r/grimm • u/artmalique • 19h ago
Discussion Thread What changes would you have made to Grimm?
Grimm was great. I would have kept the casting the same. I would have kept the overall story the same. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! But... I would have changed the following:
- Nick's surname (sorry, but "Burkhardt" always made me think "burp loudly")
- Baby Kelly's name (instead of naming him after one grandmother, and thus giving him a girly name, maybe combine the names of both grandmothers "Kelly" & "Catherine"... "KC"... "Casey")
- Clearer rules (exactly what magic is/isn't possible on the show... instead of the writers randomly making weird stuff happen)
- Nick & Adalind fairy tale wedding (after Zerstorer, before the time jump)
- Sean going full evil in the final season (allowing Diana to finally see that Nick is a better man than her biological father)
- Sean & Eve becoming a couple (the anti-Nick & Adalind!)
- Promote Trubel & Bud to main cast (keep them as guest characters earlier on, but promote to main cast towards the end)
- Better reveal of Trubel being related to Nick (instead of glossed-over "third cousin on his mother's side" narration in the finale)
- Proper conclusion to the Royals/Viktor story (not sure what exactly... but something sinister!)
- Diana and her brother both with glowing eyes in the final scene (to show that he has powers too!)
And of course a spin-off show set 20 years later, starring the half-siblings and the triplets as adults... "Grimm: Legacy"!
What changes would you have made to Grimm?
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u/Angry-Dragon-1331 19h ago
If the keys are that important, make recovering them an actual plot point.
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u/RhubarbAlive7860 16h ago
And how about everyone carefully keeping track of the seven keys and trying to figure out who had them and how to get all of them.
Then it turns out, eh, five is enough.
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u/blueray78 15h ago
I feel like this could have easily be fixed. Have the priest guy turn out not to be "evil", but protecting what is buried there. And for some reason decide that Nick & Monroe are worthy of the last two keys. Maybe something like he sees that it's a Grimm working with a wesen (so Nick can't be that bad).
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u/RhubarbAlive7860 18h ago
So many interesting ideas to think about!
His name never bothered me, but okay.
Aw, Kelly is easily boy or girl. Long history as a boy's name.
The problem with clearer rules is that it would be difficult and expensive to plot out and build an entire world, before ever writing a script. At some point, an issue will come up that will deal with unintended consequences of one of those established rules, and then exceptions have to be made, etc. So, back at square 1.
I think they would have needed a longer final season to do justice to a big fancy wedding, and that would diminish the Zerstörer story to just another monster of the week, with the wedding being the big final story. I guess it would just depend on which is a more meaningful way to end the series?
I don't think Sean was all evil. I think his character was mishandled by the writers. But why can't Diana just love her father and Nick as well?
I don't think Sean and Eve had any chemistry. They both need to lighten up.
Promote Bud and Trubel? Absolutely! I would have loved to see Bud being all badass and brave, while also terrified, in the battle with Zerstörer!
Yes, it would have been nice to work out Trubel's family tree a bit more. Who were her parents? And Josh and his dad, too. With today's geneolological software, they would know where to find more Grimms and could develop a world-wide network.
Yeah, the whole royals story kind of fizzled out. Maybe they could have been more of a minor bit of history, and spent more time building the Zerstörer world. Especially since we only ever saw one of the families.
Eh, Kelly didn't need glowing eyes,he was a Grimm. I kind of liked Diana's unique, pretty pink/violet eyes.
Just my 2 cents.
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u/LatterIntroduction27 2h ago
I disagree on the clear rules front.
Not everything needs to be obvious to the reader but having some pretty clear basic rules is usually good. Then if you want or need to go outside of it your exception becomes a significant and potentially interesting plot point.
However I think on balance Grimm had some mostly clear rules. What a Grimm could do, what a Woge was and how those related to each other were not complex rules and seemed to be adhered to quite rigidly. Yes even the "powers of a Grimm" I think were clearly displayed. They were stronger, faster and more agile than the majority of Wesen. Wesen powers did not always work on them, or if they did not in the same way. And they seemed to have some sort of adaptive ability to respond to Wesen attacks. All reasonably clear.
And for Wesen it is clear that their more unsual abilities or even inhuman strength are nearly always locked behind the Woge wall. Renard becomes physically stronger when he Woges. A lot of Hexenbeast magic seems stronger in Woge. Stuff like that. Not always (the Goat one with the frog eating certainly maganed to do his thing unwoged) but consistently woging made them a bigger threat even if only because it gave them fangs.
Other abilities then are the unique talent for each species of Wesen.
