Friday, August 2, 2013

RECAP: Beauty and the Beast – Episode 11 – On thin Ice

As a result of psychoanalysis we learn that sometimes it is good to be a “bitch” and that you should be honest with your Rottweiler… meaning your Beast




The second Alex “unfortunate” episode. Last week, on my Seeing Red recap, I wrote that as painful as it was to watch, I actually thought it was a very strong episode; it had wonderful moments and I understood the necessity of the plot and the intentions behind most scenes. However, I had more issues with On Thin Ice, and not because of what happened [as you may think], it’s more about what didn't happen… I’ll explain what I mean as we go along.

As the episode begins, Cat is exercising with dumbbells, because that seems like the right thing to do after you've been shot in the shoulder, I guess. Vincent shows up and suggests a milder physical therapy that involves holding hands and rambling about flexibility… and it’s sexy… duh. Anyway, Alex has to ruin the moment by calling him; but let’s note a few things here: 1) Vincent, once again, went to Cat first instead of going to Alex and 2) He is refusing to answer his phone knowing it is Alex calling. Cat tells him it is OK to pick up but Alex hangs up before he can do it. I am surprised she didn't try calling 5 more times [she can be a little insistent]. Vincent tentatively tries to bring up the subject of their relationship and I think he was still trying to sort things out with Cat, before deciding what to do with Alex. So, point Vincent. However, looks like Catherine didn't quite get where he was coming from. She starts acting like she wanted to beat him to the “preemptive” break-up she erroneously thought was about to happen. She tells him she can’t compete with the life he had with Alex and that they are in “no man’s land”. This is obviously a defense mechanism, but Vincent merely sees it as someone looking for an out. Let’s not forget he has serious self-esteem issues. I totally get where Cat is coming from, I would have probably done the same because I am proud and don’t like to show vulnerability; but I also understand why Vincent is so NOT getting it. I am pretty sure when she said “It’s none of my business, I don’t care, do whatever you want” he thought she meant: “It’s none of my business, I don’t care, do whatever you want” when she actually meant: “This is killing me! I love you, be with me and dump that redhead already!” but you know guys… they aren't so good at translating “girl” sometimes, plus seems like Catherine wasn't even ready to admit her feelings to herself at that point, so no wonder he wasn't getting them.

So after going to see Catherine, Vincent pays Alex a visit to tell her they can’t see each other anymore. Let’s remember that. However, Alex had other plans in mind. While Vincent is waiting for her, he notices a mantle full of pictures of Alex, himself and someone’s parents [V’s?]. OK stalker much? Did she just put out these pictures or were they there for the last 10 years? Don’t know which one is worse… I mean, one picture of your dead fiancé OK, I guess. A mantle full of pictures… a little obsessive, if you ask me. Anyway, off-screen Alex yells “I’ll be all yours, just give me a sec” and when she said “all yours”, she meant “ALL yours” as it is evident when she walks towards Vincent wearing nothing but a towel, which she drops. OK, I’ll give you a moment so you can properly curse. I am doing it right now: @#$%%#@#%. OK… I am done. No, not really! What the hell is the matter with this chick? That is NOT what you do when your supposed-to-be-dead-fiance shows up! I totally get wanting to sleep with him, but come on! What’s wrong with trying to kiss him first [with clothes on] or waiting for him to make the first move? And that’s not even the biggest issue. Shouldn't she be a little cautious and maybe even a little upset that he let her believe he was dead for a decade? Doesn't she want to figure out what’s up with him first? In any case, she is seriously desperate or seriously manipulative. Luckily the scene ends right there because I couldn't have taken another second, even Vincent looks mortified.

CUT TO a fully clothed Catherine [because she is a nice girl like that], who is spilling her guts out at the SHRINK’S OFFICE. The shrink, DR DAVID, is played by adorable Brendan Hines from Lie to Me. Cat goes into a diatribe about Vincent and Alex [no names] and concludes that if she were to ask him to pick her, she would be a bitch.  Dr. David concurs… although I suspect he got lost in the middle of Cat’s rant and started thinking about baseball or whatever he is into. He thanks Cat for being so open, but kindly reminds her that he is her shrink, not his girlfriend and that they are supposed to discuss her shooting. Then he tells her that, in life, sometimes we need to be “bitches” in order to get what we need [that sounds an awful lot like something a girlfriend would say]. Cat goes on to mention that she had enough therapy after her mom was killed and then she realizes that’s like throwing prime rib at a Rottweiler. In classic shrink fashion Dr. David starts reading too much into what she just said and mentions that “Rottweiler” is an interesting choice of dog because they are beautiful but dangerous. OK, so what? Vincent is the Rottweiler? I suddenly remembered these psych tests they made us take in college; they claimed they could figure someone out by the way he or she drew a person under the rain. According to the results, everyone in my class was a closeted serial killer. So… Yeah, whatever… Dr. David also notices Cat is throwing herself into her work to avoid dealing with her issues [OK he may have a point there]. Cat reminds him that it’s her duty to “serve and protect”. “But who are you really protecting?” he asks her. And seriously, where is he getting all this sudden insight? Did Cat draw a person under the rain when we weren't looking? I suspected Dr. David was an M agent… but I guess not, since we never saw him again.

