Grimm: Season One

Part of the new breed of urban fantasy series', Grimm mixes dark fairy tale, modern crime, and supernatural conspiracy, set in woodsy Portland, OR. David Giuntoli stars as Nick Burkhardt, a homicide detective who discovers that he hails from a long line of Grimms—monster hunters who can see creatures beneath their human masks and access the lore (passed down from the original Brothers Grimm) to take them on. Despite the familiar conventions (Nick can't tell his friends, co-workers, or girlfriend what's really going on), the show is actually a lot of fun and receives a big boost from Nick's partnership with a reformed Blutbad (Grimm-speak for big bad wolf), a peace-loving wolfman named Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell), who is just trying to coexist with the help of meditation, a healthy diet, and a positive attitude. Think of it as Buffy by way of CSI, with a monster-of-the-week format that reveals a culture of Wesen (supernatural beings) living among the regular folk, some peacefully and some not. Thanks to solid characters, an otherworldly culture, and handsome location shooting, Grimm has earned a strong following. Compiling all 22 episodes from the 2011–12 debut season, extras include behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted and extended scenes, audition tapes, and more, with an interactive guide exclusive to the Blu-ray version. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)