Lilith Luvs TV

Hey, Beasties! I'm back with another review about another stellar episode of Beauty and the Beast. I can honestly and wholeheartedly say there was a lot to love and not a lot to nitpick in this episode which is a sure fire formula for success. Despite the stakes still being really high, this was in a lot of ways, mellower than last week’s episode. I was happy with the themes presented and how they were executed. Nothing makes me happier than a VinCat on the offensive, working together and being on the same page and that’s just what I got in this week’s episode 2x19: Cold Case.

Remember when I told you to be patient on the Gabe front? Well, it seems we've done our waiting, practically a whole season of it and it looks a certain someone is about to get his comeuppance. Let the choir say amen and rejoice! Can I also mention that I love how even when I manage to stay away from spoilers, my rants usually point to something major that will go down in the next episode? Last week, I was all like can somebody, ANYBODY please find some dirt on Gabe so we can at the very least throw him and jail and in the very next episode not only do they attempt to do it but they pull it off as well. But of course sneaky old Gabe made bail but I have a rant for that later on in this review.

If I had to make a long story short and highlight the essentials of what went down this week, I would say: Nicole Gale Anderson graced our screens once more reprising her role as Heather Chandler, Cat's little sister. But surprise, surprise, she's a little more mature and not so flaky. VinCat is still playing a game of cat and mouse with the NYPD but still managing to find time to steal some alone time. JT was in Boston, for who knows what or why. Cat and Tess got suspended. VinCat was out for blood and looking for a way to turn the tables on Gabe and found it by revisiting some loose ends from last season. They fought the law and it looks like they’re about to win. But appearances can be deceiving, let's just hope that is not the case this time. Our heroes need a win desperately.

I'm not a fan of writing teams when it comes to Beauty and the Beast, unless it's Sherry Cooper and Jennifer Levin. But this week's team up of John A. Norris and Eric Tuchman surprised the heck out of me. They did better together than they did alone. This episode was fast paced and very engrossing. While, the episode lacked a lot of what I like to see (JT, Tess, JTnT) I still enjoyed it unlike the last episode that was JT- less. The episode was written tightly but still found the time to give us some humor, romance, action and even managed to tipped the scales in our heroes favor. So if you liked this episode be sure to tweet @BatBeric and @BatBjohn to let them know.

We welcomed a new director aboard this week in the form of Rich Newey. Newey is most known for being a director of urban themed music videos. I loved the performances he pulled out of the actors. I also really loved the way he captured the car chase as well as the outdoor scenes with VinCat meeting up at that pavilion. I could definitely tell that he was a new director because he used some angles and camera shots in some fresh and fun ways. I really loved his use of the two shots and over the shoulder shots. He also really seems to be a fan of the wide shot and mid-shot. I like when the filming of an episode surprises me and shakes things up. Fun Fact: This was his first time directing a TV episode. If you liked the directorial eye of this episode be sure to let him know on Twitter via @rich_newey.

Call me cheesy, if you want but I really like when Beauty and the Beast goes all in on their themes for an episode. The title of the episode was ‘Cold Case’ and of course that’s main procedural element of the episode and the plot device that will be driving the story for at least the next episode. But the underlying themes and motifs that jumped right out were, ‘the truth will set you free’, ‘mending fences’, ‘the importance of family’ and ‘recognizing your faults and trying to do and be better’. These were some of my favorite themes from the first season that were by and large not explored in-depth enough to my liking so I’m happy that we are revisiting them and going deeper. It feels as though the writers have finally for whatever reason decided to start addressing some of characters flaws and faults as well as have them learn from their mistakes. I don’t know about you but I do love the smell of character growth in the morning.


I absolutely LOVED the way this episode opened. I mean come on, if Cat racing around, trying to lose her tail doesn't get you excited, I’m not sure what would except maybe some VinCat sexy fun times. Of course this was just the set up to the crux of the episode, Cat and Tess getting suspended so that the stakes are upped even more and to show us just how far Gabe is willing to go to ‘keep Cat safe’ and away from Vincent. Once Cat safely makes it home to rendezvous with Vincent she is greeted with an unexpected surprise…Heather! Poor Heather, she always has such bad timing. Cat makes up a lame excuse to get to the roof and find Vincent.

In one of the most distracting scenes, a daytime rooftop scene (that was badly green screened by the way, yikes!) we find Cat and Vincent musing just how much it feels like they're right back to where they were when they first started dating at the moment. I was thinking the same thing; I mean Cat was still lying to Heather, needing Tess to cover for her and Vincent is once again the focus of a task force out for blood and needing to hide.

I loved that Cat acknowledges her faults in her relationship with her little sister (and says that Heather is the best because I agree). But in a scene right out of season one, Cat has an “emergency” and has to leave Heather high and dry. I chuckled really hard when Cat was walking through the precinct and all eyes were on her and even harder when the Captain called her into his office. The look of disdain and disgust on Cat’s face when she saw Gabe made me proud.

I don't know if anyone else got excited when the gals were told to turn in the guns and shields but I was. Sure I felt bad for Tess but my goodness I'm so tired of them being cops I don't know what to do with myself. When is the last time we even dealt with something that wasn't beast related or beast adjacent? The precinct setting is hindrance in my opinion and I just wish we could go with something else, end of rant.

Anyway, this prompts Cat to turn up the heat on Gabe and sets her and Vincent on a path to dig up some dirt on the “former” beast. Cat manages to find two cases (both of which have been driving the beasties a little mad with their unresolved status). The first one was the carriage driver and the second more viable one is the murder of Ray Scheckman. I'm pretty sure all of the Beasties went, ‘Oh, so that’s why Heather came back in this episode’ in unison at that reveal.

Cat and Vincent explore the crime scene and catch the scent of an unreported witness. Cat manages to track him down and gets him to make a statement. The witness ID's Gabe and this leads Gabe to being charged with murder. I'd say this was one awesome day for Team Beastie.

Cat is finally back at the forefront of the episodes and being the character that drives the action in a proactive manner and that gets me excited. You want to know something else that gets me excited? Cat repairing her relationship with her sister. I feel like Cat needs someone to slap some sense into her as well as have someone who isn't a part of this beast thing that can ground her.


The character of Vincent just keeps getting better and better. I’m really happy that Vincent encouraged Cat to tell Heather the truth. He knew what a burden and wedge issue it had become for Cat. I like how calm Vincent is about all of this as well. Vincent was actually the one to bring most of the funny in this episode which we haven't seen since he was on that ‘more beast than man’ vibe. I did miss my JT and Vincent bromance time but I think it was very important for Vincent to connect with Heather (especially since that character is going to be a season 3 regular, LOL!). I like how they revealed that he was the one to save her from Ray Scheckman.

It’s funny how little Vincent actually spoke in this episode yet he was the one that made the biggest impression on me. Honestly, when you boil it down, Vincent actually didn't have a lot to do but when he did do something it was HUGE. I love how Jay Ryan manages to find subtle nuances for the character of Vincent and breathes something new into every performance. This week was empathy for Cat and trying to get her to lighten her load by allowing her to share his secret with her sister. The micro expressions were phenomenal and I loved his choice in having Vincent be the calm one in this episode.


Did anyone else notice Gabe’s stubble? If you did notice the stubble did it bring back to a time in the first season when Gabe was at the height of evilness? When Gabe made his first appearance in this episode and I saw the stubble, I said to myself, ‘Yep, the writers are definitely going to make him a full fledge villain and he will hit his point of no return during this episode.’ And wouldn't you know it, that’s totally what happened. Apparently, with Beauty and the Beast all you have to do is ask and ye shall receive. Maybe, not on your time frame but eventually it might just happen. A lot of Beasties have been wishing for Gabe’s downfall and well, it seems like this is the beginning of the end for this character.