As she gets out of Dr. David’s office, Catherine spots Alex stealing medicine from the supply closet. She tries to avoid her but Alex walks right towards her screaming her name. Because the logical thing to do when you are stealing drugs is to call the attention of a cop… Anyway, Alex is as bad as lying as she is at everything else. Catherine asks if she was going to the gym (re: the bag full of stolen drugs) which was a perfectly good explanation, but Alex says it is just a change of clothes for her very “glamorous life” [which is a really stupid lie]. Sometimes I can’t figure out Alex, is she too naïve, dumb, too nice or pretending to be all those things? I appreciate that they tried to make her the complete opposite of Catherine in every way, but I would respect her more if she was a little smarter. That is actually my main issue with Alex. And now I feel I am being too harsh on her, I’ll try to look for some redeemable qualities.

Back at the WAREHOUSE it is time for JT and Vincent to have an INCOMPLETE MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION. And I say incomplete because I am almost 100% positive they over-cut this scene. JT starts by wondering how an unemployed shut-in who is supposed to be dead has two women fighting over him. Well, JT, look at him… that’s how! Then Vincent mentions, once again, that he went over to Alex’s to tell her they can’t see each other anymore. “Because of Catherine” JT states. Vincent agrees and I think it is implied that he has feelings for her, but he explains that it is also because he imposed her secret on her and consequently changed [ruined according to him] her life… as well as JT’s. Vincent then suggests he might get away with not telling Alex, which is an awful idea, but he clearly didn't think it through. And yes, it is slightly selfish, but also perfectly understandable in my opinion. It can be liberating to be with someone who doesn't know your darkest side. It can be liberating, but it is also not real and cannot last. Deep down, he is aware of that. I’ll cut Vincent some slack here, because he is human [sort of] after all… and I can understand the impulse.

JT and Vincent proceed with their INCOMPLETE MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION and the next couple of lines don’t seem to fit with each other. I’d be willing to bet they cut out some of the dialogue. I’ll try to use my screenwriting skills to deduce what is missing. In no way, I am presuming to know what the original lines were [nor the writers’ intentions], but this is just my educated guess of what is missing [fantasy lines in red]: 

VINCENT
To have someone look at you and not feel like you’ve got this big secret that they have to protect, you know?
JT
Like Catherine does.
(beat)
But in the end, you weren’t even sure if you wanted to marry Alex… and I thought you and Catherine… you know…
VINCENT
Yeah. But JT, I... I loved Alex. You know we spent our whole childhoods planning everything and then... ah... I don’t know, I guess I got afraid. And it doesn't matter anyway; Catherine made it clear that she wants nothing to do with me.
JT
And you don’t think Catherine’s just backing off because she’s trying to do the right thing?

There are a number of different lines that could be inserted to that part of the dialogue; but doesn’t it feel so much more coherent? As I said, I am just guessing that some of that scene was lost in the editing room; but if I am correct I wish they’d cut some other scene instead of this one (one from the boring case of the week, e.g.). But back to the actual scene. As JT wonders how he went from President of the “Stay away from Catherine” club to “Team Catherine” member, Cat arrives at the WAREHOUSE. She is there to tell Vincent about Alex’s extracurricular drug stealing activities. He gets a little defensive and doesn’t want to believe it. Catherine couldn’t have been more of a class act. [Point Catherine] She doesn’t push it, she sticks to the facts and lets him know that he can believe her or not but the fact is that Alex will be investigated by the police. She finally asks if she knows how careful she has to be with his secret. He flat out answers “No”.

At the PRECINCT Tess is working on what I believe is THE LAST CASE OF THE WEEK!! Yey! A little round of celebration! Cat is so desperate to get in on the case she makes mani-pedis threats and everything. However looks like Cat may be the only person who cares about this case [I felt like they didn't even try to make it interesting]. Anyway, let's get it out of the way:

THE LAST CASE OF THE WEEK!
The Victim: Lisa Hawkes skydiving accident murder
Suspects: Her husband Noah Hawkes, someone who is a lefty according to Evan

Look at me, I am so bad-ass w/my underground
doctor-less illegal clinic
Vincent is back at ALEX’S APARTMENT and she is acting all shy and mortified about what happened earlier…  then why did she do it in the first place?! She starts talking about how she knew him better than anyone and… she can’t possibly believe she still does! Does she? He has been missing for 10 freaking years! And then he came back and gave her the SHORTEST MOST INCOMPLETE EXPLANATION EVER! But instead of yelling all that, Vincent just tells her he is a completely different beast person now. She says everyone changes, but she looks pretty stuck in the past to me. Then he subtly tries to ask about the drugs, I guess he DID believe Catherine after all. She finally confesses and she almost seemed proud of her illegal activities.