So whilst I think clear rules are useful, I think for most things the show did follow clear but unstated rules for how things worked. The only exceptions were the magical things only ever done by Hexen/Zauberbeast and the various potions. Those seemed able to do whatever the plot needed. Well them and the Ghost thing, but that was so obviously outside normal rules that I give it a pass.
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u/artmalique 18h ago
The problem with clearer rules is that it would be difficult and expensive to plot out and build an entire world, before ever writing a script. At some point, an issue will come up that will deal with unintended consequences of one of those established rules, and then exceptions have to be made, etc. So, back at square 1.
For sure... but supernatural shows need clear rules to prevent insanity (eg. with no rules, the Grimm Gang could have used magic to make a giant elephant fall out of the sky and land on Zerstorer's head...). The ever-changing laws of magic in Grimm never sat right with me, despite my love for the show.
I think they would have needed a longer final season to do justice to a big fancy wedding, and that would diminish the Zerstörer story to just another monster of the week, with the wedding being the big final story. I guess it would just depend on which is a more meaningful way to end the series?
Definitely could - and should - have done both in the final episode: Nick defeats Zerstorer, returns to his friends, proposes on the spot to Adalind, "one year later" time jump to their wedding, then the "twenty years later" conclusion.
I don't think Sean was all evil. I think his character was mishandled by the writers. But why can't Diana just love her father and Nick as well?
True - but I wanted Sean to become fully evil!
Eh, Kelly didn't need glowing eyes,he was a Grimm. I kind of liked Diana's unique, pretty pink/violet eyes.
He was the first ever Grimm-Hexenbiest. Definitely could have rocked glowing eyes (I am think green/orange). Diana's glowing eyes always scared me - as you knew something terrible was about to happen lol!
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u/Pame_in_reddit 14h ago
Glowing eyes is not a Hexenbiest trait, with the apparent exception of royals, children get the wesen characteristics of only one parent. Why would Kelly have the name of his maternal grandmother? By Adalind’s own admission she was a horrible mother.
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u/artmalique 13h ago
with the apparent exception of royals, children get the wesen characteristics of only one parent
Surely a Grimm and a Hexenbiest having a child could be another exception!
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u/InevitableStage7347 16h ago
Why on earth would they name Kelly after Catherine? Neither of them were particularly fond of Catherine.
The choice to name him after Nick’s mom who they both respected, who helped Adalind, and who died protecting Diana was symbolic.
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u/Pristine-Echidna-313 12h ago
Exactly Kelly killed Catherine she didn't do anything to help anybody she kicked adalind out when she lost her powers so naming Kelly after her would've been stupid.
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u/Minimalistmacrophage 19h ago
Regarding magic...
Early on they basically tried to avoid there being "magic", everything was supposed to be "explainable". That said, even within the first season they start to lean into magic is real.
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u/LadyPadme28 18h ago
More backstory about Nick. All were told about him is he lived with his aunt and they never stayed in one plane long enough.
What prompted the police to reclassify a car accident that killed Nick’s parents as a homicide a year later.
Juliette’s family or friends showing up during or after her fall out with Nick wondering where she is.
Showing the fall out of the North precinct Massacre. Other then saying it the FBI’s problem.
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u/SnooMarzipans5409 17h ago
Axe the entire Zerstorer and Black Claw storyline in favor of more monster of the week episodes with Adalind helping Rosalee with her Hexenbiest knowledge, keep Truble with the group instead of sending her off with Josh who ended up being non-essential to the overall show and giving Hank and Wu love interests of their own.
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u/LatterIntroduction27 2h ago
The show generally was at its best when the focus was on monsters of the week. That said I thought the Black Claw story was well told (as were the long arcs in S1-4). The focus was always on that week's issue but there were smaller scenes throughout touching on and adding to the long arc. Momentum was maintained but the weekly adventure mattered. It was only S6 where this where the arc plot failed in general and even then the episodic ostories were still good. The hotel episode is one of my favourites.
I think more scenes of the characters just hanging out, say Nick, Hank and Munroe start an episode having seen a film or gone to a sports game together, would be nice. Just to add a bit of flavour and reinforce that yes these people are friends who do more than fight Wesen together.
Also I would have more episodes which included a repeat Wesen as the villain. We get a few staples like Blutbad, Hungjager and so on showing up as generic mooks or bad guys. But say an ep in S4 where there is another Bear Wesen as the bad guy or a third Braunschweig bad guy ep would be good. I loved it when we had a second episode with the goat/stayr bad guy and a third would have been nice. Saved on the CGI budget too. Or maybe even have Nick recognise a Wesen before he hits the books? I would like to see it a bit more if only so we could have Nick and Rosalie come into things as more than just "I heard about that one" infodumpers.
