Update - A Match Made in Heaven - Trend Event
OK, things are getting to be super legit, we now how an informational flier (many thanks to @thekruekkomplex)
Please download flier below and post it around Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook and TV Tag (formerly Get Glue) to get the word out.
This very well maybe the thing that saves our show.
Teen Wolf - 3.16 - Illuminated - Review: Ain't no party like a Teen Wolf Party
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Long story short (aka a summary)
Beacon Hills is under curfew from the power outage; the teens throw a black light Halloween party; Scott tries to earn Kira’s trust.
Hey, Teen Wolf lovers! Can you believe we’ve already watched four episodes of season 3B? Are you bummed just like I am that we only have eight more to go? Well, let’s not dwell on that because there is a lot of great stuff to talk about and some awkward moments to evaluate. Let’s get started shall we?
So, in case you didn’t notice, the main theme was changed in this episode (and I’m pretty sure only for this episode) in honor of The Bloody Beetroots who was serving as the party’s DJ. The Bloody Beetroots came out with an amazing remix of Teen Wolf’s theme song (the one featured in the opening credits) back in early July of 2013. I don’t really do spoilers for Teen Wolf so when I saw who the DJ was, the credit changes made some sense. I thought it was a cool thing to do. I think I might be in the minority though.
Anyway, this week’s episode was written by the lovely and talented Alyssa Clark. Fun Fact: She served as the show’s editor during season 1. This episode was directed by Russell Mulcahy, by far the most prolific director in the show’s stable who also happens to be an executive producer and pretty much Jeff Davis’s right hand man. I must say that I totally noticed his subtle shout outs to some his 80’s music videos that he is known for. I mean what screams 80’s more than neon colors, body paint, strobe lights and a rave? It also showcased his love of using light and shadow. The man practically has a fetish for reflective light. I wouldn’t be surprised he himself pitched the idea for the villains of the season to be shadow lurkers
Left with no other choice Chris triggers him so that he can change and force the healing process. Chris reveals that he thinks the Shadow Lurkers are after him and asks Allison and Isaac to keep it quiet for 24 hours. Chris runs to his office and grabs a box. In that box is a creepy broken mask that has a striking resemblance to the mask the Shadow Lurkers are rocking. Cue the modified opening credits.
We see Kira doing a little experimenting. She lights a candle and takes a selfie. The picture reveals her face is surrounded by glowing flames. Love the special effects for that; by far the best ones of the episode. I’m eager to know more about Kira. Arden Cho is slaying this role!
In an unexpected treat we get some coach Finstock screaming with a bullhorn. I call shenanigans though, I grew up in the California school system, if the power was out no way were we going to be in school. Most public school districts in California are truly fearful of lawsuits and just simply wouldn’t risk it. Not to mention since the weather is usually very mild, any situation for a free day off is always welcomed. But I digress…
After Stiles snarks at Coach Finstock he discovers a mysterious set of keys. Stiles channeling his inner custodian he pockets them and will it out later. Scott comes in and he’s on a mission. He wants to chat up Kira. Stiles doesn’t think that’s such a great idea. They are for all intent and purposes living on a hellmouth and chances are if the person isn’t in the core group of friends the person is going to turn out to be a horrible monster. Hell, even if they are in the core group of friends, chances are they are some type of creature. With reveal at the end I wonder if it’s Stiles’ subconscious telling him to keep Scott away from Kira…
In the locker rooms, Danny is bummed having to cancel his party because of the power outage. As Ethan watches Danny leave, Aiden starts making fun of Ethan for being so smitten with Danny. He also ridicules him for wanting to help throw a high school Halloween party.
Lydia’s mom gets some action in this episode. She’s the new biology teacher although, Lydia’s book says Physics… I wouldn’t want my mom teaching at my school, especially not at Beacon Hills High. Teachers have a funny way of ending up dead. Fingers crossed Mrs. Martin makes it out of the season alive. Lydia high on the act of doing a good deed tells Aiden that all she sees when she looks at him is one third of the trio that helped kill Boyd. She goes on to say that she doesn’t want to be with a bad guy. This inspires Aiden to want to help Danny with his party.
Scott finds Kira during lunchtime, where she eventually opens up about what happened the previous night. She shows him what happens when a picture is taken of her with flash and explains that this only started a few months ago. Scott, the only person to ever see those flames besides Barrows. Barrow took a picture of it with her own phone. The phone that is now in the hands of the police. Scott tells Kira that they really need to get that phone back.
Stiles with rescue in the form of cloned keys, staff details and some entry advice. Kira and Scott are able to sneak into the police station to get Kira’s phone from the evidence locker. Kira just wants to take the whole phone. Scott says they should just delete the photos. Of course the battery is dead and needs to be charged. They find a cord and plug it into the laptop. Aww, Agent McCall has a baby picture of Scott as the desktop background.
Agent McCall shows up just as Scott and Kira are waiting for the phone to turn on, forcing Stiles to run in after and try to stall him in classic Stiles fashion. But Agent McCall makes a crack about Papa Stilinski’s abilities as an officer and Stiles ain’t having none of that. He responds by telling McCall that he knows the “real reason” he doesn’t like his dad. Apparently, Papa Stilinski knows something and Stiles knows too. Of course, we’re cute short and thus not able to gain that privy…Stiles has done what he came to do and Kira and Scott have safely made their way out undetected.
Meanwhile, Derek gets out of his car he is ambushed by some children yelling “Trick or treat!” He tosses candy into their buckets and wolfs out and roars at them. This just might be the cutest Derek Hale moment of the series (and honestly that’s kind of sad). Derek hears something but before he can react he is surrounded by the five Shadow Lurkers.
Well, you knew the kids were going to find a way to throw a party. Aiden offered up Derek’s loft that comes equipped with a handy dandy generator. Where was that thing when that plan with Kali went sideways… still bitter, don’t mind me.
The entire gang manages to make it to the party. Just as the party is reaching max potential we see glimpses of the Shadow Lurkers on the peripheral. There’s a shortage of ice and Ethan volunteers to grab some, ALONE. As he’s getting the ice the light bulb begins to flicker. He holds and it comes back on. After about 10 tries the Shadow Lurkers grow tire of it and just make their presence known and take what they want.
Meanwhile, Scott and Kira are alone on the roof discussing what her aurora looks like. Cut to Allison and Isaac getting it done on the dance floor when Allison notices a mark behind Isaac’s ear, one that looks a lot like the number five. In the bathroom, they find Ethan. Isaac breaks Ethan’s arm to help trigger his healing powers.
Danny and Aiden also find Lydia passed out and freezing on the balcony and bring her inside. As Aiden tries to warm her back up, Lydia shakily tells him about the creatures who came out of the dark… and Aiden finds the number five marked behind her ear, in the same spot as Isaac’s. Quick flashes in the episode inform us that Ethan and Derek also have the marks, which follows the theory that anyone who is touched by the creatures becomes ‘marked’. For what? I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
An even more Sour Wolf makes a triumphant return to his castle, only to find it packed with hot, sweaty, writhing teen age bodies and he is NOT amused. The Bloodbeet Roots body guard tells Derek that the DJ doesn’t take request. Yeah, that doesn’t go over so well and Derek throttles the poor guy, flips the DJ table and roars for everyone to get out of his loft. The kids scramble for the door and out of the shadows the rag tag team that is the McCall pack begins to come forth, as well as a whole gang of Shadow Lurkers.
They have their eyes set on Aiden and Aiden wants to know why they’re all staring at him. An awesome fight sequence ensues and I like it. They are using a different type of fight choreography and it works. These Shadow Lurkers even have katana blades hidden away where the souls should be. They seemed pretty unstoppable. As a matter of fact the only thing that did stop them was yet another case of insta-dawn. I won’t dwell on it… Before the scene ends, Isaac channels his best David Caruso and tells Allison that it looks like her father’s 24 hours are up.