Turns out Alex is running an ILLEGAL UNDERGROUND CLINIC, hidden behind a thrift shop in China Town and providing healthcare for immigrants and people who can’t pay. I guess it is a noble endeavor but where the hell was Alex when poor Iris’s sisters were dying on Episode 3?”This is better than the alternative of her being a drug dealer, but let’s be real, the girl doesn't have the wits to run a drug empire. She ain't Walter White, alright? A poor kid asks Alex who Vincent is and he is all “I am just a FRIEND, seriously… still haven’t decided what to do with the other hot chick fighting for my attention”, but Alex simply says he is “A doctor”. Then everyone looks at him like he is God or something; and this time it has nothing to do with the fact that he is so hot. What’s with all the fascination with the doctor anyway? Didn't Alex recruit illegal doctors for her illegal clinic? You’d think that was a must…

Look at me, I am the killer of this week's case
no-one cares about
At the PRECINCT Tess is still trying to solve the LAST CASE OF THE WEEK. She interrogates the husband, Noah Hawkes and he says nothing useful, so who cares. Outside, Cat approaches Noah’s assistant CFO, PAM DAVIS, and… come on, are you going to tell me you didn’t immediately assume she was going to be the love-scorn killer? I totally did. I’d move on to the next scene, but it is time for ON THE NOSE LESSONS LEARNED FROM CASES! CFO Pam talks about Noah’s storybook marriage and she says it must be hard for him because “when someone becomes that integral to your life and suddenly they are gone, it makes you wonder who you are without them”. I wonder who Cat could possibly be thinking about right now? Perhaps JT… come on, you know she misses him... Before leaving, Noah mentions he would be at a party of billionaires that night in case they need to follow up on the case. Tess thinks it is a wonderful idea to go to the party undercover as undercover cops solving a case… and maybe fall in love with an available man for a change. It could happen; these girls are really good at multitasking.

Down at the MORGUE Evan calls his new BFF JT and he has THE BEST VOICE-MAIL MESSAGE EVER:

“Leave a message and if I don’t get back to you it’s probably because I don’t really like you”

Evan leaves a message inviting JT to the cemetery to exhume the body of the bike messenger killed [by Vincent] on Episode 2. He hangs up and fake name Claire Sinclair shows up to surprise Evan. See? He was still going out with her, so why was he going to weddings with other girls and falling in love with Cat? I guess he was still playing the field. We also learn Evan thinks “restaurants are overrated and Morgues are much more enticing”. Sure he made it sound sexy, but dude! That is seriously creepy even for an M.E. Thank God you are so good-looking.

Back at the ILLEGAL UNDERGROUND CLINIC, Vincent is fixing the arm of the poor kid, MILO. Vincent looks SO HAPPY to be doing doctor stuff. We need to remember that. Alex starts buttering him up and telling him he is an amazing doctor and that they [the underground clinic] need him, which is ironic because in about 15 min she will suggest they take off to Mexico or something. What’s clear is that Vincent was suddenly presented with a choice. I don’t think it was ever about “Catherine vs. Alex”. It was more about “Catherine [who doesn't want anything to do with me and would be better off without me] vs. life as an underground Doctor”.

Meanwhile, Evan and JT are on their exhumation date. I want to note that Austin Basis has the best dynamic with everyone in the show. He has the best bromance with Vincent, his scenes with Catherine are really funny, don’t get me started on his scenes with Tess [JT&T as he called it] and he even managed to get sparks out of ice-cold Tyler in later episodes. So, obviously, the Evan/JT scenes were great too. JT figures out the body they are exhuming belongs to one of Vincent’s victims. Evan starts wondering if there really is a “creature” roaming the streets of Manhattan. He is roaming alright? and he is also putting the moves on the girl you like. He also wonders if “the creature” has a conscience and whether or not it would like to be “cured”. That piques JT’s interest and he asks if he [Evan] would be interested in developing a cure. Evan answers Yes, so JT is all “oh, well, in that case exhume away”.

Vincent tries to sneak out of the ILLEGAL UNDERGROUND CLINIC. Alex catches him and doesn't let him go home because she wants to “celebrate”, what exactly? I am not really sure. Her mood is so light and relaxed it is actually contagious. It all comes back to what Vincent said earlier: not having her look at him like someone with a big secret that needs protection. Alex looks at Vincent like someone with whom she can have fun. Catherine [according to Vincent] looks at him like a big burden she has to keep safe and concealed. But just wait, Vincent, you will be having plenty of fun with Catherine in the not so far away future. In any case, Catherine would never suggest something so stupid like breaking into an ICE RINK!