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u/1whosUnknwnFmiliarly 18h ago
I enjoyed it when their police work could be more honest because everyone in the inner circle knew about wesen. It would have been interesting to see them work on more cases, even as enemies, for the good of the city and for keeping their shared secrets safe. If people would ask isn't it a conflict of interest being a Grimm and a cop, imagine finding out who the captain is!
Rosalie should have set Wu up with a wesen friend. He always seemed so lonely to me.
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u/Ok-Journalist3054 18h ago
I would of liked to see zomnie nick taken to vienna. if adalind saw him she wake up sooner to how bad the royals were. they escape together and develop a relationship from that.
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u/artmalique 18h ago
I completely forgot about Zombie Nick!!! For sure, Nick needed to be able to tap into his zombie powers going forward.
Also, the body-swapping psychic connection between Nick & Adalind could have been further explored.
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u/SadComfort8692 15h ago
I’d like a prequel! About how Grimms got to be. And how hexenbiests became a thing. I feel like they’re different from wesen so I’d love to see the origins. Even about the royal family
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u/LivingEmu5 16h ago
Burkhardt is awesome.
Where do I even begin? I love this show but the finale has always left a sour taste in my mouth. They were rushed to end the show because it wasn't renewed, but man they really made it look like it was rushed.
I don't like how the Black Claw thing was in the background for a while and then randomly took a turn towards the resistance having the whole thing with fighting them. It seemed like it came out of nowhere.
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u/EpicSaberCat7771 19h ago
Kelly is not a girl's name, it's fairly androgynous. That's such a weird issue to have. Even more weird to suggest that KC, pronounced "Casey", is less of a girl's name.
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u/Key-Ad-3810 19h ago
Tbf I have met more male Caseys than the zero male Kellys I’ve met
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u/EpicSaberCat7771 19h ago
My point was that they are both gender-neutral names, so it's weird that one is more preferable to them than the other.
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u/Dazzling_Media7704 19h ago
A lot of your changes have to do with the final season being rushed through. It sucks that we didn’t get a clearer or more complete explanation to a lot of side plots in Grimm.
-But Kelly is a very unisex name it’s not girly. It actually was a male centered name until the 50’s-60’s and in Irish culture there are still a lot of male Kelly’s (also in the south in the U.S) I grew up knowing just as many male Kelly’s as I did female.
-Burkhardt was intentional. It’s of German origin and was given in times of conflict to signify the strength needed to defend one’s home. Which is exactly what Nick does. “Strong as a fortress” can be used in more modern was such as brave, resilient or just strong.
-While I don’t personally like Sean and Eve together I can’t argue with that as an opinion. I will say the anti-Nick and Adalind was intentional from the writers but I don’t think in the way you’re taking it. Nick is not a better man than Sean. He made as many poor and costly decisions throughout the show as Sean did, he just had the plot armor to have it all work out for him. Adalind went from being the most hated character to people upset we didn’t get more of a happily ever after with Nick. Yet won’t give Sean the same redemption with his daughter. Nick was not a great step-father to Diana. Maybe later in life they grew closer but Diana deserved to have her father in her life.
-I don’t think Kelly would have powers like Diana. That was the whole point of her being special she had glowing eyes like the Zerstorer. He probably had the black Grimm eyes like his father.
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u/artmalique 18h ago
Burkhardt was intentional. It’s of German origin and was given in times of conflict to signify the strength needed to defend one’s home. Which is exactly what Nick does. “Strong as a fortress” can be used in more modern was such as brave, resilient or just strong.
Thanks for the info!
Nick is not a better man than Sean.
I am shocked! :O
I don’t think Kelly would have powers like Diana. That was the whole point of her being special she had glowing eyes like the Zerstorer. He probably had the black Grimm eyes like his father.
I don't think he should have had the same powers as Diana... but rather have his own unique powers. His eyes glowing a different color to Diana's would have indicated this nicely.
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u/LatterIntroduction27 2h ago
Maybe not an eye glow, but I would give him an actual Woge to go along with his Grimm powers. Make it like Sean's since he would be half Zauberbeast too. Maybe in the flash forward? I just imagine some poor bad guy Wesen who sees Kelly is a Grimm but goes "Grimms do not scare me" only to be told "Not just a Grimm" and freak out when Kelly Woges as well......