Man Down! Papa Argent stumbles through the door of his house and passes out on the floor as Allison tries to call him on his cell. This is so not what I wanted for the Chris Argent arc. I hope he survives or Allison is going to truly be a wreck forever and ever and we might be forced to deal with Gerrad as her guardian.
Grade: B-
Character of the Night
This is a tough one. I went with Stiles. Stiles got the biggest range of interactions this week, as well as an epiphany that lead to a stunning reveal that has me giddy with anticipation. I guess the side effects from reviving the Nemeton side plot didn’t fall apart and disappear after all.
Best Character Interactions
Kira and Scott were just too cute together. Arden and Tyler have some great onscreen chemistry. I’m over the moon that Scott’s potential love interest isn’t human and her parents actually like him (for now).
Favorite Moments
• Stiles tells Agent McCall that he knows why he hates his father.
• Derek yelling at everyone to get out of his loft.
• Scott scanning the crowd for Kira with his ‘wolf vision’ and seeing her ‘foxy’ aurora.
• Derek wolfing out on the little kids.
• Sheriff Stilinski laughing at Agent McCall as Stiles cracks wise
Favorite Lines
• Coach: CLASS STARTS IN FIVE MINUTES. JUST BECAUSE THERE’S NO POWER, DON’T EXPECT THERE TO BE NO SCHOOL.
• Ethan: You don’t get it, do you? Scott doesn’t care about power, he cares about people. You wanna be a wolf in his pack? Try being a human in high school.
• Mama Martin: Sweetheart, since this is my first class and I haven’t taught in five years, I just want to remind you of one thing. Try not to embarrass me.
Lydia: You should have thought about that before wearing those shoes.
• Scott: Did you steal these?
Stiles: No, I cloned them using an RFID emulator.
Scott: …Isn’t that worse than stealing?
Stiles: Smarter.
• Kira: That was awesome! I mean, terrifying, completely terrifying, but kind of awesome. God, I’ve never done anything like that before, have you?
Stiles: [trading looks with Scott] Um, yeah, once or twice.
• Isaac: Derek can never know about this.
• Allison: I’m frustrated.
Isaac: Sexually?
Favorite Scenes
• Kira and Scott talking on the roof.
• Lydia alone at the party making stray observations about her friends.
• The Shadow Lurkers fight scene
Awkward Moment Awards
• That awkward moment when Teen Wolf turned into Supernatural during the scene where Ethan goes to get the ice and the light won’t stop flickering. Did anyone else scream get the rock salt and a shotgun? Just me? OK then.
• That awkward moment when Teen Wolf reminded me of that overly hyped Arrow episode 1x17: The Huntress Returns that featured Steve Aoki.
• That awkward moment when the whole audience got annoyed by the Allison and Scott’s across-the-room- glare. Hasn’t it already been established that they are just friends and moving on with their lives for like the last three episodes. Plus, Allison has Isaac. Cue eye roll.
• That awkward moment when Teen Wolf begins channel Vampire Diaries and decides to start throwing parties/dances all the time. They never ever end well. Learn that lesson and learn it soon. Please and thank you!
Theory of the Week
• The Shadow Lurker took Lydia’s Banshee scream.
• Danny might not be so firmly placed on Team Human after all
Troll of the Week
• Stiles not answering whether he likes girls AND guys. Man did that scene light up my Twitter timeline!
Burning Questions
• Is Chris going to die this season?
• Was Chris once a Shadow Lurker?
• How is Kira going to react to Scott being a werewolf?
• What do the marks mean?
Shameless Plugs & Self Promotion
Dahne (the usual reviewer for Teen Wolf here on Spoiler TV) and myself are starting a Teen Wolf podcast. We’ll begin next week, with episode 3.17: Silverfinger.
Here’s the podcast’s social media info, we’re looking forward to connecting with fans and making it a fun and interactive experience.
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Thanks for reading. Don’t forget to sound off in the comments section below!
Save BATB - Exposure Campaign - The Wendy Williams Show
OK, so I'm super disappointed that we never got Beauty and the Beast on The Ellen Show. But I know a talk show that is hip and popping, geared to our exact demo and has a large devoted audience as well as a lovable and outspoken host: The Wendy Williams Show. Did you know the show is in over 52 countries around the world? Well it is, this would be huge for us!
So here's the plan:
Beginning Monday, February 17th,2014, we bombard the show's Facebook page with requests to have the entire cast on the show every single day until Friday, February 21, 2014. Don't forget to like the page.
If you are home and where you live broadcasts the show, live tweet along with the show as well. Don't forget to mention how much you would love to see the cast of BATB on her show in a few tweets every day.
If you feel like going all out, Wendy Williams love gum, tea and the colors pink and purple. She's also a hard core crafter. Send her something creative and unique and include the words 'Please help save Beauty and the Beast' on the package.
You can send your packages to:
Wendy Williams
The Wendy Williams Show
221 West 26th Street
New York, NY 10001
On Saturday, February 22, 2014 we're throwing a trend event.
Who: The hosts of the DVMPE's Beauty and the Beast Podcast.
What: How you doin'? - Trending Event
When: Saturday, February 22, 2014 3 pm - 7 pm EST
Where: Twitter
Why: To get Beauty and the Beast on The Wendy Williams Show
Direct tweets to: @WendyWilliams
Hashtags: #SaveBATB #BATBonWendyWilliams
Mentions: @MsKristinKreuk, @JayRyan, @NinaLisandrello, @AustinBasis and @Sendhil_Rama
We will need every single Beastie, so please spread this link like wildfire across every social media platform you can think of!
Roaring together and louder than ever, we WILL get a season 3!
Beauty and the Beast - 2.11 - Held Hostage - Review: Life is a grindstone
In case you missed it, we had another successful trend last week. But we fell of the Get Glue chart and didn’t make it onto Trendrr’s Top 10 list. I want to encourage all of you to post at least once daily on the official Beauty and the Beast page from here on out as well. The activity is now being officially monitored.
I love that we Beasties are mobilizing, learning how to supercharge our presence in social media, winning polls and roaring loud for a season 3. Keep up the great work!
I have a pretty cool idea to gets a sponsor and it can be found here! I hope to see a lot of familiar screen names participating in that project.
Friendly Reminders
Don’t forget to live tweet with the show (@cwbatb) every Monday night at 9 PM EST/8PM Central on The CW.
Trend events begin at 6 PM EST and end around 1 AM EST.
The official hashtag according to Nielsen and Trendrr is STILL #BATB.
Also remember to only use two hashtags in your tweets, otherwise it is filtered out as spam.
Now on to your regularly scheduled recap and review…
Synopsis: CAT, TORI AND TESS ARE TAKEN HOSTAGE — A group of criminals looking to steal a rare necklace in Tori’s (guest star Amber Skye Noyes) possession takes Cat (Kristin Kreuk), Tori and Tess (Nina Lisandrello) hostage at the precinct, leaving Vincent (Jay Ryan) as their only hope for help. Vincent is forced to make a decision since helping could reveal his true identity to the entire force.
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This week’s episode was written by Pamela Sue Anton. What a great first outing, you go Pammy Sue. In the director’s chair was Sudz Sutherland. Sudz is a newcomer and fit right in. If I hadn’t looked I would have thought one of regulars was directing. Sudz fits right in, welcome to the Fanmily!
VinCat – Don’t hate me shippers. Y’all know I love me some VinCat but I did feel they got together way too soon in season 1. They only that excited about VinCat being separated this season was them being able to fall in love all over again and at a slower pace. Now we even have the potential bonus of Cat and Vincent actually being able to go out on REAL dates; although, the rooftop is fine by me. I loved their interactions in the episode because it was one that came without fear of someone’s feelings being hurt or someone getting upset and walking away. They could just talk and truly express what was going on, respectively.