Gabe is just the absolute worst and I'm very glad the writers are not shying away from it. They are actually going all in. I loved to hate Gabe last season. He was a compelling big bad who was smart, charming and just absolutely didn’t give a flying f*** who he hurt on his quest for self-preservation. I loved his backstory it was interesting, complex and even fit into the myth arc and expanded upon it but I felt it was very much unneeded. Just let a bad guy be a bad guy is my motto. I feel that is definitely something that they should have done with Gabe from the beginning of this season. I think it would have been really cool if they showed Gabe pulling the wools over the eyes of Team Beastie while revealing to the audience that he was still up to bad things behind their back.

I was actually shocked that Gabe killed the witness. Man, these writers sure do love to up the ante at every turn! Loved the little touch of Gabe seeing flashes of the beast he used to be and perhaps implying he is turning into an even worse one than before (even if it is just on the inside).


Well, you obviously knew what one of my nitpicks for this episode was going to be. Yep, I'm about to go there: NO JT! I love way Austin portrays JT a lot. It’s no secret. Again, I'm sorry for being a broken record but JT is the heart and soul of this show and when the character is absent from an episode it is noticeable. That certain something is just missing. One of my favorite things about Beauty and the Beast is its unexpected quirkiness and comedy that hits you when you're least expecting it. This show can be dreary, moody and downright dark at times; it’s the lightness (which usually comes from JT) that gives the audience the hope and fortitude to soldier on. That is all. Moving right along…


There wasn't a whole lot of Tess in this episode unfortunately. I’m not a fan of how Tess was made to look in this episode either. She was the one that fueled the fire for the suspension by having loose lips. She was the one telling a secret that was not hers to tell. She was the first character to out and out lie to Heather.

But hey at least she got reinstated as a cop. They were doing so well with the first two episodes back by giving the show an ensemble feel and giving JT and Tess a lot more screen time and this just felt like a step back and I was a little disappointed on this front but there were plenty of other things to be happy about


I don't know about you but I for one have missed Heather sorely. I really like the chemistry between Cat and Heather as well as Kristin and Nicole. It's just something special about a relationship between sisters. Miami has worked wonders for Heather. She is happy, healthy and practically glowing. Turns out she is engaged to a guy name Matthew (who by the way has fantastic taste in jewelry) and has been in therapy. She seems more sure of herself and is very blunt when she figures she's being lied to by Tess.

Isn't great now that she's in the loop? Cat doesn't have to lie to anyone close to her anymore and that must be a relief. I enjoyed Heather's return and couldn't be happier that's she's going to be a season 3 regular. Nicole plays Heather with such a burst of energy that it's just hard not to smile when she's on screen with Kristin. This show definitely needed an 'every man' who can be a stand-in for the audience in a world that is as fantastical as Beauty and the Beast can be. Let's be real, if one our friends told us a story that Cat told Heather or if we saw someone actually beast out, we would all probably lose it a little just like Heather. No one has really had an epic freak out when they've discovered that there are beasts among us, this was a refreshing change of pace. I do think that this happened very quickly and was resolved a little too tidily but time is of the essence and I'd much rather spend more time on VinCat taking Gabe down, finding time for each other and repairing their relationship, so all-in-all, I'm totes fine with it.

Grade:B+

Awards
Character of the Night
• Vincent (Don’t look at me, I’m just really proud of him, OK?)

Best Character Interactions
• Cat and Heather

Most Memorable Moment
• Gabe being forced into a line up/Gabe being identified by the witness
• Heather uses the word cockamamie and storms off.

Line of the Night
• Vincent: Well, he's consistent, I'll give him that. I think I liked him better as beast. Because at least then he was only trying to destroy ME to stay alive.

Scene of the Night
• Cat tries to finally come clean with Heather and Heather doesn’t believe her.

That Awkward Moment Award
• That awkward moment when it appears that Heather is smarter than the entire NYPD.
But bonus points for learning the Chandler's first pet was a cat and his name was Milo!

The‘Smooth Move Ex-Lax’ Award
• Really? Tess, just blurts out, ‘Tell Vincent I said hi.' And another really. It's at that exact moment the captain just happened to be walking by? Also Tess is still privy to things having to pertain to her partner that is suspected of aiding and abetting a fugitive? Not to mention the fact that Cat and Tess only got a suspension for said act of aiding and abetting.

That was the weakest point in the plot but it got us from point A to point G (as in getting rid of Gabe) so I'll just gloss over it.

Miscellaneous
Burning Questions
• Why was JT in Boston? (Fan fics/ficlets appreciated, LOL)

Fan Girl Rant (to be read in a semi-facetious tone but NOT taken with a grain of salt) - Something that bothered me during this episode was the continuous chatter between Cat and Vincent and their implied 'sexy fun times'. Um, when it comes to that more is more and you need to SHOW not tell.

I Call Shenanigans – Gabe made bail on a murder charge?! OK, sure, whatever but it would have at least had to have been a million dollars and he'd need at least 10% of that which would be $100,000, which by the way, the annual salary for an NYC ADA is about $69,000 and Gabe likes his fancy suits and watches (and let’s not forget manicures, pedicures and facials). Now, take all of that into account, if anything the fact that he made bail should raise even more red flags. I hope they at least took his passport.

Fun Fact: Heather’s dress was made by Valentino. I like that they didn't go with the obvious and cliche choice, Vera Wang.


Style Spotlight – Hands down, without a doubt, Heather’s wedding dress. And can I just say, ‘WOW!’ Nicole looked amazing in that dress. It’s definitely a tie for my favorite TV wedding dress this season (Reign’s wedding dress would be the other contender).

Crackpot (or maybe not) Theory of the Week - Gabe’s beast side is just dormant and it is about to resurface. I like this theory because that means Gabe can get put down in bloody, gruesome way, kind of like how he was supposed to die at the end of last season.

Top Three Tweets

Raise your hand if you want to see some actual footage of all this said "sleeping" together between VinCat. #BATB #ColdCase

— Lilith Hellfire (@LilithHellfire) June 17, 2014

I'm never annoyed with Heather, ever, she's a good little sister who worries about her big sis and calls Cat out on her BS. #BATB #ColdCase

— Lilith Hellfire (@LilithHellfire) June 17, 2014

Vincent chewing on gummy worms does things to me, don't judge. #ColdCase #BATB

— Lilith Hellfire (@LilithHellfire) June 17, 2014

Shameless Plugs and Self-Promotion
BATB Podcast (now with improved sound quality)
BATB Podcast Fan Page
BATB Podcast Email

What did you think of this episode? How does it stack up against the rest of the episodes from this season? Should Gabe be the big bad in season 3 or die at the end of this season? As always, feel free to sound off in the comments. You know I love you for reading…

Hey Beasties! I’m back and still absolutely in love with the direction of this last part of the season so far. I don’t know about you but I’m smitten as a kitten with Beauty and the Beast’s latest installment, episode 2x18: Cat and Mouse. It was another good, solid outing for the show. The stakes are higher than ever but at least VinCat is finally on the same page.

I’m happy that the question of whether or not Gabe’s menacing smirk over a glass of wine while watching the news about Vincent’s unfortunate circumstances meant something or not certainly did get answered rather quickly. On the one hand, I’m a little annoyed that Gabe is going back to being a big bad instead being quietly shuffled off into oblivion. On the other hand, I’m glad they are trying to give Gabe a more believable purpose than being a White Knight and that means Sendhil can stick around a little longer. Y’all should know by now how much I really fancy the man (and what his purposeful presence if used properly could do for the show).

If I had to sum this episode’s events it would be rather simple: Cat and Vincent showed us yet again just how brave their love is. Gabe showed his true colors and ends up standing alone on the side of line he drew. Tess continued to be a damn good gal pal and JT continues to go above and beyond the call of duty thus solidifying his title as ‘Best Bro EVER’.