So… Alex and Vincent break into an ICE RINK. She speaks more about her 10 year obsession with him and then suggests they could leave NY and go to Nigeria; ILLEGAL UNDERGROUND CLINIC be damned all of the sudden. They skate, laugh and fall. It’s cute and everything but… I can’t stop hating her! Sorry… I can understand the appeal of the whole thing, going back to a time of youthful indiscretion, not a care in the world and so on. For a man who has been hiding out for 10 years and whose life is completely covered in darkness it must have been nice, while it lasted. But seriously speaking, life with Alex [or anyone] couldn't be this carefree fun all the time. Eventually you have to come back to reality, and when your “reality” is based on lies, where do you go from there? And reality comes crashing down as A TIMELY POLICE OFFICER catches them at the best possible time [for us, not Alex]: right when they were about to kiss.The TIMELY POLICE OFFICER asks for their IDs. Vincent obviously doesn't have an ID, because he is dead [not dead dead] and everything. He won’t give the officer his name either and he just wants to call his non-girlfriend-detective and THANK GOD he doesn't say “Handler”. At that precise moment Cat and Tess arrive at the MILLIONAIRS PARTY looking fabulous. That’s when Cat gets the call from Vincent to let her know he is about to get arrested.

Still outside the ICE RINK, Vincent is being escorted to the police car. The TIMELY POLICE OFFICER pushes him to the car and Vincent starts changing. Before he starts mauling the police officer, Catherine arrives in ultra-badass-cop-mode. She tells the uniform she is a narcotics cop and that Vincent is her CI. See… Alex, that is how you lie. The uniform wants to run Cat’s badge but she basically threatens him with destroying his life if he keeps getting in the way of her fake investigation. Last year, before the show even started, I complained a lot about Kristin Kreuk being cast as a cop. I thought she was too delicate and pretty. Later I decided she was so adorable I should just suspend disbelief and enjoy watching her knock down men twice her size. But you know what? In this scene, I didn't need to pretend to buy it, I SO TOTALLY bought it! She was SO good and strong and absolutely believable. No wonder, the cop finally backs off and lets Vincent leave.

As soon as the cop leaves, a very concerned Vincent runs after Catherine. At this point, if Alex can’t figure out Vincent and Catherine are an item, she is seriously dumb. Vincent sincerely apologizes to Catherine and you can tell he is ashamed and worried about her more than himself. Catherine doesn't remain quiet, she tells him how stupid he was and that he put everyone at risk. She also tells him that if he can’t figure out what he wants she will need to re-evaluate all the risks she is taking for him. As I said before, I am not one of those viewers who hated Vincent throughout the arc. Frustrated, yes, but I still empathized with him most of the time. Having said that, I loved that Catherine gave him a much deserved piece of her mind and I liked the fact that we got to see that side of Catherine. This is a female character I can actually admire [and understand], and that doesn't happen too often on TV. In the meantime, Tess is still trying to break THE LAST CASE OF THE WEEK. At this point does anybody actually care about this? I know I don’t. CFO Pam is the killer, don’t even care about the details.

On more interesting stuff, Cat is at the FIRING RANGE, trying to hit a target [I am sure she was picturing Ale’x face on it]. Shooting practice seems just as logical as dumbbell training when you have a wounded arm. Her practice is interrupted by Dr. David and… What the hell is he doing in the firing range? Are we entirely sure he doesn't work for M? Apparently, he is there because Cat missed their session…er… OK, stalker much? What is it about Cat that incites stalker behavior? I know she is pretty and all, but man… Dr. David is convinced she is suffering from PTSD as a result of the shooting incident. But Catherine is a girl who has seen her mom get murdered, was attacked in a subway tunnel, kidnapped by the worst secret agents with business cards and the list goes on… So, no Dr. David, I don’t think she has PTSD; she just has “boy-trouble”. Since Dr. David is not quite getting it, Cat decides to psychoanalyze herself. She says getting shot was not as traumatic as seeing her mom gunned down in front of her which involved the most important person in her life leaving her for reasons she didn't understand and now it is happening again [with Vincent]. She confesses she has feelings for “the most complicated guy in the planet” [that he is, he is also sort of the hottest, that should balance it out] and that he “doesn't appreciate the risks she takes for him”; I think she is wrong there. He appreciates her a LOT; he just fails to recognize her motivations and believes he is doing her a favor by leaving. She also says “he would rather be with someone who doesn't even know him”, I think he likes the lie more than the person, and at this point he really didn't know he had a choice since Catherine pretty much forfeited the fight. I am not precisely defending Vincent, nor attacking Catherine [I think I understand them both]; just noting that he had incomplete information/erroneous ideas and she probably had a couple of wrong assumptions as well.