Grade: B+
Awards
Character of the Night
Vincent is my character of the night. This script really let Jay Ryan convey Vincent’s frame of mind; something that has not been externalized fully this whole entire season. I’m still miffed at his callous actions but I can actually see the road to redemption now. Thank goodness.
Best Character Interactions
Cat and Tori – I wish they didn’t have to be enemies and Tori could have served as a kid sister because whenever these two are together, I can help but laugh (not sure if that’s what the writers were going for). The contentious relationship was a highlight of the episode for me.
Cat and Vincent - I’m sorry but every single time they’re on screen together, the body language speaks louder than actual words coming out of their mouths. Cat got to say her piece and Vincent finally got to say what we’ve all been thinking. It still doesn’t make all his bad decisions OK but at least he was allowed to voice his side of the narrative.
Favorite Moments
1. Tori goes all ‘Little Miss Glowy Eyes’ on Cat
2. Tori tosses the guard out of the interrogation room’s window.
3. Tess hugs Vincent.
4. Gabe doesn’t let Cat kiss him.
5. Vincent casually checking out the blueprints.
6. Tess trying to explain away the crazy and impossible situation that just occurred to Agent Landon.
Favorite Lines
1. Gabe: Cat, THE GUN?
2. Vincent: Or what? You'll shoot her as well?
3. Cat (to Tori): I hate and you and Vincent don't stand a chance.
Favorite Scenes
1. Cat apologizing to Vincent and saying SHE will protect him.
2. Vincent finally saying how Cat’s whole family has wronged him.
3. Vincent explaining to Gabe why he doesn’t trust any of them.
4. Cat kicking Tori’s butt.
5. Vincent kicking the bad guys’ butts.
6. Cat realizing that Vincent didn’t hear her and decided to save everyone on his own accord.
Burning Questions
1. How the hell does the gem work?
2. What the hell was JT doing while all of this was going on?
3. Does JT even work at that college anymore?
Theory
• Agent Dana Landon is not who or what we think she is. Something is highly suspicious about the character. I hope I’m wrong, I love Elisabeth Rohm.
• Gabe is still the villain, he’s the one behind all of this.
Repeated Elements
• Being all in.
• Things being unresolved.
Theme
• Old habits die hard.
Grievances List
• Tess confesses to Agent Landon, she’s a cop who is constant danger, didn’t ring true for me.
• Another bad guy who is a million steps ahead of Team Beastie, that will probably be revealed at the end of the season on another cliffhanger. [Insert eye roll here.]
• Cat, Gabe and Tess are awful liars.
• Turns out Vincent isn’t the brightest bulb in the box, he plan for the necklace was stupid and reckless.
• Heather hasn’t called Cat out on her Vincent Zalanski story. I’m going to need that phone call before the season is over.
• Tori’s naïveté borderlines on sheer stupidity.
• Gabe’s thirsty behind not going in for the kiss. Uh-huh, like that is believable.
• No, JT, again, they didn’t even mention inviting him to Tess’s birthday party. Really?
WTF Moments
• Did they really have to kill old man Freddy?
• Another set of bumbling low level bad guys. Bad Bio Dad, you are sorely missed.
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Polls
Last Poll Results - BatB Great Debate #10 – Do you think the character of Vincent is still worth rooting for? 65% of you say yes!
This Week’s Poll – BATB Great Debate #11 – Do think Agent Landon will turn out to be evil?
Make sure you vote and comment on this week’s Best Scene Poll as well.
Ongoing Beastie Challenge – Keep BATB in the top 10 favorite shows at all times here on Spoiler TV. All you have to do is like, tweet, and Google +1 any and all BATB related posts as well as commenting and up voting each other’s comments. This is a really huge site that gets a lot of traffic and one of the best places to recruit new beasties. If we are constantly putting our show in the spotlight, some are bound to tune in to see what the fuss is all about.
#Save BATB – National Exposure – Talk Show Appearances
I have a Beastie fandom challenge coming up. One by one will get the cast of BATB on at least 5 different talk shows before the show returns in May to get the word out. First up, the Wendy Williams show. The show airs in over 50 countries, she loves to root for an underdog and the demographics of her show fit ours to a T. The campaign info will be posted tomorrow (01/29/2014), so don’t forget to check out my blog, first thing in the morning.
Shameless Self–Promotion
The DVMPE’s Beauty and the Beast Podcast
Facebook Fan Page
Email Me
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Well, now it's your turn to sound off in the comments section below, I look forward to reading your thoughts.
PS: Don't forget to promote this and all positive Beauty and the Beast articles in all the social media you can. For instance be sure to click the like button, retweet this and +1 this article if you like it and appreciate this reviewer's hard work.
Beauty and the Beast – 2.10 – Ancestors – Review: What happened to you?
Greetings, I Bring Good News
In case you missed it, we had a successful trend last week that lasted about 1 hour and 40 minutes. We got both #BATB and #DontDieOnMe trending. We also reclaimed a top 5 spot over on Get Glue as well.
I want to encourage all of you to post at least once daily on the official Beauty and the Beast Facebook page from here on out as well. The activity is now being officially monitored.
I love that we Beasties are mobilizing, learning how to supercharge our presence in social media, winning polls and roaring loud for a season 3. Keep up the great work!
I have a pretty cool idea to get a sponsor and it can be found here! I hope to see a lot of familiar screen names participating in that project.
Friendly Reminders
Don’t forget to live tweet with the show (@cwbatb) every Monday night at 9 PM EST/8PM Central on The CW.
Trend events begin at 6 PM EST and end around 1 AM EST.
The official hashtag according to Nielsen and Trendrr is STILL #BATB.
Also remember to only use two hashtags in your tweets, otherwise it is filtered out as spam.
======================================================================================================
Now on to your regularly scheduled recap and review…
Summary
Title: Ancestors | Writers: Roger Grant & Rupa Magge| Director: Steven A. Adelson
Synopsis: VINCENT REVEALS HIS TRUE IDENTITY TO THE WORLD --- Vincent (Jay Ryan) goes on a national talk show to reveal he is still alive, while Cat (Kristin Kreuk) dives into an undercover case for FBI Agent Dana Landon (guest start Elisabeth Röhm). Vincent, determined to learn more about his beastly origins, ends up coming face-to-face with Cat in the middle of a heist, which forces them to work together.
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This week’s episode had an early season 1 vibe, or at least it did to me and I think it had to do with the writing duo that wrote this episode, Roger Grant and Rupa Magge. Roger Grant and Rupa are fan favorites and have been around since the beginning. They know what gets us Beasties all riled up as well as how to impart subtlety into the dialog and actions of the characters that can lend an air of hope on the VinCat front.
I summed up this episode on Twitter when a follower asked my opinion and because I didn’t want to ruin it, I replied with three words: funny, sexy and encouraging. My opinion still stands.
The director this week was Steven A. Adelson . I was a little shocked when I compared the last episode he directed which was 1x05: Saturn Returns, to this one. I also don’t think it’s fair because I was so in love with how wonderfully shot last week’s episode was that I might be a little harsh when comparing. I was not a fan of quite a few angles as well as the blue filter that was used for the beast senses. A lot of scenes were really tight and confined as well, something that doesn’t happen that often in Beauty and the Beast but I do think he did pull out great performances from all of the actors.
Did you notice that the diner makes a triumphant return? I don’t think we seen that place since episode 2x02: Kidnapped. Cat is reading the paper. In case you missed it, the headline read: War Hero Dating Windsor Heiress (I hope I wasn’t the only who threw up a little in their mouth when seeing that). Cat looks annoyed and upset but Tess comes bounding in to brighten up scene. Cat resent people tiptoeing around the subject of Vincent. Tess gives her a pep talk but naturally, it’s interrupted by Gabe and they head off to see what Gabe wants.