This week we had the story being written by Amy Van Curen (who you should totally tweet and thank - @BatBAmy) and the teleplay was by Brad Kern. Not to sound like a misandrist or anything but when it comes to BATB they ladies tend to knock it out of the park much more frequently than the men. At least in my opinion. This was another strong story where everyone got a chance to shine and gave an ensemble show vibe as oppose to the VinCat melodrama hour. I love how someone finally had the balls to just show Gabe for what he is and what he always has been. Gabe is the worst kind of guy, the guy that says if I can’t have you no one can. He preyed on Cat when she was vulnerable. Even last week when Cat flat out said she wasn’t a prize to be won he still said he would try. At this point he might as well put on a fedora and grow a neck beard (if you don’t get the reference Google dude bro or brony).

Jeff Renfroe returned to the director’s chair this week. Last seen directing episode 2x07: Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? I have to say I love this episode more. He really focused on the actors and made all the other background stuff disappear. But we were back to the intentionally poorly lit scenes this episode for the most part, which you guys know I’m not a fan of. But it was done to match the tone and stakes of this episode. You can’t shoot happy cheery lighting if you want to get across a sense of dread and danger at every turn. He captured our cast’s performances to the T and that’s all that really matters in the end.

I definitely think this episode had one very strong theme running through it this episode; which of course is where the title of this review comes from, fight or flight. VinCat has had a notable stint of running away from each other when things get tough. To be fair, I know sometimes that decision was made to keep the other safe. But when has that every really worked in real life, or on TV? Just when they were ready to take on the world at the end of last season they were torn apart (which is something I’ll never be over, to be quite honest). It is also something that better not happen at the end of this season! I’ve been eagerly anticipating the moment VinCat collectively decided that they were mad as hell and they weren’t going to take it anymore. My wish has finally come through. Although, I must say that I really love how Cat is willing to sacrifice her/their happiness if it means that Vincent can be safe. Doing whatever is necessary for the other person despite the consequences truly is one of the hallmarks of love. It also was something Vincent was willing to do for Cat last season at various times, the high point of that situation being him taking pills that could kill him just so he could give Cat a sense of normalcy (never going to be over Date Night, sorry, not sorry).

There was a ton of Tess in this episode which of course I’m over the moon about. I really like how they showcased just how much Tess loves Cat and the lengths she is willing to go to protect her. Some of my favorite scenes in this episode heavily showcase Tess and toughness. We actually opened this episode with Tess and I don’t think we done that ever, at least not if Cat wasn’t talking to her. I’m a fan of this ensemble show take that these last two episodes have featured. And for the life of me I’m not sure why it hasn’t been sooner or at least more often. This show has a small cast and the fandom loves each of the core four fiercely. I noticed as I live tweeted last night there were still people who were readily willing to doubt Tess’s devotion to Cat. For the life of me, I’m don’t know why. Tess is just as loyal as JT despite the wishy- washiness of how this character has been written this season the underlying motivations have always been that Tess just wants what’s best for Cat. It hurts my sole whenever I see Tess hate. From day one I was drawn to the character and eager to know more about this tough chick who came across as a man eater. I’ve been enjoying the softer side of Tess even though it has been a more subtle style of showing and not explicitly stating.

Austin Basis as usual killed as JT Forbes. I really like exploring the other facets of JT besides the one liner king and the exposition machine. I like that he was vulnerable and a little whiney when Tess wasn’t taking his calls. I’m glad that even though he hates goodbyes he was still obviously affected by Vincent having to leave and it was displayed in a truly JT fashion – he drowned his sorrows with scotch and gummy bears. I love the bromance between JT and Vincent and that shouldn’t be a surprise because I say it often enough. Scrubs was one of my favorite shows because of the unique male friendship that J.D. and Turk had. It was really refreshing. The relationship between JT and Vincent is just as equally as refreshing. It obvious they love each other and the chemistry between Austin and Jay is amazing. I’m also always blown away that the friendship between the boys can at time rival the love story between Cat and Vincent.

Oh my god, just when thought the character of Gabe couldn’t get any worse there he go running for ‘Tool of the Year’. Seriously, just who the hell does he think he is? I’m going to need some people to remind him that he isn’t a cop. Somebody, somewhere has to have evidence of his misconduct from last season so we can take him down once and for all. I’m just glad the writers decided to vindicate the fans that have never trusted him. It’s a shame that we wasted most of this season on trying to make the audience believe that Gabe could be a good guy and pure intentions. Gabe thinks he is the smartest and coolest guy in the room and that smugness promptly got wiped off of his face as one by one the entirety of Team Beastie basically spat in his face. Did he really think anyone would join his team? It was far too much Gabe in this episode and you knew that was the case when they basically had to shove a scene in explaining why he was back at the 125th precinct and to add insult to injury he even commandeered the poor new captain’s office and made him set up in Joe’s old office. But bonus points for a Joe mention.

Cat rocked during this episode. The culmination of awesomeness was when she confronted Gabe. Now I’m not usually the type to the condone violence but when she slapped the dog mess out of Gabe I cheered. She finally said the words I’d been hoping to hear. She acknowledged that she remembered the crap he pulled last year. Now I can admire Cat for wanting to see the good in someone instead of chastising her for seemingly being an ostrich with her head stuck in the sand because it is convenient. Now, I wouldn’t go as far to say that Vincent is innocent or that it was self-defense but there were extenuating circumstances that Gabe himself witnessed. I honestly don’t know why Gabe is so obsessed with Cat but it has been off putting as hell and infuriating as frack watching her spend time with him when she could have at the very least been spending it with Tess. So glad that chapter is closed.

I was so proud of Vincent this episode. He finally made his intentions known and is ready, willing and able to make a stand. He wants to fight and if necessary go down swinging. A lot of the time, especially this season it has seemed as though Cat was the only one fighting for their epic love. I like this turn of events. Jay Ryan absolutely killed it each of the emotional gambits from angry, to romantic, to downright funny at times. The dinner scene with JT made me light up like a 90 year olds birthday cake. He even kind of patted JT on the back (which he doesn't do nearly enough) when they broke into Gabe’s apartment by acknowledging the lengths and extremes JT has been going to, especially as of late. Vincent is back to being a standup guy; though I wouldn't have even batted an eyelash if Vincent would have choked the life out of Gabe when he has the chance. I was rooting for it and believe you me, I was not the only one. I do admire the man’s strength on that front because if it were me, Gabe would be no more.

I’m still on the fence about Agent Knox. I know Dana vouched for him and all but he is FBI. When has anything good ever come out of our heroes being entangled with that particular branch of the government? I liked that Agent Knox seemed to care about the missing agent beyond her ability to burn a lot of undercover agents. I like that he seemed genuinely sorry that the exoneration was withdrawn. But he seems like he has a secret. I mean he did kidnap Cat and hold her hostage and his partner was very menacing and unaccommodating. He’ll be back in a few more episodes so that should answer my questions, hopefully. All in all I knew the deal was too good to be true. But a girl can dream, right?

A promise has been made and it better be fulfilled!
Vincent: … and I think we deserve a future.
Cat: And we’ll have one, together… I promise.

Another solid hour of BATB that went by much too fast but is definitely making all the right moves and making me a very happy Beastie. Also please don't be discouraged by the ratings dropping back down to our season 2 norm in the demo, we still had a more viewers than the average from before we went on hiatus. Remember Mark Pedowitz knows the show's strengths and weaknesses. We do good solid DVR numbers, are a social media powerhouse, stream online on all the various providers (The CW site, Hulu and Amazon) and purchase content like no other fandom. Not to mention, we do come on after re-runs of WLIIA. Not the best lead-in if they were really wanted our show to succeed. Just saying...

Grade: A-

Until next week Beasties… keep on roaring!

Awards

Character of the Night
• Vincent

Best Character Interactions
• Cat and Vincent (for the win)!

