Beauty and the Beast 2.17 – Beast is the new Black

by Mieke Trudeau

“This could be our chance to do the right thing”

Welcome back Beasties, that was a long hiatus. I appreciate all of you returning readers following me here to At Stake, and welcome new readers! I hope I can add something to your enjoyment of the little show that could. All thanks to your positive encouragement, your favorite show has earned another season on the CW this Fall. I will be here along with you, happily writing more reviews.

This brand new episode drops us in right where we left off; Vincent being taken to jail for the murder of Curt Windsor. As Cat alerts the gang, all quickly and angrily assume newly jilted Gabe is responsible for Vincent’s arrest.

But then Gabe is all helpful. He gets Catherine access to Vincent, shows her evidence on file against him and even finds the man presumed responsible for planting such evidence. He seems determined to help, repeating over and over how he simply wants to level the playing field and is not looking to be “a vulture”, ready to strike when Catherine is down.

Is Gabe to be trusted? For a while he almost had me fooled, along with Catherine and her trusty sidekicks. I was actually disappointed that the show seemed to have decided to make evil!Gabe a red herring; but then there was that smirk at the very end. Gabe seemingly congratulating himself with a stiff drink while watching the news about Vincent’s deepening troubles.

And how deep Vincent’s troubles have become. There is video of him carrying a lifeless Curt Windsor into an alley, the man allegedly hired by Cat’s father to set Vincent up winds up dead and oh yes, Curt’s heart is found in Vincent’s fridge! Catherine, JT and even Tess are perfectly willing to go to great lengths to save Vincent from spending the rest of his life in prison, but he will have none of that. He ditches the gem that stops him from beasting out and escapes from a prison ambulance. Of course he cannot leave without saying goodbye to his beloved Catherine and he meets her on her (their) roof.

I have to say that I think this is the best move the show has made in a long time; to bring the story back to its core; the unquestionable bond between Vincent and Catherine. I certainly like how both of them have developed as characters, apart from each other. Catherine deserves to be seen as the strong, independent woman she is, away from the control of all these overprotective men in her life and Vincent had to prove himself worthy of his humanity as well as his beast side. But, lets face it, these two belong together. Tess says it so well, they are not a fragile newbie couple, they are epic. And as Cat declares to Vincent: “I love you. No but.” For the sake of drama, of story, there must be obstacles and roadblocks to overcome, but let them not come from within. The beastie team and the show work best when they are united, even when physically apart.

Once again, the ever loyal and adorable JT and Tess, nicely parallel the main story. Having spent another night together, both are tentative the next day. JT thinks Tess is embarrassed and wants to keep their relationship secret and Tess thinks JT wants to keep things casual. They come together in the end, over their mutual love for their friends. They decide that they are worth the struggle, that theirs is a real relationship, squabbles and all.

The episode ends with a jolt when we see Catherine, alone in her apartment, suddenly and violently attacked and taken. Is this another plot to lure Vincent? Is Muirfield striking back? Or is it Gabe, further “leveling the playing field”?

What a great start to the final leg of this season. This episode had it all: intrigue, suspense, a long overdue hug between JT and Cat and lots and lots of epic Vincat romance. Dancing in the shower anyone? Who wondered along with me, about that one time with the handcuffs? Catherine is Vincent’s true gem, the one who keeps him human and I will never get tired of the beating of her heart alerting him when she is near.

Tell me your thoughts Beasties! Where do you think this story is going and what are your hopes for the new season ahead. Thanks again for reading and please comment below.