Just when we thought we were done with the FBI, they come roaring back with the tail between their legs and hat in hand. Gabe has summoned Cat on behalf of Agent Dana Landon. Seems, she got a little trigger happy and killed a suspect.
Moving on, a frantic JT is desperately trying to reach Vincent. As the camera pans out, it seems the Gentleman’s Club has been ransacked and JT has been beaten up. Turns out Vincent asked JT to check out the skeleton and he’s been researching it for a few weeks now. Somehow, somebody found out and sent someone to steal it. Vincent uses his beast powers to sniff the culprit out, with Tori in tow.
Back at the 125th precinct Cat is getting prepped for her undercover job. Turns out, there is very little time to actually prep for this mission, as in a few hours. Another red flag that Cat is willing to ignore but Tess and Gabe are not. It’s so ridiculous to Gabe that he pulls Cat out into the hallway to call her on critical thinking skills. Cat snow jobs him and regales tales of what she use to do before she met Vincent and her life became all beast, all the time. He backs off.
In no time flat Vincent has tracked the burglar to his apartment. The burglar is not there. This gives Tori a moment to question Vincent’s motives as well as inquire about their future together. Vincent states that he needs to find out about his beast side. He needs to find something real about himself that he can hold on to. Tori is worried he’s preoccupied with Cat. All I can think is, ‘Oh hon. You don’t have a clue, do you?’ Vincent is determined to find the man who stole the shackle so he continues to follow the man’s trail.
Vincent heads back to JT’s place to try and figure out what happened. JT asks all the right questions but still comes up with the wrong answer. I get a flashback to the fugue theory and chuckle just a little. JT gives Vincent a pep talk and sends him on a mission to avenge him. But not before firing shots at Tori and her obvious motives in regards to what she wants her relationship with Vincent to be like not that Cat is seemingly out of the picture.
Vincent does manage to find the thief, who turns out to be Shorty from the gang Cat has infiltrated. He catches Shorty by surprise and presses him for answers. Shorty is reluctant but Vincent “beasts up” and manages to get some answers. Shorty goes for his gun and Vincent snaps his neck and finds the shackle.
Cat reports back to the FBI on what she knows about the gang. Gabe insists she get back up but they settle on a wire. Cat and heads back to rendezvous with the gang. Pete has discovered Shorty is dead. Now he is extremely suspicious of “Mara” especially since she is late and not wearing the right attire. They take her down to the waterfront. Pete accuses Cat of being a cop. He draws his gun on her again and tries to scan her for a wire. Cat defends herself in a cool little fight sequence and manages to pulls one of the lackeys into the water with her which short circuits the wire but not before she cleverly discloses her location to Gabe, Tess and agent Landon. They get her into the back of the van and scan her but the wire has been successfully short circuited and the plan is back in motion.
A worried Gabe rushes down the location and the Agent Landon wants to order the river dragged. Luckily for the tax payers, Gabe notices heel marks and decides to give Cat the benefit of the doubt and decides to see the sting play out uninterrupted. Agent Landon calls Gabe out on his feelings for Cat and he is so obvious that it is painful and I truly feel secondhand embarrassment for the man.
Back at the gang’s hideaway, Cat is in the bathroom steadying her nerves. Patrick comes to check on her. He zips her up and they share a moment. Their second kiss is uninterrupted because it’s time to roll out. They head to a Russian consulate disguised as waiters. Once safely inside, Pete doles out their assignments. Cat has to pickpocket a general. She does it effortlessly. On her rounds she spies Vincent. They have a conversation where they warn each other about getting in each other’s way. I like the fact that them being on different sides of the same case is a bit ridiculous. Glad to know that the writers are aware that we are aware of everything sometimes being a little too convenient aka an unnatural contrivance.
Cat and Patrick manage to escape, somehow and end up back at the gang’s hideout. She convinces Patrick to leave and he gets away safely. When she reports back to agent Landon, Landon is suspicious of the whole story. She also drops her tragic backstory as well as revealing a little bit about the gem and it’s connection to her biological dad’s side of the family.
Grade: B-
Reason: As I said earlier, minus the Tori and the Gabe kissing, this episode felt more like classic Beauty and the Beast. We saw the return of Professor Forbes and he actually gave us a big whooping dose of mythology to go on. I’ve been craving that for quite some time. Also, if you take the time to notice, this episode goes out of its way to burst Tori’s bubble every chance it got.
I’m also fine with Cat kissing Patrick. It’s about time she got to kiss someone besides Vincent this season. Especially, since we’ve gotten flashbacks of Vincent kissing someone else, Vincent kissing Tori and now flirting with a diplomat’s wife something fierce.
I’m very disappointed that have indeed gone and made Cat and Gabe a thing it seems. Does anyone else find Gabe squicky and a bit of an opportunist? He’s spent this whole season buttering Cat up, meanwhile JT is the only one who remembers that we’re not supposed to like him.
What the hell have they done to my Vincent? They have murdered his character and at this point I don’t think he can be redeemed in my eyes. I don’t like this darker version of Vincent at all. I love what Jay Ryan brings to the revamped role but the writing not so much. There were a million other ways to go in regards to giving the show a soft reboot. But as soon as Tori is out of the picture I have a feeling we’ll be seeing more and more glimpses of old Vincent, so I’m on tenterhooks until that time arrives.
But all in all, this episode was a fun romped filled with amazing guest stars and a really awesome soundtrack. We’ve got a move on the mythology front, Tori has about two more episodes before she’s gone and we got so much JT and Vincent screen time so you can color me a somewhat happy camper, for now.
Awards
Character of the Night
I picked JT. The return of Professor Forbes was needed. He was dropping knowledge bombs and catch phrases all night long.
Best Character Interactions
Cat and Tess – My favorite gal pals are finally back on track. Though they didn’t have many scenes together, the ones they did were heartfelt and touching.
JT and Vincent – The epic bromance is once again front and center. I know we still have that whole JT needs to tell Vincent thing hanging over our heads but let me enjoy this before the big blow out.
Favorite Moments
1. Tori’s face when she thinks Vincent’s no comment in regards to having a girlfriend is a good thing.
2. Tori’s face when she learns what Vincent’s no comment in regards to having a girlfriend really means.
3. Tess’s worried expression when she thinks Cat’s undercover mission has been compromised.
4. Gabe calling Cat out on her decision and reasoning to go on an undercover mission.
5. JT calling out Tori to Vincent about her hopes of them being together.
6. Cat picking the general’s pocket.
Favorite Lines
1. JT: Avenge me!
2. Vincent: Beast up?
3. Agent Landon (to Gabe): How long have you been in love with her?
4. Cat (to Tess): Besides, Vincent wasn’t my best friend. You are.
Favorite Scenes
1. Vincent’s ‘The Talk’ interview
2. JT gives Vincent a pep talk
3. Cat warns Vincent not to get in the way of her case.
4. Vincent steals the gem.
5. Cat and Tess chat at the diner.
Burning Questions
1. Why is Tori so nonchalant about all things beast related?
2. When is JT going to tell Vincent that he’s responsible for becoming a beast?
3. Why was the skeleton just out in the open and not locked up in a safe?
4. Why doesn’t the Gentleman’s Club have any type of security whatsoever, especially after Beastly!Gabe tracked and almost attacked JT last season?
5. Is the show moving into a more fantasy oriented rather Sci-Fi direction with this gem and shackle being able to control beasts?
6. Do you still think Vincent is redeemable after so callously killing Shorty?
Theory
JT's guilt is at an all time high and the truth is set to come about in the next few episodes.
Repeated Elements
• Family matters
• Calling people out on their true motives
Theme
• Sometimes it is best to let something go before it drags you down.
• You can’t outrun your problems or your past.