Most Memorable Moment
• It’s a tie: Cat slaps Gabe and Vincent blows down the door to breakout Cat and the FBI agent

Line of the Night
• Tess: So now, what? You’re the paragon of justice. After everything you use to do? Oh, give me a break.
• Vincent (to Gabe): Do yourself a favor and walk away because I do not have time for you right now.


Scene of the Night
• The VinCat leap of faith from the UN building.

Miscellaneous

Burning Questions
• Does anyone else ever feel just slightly annoyed when they recycle storylines? (I mean isn’t this just a Task Force 2.0 situation?)
• Why didn't Vincent just blur away with Cat when she needed to catch her breath?
• Why didn't Vincent beast out in the parking garage when the door was coming down?

Fun Fact – Agent Knox who was played by guest star Anthony Ruivivar just happens to be one of the few men to voice Batman. He voiced Bruce Wayne/Batman in Beware the Batman (2013-Present).

Style Spotlight – Vincent’s coat. Yes, I know, I’m aware of my coat and jacket fetish guys. The only thing missing was a Yankee or Mets baseball cap.

My tweets that resonated with the Beasties last night…

My little #Beastie heart is so full of pride and happiness I might puke a rainbow. #CatandMouse #BATB

— Lilith Hellfire (@LilithHellfire) June 10, 2014

I'm loving how Tess and JT are getting a whole lot more screen time lately. Team Beastie rides again! #CatandMouse #BATB

— Lilith Hellfire (@LilithHellfire) June 10, 2014

I really enjoy the relationship between JT and Vincent it's one of the best bromances ever. #CatandMouse #BATB

— Lilith Hellfire (@LilithHellfire) June 10, 2014

Shameless Plugs and Self-Promotion
Beauty and the Beast Podcast
BATB Podcast Facebook Fan Page

What did you think of this episode? How does it stack up against the rest of the episodes from this season? Are you jumping for joy that VinCat seems to be a united front on the same page finally? As always, feel free to sound off in the comments. You know I love you for reading…

Welcome back Beasties! Did you miss me? I missed you.

Before I get underway with this week’s review I would like to say that I’m super proud of each and every Beastie who roared long and hard to help get BATB renewed for season 3. Beasties come together when it counts and this is honestly one of the most passionate and dedicated fandoms I have ever seen and I’m always going to be proud to be a part of this fanmily.

I feel like the renewal has given me a new outlook on Beauty and the Beast. Especially since I can gather what the end game for season 2 is and what they are planning for season 3 and they all appear to be things that I can be happy about and get behind wholeheartedly. I truly hope the feeling is mutual for the fans that have stuck around this long through so many of the ups and downs. I think they are planning on rewarding us for our loyalty by getting back to the basic tenants of the show.

There was so much that happened and a lot to process. So let’s see… Where should I begin?

Cat was running around like a chicken with their head cut off trying to save Vincent and in the process lost her badge and made a few people think she was an escaped patient from some mental hospital in the process. She got to flex her lawyer skills, have some girl time with Tess, comfort JT and still managed time to have to be shoved into quite a few forced, long, drawn out and unnecessary scenes with Gabe. Heck, she even stopped by to check in on her dear old dad. And let’s not forget she was handcuffed by Vincent, for like the 4th time (I mean if that’s their kink no judgments here just show some of that in bedroom already). Oh and of course let’s not forget that the writers came down with a case of Lana Lang syndrome by having Cat be kidnapped by the bad guys. Let’s just hope she manages to stay out of the hospital for these next five episodes or I might have a few choice words about that.

Gabe wasn't behind Vincent being arrested! Really? Are you sure writers? I mean sure it’s always great to see Ted Whittall again being the bad bio dad we all love to hate and as much as I love Sendhil I just don't see the point of keeping the character of Gabe around. One of the cardinal rules of writing is a character should serve the plot, the plot should haven’t to serve the character. For the life of me I can't understand why the writers keep trying to remind us of a plot that was nearly universally hated by the fans. They should be trying to gloss that over and phasing the character out or down playing his screen time for the time being. He’s pretty useless and one note at this point which is a shame because Mr. Ramamurthy can play evil in a wonderfully delicious manner. But the character of Gabe seems so neutered and lovelorn that I’m getting secondhand embarrassment for him at this point. For me personally, the character of Gabe can never be truly be redeemed for me no matter what the writers try to force down my throat. Gabe comes across as selfish, petty and arrogant. Those traits by the way are the prime ingredients for a villain, just saying. I truly hope they build on the evil smirk while drinking a glass of wine thing because I just can’t take the jealous puppy dog routine any longer.

OK, let’s just get this out of the way. You know it was coming and be honest, you know you love it when I say this, criminal underuse of Austin Basis as JT Forbes. But at least he was in the episode and clocking some pretty good screen time, well for season 2 at any rate. It absolutely broke my heart that Vincent wasn't able to say a proper goodbye to him. But JT knew in his heart that the day would come eventually. At least now he has Cat AND Tess to help him through this rough time. I’m really happy that JT got a little bit agro in this episode and all of his points were valid. It is nice to know that JT has a back bone underneath all that good guy armor. I have feeling this might come in handy over the course of the next five episodes as well going into season 3.

I loved everything about Tess in this episode. Tess was written a little more in character than she had been in quite some time. Tess is a good friend, fight me about it, I dare you! I was absolutely smitten with her concern for Cat and JT and how she was clumsily handling her inability to really help. Even Tess’s make up was well done and I guess the lighting guys who use to have a grudge against Nina finally let bygones be bygones because it wasn’t very often that the character of Tess had good lighting in any scene but this episode was one gorgeous shot after the next of Tess. It might also help they've been filming in the daytime and outdoors more, LOL! Tess’s dialog may not have been that great but Nina really sold the character’s social awkwardness that comes from always trying to be tough and being a tad bit rough around the edges. I absolutely can’t wait to see what sides her relationship with JT brings out in her.

I know we saw an awful lot of Vincent but I felt like he really didn’t have a lot to do in this episode per se. He got arrested. He was strip searched by Officer Miller (in a scene that didn’t last long enough or show nearly enough). Cat came to his rescue to keep him calm and discover the gem’s hiding place. He had a pretty cool scene with JT when he realized that his friends were willing to take huge risks to save him and decided he wanted to spare them. I really liked that scene especially since he acknowledged that he was guilty of the crime. That scene really felt like old Vincent from season 1 and it hit me hard because I’ve missed that Vincent very much especially the vulnerability that Jay Ryan gave in that iteration of Vincent.

What else? In another scene that made me tear eyed (there were quite a few, to be honest) Vincent has a heart to heart with Cat but much to my surprise and Vincent chagrin Cat chose a heck of a time to find her backbone and told him she was going to save him. That didn’t sit well with Vincent so naturally he started a fight with an inmate to facilitate his escape. Just when it seemed as if Vincent was gone for good we get another rooftop scene that just punched me in my gut. They proceeded to follow that up with a sexy shower scene of VinCat dancing to the song they had their first dance to. Some writers focus too much on the show’s pat and some writers don’t have a healthy enough respect for it; but as always Sherri and Jenny managed to find the perfect balance (which by the way, left me a little bit of an emotional wreck). Of course Gabe just sensed the perfect time to come and be a cock block (and I swear my whole timeline lit up like a Christmas tree when it happened). But at least it was with some semi-helpful news. But it doesn’t pan out and this leaves Vincent ready to run. Cat offers to go but it’s too late, the cops have her place surrounded and he has to blur away.

I really liked how this episode ended with shots of seeing what everyone is up to. Usually we just end with Cat, Vincent or VinCat, which is always nice but this definitely feels like a shift in the writers' focus to me for some reason. The music was also pitch perfect in my opinion for this episode.