At THE MORGUE, JT and Evan finish analyzing the remains. Evan concludes the “creature” killed the bike messenger and JT is all “yeah, but he was a bad guy… so good riddance right?”. Evan says he is going to tell Joe, JT gets all upset because he thought they were going to help him [Vincent] not hunt him, but Evan’s all “catching first, understanding later, curing if I have enough time”. JT tries to convince him with some “bureaucracy will interfere with science” crappy argument, but Evan thinks the police will give them the man power to find it. If only he knew he was talking to “the creature’s” roommate... Before JT can come up with a plan to stop Evan, they discover the samples were corrupted; when exactly were they corrupted? I have no idea… [Claire was in the lab BEFORE they exhumed the body].

Now let’s catch up with the girl with the most fake name. Claire Sinclair walks into a restaurant and surprise! She is an M Agent… OK, it wasn’t that surprising. I hadn’t thought about her since Saturn Returns, but I assumed she was M since she showed up at Evan’s enticing morgue. Claire meets with another M agent, Dr. Sorenson… and I am a little confused about the standing of this guy in M. Is he a scientist? A “handler”? A power player or muscle? Because he seemed to be all of the above and then poof! Vanished. Throughout S1 they had some interesting actors playing M agents [my personal fav was Ari Muirfield], but they lacked consistency. I think they are missing a face for M, a constant nemesis like Lydecker on Dark Angel. Hope they fix that on S2, from what I’ve read they will. Anyway, in summary Claire’s mission is to keep tabs on Evan and ensure he doesn’t get to Vincent before them.

Time to close the LAST CASE OF THE WEEK and get the final ON THE NOSE LESSONS LEARNED FROM CASES. In a nutshell, CFO Pam was in love with Noah and killed his wife. How cliché. In classic procedural fashion, when CFO Pam is exposed as the killer, she gets all chatty and expository, so she explains ALL her motivations. According to Pam, Noah loved her, they had epic love blah blah but then Lisa came along and Noah’s head snapped in her direction. She should have fought then, but she didn’t. ON THE NOSE TRANSLATION FOR CAT: “Go get your man-beast back, before that bitchie read-head takes him away”. Of course if Cat was truly following CFO Pam’s example, she would kill Alex and make it look like an accident… can’t really say I would argue with that at this point.

Cat goes back to DR. DAVID’S office. I really like Dr. David! Can we make him an M agent and bring him back? Turns out Dr. David is actually a hell of a shrink [or possibly a spy] because he gives her one hell of a conclusion: Catherine had a rough life and carried a lot of guilt, suddenly something changed [Vincent] and she put her heart out there after having it locked down for a long time. Dr. David goes even further and analyzes Vincent, saying he is a “lug nut” if he can’t recognize his unique connection with Cat and is tempted to go back to the “safe and familiar”, knowing it is not what he needs or wants. “That was oddly good” say Catherine and I at unison. Perhaps I need to rethink my views on therapy. Dr. David also implies she might have been a little less than clear about her feelings in an attempt to protect herself. Which is true; then he prompts her to admit her feelings for the lug nut and finally Catherine does. “I love him” she says with the utmost sincerity. Aw… It was a very heartfelt indirect love confession.

Encouraged by Dr. David she goes to the WAREHOUSE to talk to Vincent and I KNEW it wasn't going to work out! Not always, but usually when someone NEEDS you to tell them how you feel it is probably because they are not ready to hear it.  Vincent thanks Catherine for protecting him “unconditionally” [see, he IS grateful] but Catherine stops him and tells him it wasn't so “unconditionally” after all. She tells him she doesn't want to give up on them before they have even begun and that really wasn't as clear as it needed to be. She doesn't tell him she loves him, but she does tell him she “wants to be with him”. I think at that point Vincent was contemplating the distinct possibility of leaving and giving JT and Catherine a chance at a normal life while he went back to being a doctor. I really don’t think he was ever considering Alex, rather the things that came along with her. You might say he was in love [or infatuated] with the prospect of getting his old life back. Regardless of what was going on inside his head, what follows breaks Cat’s heart [and ours]. He tells her “his choice is not clear” and then he says “he really misses who he used to be” [who the hell misses being called “Vinnie”? It sounds like a mobster’s name]. It was a little harsh and sad, but in all fairness it wasn’t the most awful rejection ever either. It should be noted that he never stated he didn’t love Cat and he didn’t once say “I miss Alex”, “I loved Alex” or anything of the sort.