Pretty Stuff - Yep, I’m a Feastie and here are of the some pieces that caught my eye.
• Cat’s red coat.
• Vincent’s black suit.
• Tess’s blazer.
• All the black leather jackets
*Also, we’ve seen that tie of Gabe’s before and very recently, in 2x07: Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?
Grievances List
• What a waste of Ian Bohen, he should have gotten the part of Patrick so there could be a chance of him coming back.
• We were cheated out of Tori and Vincent discovering the skeleton as well as JT’s first assessment of the skeleton.
• This episode actually dragged a little for me and has quite a few less scenes than most episodes of Beauty and the Beast.
• They brought back Annoying!Tori again.
• It’s getting harder and harder for me to root for Vincent with every episode.
• I still find the prospect of Cat and Gabe squicky. He redeemed himself sure but if he hadn’t done all the stuff last season, he wouldn’t have needed to redeem himself in the first place, so this decision seems to have a bit of circular logic to it.
WTF Moments
• Cat kisses her Gabe, who is her boss, in broad daylight, in the middle of the precinct. NOPE!
• Cat let’s Patrick get away. I get it, she felt sorry for him but he’s still a criminal and that wasn’t her call to make.
Polls
Last Poll Results – BATB Great Debate #9 - Which crack ship do you secretly ship? The overwhelming answer is JTnT with 80% of the vote.
This Week’s Poll - BatB Great Debate #10 – Do you think the character of Vincent is still worth rooting for?
Make sure you vote and comment on this week’s Best Scene Poll as well.
Shameless Self–Promotion
*Lilith is a rabid Beastie who loves the show to pieces. She host the DVMPE's Beauty and the Beast Podcast with her Beastie Besties Kristen and Lu. She writes for Spoiler TV about Beauty and the Beast and Twisted. She also hosts another DVMPE podcast, ArrowCast, which is dedicated to the hit CW show Arrow.*
The DVMPE’s Beauty and the Beast Podcast
Facebook Fan Page
My Twitter
Email Me
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Well, now it's your turn to sound off in the comments section below, I look forward to reading your thoughts.
PS: Don't forget to promote this and all positive Beauty and the Beast articles in all the social media you can. For instance be sure to click the like button, retweet this and +1 this article if you like it and appreciate this reviewer's hard work.
Save BATB - A Match Made in Heaven - A Trend Event
Who: The gals of the DVMPE's Beauty and the Beast podcast
What: A Trend Event - A Match Made in Heaven
When: Saturday, February 15, 2014 (streaming should begin at 9:15 am EST)(live tweeting should begins at 3 pm EST)
Where: Twitter & Netflix
Why: To woo Netflix into either becoming a sponsor or to save the show if it gets cancelled
How: Devote this day to nothing but watching Beauty and the Beast on Netflix, turn it on and leave the room if you have to as well as participating
Key Phrase: a Match Made in Heaven (no hashtag)EX: Beauty and the Beast and Netflix is a Match Made in Heaven (type it exactly as it appears every time)
Hashtags: #SaveBATB #BATB
Tweets directed to: @netflix
Participants should: Make mock e-Valentine's Day cards stating why you love BATB and Netflix. Also if you can, tweet pics of you watching on Netflix as well.
(Photo Credit: @thekruekkomplex)
Green Arrow – Issue 27 – The Outsiders War: Part 2
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Summary: Green Arrow fights for his life against the head of the Shield Clan, the deadly Kodiak. Plus, learn the tragic secret that turned Oliver Queen into Green Arrow.
Story: Jeff Lemire
Cover: Andrea Sorrentino
Artwork: Andrea Sorrentino
Colorist: Marcelo Maiolo
Letterist: Rob Leigh
Page Count: 20 Pages
Print Release Date: Jan 8th 2014
Digital Release Date: Jan 8th 2014
Grade: A+
Reason: It always surprises people that I’m such a huge comic book geek, considering my favorite author is Fyodor Dostoevsky. Literary snobs just never seem to really get it; neither do a lot of my highfalutin art world friends. This issue is a perfect example I would use to illustrate just what the comic book art form is all about. Jeff Lemire’s storytelling run on Green Arrow in the New 52 universe is genius. He really understands the ebb and flow of a serialized story and certainly isn’t afraid to drop bombshells early on.
Last month’s issue was a setup issue but I became thoroughly engrossed and enthralled by it nonetheless. That does not happen often, most setup issues lull and become tedious. This month’s issue was mind blowingly good. It packed a jaw dropping twist in its final pages that punched me in the gut and has me super stoked for issue #28.
Can we just clap it out for Jeff? So thankful for him not glossing over how super convenient it was for the arrow totem to be on the same island that Green Arrow was stranded on years ago? Not to mention throwing Katana in the mix, adding another strong kick butt female is always a good choice. However, I must say that Shado was more than enough on that front in the previous issue. I find myself absolutely in love with Ollie and Shado interactions. Not to mention that the big reveal was a bold move. A lesser storyteller might have saved that for the very last issue, so now I can only imagine what waits for us at the end of this arc.
OK, let’s move on to talk about the artwork. There is no denying that Andrea Sorrentino is masterful when it comes to crafting fresh and exciting panels, which can be hard in a format that is all about sequencing. My favorite pages happen to be 8-9. I love the decision to do something bold and different by not opting to do a big two page splash. Instead, they give us 6 horizontal rows that lends an air of frenzy to the situation. Another good executive decision was to give Ollie and Shado their own colors so you don’t get confused as to who’s doing what. Lots of interesting art choices were made in this issue and the variety was very much appreciated.
This was a perfect issue in my mind and my heart. I have yet to find someone who didn’t like the issue and in the new 52 universe for a title to have near universal approval speaks volumes. Hats off to all involved in this wonderful issue. Keep up the good work!
Arrow - 2.10 - Blast Radius - Review: Get Your Head in the Game
Summary
Title: Blast Radius | Writer(s): Jake Coburn & Keto Shimizu | Directed by: Rob Hardy
Synopsis: Oliver must tackle a new threat to the city when bombs start to go off in Starling City. Felicity discovers the person setting them off is Mark Scheffer, a man who goes by the nickname Shrapnel. The Arrow discovers Shrapnel's next target is Sebastian Blood's "Unity Rally" and tries to talk the alderman out of hosting it, but he refuses. The Arrow sets off to stop the bombing, but Shrapnel tricks him and traps him in a bomb-laced antique store where he is unable to move without setting off the device. While Felicity helps Oliver, Diggle races to the plaza to find the bomb before it goes off. Meanwhile, Roy continues to hide his new strength from Thea but, after she witnesses his super strength in action at the rally, she demands answers. Laurel's suspicions about Sebastian grow stronger once she learns that he grew up with Cyrus Gold, the man who killed Lance's partner.
Timeline: 5 weeks after the events of the mid-season finale, 2x09: Three Ghosts.
Grade: C+
Reason: This was an average episode of Arrow. I was disappointed to learn that Arrow writers and executives didn’t learn from their mistakes from last season. I know that writers’ room is brilliant when it comes to premieres and finales, so what’s so hard about applying those same principals for the mid-season equivalents? This episode recycled quite a few things and not in a good way. Example 1: This time last year Ollie was also in a burning building trying to save lives. Example 2: We just had a car flip action sequence less than three episodes ago. Example 3: The Arrow shooting through the bomb’s cord was very reminiscent of a shot he took in the episode that featured The Dodger.
There were also some very blatant filler scenes, which shocked me because Arrow doesn’t do filler scenes (unless you are of the opinion that indeed is what the island flashbacks are). 33 episodes in and we still have the villains not being built enough to be even remotely interesting. There was very little action, which what little we got of it was also very repetitive; we’ve seen the Arrow bike numerous times chasing someone through Starling City now.