I really liked the way this episode was written. It was hands down one of best put together scripts of the seasons and it should come as no surprise that Sherri Cooper and Jenny Levin were the ones who wrote this episode. I think the pacing was fantastic. The dialog was natural and filled with a kind of awkwardness that worked for the plot. All of our main characters got nearly equal attention. This is something I have been waiting for, for like 16 episodes since I was promised this show was moving in an ensemble cast direction way back during SDCC 2013. It’s such a pity that they haven’t be allowed to write much for season 2 and are getting knocked down to “consultants” for season 3.

I was absolutely in love with the way this episode was shot. It felt fresh in a whole lot of ways, so much so that I thought a new director had come on board. But that was not the case; it was one of my series favorites, Fred Gerber. He shook things up a bit by trying his hand at few new ways of capturing scenes. Some scene felt muted in a way that made me sit up and pay attention. The scenes were blocked and captured in such a way to put the focus on everyone in the scene not just one person for the most part and I really found myself liking that. Some directors make the viewer feel like an intruder verse an observer. Mr. Gerber makes me feel like a quiet observer and I think that for this show that fits best. I could gush all day about this particular technical point but I won’t…

For a show that has a fairy tale connotation for a title, our protagonists very rarely get those ‘happily ever after’ moments, do they? The cycle of being drawn together and torn apart is to be expected, especially since we answered that question of will they or won’t very early on in the series. The show shines best when Cat and Vincent (as well and Kristin and Jay) are allowed to play off each other. That’s the draw. They have amazing chemistry together. Every story needs conflict but I’m not sure if a story needs as much conflict as season 2 of BATB has had. It has quite literally been one thing after another without much of a break from the chaos, for the fans or the characters. I look forward to how they resolve this season over the course of the next 5 episodes.

I really hope they plan on getting back to the heart and soul of the show as well as revisit some of the overarching themes from last season such as: doing what is right, standing up for what you believe in, self-discovery, friendship and epic love. Because to me that what this how boils down and what makes it great. This show really does have something for everyone: a romantic side, an action side and a heavy Sci-Fi element that should totally be expounded upon, along with an awesome cast and a timeless story to be told.

I feel BATB has the potential to be a mainstream success if only the network would let it be. I’m hoping that next season there will be a lot more promotion for the show from the network as well as the fans. I’m happy to report that our ratings did go up from a .3 to .4 in the demo and we had the most viewers since last season’s finale (1.1 million). I'll chalk that up to the fans that created a street team initiative to literally put the butts in the seats and spread their love for the show the old fashioned way, word of mouth. My biggest hope is the ratings continue to climb for the duration and that the decision is made to make BATB a summer show, since it would mean less pressure for ratings, more time to promote it and also build up anticipation for the show. Only time will tell.

So until next week, keep roaring Beasties.

Grade: A-

Awards
Best Character Interactions
• Cat and Vincent (duh!)

Character of the Night
• Cat

Scene of the Night
•VinCat dancing in the shower

Line of the Night
• Vincent: Catherine, don’t you get it? You are my gem. I want to take you everywhere with me.

Most Memorable Moment
• The Cat and JT hug

Miscellaneous
Burning Questions
• Does anyone else feel like Gabe has been keeping in touch with Reynolds this whole time?

Style Spotlight - I was absolutely in love with Tess's coat. It wasn't already so damn hot here in NYC I would totally try to track it down.

Side Notes:
Do you guys still want a question of the week poll like I use to do before the hiatus? If so let me and leave some questions of the week in the comments below.

Shameless Plugs & Self-Promotion
Beauty and the Beast Podcast
BATB Podcast Facebook Fan Page

What did you think of this episode? How does it stack up against the rest of the episodes from this season? What do you think should be done with the character of Gabe? As always, feel free to sound off in the comments. You know I love you for reading…

“The One with the Reddest Red Herring”

“Life is to be lived, not controlled; and humanity is won by continuing to play in face of certain defeat.”

― Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man

Preface

Up for dissection this week is episode 1x07: Out of Control. It’s not really an episode I hear or see a lot of Beasties clamoring over but I think it is a very important episode in regards to the evolution of the VinCat relationship.

This is episode is one of those episodes that have grown on me over the course of the show. I felt like the VinCat thing was moving way too fast and had no idea how they were going to slow things down. When the fugues first started happening, I thought it would be too obvious that Cat was the cause. But this episode had me questioning my logic.

I also thought it would have been more interesting had Vincent actually been the one to kill the frat guy and to see how Cat would have handled that so soon in the relationship. But what actually transpired was also a good way to create conflict in the relationship with not only Cat and Vincent but JT and Vincent as well as Cat and JT.


The Recap & Review


Title: Out of Control |Writers: Brian Peterson & Kelly Souders | Director: Rick Bota
Episode Summary: J.T. thinks Vincent may somehow be involved in Cat's homicide investigation after she mentions a local college fraternity brother was brutally killed. J.T. examines Vincent to determine the cause of his increasingly frequent blackouts, but when Vincent starts to beast out, J.T. is forced to tranquilize him.

Meanwhile, Evan and his new intern find a strange cut on the victim's ankle, which matches that of a female cadaver left on campus a year earlier. As Evan works to uncover more clues from the crime scene, he is kidnapped.

Cat begs Vincent to help find Evan and save his life, yet she doesn't realize that she's putting Vincent's life in serious danger. Vincent blacks out again and Beast Vincent rips the murderer apart and becomes the top of the NYPD's most wanted list. Evan heard the whole thing and starts investigating mysterious killings.

Vincent locks himself in a cage. He and J.T. have determined the common thread in his blackouts. He is either going to visit Cat or, most recently, was with her.
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My thoughts on the writers…
I really like the writing team of Brian Peterson & Kelly Souders. I think they do a really good job of keeping the positive aspects of the show front in center and doing their best to put the flaws of Beauty and the Beast in a dark corner. This episode focused on the core four. Even though Tess was not an integral part to the main event Vincent plotline she was still in the foreground a lot (something that season 2 hasn’t been too great about). The pacing was just right, not too fast but it also didn't plod at all. The dialog was very good as well. I have so many favorite lines in this episode which is odd because Beauty and the Beast is usually all about the moments, silent storytelling and clever Easter eggs for me.

My thoughts on the director…
Rick Bota is one of my favorite directors for Beauty and the Beast. Almost all of his episodes are very beautifully shot. He knows how to let a scene breathe and he knows how to make an insignificant scene sing. He uses a lot of natural light and balances tight close ups with wide shots. But what I like best about his directorial eye is the unconventional ways he captures scenes with more than two people, he tends to come in on an unexpected angle and sometimes even shifts the focus from what we would normally expect.

My thoughts on the case of the week…
I think I would have liked this case a little better had they not spent so much time trying to convince me that Vincent MIGHT have killed the frat guy because it was painfully obvious that it wasn’t going down that road ( even though I honestly would have preferred that road). The perp of the week was a young budding serial killer with a "tragic" (I'll use that word very loosely) past. He was weird and creepy right from the start and when the ominous music started playing in the lab with him and Evan, well quite frankly it tipped their hand (not to mention the kid was new and little too helpful).

My thoughts on the theme…
Here's what I got for the theme in this episode: The world is grey but some things will always be black and white no matter what.

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Important Incidents
• A frat boy is killed.
• Vincent comes home bloody and he was near the vicinity of where the frat boy was killed.
• The introduction of the tranquilizer gun
• Vincent fugues out and attacks JT and it forces JT to tranquilize Vincent
• Evan gets a new intern.
• Evan gets kidnapped.
• Cat asks for Vincent’s help.
• The vigilante gets moved to the top of the most wanted list

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Character Contemplations

Cat – This is the episode that made me wonder what Cat’s deal was. I mean does she even understand the serious consequences and repercussions that are involved with being with Vincent (whether it is a friend or lover situation)? It sure didn’t seem like it until it was too late. I found it so odd that she didn’t use the tranquilizer on Vincent once he found the area where Evan was being held for her. She could have easily apprehended Peter herself. She also didn’t seem to understand that he could have just as easily killed an innocent person when she encouraged him to run off in his fugue induced beastly rage. There was just so much to hate about Cat in this episode that I just can’t keep talking about it.