I think what he was actually saying is that this might be his chance to escape and try to lead a “normal” life, releasing JT and Catherine from the burden of protecting him at the same time. Then he says:  “Alex is willing to give her life up to go with me (…) would you?” And THAT is the line I have issues with. I was able to rationalize and understand everything else, but I can’t quite get the intention behind this line. I almost feel it is out of context. Anyway, Catherine replies with exactly the right thing to say:  “Would she? If she knew the truth? You haven’t told her, and until you do… isn’t all of this just a fantasy?” When he uttered that last line, it was the only time I was truly upset with Vincent. It almost felt like emotional blackmail [I REALLY don’t think it was the case but it kind of came off that way], which I thought was completely out of character. HOWEVER, his tortured expression told a completely different story and that’s the reason I never fully transitioned to being mad at him. I also wanted to mention, Jay Ryan’s acting choices in that scene were very good. Rather than acting cocky and confrontational he looked remorseful and sincere. I believe Vincent was with the “escape, go back to normal, protect everyone in the process” mindset. Then Catherine came along to confess her feelings for him, but she didn’t quite her point across. Yes, she DID say she wanted to be with him, but it never seemed to register with Vincent. Which brings me back to the main issue, he believes he is unlovable, he pushed for clarity before and she didn’t give it to him. She also said in the key scene of the previous episode that their relationship was not necessarily “good” and I assume that was something that stayed with Vincent. Now she has more clarity about her own feelings and she is trying to convey that, but he is too confused to listen and too distracted by what he thinks is his new best option.

I wouldn't say I have a problem with the last scene. It was frustrating to watch, but I think it was realistic. He acted like a human being rather than a “perfect idyllic man”. People get confused and they often screw up with the people that matter the most. At the same time, I completely empathized with Cat and felt all her pain; but I also liked the fact that they didn't perpetuate the fantasy that every time you “share your feelings” you get an instant fairy tale ending. So I can understand the scene, but I am not sure I fully grasp the intention behind Vincent’s last line. That was the only part I don’t quite get/accept in the episode. I suspect this scene has cut dialogue too, but unlike the other scene I can’t really figure out what that dialogue might be. I would love to get my hands on that script! Anyway, maybe you have a better view on the whole thing than me, I would love to read your thoughts.

Last week I mentioned that I made my peace with this arc even though some things were mishandled. I guess this recap further explains why I am OK with the story-line. Next week we will cover the last “unfortunate episode”! And then comes the good part!

I’ve been getting a lot of “Anonymous” comments lately, which are totally welcome, but I would love to put a name with all the great insights! Also, if you want to get DM-reminders for the recaps or any other articles, just let me know.

QUOTES

Dr. David: Sometimes, in life, we need to be a “bitch” in order to get what we need.
JT: Someone please explain to me how a guy who’s unemployed, never goes out and is officially dead gets not one, but two smoking hot women fighting for his attention.
Tess: Reading about skydiving is surprisingly very boring.
Cat: So what? You wanna dress up, put smoky eyes and Fall in love? Is that it? / Tess: That’s it exactly
JT: Welcome to Fright Night. Should have packed my wooden stakes.
Tess: Are my earrings too slutty?/ Cat: Too slutty for what?/Tess: Good point
Cat: I am beyond upset, I am mystified!

29 comments:

  1. This was a episode I struggled with a lot. It is my least favourite of the Alex arc mainly because she was acting so oblivious to everything, so infatuated with the idea of Vincent being back in her life that she never truly asked hard-hitting and crucial questions.

    The way you worked through and explained each scene really made sense to me and I agreed with pretty much everything you said. You also gave me perspective in seeing this episode from both Cat and V's side and that too is a reason why I couldn't hate on V in this arc but like you said, I too was definitely frustrated.

    I cannot stress enough how much I loved JR's acting in the Alex arc because I think watching him in those heart-wrenching scenes like the one at the end, you could totally feel Vincent's conflicted feelings and emotions as well as the clear unworthiness and guilt that he was still feeling in those moments. I truly commend JR and KK during this arc cause they really brought forward the anguish and emotion that Cat and V were feeling through onscreen.

    Lastly, I too do not get that line from Vincent. It still irks me when he questions whether she would drop everything and leave with him especially when he was not being completely truthful with Alex.

    However, after various rewatches, analyses and dissection of this ep, it was a good one; extremely frustrating but yet again very necessary for the development of the Vincat relationship.

    Another great recap! Can't wait the rest and you are so right about Austin's chemistry with all the actors!

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    Replies
    1. I agree with you! What frustrated me the most about Alex was that she never asked the questions any rational person would have! Like why was Vincent dressed as a Doctor to see his "handler"? and so many more!

