Beauty and the Beast is one of those shows that just makes you want to hug the CW. I mean, Gawd. What other network would make fabulicious callback shows like this and Hart of Dixie? Just as Dixie beautifully recalls Gilmore Girls, Beauty and the Beast beckons to the Buffy/Angel/Roswell fan within each of us. Sure, B&B has a long way to go before it can be mentioned seriously as being in the league of those previous romantic supernatural shows, but it lives within the same delightful universe of sweepingly epic puppy dog deer in headlight true lurves / peril, persecution, and mythic arc-tasticness. Actually, it's probably more like Moonlight, the exquisite and too-soon-cancelled vampire/cop love saga from 2007 (sigh) than it is like the Linda Hamilton/Ron Perlman Beauty and the Beast.
In order to enjoy the new B&B, just don't even bother comparing it to the original. The 1980's version was on a whole other level of awesome, a gorgeous and unique romance that will never be forgotten. The new show barely shares its premise, making it a not-even-remake.
So why is the new Beauty and the Beast, aside from its retro-WB-ness, so charming? Well, first there's Kristen Kreuk. When most people think of this actress, they immediately think:
But of course, being me, I also think:
(I was a major Lexana shipper)
Either way, she's Lana effing Lang, and she's epic and classic.
As Cat Chandler in Beauty and the Beast, Kreuk is as sentimental as Lana, but less dark, conflicted, and confused, and more hopeful. There's a purity to her unrelenting love of Vincent (Jay Ryan, who started out a bit stiff and awkward, but has since improved vastly) that throws a warm light onto everything that happens and centers the show.
There's not a meaningful look, relationship milestone, or tender moment between Catherine and the semi-beasty (um, he has a scar and very mildly turns vaguely animal looking when he gets mad) Vincent that this show will not lavish gobs of attention upon while gentle chick rock ballads play. That's so old-fashioned and delightful, let's face it.
The completely nonsensical ongoing story arc has Vincent, who was tampered with and spliced with animal DNA by the US military, on the run from the Eviiilll Forces of Muirfield, a government conspiracy group so hard to comprehend that they must be in league with The Initiative from Revenge.
Cat, an NYC police officer, puts her career and life on the line to protect Vincent, dragging her sassy partner Tess (Nina Lisandrello) into the fray. Meanwhile, Vincent enjoys a bromance with his geektastic bud JT (Life UneXpected's Austin Basis), whose entire life is also dedicated to protecting Vincent. Because dedicating one's life to protecting Vincent is a popular choice on this show. Tess is awesome, not only because of her badass persona and wry attitude, but also due to her ongoing subplot affair with their boss Joe (Brian White),
Totes adorbs!
There's also Cat's judgmental yet adorable sister Heather (Macy from JONAS! Also known as Nicole Gale Anderson), and their father, who's played by Raquel's hot Touch of Grey-looking love interest from The LA Complex (Rob Stewart). The ongoing mystery of Cat's dead (?) saintly, yet involved-with-Muirfield Mom is pretty intriguing as well.
Sure, the continuing saga of Vincent's persecution by everyone and their mama is repetitive and often silly, with the cops referring to him as "the vigilante" in a way that's just a little too derivative of the exact same plotline done better simultaneously on Arrow.
But B&B still packs some cool surprises, like the death of whiney medical examiner Evan (Max Brown) (he was so hot at first, and then he just wouldn't shut up) and the arrival of the mysterious D.A. Gabe (Sendil Rmamurthy). My favorite part of the Gabe subplot is his equally sketchy girlfriend, since she's played by Quinn James from One Tree Hill (oh, some people call her Shantel VanSanten. I guess).
Since it's been renewed for a second season, we can look forward to even more contrived relationship roadblocks surmounted by longing stares between Vincent and Catherine, along with new unfurlings for all of the many ridiculous charms of Beauty and the Beast.