Evan – Evan comes across as a lone wolf to me and I love that he was highly irritated with Peter the whole entire time. I also love that Evan is competent at his job. One might even say a little TOO competent. He was fairly mild mannered this episode and I appreciated that. Professional and reserved is my favorite Evan. At this point in the show I didn't fear Evan’s demise so the whole setup built no tension for me about the character’s well-being. But he did have good dialog and poignant (well it was supposed to be and it fell flat) with Peter. I also liked the scene between Cat and Evan where she tries to persuade him on the fact that he didn't hear what he thought he heard. But ever the scientist, physical proof trumps pretty girl’s distracting poppycock.

Joe – Blinked and you missed him. One of my biggest disappointments for the series overall was the criminal under use of Brian White. He is a talented actor and was always (and still is) so gracious with the fans and supportive of the show. Joe had potential but they squandered it and then ruined the character twice over. The first ruination of the character was his romantic relationship with Tess and the the other was his personal vendetta against the vigilante. But before all of that he was just in the background and not a very hands on kind of boss. But his "rousing" speech did make it into the highlights about this episode so there's that. I was sad when it was announced that Brian White wouldn't be in season 2 but I was relieved that the character of Joe was off my screen.

JT – This is the JT that I love the most. Concerned about Vincent and screw everybody else. He was always there with a theory and a way to test it. He was vigilant and mindful of the stakes. He was the voice of reason but most importantly, he was front and center and vital to the plot. Something I took for granted in season 1 and learned to cherish in season 2 anytime an episode didn't feature him.

Tess – Tess was on fire in this episode. Snarky, sassy and fun. She showcased her best friend skills to the max. I love the happy moments between Cat and Tess. I love their friendship. It’s nice to see woman be genuine friends in a healthy adult way and not backstabbing hussies that seem to be mentally stuck in high school. Bold and brash is just the way I love my Tess. I think this is one of the best episodes that has been written for the character, which is probably why it made my Elite Eight list whereas most people overlook this episode.

Vincent – At this point in the show we had really only heard about how much of a danger to others Vincent was. We hadn't really seen it. Nor had we really explore the implications of Vincent’s beastly condition. I think the writers cooked up this fugue subplot to illustrate just how dangerous Vincent could be and how scary the results could be when he hurt someone close to him. But then again, this started me down the path of thinking that Cat and Vincent’s bond go much deeper than they (and us the audience) know because Cat basically got the beast side of Vincent to leave without having to shoot him with her gun or the tranquilizer. She did it all with a pleading look. I love that we got a glance into that head of Vincent’s and really begin to see and understand the struggle he has with this burden. I think this was also done to really make Cat (and us the audience) understand that Vincent’s plight isn't just about not being able to lead normal life because Muirfield is after him, it’s because he is potential danger to others.

VinCat - Come on, you didn’t they were going to actually go on that camping trip did you? I like that Cat just wanted to have fun with Vincent first and foremost because quite honestly they both needed it. But it was too soon for them to be gallivanting off into the sunset for a weekend trip. This episode also brought up some interesting things about how Cat sees Vincent. On the one hand she thinks he’s a good person but on the other hand he has unique ability that could come in handy. This was the first time I kind of didn't want them to be together any time soon. Things were definitely moving way too fast so I’m glad that they put this obstacle in their way
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The Highlights

Memorable Moments

• Cat smiling as she enters a murder scene
• Cat smiling as she is packing to go on a camping trip with Vincent
• Tess ogling and objectifying the firefighters openly


Laudable Lines

• Cat: I’m not going anywhere. Trust me.
• Tess: Try not to look giddy when approaching a murder scene.
• Peter: I can hear your sarcasm.
• Tess: Couple sneaks out to do the nasty in the bushes and finds cut up fraternity brother.

Scenes I'm Smitten With

• JT tries to keep Cat from seeing Vincent passed out from the tranquilizer dart incident
• Cat being socially awkward at the NYC Fireman’s calendar launch
• JT and Vincent try to figure out what’s causing the fugue states.
• Cat confides in Tess (kind of) about ‘the guy’
• Cat goes to check up on Evan and tries to convince him that there is no beast.


The Nitpicks

• Did they really have to show the tranquilizer dart in slow motion?
• Cat could have stopped Peter once Vincent pointed her in the right direction
• Cat and Tess didn't clear Peter’s apartment the proper way
• Cat and Tess weren't holding their guns the proper way cops are taught


Awards

Character of the Night
• Vincent

Best Character Interactions
• Cat & Tess
• Cat & JT
• Cat & Vincent

Most Memorable Moment
• Mike ‘The Firefighter’ writes his number down on Cat’s calendar .

Line of the Night
• JT: You may have saved Evan, but you didn't think about the price Vincent would pay

Scene of the Night
• Cat goes to check on Vincent and sees that he has locked himself up and Vincent tells her that he and JT think she’s the trigger to his fugues.

That Awkward Moment
• That awkward moment when you wake up from a bender but instead of a pool of puke, it’s a pool of blood and not being sure whether the fact that it isn't your own is a good thing or not.
• That awkward moment when your friend hulks out and you have to shoot him.

The ‘Giving JT a Run for His Money’ Award
• Tess & Evan - These two were slaying me with their comments the whole entire episode which was a good change of pace because sometimes witty repartee needs to spread around.

The ‘Fan Fiction Inspiration’ Award
• Grand Prize: While Cat and Tess are interrogating the kid who dropped out of the frat he utters the words ‘lady cops’ and the rest is history, the fandom began writing fan fiction about the cases Cat and Tess were doing before Vincent was in the picture and the results were usually pretty funny (at least the ones I saw on Tumblr).
• Runner Up: Anytime JT and Vincent start doing science stuff together, I have to fight the urge to drop what I’m doing and start on an idea I've had for quite some time, JT and Vincent as alternate universe ‘Science Bros’.


Miscellaneous

For Real?
• Vincent says that he doesn’t think he should be out in the world roaming around but a few minutes later he’s out trying to explain to Cat why they can’t go on their hiking trip and that he might be the killer she’s looking for.

Burning Questions
• Whose blood was Vincent covered in?
• If Cat was truly the trigger for the fugues then why hadn’t they happen (before they went to scene of the subway attack) when they were alone together and how come no one brought that up?
• Who still says 'rad'?
• Why didn't nosey neighbor lady become a recurring character?

Recurring Elements
• Newspaper clippings
• Wall of Weird
• Cat’s leather jacket and motorcycle boots combo

MY Biggest Beef with this Episode

• Cat’s logical leap about where the next crime scene would be. Not only did she get it from a single newspaper clipping but the incident in the subway wasn’t a “famous” murder, also did it not happen in an abandoned subway tunnel, it happened in a well light, in use, subway station.

Things I Miss
• JT doing cool science stuff

Biggest Surprise of the Episode
• Vincent saving Evan triggers the vigilante moving to the top of the wanted list

My Music Picks
• St. Christopher by Michael Logen
• Sweet Rock N Roll by Vibrolux

Fun Fact: It takes 7 minutes and 58 seconds to get to the title card.