      Anyway, at least we are sort of making our peace with these episodes... I feel better after rewatching and analyzing them :)

      Thanks for reading and commenting Kiki

      Delete
  2. Sorry about being one of the anonymous commentators - only means to communicate as one does not choose to utilize any of the other services listed in the profile dropdown - not everyone on the planet wishes to expose themselves to Twitter/Facebook etc - that doesnt mean one does not wish to engage online - and certainly doesnt mean that one does not fully appreciate your work in these recaps - most enjoyable - another one for tomorrow please - you get a few extra hours to oblige as I am located in the UK.

    Austin Basis is a delight to watch and his interaction with each of the other characters works so well - Mr Ryan should come with a cardiac arrest warning label - even when he plays Vincent such that one wants to smack him hard for interpreting everything in a doom and despair context - of course his life has been horrible but, what happened to Cat's assertion that "he was the best thing in her life right now" - seems to me her pattern of contradictory behaviour would only confuse the poor lamb even more.

    Glad you are starting to highlight the appalling editing etc - its been the most difficult aspect of this show to deal with, not just for me but huge numbers of UK/EU fans - we are very spoilt over here with the overall substantive quality of our productions, we have come to expect US tv to be of a lower standard but this programme can reduce one to chewing on the remote its so awful. Whats hard to understand is that the Canadian technical people and production companies associated with this programme are well respected - so where is the psychotic scissors located - has to be in the care and control of the dozen ish producers listed - all of whom should be ashamed of themselves for selling out such a wonderful cast and fanbase.

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    1. I absolutely respect that (desire to remain anonymous), so thank you for reading and commenting!

      I believe some of the poor editing may be attributed to the schedule of American shows vs. European. CW shows have 22 episodes or more where UK series usually have between 6-14 eps (like American cable shows). Therefore the production schedule of broadcast is often rushed and I assume that is partially why they often screw up, even if they have qualified ppl in charge. But that's just speculation, I guess there could be a number of things at play here.

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  3. I don`t know why people hated Alex, she was the innocent and somewhat the clueless one in this. Poor Cat was the roadkill and Vincent was the show`s biggest jerk here. Was also poorly handled.
    Worst storyarc this show has ever came up with, the writers knows they made a big failure with this Alex arc. Vincat was never "EPIC" again because Cat was made the sloppy second.
    This arc totally turned many viewers off because of that.

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    1. I have to disagree about the 'epicness' of VinCat. Epic does not mean that a relationship won't be challenged or have obstacles. If it did, it wouldn't be epic it would be mundane and boring. What I think was the main problem was how the arc was dealt with. It was not handled properly at all (maybe it was the writing or sloppy editing). If things were made more clearer to the audience, a lot of the complaints we had would not have existed. I also think that if viewers left because of the Alex arc that maybe their werenr truly 'all in' for the show because we had a FANTASTIC payoff after suffering through the Alex arc.

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    2. I have to disagree with the main post as well. There was two opposing forces in V's life on this Arc. Alex pulled him with out any question any reasonable person will ask. Catherine saw the pics and love letter and pushed back (understandably). I do believe he felt guilty for the condition Alex was in. That's the reason he went to see her in the first place after his conversation with Catherine.

      Vincent would have been a bigger jerk if he were to completely disregard someone he knew for his entire life. It's not like he was proclaiming his life with her. He was trying to navigate the situation he was dealt.

      Catherine was never sloppy second because he never chose Alex and it's not for lack of pushing towards Alex by Catherine either. Insecurity is the demise of most relationship Epic or not. Alex even had a fighting chance of a place because both Vincent and Catherine were INSECURE about each other's place. For me this arc had nothing to do with Alex it was about Catherine and Vincent gaining confidence to go to the next step.

      Even if he had gone to Africa with Alex, it would be because he isn't hiding and on the run not because he's in love with Alex. We have to remember he lived 10 years in hiding with no prospects at all.

      Luli

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  4. i agree with you i didn't hate v and cat wasn't clrar with her feeling.maybe he thought that she will give up on him someday he was not aware that she was ready to do anything for him. she made him beleive that anyway

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  5. i think cat was too late here he was trying so hard in episode 9 he was like telling iam ready to risk it all to be with you but she built him a wall and then she told him that she axcept him but after that she said"it's complicated" when he questioned her why they cant be togother and in that moment he wanted her to tell him she is ready to be with him but she didnt so for him was like you are not an option for me and you will never be i dont want this feeling i will fight it

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  6. TV Empress, such an interesting point about the time constraints of a 22 episode season. I bet that has a lot to do with a lot of people's complaints. Or maybe a less experienced editor?

    I agree with the above comment! Although I disliked how Vincent acted in the arc (could have made his actions a little clearer & more considerate of Cat with a few key sentences) I think Vincent was fighting his feelings for Cat and trying to figure things out with Alex like she said to.