Upside with Dr. Ivo not making a physical appearance, the flashbacks were almost tolerable. They are working on the character of Laurel and I think this cool, proactive, heroic subplot just might be here to stay. Fingers crossed. We also got some solo Quiggle time, for however brief that was. Of course, I should mention that Ollie is now learning how to apologize after he’s been a douche. So, there’s that.
Awards
Character of the Night
Laurel wins this category hands down. It’s amazing how such a few small proactive actions can make a huge difference. My hope is that the audience likes this turn of events and can begin to root for her.
Best Character Interactions
Roy and Thea - How the heck did a teen romance become the best relationship by leaps and bounds on a “serious” and “grounded” TV show about a guy running around with a bow and arrow fighting crime? I have no idea. But Colton and Willa have major chemistry and it sizzles. They genuinely care about each other and the only time the fight is when is being a major pain in the butt about something and needs a good old fashioned Gibb slap. Thea is worried about Roy and Roy hates to make Thea worry. But when they work together it’s magic.
Blood and Ollie – Every story needs a compelling villain. We have yet to have one on Arrow in my opinion. One of the most interesting comic book villains out there, especially in DC comics, is Lex Luthor and his relationship with Clark Kent. Sebastian Blood has the potential to be that kind of epic level foil for Ollie (since Tommy isn’t around, and truth be told, I didn’t want to see an evil Tommy anyway). I like how Ollie and The Arrow got pulled in by his charm. I also like Slade is the one pulling the strings of Sebastian makes it even more intense, wouldn’t you say?
Favorite Moments
1. Slade smelling Shado’s hood, he officially oozing creepiness.
2. The Arrow gets caught in Shrapnel’s trap.
3. A box falls on Roy and Thea interrupting their make out session.
Favorite Lines
1. Felicity: Were you apologizing to me or talking to your quiver?
2. Diggle: Hey, is this it’s going to be with you two from now on?
3. Felicity: The whackadoo in question goes by the user name ‘Shrapnel’.
Favorite Scenes
1. Laurel comes into the station to ask Quentin for a favor.
2. Laurel discovers the truth about Blood.
3. Quentin and The Arrow on the rooftop while another bombing takes place.
Creeper Award
Slade Wilson, for smelling Shado's hood after it's been taken off her dead body.
Glaring Mistakes
Papa Queen's grave marker.
The Get It Together Awards
3rd Place - Blood being associated with the Queens in any way, shape or fashion while running for political office. I guess everyone has a short term memory in Starling City.
Runner Up - Blood’s campaign slogan is ‘Sebastian for Starling’.
1st Place - Thea not noticing Roy’s knee has miraculously healed. They live together, they work together and umm, they see each other naked, so how has she not noticed?
Worst Product Placement Award
Quentin: Because Aunt Maya is nuttier than a Snickers bar.
Shameless Plugs & Self Promotion
iTunes
Beauty and the Beast – Season 2 – Austin Basis Interview
This past Friday, January 10, 2014, I got the chance to do a one on one interview with Austin Basis. As a fan the opportunity seemed like an amazing opportunity, from an interviewer perspective, it was nerve wracking due to the fact that Austin has done so many interviews as of late for various blogs, magazines and podcasts.
Special thanks to Tina and Whitney from the Anderson Group and Andy, the owner of SpoilerTV for giving me this wonderful opportunity.
Let’s start with the basics that every Beastie should already know. His full name is Austin Lee Basis. He was born on September 14, 1976 (that makes him a Virgo by the way). He grew up in Brooklyn, NY, right near the Coney Island boardwalk. He has two loving parents, Shari and Arthur as well as a younger brother Jeremy.
Austin - The Author
The book came out of his need to express himself freely after Life Unexpected ended. He was drawn to writing poetry because poems don’t necessarily need to conform to any rules the writer decides the structure and the next poem can be the polar opposite of the poem on the page that preceded it. The book is only available in a digital format. That decision was decided due to the tablet/e-reader boom as well as the fact the poetry publishing circle is quite small and hard to break into.
Living with Diabetes
At an early age Austin was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, which later went on to become an inspiration to want to be a doctor. When Austin was younger it was much harder living with diabetes due to strict scheduling of his meals, watching his insulin levels as well as taking the required series of injections daily, although that never stopped Austin from believing he could do whatever he set his mind.
Now days, it’s not much of a fuss thanks to his handy dandy insulin pump. I think it very refreshing that Austin talks so openly and freely about living with diabetes. It is his hope that his message reaches young people with diabetes so they know that they can still achieve any goal they set for themselves. When he was growing up there were no actors or athletes that had diabetes or at least weren’t publicly open about it so it his hope that he can be for someone what no one was for him.
Austin is a celebrity ambassador for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. The Juvenile Diabetes Research foundation is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes research and is the only organization with the scientific resources, regulatory influence, and a working plan to better treat, prevent, and eventually cure type 1 diabetes. They are making some extraordinary breakthroughs on the medical technology front, everything from artificial pancreases to apps that can work with your smartphone to keep track of all you important levels such a blood sugar, insulin levels, etc.
Was acting always the dream?
Ever since Austin can remember, he’s loved making people laugh, dressing up and performing. His fondest memories are of Halloweens from his youth where he dressed up as Dracula on more than one occasion. But his wasn’t always sure that he would be an actor. In high school, he thought about playing baseball professionally. Later on in his academic career he was on the fast track to becoming a doctor, for whatever reasons that didn’t work out. Fortunately, he figured out that what he wanted to do and turned his full attention to acting. Taking some sound advice from a mentor he pursued a post-secondary education in theater.
When asked if he ever considered being a teacher, which is the family business by the way, both his mom and his brother are teachers, the answer is yes. He even did a little substitute teaching at his old middle school, Mark Twain Junior High School for the Gifted & Talented once upon a time. Obviously, that was not where his passions took him but he did state that he had wonderful experience while it lasted and reconnected with some of his favorite teachers even becoming close friends with some.
A Scholar and a Gentleman
Austin has such a lovely educational pedigree, which provoked me to ask which methods of acting he draws from the most during his acting performances. He uses the Lee Strasberg method, which is an adaptation of Constantin Stanislavski’s method that is a group of techniques actors use to develop lifelike performances that focus on drawing from their personal experiences and applying it in some way to the character they are playing.
Fun Fact: Always striving to improve his performance Austin enlists an acting coach, a fellow graduate from The Actors Studio Drama School. They watch his scenes together and breakdown the scenes and evaluate the acting choices. That was a pretty cool tidbit to discover and I applaud Austin efforts in striving for excellence.
Behind the Scenes Dish
Did you know that Beauty and the Beast doesn’t do table reads? I read that on Sendhil Ramamurthy’s twitter line and wasn’t sure if I read that right or if it was a one-time occurrence. Since I had the opportunity to ask, I did. Turns out Beauty and the Beast has’t been doing table reads for most of it runs. It was done away with early on during the first season. The show is much action oriented and gets revised a lot so it makes sense, that in order to stay on the tight 8 day shooting schedule something had to give. Some actors like table reads, some actors don’t, most are pretty indifferent. Austin doesn’t mind doing table reads as it offers a chance to see the bigger picture sooner but is perfectly fine with not doing table reads.
The topics of sets came up somehow and while Austin likes the Gentleman’s Club he kind of misses the old dark, dank, warehouse. He also shared that the Gentleman’s Club was originally a location but got recreated into a set. The only thing that got lost in translation during the building of the set was the stain glass roof. It had to go in order to accommodate lighting. He went on to talk about how he likes the subtle progression of the Gentleman’s Club into more a geeky lair now that JT lives alone. If you look close enough you can see more of JT’s personality coming through in the surroundings.