Grade: B-
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Side Note: Was it just me or were there a ton of shirtless Vincent scenes? (Not that I will ever complain about that).
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Elite Eight Review Line Up

Here’s a list of the episodes that I will be writing Retro Recaps for until the hiatus is over:
• Pilot – April 8, 2014
• Saturn Returns – April 15, 2014
• Out of Control – April 22, 2014
• Bridesmaid up/Seeing Red – April 29, 2014
• Trust No One – May 6, 2014
• Insatiable – May 13, 2014
• Heart of Darkness – May 20, 2014
• Anniversary – May 27, 2014
• Bonus Review (on my blog): Date Night – June 2, 2014

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Plugs & Shameless Self-Promotion
If you’re bored and you’re re-watching season 2, how about you listen to my podcast for a fresh perspective, theories or just have a listen to a couple of gals who just really love talking about Beauty and the Beast.

The DVMPE’s Beauty and the Beast Podcast
The Podcast’s Facebook Page
The Podcast's Email

===================================================================
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 – 1.05– Saturn Returns – Retro Review: The Perks of Being Catherine Chandler

“The Perks of Being Catherine Chandler”

‘The soul of the newly born baby is marked for life by the pattern of the stars at the moment it comes into the world, unconsciously remembers it, and remains sensitive to the return of configurations of a similar kind.’
― Johannes Kepler, Harmonies of the World

Preface

Well, I just want to say that I was really impressed with turn out last week on my inaugural Beauty and the Beast Retro Recap. It was the second most viewed review here on Spoiler TV so I just want to say thank you. I love my Beasties and I’m proud to be a part of this fandom. Always have been and always will be.

Up for discussion this week is actually the first episode I ever watched of Beauty and the Beast, 1x05: Saturn Returns. It was only after this episode that I decided to give the pilot a shot and well, the rest is history. ..

So, obviously, this episode holds a special place in my heart but objectively this is just a really well-crafted episode that runs the gambit of emotions and situations. Every character gets their chance to shine. The pacing was great. The dialog was fun. The party was great and a breath of fresh air. It gave us as the audience a chance to see most of our characters let loose and have fun.

So onwards and upwards with the second installment of my Beauty and the Beast Retro Review...


The Recap & Review

Title: Saturn Returns
Story by: Blair Singer/Teleplay by: Blair Singer & Kelly Souders
Director: Steven A. Adelson
Episode Summary: It's Cat's birthday, and things get complicated when she has to cancel her plans with Vincent because her sister throws her a surprise party where she shares an unexpected moment with Evan.

Vincent is caught on security camera preventing a robbery, leading his photo to appear in the newspapers, and Cat investigates the disappearance of a woman after her fiancé puts their engagement notice in the paper. It turns out that the missing woman was in witness protection and trying to live a normal life.
She disappeared when she saw her photograph in the engagement notice, worried that the gangster she was to testify against might have seen it. The gangster kills her case officer and shows up in his place, as he tries to find her.

Cat tracks the missing woman to a motel and arrives before the gangster. Cat and the gangster fight, with Cat winning. The missing woman is reunited with her fiancé. Cat pretends to be surprised at the party.

At the end of the evening, Evan kisses her, and they are seen by Vincent, who leaves a present for Cat on the window ledge and wanders off.
After the party, Cat goes to see Vincent and invites him for dinner.The last few scenes show Cat preparing dinner and Vincent walking to the date. However, he blacks out and does not show up. The candles burn down. Vincent wakes on one of the Brooklyn Bridge pylons.
====================================================================
My thoughts on the writer…
I really liked this writing team but they were never put together again and more notably not asked back for season 2. While Blair Singer went on to write other episodes solo as well as one with Roger Grant, Kelly Souders was often paired with Brian Peterson (who was also not asked back for season 2). I really liked how they went out of the way to give every character a moment to shine as well as balanced the time between Cat and her life, Vincent and his life and his time together. The dialog was fun while also very realistic. They even managed to capture a few moments that felt very believable between Cat and Heather as well as Cat and Tess. I honestly can’t say enough good things about this duo and the work they did on this episode. My only regret is they never got the chance to work together again on Beauty and the Beast.

My thoughts on the director…
While this episode marked Mr. Adelson’s Beauty and the Beast directorial debut, this episode certainly wasn’t his last. Adelson has a clean and almost blunt directorial aesthetics for the most part. But he also has a way of getting the most out of the scene without the frame feeling crowded. I like that he really thrives on capturing not only the emotions of the actors but manages to even encapsulate the scene’s emotional aurora.
I’m very much looking forward to the next time he directs an episode of Beauty and the Beast which will actually be episode 2x20: Ever After.

My thoughts on the case of the week…
During the first season, for the most part, (and if you listen to the podcast, you know in the second season I still wouldn’t bat an eye if one week Cat and Tess were suddenly no longer cops but instead private detectives) I really didn’t care for the case of the week. It made the show feel too procedural in nature and the cases were often thinly veiled morality plays that tied into the theme of the week. After numerous re-watches, I’ve decided they were charming plot devices that helped build a bridge that eventually connected to other things and was a necessary evil.

Another problem with the cases of the week was the lack of originality. After watching the Law & Order franchise for quite literally more than half my life, not to mention CSI and NCIS, I can spot a red herring and ferret out the real perp in about 5 minutes flat in almost in procedural show but in the case of Beauty and the Beast, you can cut that time in half. I even figured out the ‘surprise’ twist long before it was said.

But for some reason, this really is one of my favorite cases of the week. I guess because the parallels to Cat and Vincent are so blatant yet poignant and not to mention the couple gets their happy ending thanks mostly in part to Cat.

My thoughts on the theme…
The theme of the week was very obvious but at the same time tied nicely into the case of the week.

The prevalent theme of the episode was: You can’t just assume what is right for someone else; they need to be allowed to make that choice for themselves.


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Important Incidents

• JT and Vincent go for a walk and Vincent stops a convenience store robbery a story that makes the papers.
• Heather throws Cat a surprise party with the help of Tess.
• With the help of JT, Vincent realizes just what is at stake for Cat if he continues to encourage her to spend time with him.
• Sarah asks JT out and he says no (later he takes her up on the offer of going out for coffee)
• Cat kisses Evan at her birthday party while Vincent looks on.

====================================================================
Actor Assessments
Nicole Gale Anderson – This was some A+ casting because despite Nicole being Filipina and Kristin being of Dutch and Chinese descent they really look like they could be sister. Throw in the bonus that they both look like they could be Khaira Ledeyo's daughter and the wow factor of the casting is to be commended.

I've loved Nicole since the day she showed up on ABC Family's Make It or Break IT as the quintessential mean girl with a messed up family life.

My friend is a super fan of Nicole's and alerted me to the fact the she was on this show as Kristin's character's little sister and we made a date to watch the show together and well, it was right after the episode ended that I became willing to give this show a shot.

Nicole and Kristin's chemistry is so awesome. They play off each other really well and it is so easy to believe that they are sister. I hope Nicole gets to come back before the end of season 2 (if indeed the show gets cancelled like so many are predicting, but I'm not counting Beauty and the Beast out, just yet).
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Character Contemplations

Cat – Cat was already starting to feel the burden of keeping Vincent's secret and instead of running away from it she was leaning into it. I find it interesting because Cat essentially has everything Vincent had to give up: friends, a family that loves her, the ability to celebrate a birthday, the freedom to do as she pleases when she pleases as well as working a job where she is making an actual difference in the world. I really liked that Cat was feeling guilty. But I also like that she was following where her heart was leading her. I think that was something very difficult for Cat to do previously up until this point. I was a bit shocked that Cat didn't push Evan away and actually tried to use her being "tipsy" as an excuse. But the most important thing of all is that even with all this drama in her life, she still managed to be a good a cop and save the day and Vincent was even, indirectly (just the way I like it), able to help her solve the case. She also got a glimpse that a happy ending for her Vincent was possible.

