Lilith Luvs TV

The Outsiders War – Part 2

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!

'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

Twitter
Facebook
iTunes

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

One of the things that I find impressive about Austin is the fact that he is just a creative person in general. He likes to draw and he likes to write poetry. He’s even a published poet. His digital book of poems, An Actor Without An Audience: Poetry For Artists, Lovers and Everymen was published in 2011.

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

Something else that I like about Austin’s resume is that he studied acting. He earned a bachelor’s degree in theater from Binghamton University and went on to earn a Masters from The Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University. He is also a lifetime member of The Actors Studio.

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
=====================================================================================

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.

‘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 episode picks up pretty much where we left off during the mid-season finale. It's the morning after Cat and Gabe have hauled Agent Reynolds in and the first lovely face we see is Cat’s. She being filmed for an interviewed conducted by the FBI. As she recalls the details in her mind while spewing fallacies from her mouth we the viewers are treated to the writer’s instance of pouring salt in the open wound by being force to relive ‘foul deed’.

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.

Meanwhile, back Vincent’s houseboat, Tori is trying to help Vincent patch him up. Things look bleak from her perspective and she insists on calling an ambulance. Vincent doesn’t want to hear any of that and makes very weak excuses about why it’s not a good idea. Their spat is interrupted by Cat. She sees all of the bloody gauzes and gets a bit apprehensive.

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.

While all of that is going on, Tori has dragged a bloody across town back to the Gentleman’s Club in hopes that JT can help Vincent. She also gets in a jab about Cat being the one that shot him. Let me point out that Vincent sort of defends her and states that Cat had her reasons. Vincent convinces JT to go to his place of employment to liberate (well, OK, fine, STEAL) some medicine and blood. JT gets a little indignant and worries about his tenure as a professor but ultimately goes along with it and hurries along after Tori has a mini beast out directed at him.

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.

Tess arrives just in the nick of time to save JT. Tess scolds JT about the lengths he’s willing to go for Vincent and proposes that it is something much more than just loyalty. But not before JT reminds Tess that she too is ‘in for a penny, in for a pound’ as a fellow body snatcher in Reynolds sting operation. Was it just me or did JT like Tess using those handcuffs on him, a little too much? Don’t think I didn’t notice that little glimmer of enjoyment in Tess’s eyes as she slammed JT onto the Nurse’s station countertop.

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.

The bad guys don’t like that but she beasts out for a short burst and almost gets the upper hand but then her beast powers fail her. Luckily, Vincent was there to save the day and makes quick work of all of the bad guys. Unfortunately, Vincent has hurt himself beyond repair it seems. Vincent agrees to go to the hospital. Cat calls the ambulance and gives Tori a cover story. She leaves and the look on her face suggests she has finally laid down her burdens.

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

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.

‘Let’s Make Some Lemonade’
Happy New Year Beasties! I missed you. Did you miss me?

We have one week to go until Beauty and the Beast comes roaring back on to our screens, Monday, January 13, 2014 at 9 PM/8 PM Central on The CW.

I know the hiatus was an unusually brutal one due to a press release about the mid-season scheduling which seems to leave BATB on an indefinite hiatus after March but I’ve been hearing good things about the rest of the season which should be occurring right around episode 13 or 14 and episode 10 sounds incredibly interesting.

Hmm, at this point you might be asking yourself why am I not towing the reviewer line and gushing about how Beasties will love episode 2x09 like everyone on Twitter and the other TV sites have been reporting. That’s because I’m a real fan, I don’t get paid to write about the show, these reviews are an endeavor of pure passion and genuine love for the show. I know what the majority of Beasties want and that’s VinCat. The writers have really handed us some lemons on that front but I decided to focus on the good of this episode and thus will be making the metaphorical lemonade for this teaser article.

Summary
Title: Don’t Die on Me |Written By: Eric Tuchman |Directed By: 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

Initial Grade: D-

Final Grade: C+ (after live tweeting when the episode airs this might change, sometimes other Beasties point out things that I’ve missed and it allows for me to look at an episode with a fresh pair of eyes).

Reason: OK, for like the first time ever, the press release was DEAD on. That’s a bad sign when the powers that be feel the need to give it all away in a press release. They even put the emphasis on Cat and Gabe growing closer, which if they were even the tiniest bit self-aware of the fans reception of this idea, they would have cut that part because honestly, in this episode it was pretty much more of the same with Gabe just hanging out hoping Cat will finally notice him. It took me about 3 viewings to be able to become objective as oppose to subjective.

It was hard for me to swallow but they did give me something that I have been begging for, whether or not they mess that up is yet to be seen. This is a transition episode. It’s literally the setup for the rest of the season. While an intriguing premise presents itself toward the end, the rest of it was painful for me to watch.

There are good things about this episode but they are far and few between and the bad stuff in my opinion far outweighs them. But I have a feeling that the writers needed for the characters to hit rock bottom in order to build them up where they need to be to give us a new and improved VinCat that will last for the ages. All I can really say is keep the faith and trust Sherri and Jenny.

We Beasties need to stay positive and stick together,so I will say sorry that I didn't have more happier news to report. I just wanted you to be prepared.

The Good

1. We get some JT backstory and it’s a dozy and actually answers a burning question I think most of us have had since the show started. Seriously, it’s a jaw dropper, my mouth fell open.

2. It seems that JT and Vincent will indeed be spending some quality time together for this next half of the season.

3. We are getting a very cool mystery to unravel courtesy of the late Mr. Windsor.

4. The JTnT ship has wind for its sails, I think we’re leaving the harbor finally.

5. Gabe is still the same Gabe he’s been since the start of season 2.

6. We get to see one last glimpse of Agent Reynolds.

7. This episode is a GAME CHANGER! - The ending is truly amazing and something you might have never thought we’d see, or at least until the end of the series. Honestly, this is how I would have wanted the series to end. Intense!

The Bad

1. Yes, Tori is still there, but this episode literally picks up right where the mid-season finale ended. I happen to like Tori in this episode but I know how a lot Beasties feel about her.

2. There’s another faction out there that knows about Beasts.

3. There was a false alarm about something that would have put me over the moon, in regards to Cat and her job. If you listen to the podcast, you can probably guess what that is.

The Ugly

1. It looks very dire for VinCat. I honestly don’t know where the writers are going to go from here. I still trust the writers and have faith but man, I’m depressed.

2. The thing I thought I wanted most for Cat at this point in the show happens but it is terribly executed and left a sour taste in my mouth.

=============================================================================================
I look forward to reading your comments which you can leave below.

PS: If you enjoy this article please like and share.

Plugs & Shameless Self-Promotion

Twitter
Facebook
iTunes