JT is the most relatable character on the show. The character is often the voice of the audience as well as the comic relief. JT Forbes one liners are epic and often touted as highlight of an episode among Beasties. So I was curious to know if the actors in general are allowed leeway and room for a little improv from time to time. Turns out they are in most cases. That’s awesome to know that the writing isn’t rigid and set in stone.
If you are a JT Forbes fan and you have been wondering just when we’re going to get an episode that features JT more prominently, I’ve got the answer, episode 2x12 is basically a JT centric one and the so is the next episode after that, 2x13. Austin says the whole cast, especially and he and Jay had a lot of fun shooting those episodes in particularly. I for one can’t wait to see them interact more.
The bombshell about JT being the one who gave Muirfield Vincent’s name for their trial is not a new development. Austin has known that practically since day one. Hopefully, that plot point will open the door to a plethora of character development for both JT and Vincent. Austin seemed very excited that the truth was out and the open though he couldn’t really go into any further details at the time.
Speaking of the bromance, we can look forward to more JT and Vincent screen time during which JT will continue to be the voice of reason and a hardcore member of Team Catherine while VinCat is separated. He will be the loud and constant reminder that Cat and Vincent are meant to be together.
Photo Credit: Bill Quillard
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I just have to say, Austin Basis didn’t disappoint one bit. He came across pretty much as I (and probably most Beasties) picture him to be, smart, funny, personable and downright charming.
Oh and did I mention that he quoted Othello during our interview? You just can't help but love a guy who can work Shakespeare into a conversation.
Beauty and the Beast - 2.09 - Don't Die on Me - Review: Everything Has Changed
We did it Beasties! We voted long and hard and won both categories the show was nominated for during the People’s Choice Awards. I couldn’t be prouder or happier. I’m also very proud of how most Beasties handled the haters with grace and class on social media. Stay classy!
It’s great to have the show back in full swing and we’re steadily getting new spoilers in the forms of pictures, synopses and/or tweets that are shaping up to deliver a much happier picture a little further down the road. All we have to do is hang in there and we will be rewarded.
Friendly Reminders
Don’t forget to live tweet with the show (@cwbatb) every Monday night at 9 PM EST/8PM Central on The CW.
Trend events begin at 6 PM EST and end around 1 AM EST.
The official hashtag according to Nielsen and Trendrr is STILL #BATB.
Also remember to only use two hashtags in your tweets, otherwise it is filtered out as spam.
Now on to your regularly scheduled recap and review…
Summary
Title: Don’t Die on Me | Writer: Eric Tuchman | Director: Mairzee Almas
Synopsis: CAT AND VINCENT’S RELATIONSHIP IS IN DIRE CONDITION — In order to prevent Vincent (Jay Ryan) from further injuries, Cat (Kristin Kreuk) helps protect Tori (guest star Amber Skye Noyes) when her life is threatened, revealing a new, unexpected mystery. Meanwhile, Vincent's stubborn attempt to intervene leads to life-changing consequences, which causes Gabe (Sendhil Ramamurthy) and Cat to grow closer.
This week’s episode saw a new season two writer returning, the writer being Eric Tuchman. The last episode he wrote was 2x05: Reunion. While I like reunion more, I think it was a good idea to tap him for the episode that lays the ground work for mythology origins. In the director’s chair we had Mairzee Almas making a triumphant return. I very often used director from season one, it was nice to have Mairzee back. This episode was beautifully shot and the lighting was excellent. Every set was bathed in sunlight which was a wonderful juxtaposition in contrast to the dire situation that was unfolding.
The interview goes off without a hitch and Cat is free to go (for now). Gabe catches up with Cat just as she is exiting the interview room and she not only debriefs him but also confides that it feels as though she is having a nervous breakdown. Gabe reassures her everything will be fine. Cat has this nagging need to make sure that Vincent is OK, so she bounds off to go check on him.
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Tori becomes defensive and protective and challenges Cat about her presence. Vincent puts on a good show and tries to make it seem like he isn’t in as bad of shape as he really is in. Cat doesn’t completely buy into it but at the same time Vincent puts up a wall and picks a fight. Cat reminds him of why she did what she did. VinCat has come to an impasse and it appears they are finally broken up, perhaps for good (but in reality only for the next 2-3 episodes at MOST).
A hurt and confused but somehow relieved Cat returns back to the 125th precinct to her partner and best friend Tess. She expounds on how great it feels to be getting back to normal and work on normal cases and not be so focused on beasts. Tess has heard this before and understands the pull Vincent has on Cat so naturally she is skeptical but supportive. In an oddly refreshing call back to the beginning of season 2, Gabe once again interrupts my Cat and Tess time but in all fairness it is at the behest of agent Hendricks.
Tori takes a mysterious yet innocuous phone call from a woman claiming to be an attorney representing her father’s estate and needing to close a particular deal before it goes into default. An anxious and preoccupied Tori tries to reschedule but the angry lady on the other end threatens to expose Tori’s father if she doesn’t cooperate. Tori goes off half- cocked to try and resolve the issue on her own as well as hide her agenda from Vincent.
Getting back to the events at the 125th precinct, Agent Hendricks has Cat in an interrogation room. It has come to light that the investigation wasn’t as open and shut as it initially appeared to be. There was a bullet that came from a standard issue NYPD 9 mm gun. The bullet also has someone’s blood on it. The agent treats Cat like a hostile witness and that ruffles Gabe’s feathers. Agent Hendricks suspends Cat and takes her badge and gun. Cat and Gabe try to stop reeling from the recent information bombshell. Gabe tells Cat that he will save her and he doesn’t need her permission to do so. Tess, for once, cuts Gabe off with news of JT’s arrest. Cat sends Tess to pick JT up and rushes off to see just how bad off Vincent is, leaving Gabe to his own mischievous devices.
Tori arrives to the meeting. She is getting rushed into signing some papers. She begins to ask questions and the people involved do not like that. Something doesn’t feel right about this to me and it doesn’t feel right to Tori either. In an effort to persuade her to sign, the blond henchman pulls out a gun to threaten Tori; in turn she beasts out and manage to get away, much to the shock of the people in attendance of the meeting.
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Cat arrives to lair and nobody is there but Vincent. Vincent, once again becomes cold, distant, aloof and almost quite glib in Cat’s presence. Cat scolds him about how he needs to take responsibility for himself and stop dragging everyone down with him. Tori returns and announces that some more people know about beasts (oh, joy). Tori goes on to explain that she thought she could handle it herself and didn’t want to worry a wounded Vincent. This gets Vincent fired up and ready to go. Both Cat and Tori object but the only thing that can stop him is a tranquillizer dart to thigh. Once Vincent is passed out she offers Tori her help and left with no other options Tori accepts it.
After that we see Gabe going to visit Agent Reynolds. Gabe needs information on the FBI agent who is running the investigation. Agent Reynolds is unrepentant about the choices he made that have alienated him from his daughter. Gabe understands which why he probably but in a good word for him with Cat at the end of this episode.
A panicked JT rushes home to save Vincent. The tranquillizer dart may have complicated things. He is on the verge of a break down. Thank goodness Tess is there to talk him down and talk some sense into him. All the stress of the situation leads JT to reveal to Tess that he was the one that gave Muirfield Vincent’s name for the trial, thus answering a burning question that I’ve had since the pilot. Nina really shined with this scene and I’m glad the writer elected to make Tess a reliable and non-judgmental confidante with kind and wise words. Whatever JT was doing revives Vincent. Vincent hits the ground running demanding to know where CAT (yes she was first out of mouth) and Tori were.
We catch a glimpse of the mischievous Gabe reveling in the high of a heist to retrieve and replace the bullet that is locked up in the evidence room. He’s quite the smooth operator. May Gabe always choose to use his powers for good from here on out.
