Theresa Rubel or Trubel in the show, gives us a short set tour on the soundstage. 

Highlight Reels (HD, 11 Mins.) - There are four sections here with Bud narrating on each section that includes a season synopsis, the fights, the romance, and more.

'Grimm' Season 4 is the strongest season yet. The story lines are cohesive and the underlying tone is very dark. It was a good decision to put the focus on other characters this season without losing site of the main characters. It sure was a lot of fun. The video and audio presentations are both great and the extras are solid if you're a fan of the show. This show doesn't compare to 'Breaking Bad', 'Walking Dead', or 'Game of Thrones', but for what it is, 'Grimm' is highly entertaining. Recommended!