Evan – This was strike one for Evan. I just couldn't believe he kissed Cat while his date was waiting on him. His saving grace is that it was done at the last moment and not right away and that he was obviously uncomfortable being alone with Cat, especially after such implied copious amounts of alcohol had been consumed. I too also couldn't believe that Evan Marks was on an internet dating website. But you just can't take away his good looks, charm and winning personality. I still find myself loving the chemistry between Max and Kristin to this very day. Mandler FOREVER, LOL!

Heather – If I had the opportunity to pick who could be my younger sibling, it would be Heather Chandler. Cute as a button, fiercely loyal and protective yet loves and knows how to party. Heather was just all sunshine, puppies and rainbows in this episode and she even got to interact with Tess and Evan.

Joe – Not much on the Joe front. But I did notice they were really going out of their way to make sure we noticed his wedding band in this episode. But I did like that we got to see both Boss!Joe and Downtime!Joe. I have to admit while I was never a fan of the Joe and Tess relationship, their scene in the photo booth was adorable. Hell, I even loved the little kiss and hug he gave to Cat. That really made it seem like the 125th precinct or at the very least the special victims unit was a close knit unit with nothing but love for each other.

JT – JT annoyed the living hell out of me this week in the first half of the episode because he came across as a nagging wife for the first time ever. It wasn't until we got a little backstory about how JT had to give up his life and go on the run with Vincent that things start to click with the JT and Vincent scenes. I also loved that they were trying to let JT have a life since Vincent was pursuing Cat. In the end JT had the most zingers and one liners and still managed to get back on track as the heart of the show before the episode was over.

Tess – Tess knows something is up. She even knows that it more than likely has to do with a guy. Tess feels a little left out of the loop but she is still there for Cat and trying to stay close with Cat. I love that Cat understands Tess (knows that the flowers are from her)and Tess is willing to give Cat leeway in their relationship. I also like that their personal disconnection does not affect how either one of them do their jobs in this episode. They are still able to have silent conversations and read each others signals and manage to save the day.

Vincent – I just want hold Vincent and never left him go. He is so turned around and conflicted about Cat. He is drawn to her, has been watching over her for so long and now he finally gets the chance to know her but there are so many perils when it comes to being in a relationship with him. He's already basically ruined JT's life in his eyes and really wants to take JT's advice and let Cat live her life without getting caught up in the negative consequence that being with him can cause. But that pull won't let go, not even after seeing her kissing another guy. Vincent even buys her a very thoughtful gift. There is a stereotype, especially in media that guys don't listen to women, so I think that is awesome that Vincent took the time to get her something meaningful that was based on a good memory about her mother. I was a little bummed out that Vincent was prevented from having dinner with Cat but deep down on the first watch, even I knew it was too soon for them to get together. PS: Boy was I relieved to learn that Vincent's fugue states weren't really caused by Cat.

VinCat - This is the episode that takes their relationship that has pretty much been classified as an uneasy "friendship" and transitioned it to a case of them both wanting to find out what this mysterious pull they both feel for each other really is. Of course it was just a tease but I love that Cat was the one to initiate it and tell Vincent that at the end of the day it was her choice to make about whether or not she wanted pursue any kind of relationship with him despite the dangers. It made me feel like their relationship, when it got to a serious development stage would be on equal footing. I really like both of the protagonists and I enjoy romantic relationships on TV that are built on strong foundations of friendship, equality and neither partner being perfect. This was a good building block for the relationship, in my opinion.

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The Highlights

Memorable Moments

1. Now that’s how you open an episode, with a restless and more importantly shirtless, Vincent tossing and turning in bed.
2. JT puts his finger in the string so Vincent can make a perfect bow for Cat’s birthday present
3. Cat practices her surprise face.
4. Cat and Heather hug.
5. Cat and Tess in the photo booth
6. Joe throws up air quotes at a crime scene
7. Cat practices her surprise face.

Laudable Lines

1. JT: … and I’m not asking her out because I live in an abandoned warehouse with a complicated roommate.

2. Vincent: I need some air.
JT: Open a window.

3. Vincent: JT, she makes me feel like… like I have a life again.
JT: Awfully dangerous for a guy who is supposed to be dead.

4. JT: What’s got you so amped up? OH! You must have seen Cat.

5. Cat: You seriously have something called phase B?

6. Evan: I didn’t know you thought my accent was sexy?

Scenes I’m Smitten With

1. JT and Vincent talk about Sarah. – It’s refreshing to be talking about someone else’s love life.
2. Cat goes to Evan’s lab to get the results and witty sexual tension type hijinks ensue.
3. Sarah confronts/asks out JT in the stairwell while he’s trying to steal stuff for the home alarm system he’s building.
4. Cat, Heather and Tess trash talk Claire as she walks away to the bathroom
5. JT embarrasses the crap out of Vincent by telling Cat in the most flowery way possible how Vincent feels since having actually met her.

The Lowlights

1. I was too easily able to solve the case of the week.
2. Not enough time spent with Cat and Heather (I really love them together).

Awards

Character of the Night
• Cat

Best Character Interactions
• Cat & Heather
• Cat & Vincent
• JT & Vincent

Most Memorable Moment
• Duh, you had to know this was coming, shirtless Vincent. (Excuse the fangirl moment, please)

Line of the Night
• Heather: Surprised, pissed or both?

Scene of the Night
• Cat and Lily/Amy have a heart to heart (and the parallels are uncanny)

That Awkward Moment
• That awkward moment when you tell a woman you like to move on and you catch her doing what appears to be just that with another guy.

The ‘Nosiest Little Sister’ Award
• Heather is as equally adorable as she is nosey

Miscellaneous

Recurring Elements
•Newspaper clippings

For Real?
• Evan kisses Cat while his date, Claire is waiting for him
• Michael just happened to be a doctor just like Vincent use to be?
• How the hell did Cat manage to get the thumb drive into the USB port without even looking on the first try? Witchcraft, I tell you!
• Evan's online dating profile, it justs more funny with each thing you notice.

Biggest Surprise of the Episode
• Vincent ends up on the Brooklyn Bridge.


My Music Picks
• Raise Your Glass by Deana
• Take A Walk by Passion Pit

Things I Miss
• The Cat and Vincent character intros at the beginning of an episode
• The way Cat use to light up when she talked about her mother
•Cat feeling guilty about lying to everyone almost all of the time

Fun Fact: Vincent gave Cat flannel pajamas for her birthday (because that is what Cat’s mother use to get her for her birthday).

Tasty Tidbit: This episode has one of the shortest openings (the time before we get to the title card)of the series (03:19)

Style Spotlight: I absolutely love the shirt in the picture to left. I just had to hunt it down and make it mine. I love that is was soft and feminine but basic and could be dressed up or dressed down. It is also super comfy. Cat's wardrobe consists of a lot white flowy tops, so much so it could almost be considered a 'recurring element' to be honest. But this is one of my favorite tops.

Grade: A

Side Note: A lot of fans, me included, think that this is the episode the show came together and began to gel. It is frequently mentioned among Beasties I know as one of their favorite season 1 episodes.
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Elite Eight Review Line Up

Here’s a list of the episodes that I will be writing Retro Recaps for until the hiatus is over:

• Pilot – April 8, 2014
• Saturn Returns – April 15, 2014
• Out of Control – April 22, 2014
• Bridesmaid up/Seeing Red – April 29, 2014
• Trust No One – May 6, 2014
• Insatiable – May 13, 2014
• Heart of Darkness – May 20, 2014
• Anniversary – May 27, 2014
• Bonus Review (on my blog): Date night – June 2, 2014

Plugs & Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re bored and you’re re-watching season 2, how about you listen to my podcast for a fresh perspective, theories or just have a listen to a couple of
gals who just really love talking about Beauty and the Beast.

The DVMPE’s Beauty and the Beast Podcast
The Podcast’s Facebook Page
The Podcast's Email
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I would love for you to leave your thoughts and comments about when you first watched the pilot and some of your initial thoughts about the show below. I look forward to reading your comments.

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