Over at Chelsea Curios Cat and Tori are exploring the old dusty building. They have a conversation about why Cat is helping Tori and her issues with the word beast. Cat can only say that she thinks helping Vincent and by extension Tori that it might help her move on. Their search is interrupted by the bad guys and they have guns and they didn’t buy Cat’s ‘I’m a detective’ line (WELP). A retinal eye scanner is discovered and Tori is forced to open it and a henchman leads Cat into a dark and creep hallway that leads to a dark, creepy and dusty section. Thinking fast Tori locks Cat in by racing to the retinal scanner. Cat goes in a little further and discovers an odd skeleton.
All the other little side plots get put to bed and Gabe swings by Cat’s place to give her back her badge. Well, that and to lure into a coffee date with him as well as planting the seed that Agent Reynolds still cares about her.
But wait there’s more… I absolutely love the last scene with Vincent holding a press conference. Hearing the words, ‘I am Vincent Keller’ gave me chills. This opens a lot options and I’m super excited to see where it leads. Vincent needed to stop running and go on the offensive, I might not like the person that was the one that finally got through to him but it is done now. I have personally always wanted Vincent to come out of the shadows and go public.
It’s for selfish reasons, I want VinCat to have a happy ending. A happy ending doesn’t involve them looking over their shoulders for the rest of their lives at least not in my mind. I thought it was something that would happen near the end of the series run (it looks like I was probably right, to be honest). This episode is a game changer and the possibilities are endless.
I’m super pumped to unravel the mystery of the beastly skeletal remains that were in Chelsea Curios. I happen to like mysteries and I’ve been craving a heavier dose of mythology, especially in regards to beasts. I need a break from the relationship drama so I find it to be refreshing change of pace. I wish the season would have started out with a mystery to unravel but we’ve got we’ve got and I’m in it for the long haul.
Grade: B
Reason: The grade definitely came up a bit from the one I gave it for the advance preview and teasers article. I got to thinking about all the endless possibilities that this story can now take us. There has also been an onslaught of positive news in regards to upcoming episodes that have brightened my outlook.
But hey, we have Cat being able to once again be a good a cop and thus the never ending subplot of Cat always covering for Vincent and compromising her integrity is over so there’s that. She can now hopefully, take a breath and put her life back together.
I don’t think that Cat is really feeling what she is feeling. I don’t think a person can shrug all the things that have happened to her off so easily. You also just can’t stop loving a person in the blink of an eye. Bonus? Now that Cat and Vincent are apart we can get back into Cat’s head space, which should mean some meaty emotional scenes for Kristin as well as some bro time for JT and Vincent as JT tends to be the sounding board for Vincent.
I think that this time will help Vincent and Cat realize what they mean to each other. We need some self-reflection from both of them; which may lead to them recovering the best aspects of themselves from season 1. For Cat that would be a return to her being a kick butt, take charge, passionate woman with a big heart, good instincts and integrity. In Vincent’s case that would mean he gets to be the reluctant hero and with any luck that will quell his beastly side and bring it back under his control as well as spark whatever humanity he has left in himself which in turn will hopefully make him want to be a better man, the kind of man that Cat deserves.
Awards
Character of the Night
My heart said to go with JT and my logical side said to go with Tori, so it’s a tie.
JT’s bombshell has garnered a lot of goodwill in terms of viewer relations with the writers’ room in my personal opinion. It answered a question a lot of Beasties have been wondering about for the previous 30 episodes. For them to bring this up now makes me wonder just when Vincent will find out and how he will react which should lead to some pretty interesting character developments for both Vincent and JT.
The writing of Tori was very much improved in this episode. I could totally relate to her and see her side of coin in this episode. She made sense and was ultimately the one to finally convince Vincent to go to the hospital and more importantly to stop running. She even tried to handle the new beast faction on her own which shows independence. She didn’t come across as bratty at all to me. I also really enjoy Tori’s beast special effects, very subtle and understated. I guess I can like Tori because I don’t see any romantic chemistry between Tori and Vincent. All I see is genuine concern and a scared young woman who has no family and no idea how to harness her beast powers clinging to whatever she can. Please keep the bratty Tori out of my sight from here on out.
Best Character Interactions
The award for best character interactions also happens to be a tie as well. Let’s talk about JT and Tess first. I really love that JT told Tess his secret. There is nothing more intimate short of having hot steamy sex on the floor of the lair than sharing a deep dark secret. It also implies explicit trust. That’s a good solid foundation for any relationship, be it romantic or platonic. Either way, I’m going to need to see more JTnT on my screen stat.
Now, some of you might disagree and that’s fine. But I think the Tori and Vincent relationship has potential to be very endearing, informative and enlightening. Jay and Amber also have a nice on screen chemistry, in a little sister/big brother way. I chalk the kiss up to pheromones and beastly instincts. That’s out of the way and it’s very clear that Vincent does not see Tori in that light. But they do share a common bond, as a said earlier; they are pack mates, kindred spirits. After being a lone beast for so long, it must be nice to have someone who can truly understand you. It’s human to want to be needed and Tori needs Vincent, to keep her safe and to teach her how to harness her powers. Vincent killed her father so I think he feels a kind of responsibility for her, not unlike the Will Graham and Abigail Hobbs situation over on Hannibal.
Favorite Moments
1. Tori beasts out
2. Tori giving Cat the stink eye
3. Cat face when she’s sees the bloody bandages
4. Vincent putting on a brave front
Favorite Lines
1. Vincent: Don’t worry; I use to be a doctor, remember?
Tori: Don’t doctors make the worse patients?
2. Tori (to Cat): You’ve got a lot of nerve coming here.
3. Cat: If you don’t mind let’s not use the b-word anymore. I want to move on.
Tess: Right?
4. JT: Maybe you should go to the hospital.
5. Vincent: You shot me... again!
Favorite Scenes
1. Vincent coming out to the news reporters
2. Vincent dispatching the bad guys after Tori
3. Tess saves JT from being arrested
4. JT tells Tess his “dirty” little secret
5. Tess being a good friend to Cat
6. Cat goes to check on Vincent at his houseboat .
Burning Questions
1. When is Vincent going to find out about JT’s secret?
2. How is the character of Tori going to be dispatched?
3. What exactly is Vincent’s cover story?
Theory
This is rock bottom for VinCat we now have nowhere to go but up.
Repeated Elements
•Secrets being revealed.
•The phrase ‘Everything has changed’ was repeated about four times during this episode.
The Theme
•Don’t ever give up on yourself or what you believe in.
•You have to be willing to help yourself and feel worthy of the help that is being offered for a successful outcome.
Favorite Clothing Items - I’m a Feastie and there were some pieces that caught my eye.
•Tess’s denim dip-dyed and bleached jacket.
•JT’s leather jacket.
•Cat’s black and tan mini trench coat.
Grievances List
•How many times can the word beast be said in one episode?
•I’m pretty sure that’s not the way a retinal scanner works.
•Too many flashbacks, we know what happened and on top of that some brought it up every three minutes during the first half of the episode. Why must pour salt in my open wounds, writers?
•There they go with that inflammatory word ‘Bitch’ again.
•Why did the female antagonist have to die in the most gruesome way possible?
•Cat is still a cop. The actual cop element of the show just isn’t doing it for me anymore. This would have been the perfect opportunity to get rid of it once and for all. All I have to say is 6 words: The Chandler and Vargas Detective Agency.
•Really, Cat just left Chelsea Curios and didn’t say, ‘Hey, you’ve got some creepy skeleton in that dungeon be sure to close it before the cops show up to save you’?
Polls
Last Poll Results – What do you think about the first half of season 2? – Most of you think it is somewhere between awesome and great.
This Week’s Poll - BatB Great Debate #9 – Which crack ship do you secretly ship. If you want to lure others to the dark leave a comment stating why you ship it.
Make sure you vote and comment on this week’s Best Scene Poll as well.
Shameless Self–Promotion
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