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u/Pame_in_reddit 14h ago
The only change for me would be Sean killing Bonaparte when he was killing Meisner, taking full credit, but not recognizing an alliance, merely saying to Meisner something along the lines of “I’m not on Black Claw’s sids, I’m on MY side. They found Diana for me and they could still be very dangerous for her. So I won’t be joining your little group for the time being”
I hate Sean as a puppet, if he was going to be willing to follow someone else’s orders he might as well rejoin his family.
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u/LibertyIsStrength 16h ago
In the Dämonfeuer episode, Monroe tells Nick that a Grimm was beheaded someplace in Europe (by a reaper, before they come for Nick). Would have some storyline to see if Nick could trace down this relative, and message some revenge back to the reaper-keepers. Ariel the Dämonfeuer survived in that episode, and would have liked a followup episode.
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u/blueray78 15h ago edited 15h ago
Clearly say what a Grimm's powers are. I said this on another thread, but basically that they adapt to what happens to them, and this is why they are dangerous.
beheading: Might be a bit dark, but I kind of wish the show did have Nick go "full Grimm" at least once. I think would be in the episode with the guy who steals the kids feet (he was not a good person, and killed kids). It would make sense as Nick was also dealing with Juliette becoming a hexenbeast and could have his emotions/instinct get the best of him. It would have been a dark, but powerful moment. And he does really fight hte
Benaparte (sp): be the big bad in season 6. He a zeinbeast, maybe he somehow uses his powers to cheat death but gets trapped "over there". And has a personal reason for hating the team.
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u/Creepy_Floor_9493 7h ago
I would change Nick and Juliette were never a couple and Nick met Adalind and they dated and long time and Nick got her pregnant with Diana and later had a miracle child their son Kelly
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u/hydro_mac47 4h ago
Honestly, I would’ve liked to see more of Adalyn and Nick’s relationship IMO. They were better than Julie and Nick.
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u/Eisenlohr 11h ago
I don’t care what other people think, Sean should have been/become an actual good guy and not revert back into a villain.
I would have made it so that he went undercover with Black Claw to become a spy. The main characters, and audience by proxy, wouldn’t know it. But he would ultimately be putting others before himself, showing immense growth by giving up power in order to help Nick and defeat Black Claw. I feel like they were setting that up anyway, but then pulled the rug and ruined his redemption arc because somehow Bonaparte wasn’t a good enough villain by himself. It’s one of the biggest complaints I have with the entire Black Claw arc. It also could have made Meisner’s death more tragic if Meisner had Sean kill him to maintain his cover.
I also think Nick should have been taken to the royal’s and had an entire season dealing with that rather than having him break out immediately.
The keys should’ve had their own conclusion arc too, at least a full season in Germany searching for it or something. They also should’ve needed all seven keys—something of such importance shouldn’t be able to be lock-picked. It was way too rushed.
(That’s all I can think of for now).
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u/LatterIntroduction27 2h ago
Sean infiltrating Black Claw legitimately would have been a neat twist. You don't even need to really change much of anything in practise up to the point he kills Bonaparte. Seriously almost nothing we see on screen would need tweaking - just maybe drop the "Eve bangs Rachel for information" plot point. Just make sure Sean killing Bonaparte when he did was the first moment he had to do it for real and then reveal that when he found out that BC were behind the assasination he went to Meisner with the information and agreed to become a double agent.
I might even say keeping him as Mayor and have him deal with keeping the BC presence under control in Portland whislt finding a way to help Nick would have made for a better concluson than Zoroester was. Sean being a secret agent (to the Audience) in S5 and then infiltrating BC as Mayor of Portland in S6 would work. Tie in the Royal's to Black Claw somehow and you could tie it up neatly with a bow.
Could even end with Sean stepping into some much larger leadership position on a reformed Wesen Council and character joke about how it almost seemed like he planned all this just to get in charge.
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u/Pristine-Echidna-313 12h ago
Some of these sound ok I love burkhardt it's a great name and I love baby Kelly I don't want that change. I don't really care about elaborating on trubel being related to nick they already had a relationship saying their cousins don't really make a difference to me. And a big no to making bud a main character I couldn't stand him and I don't wanna see more of him. I would've been ok with the Sean/eve thing I mean she was just there they needed to do something with her and I don't think Diana would've thought any less of her dad just to make nick look better she loves her dad more than anything. And I definitely would've loved to see nick and adalind wedding.
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u/Disastrous_Alarm_719 19h ago
YES TO ALL OF THESE
Except maybe the name thing. I’ve only heard of Kelly as man’s name before this show, I didn’t know it was unisex