"Danse Macabre" is based on "The Pied Piper of Hamelin." The original story
revolves around a man who provides a service to society, and when he isn't paid
for his services, he murders the children of the townspeople. We decided to
parallel the story with your basic outsider and how his own child may take on the
role of the pied piper as a bullied teenager. He decides to get revenge against the
people who cast him and his father out of society, focusing on the children that
bully him at school, also a contemporary issue. Nick Thurston, who played Roddy,
the bullied teenager, did a great job tackling the emotional role.

We were originally interested in what attracts people to each other and the taboos surrounding seduction. This led us to the Grimm tale "Bluebeard," and the morality of that story became our main basis. We came to learn "Bluebeard" was originally based off of the Greek god Pan. So we thought it appropriate for our Grimm creature, a Ziegevolk, to be goat-like, and Patrick Fischler does a great job filling the role. His cult edge really added to the episode's overall vibe.

We were looking for a more realistic take on the "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" story. For example, what would actually happen if there were a breaking and entering in a home occupied by a family of bears? They certainly wouldn't let the perpetrator simply run away. The episode is a fun look at what can happen when a family's cultural beliefs muddle their understanding of right and wrong, while also taking the time to show the toll of Aunt Marie's sudden appearance and hospitalization on Nick's personal life, which includes using a "big bad wolf" to keep her protected.