    Vincat are pretty darn epic to me...I seriously haven't seen chemistry like that on TV ever...the writers just need to bring in another love interest and show Vincent handle it better (show his love for Cat dominating the confusion) and I think they are going to do that this season. People need to trust Vincent. He hasn't ever betrayed Cat and she will probably want him to date other people and he might (he won't fall in love though)so people might have to be prepared. This isn't a 2 hour movie where they can fall in love and then just be happy. It's 22 hours a season so obviously there have to be bad times or the show ends or gets boring. Plus, they do longing so well and that can be just as good bc it still shows their love for 1 another. It's TV. Triangles are going to happen so we all better get used to it :) Vincat are end game!

    BTW, IMO Vincent wasn't this huge jerk (less considerate of Cat that usual I agree), but he was clearly lashing out bc the girl he liked and tried to make things official with basically blew him off (yes it was complex) and it's not an excuse, but it helps me understand. Plus, Vincent never cheated on her! She said go figure things out with Alex! Gosh, I'd hate for the writers to think every scene has to be them just perfectly happy. The show would end if that was the case. You can't please everyone no matter what. Ex. some people already though Vincat were too happy at the end of the season (can get boring) and they missed the intensity and the angst and the longing they shared.

    And since they've been officially in love/a couple Cat herself hasn't doubted Vincent's love. The audience needs to see Vincent with other women, maybe even date them, and then see him choose Cat over them to trust him again. Only then do I think we can move on from Alex. I just hope people give the writers a chance to get it right. I like together and angsty longing Vincat.

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  7. Sorry I can't edit the above post, but wanted to add:

    I never doubted Vincent's love/like for Cat during the Alex arc. I just think he wanted a normal life bc he never talked about his feelings for Alex, just saw her as an escape. And Vincent didn't know how strongly Cat felt for him, just got a conflicting I don't want you, now I want you message. And characters like real people make mistakes. I hope Cat makes some this year so people stop putting Vincent above her (like she's better than him-I hate that) bc they're both deeply flawed, which is 1/2 the fun. Love them.

    Oh and epicness in a relationship to me has to do with the intensity of the love and the believability of it...and I get that with Vincat. And once they're together how far they'll go for one another.

    I "like" the idea of seeing them in other relationships (casual dating) bc I know it'll show how much they miss one another and aren't meant to be with anyone else. A tv show built around 1 couple being happy will never survive so I look forward to seeing them grow as individuals we love and then come back together bc they're so good together (as long as their closeness/longing is shown when they're separated).

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  8. the introduction of the whole alex thing is vincent didn't know how much cat loves him because she wasn't clear and she always pushs him away . we can see that he was surprised when she suddenly said "i want to be with you" and abviously thought that she didn't know what she wants or maybe she will leave me one day so it's better to be with alex and having a normal life than having a weak relationship with cat because she didn't convince him that she will do everything for him and i think that's why he asked her would you give up your life?

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  9. My thoughts:
    1. In the beginning even after she tells him that he needs to discover his feelings, Vincent still comes to Cat trying to show her that his relationship with her is what is NOW important. Cat mistakenly thinks she saw the writing on the wall especially after how much Alex rambled about still being in love with Vincent and all. But you are right she totally does “preemptive breakup” and his TMI about “six years and entire childhood” did not help, big gaff by Vincent but I think he was nervous.
    2. Alex – she exhausts my soul period! From dropping the towel, the pictures, the psycho soul mate spiel. The whole arc I was trying to figure out if this was a movie whether she is the dumb chick who follows the hot guy with a big scar on his face and a shaky story without asking any questions till he chops her up, destination the freezer. Or if she is the fatal attraction stalker chick that will stab a guy and his new gf in their sleep and try to live with his dead corps, seriously! While you at it, his name is Vincent – badass caring beast not “Vinnie” the neighborhood loser with slick back hair and fake gold chains –YUKK!
    3. Case of the week- some are enjoyable but this particular case is why I am glad that aspect is gone in season two.
    4. At the illegal clinic Vincent was presented with a choice to leave a life of playing Tarzan with NY city high rises and waiting for JT or Cat to tell him something exciting from the land of the living. And I also think he felt while not portrayed well some guilt for her obsession the way he accepted the beer invite like he couldn’t say no after ignoring her for 10 years. As he was clearly sneaking out without saying bye to her from the clinic. That should have given her the clue that her one time fiancé has moved on because if a guy wants you he hangs around.
    5. When Cat gave him a piece, I mean a chunk of her mind I was really happy. I was happy because Vincent needed to realize that he can live his fantasy life with Alex but the people he probably will end up hurting when sh*t gets real is JT &Cat.
    6. This is an important Episode for Catherine because despite mine and hers hesitation about Dr. David, he was solid. He was cute! But he also got Catherine to her psychological orgasm aka a break through. Yay Cat! Totally want him back in S2!
    7. Last Scene- why –o- why must Vincent utter that misfit line? “Alex is willing to give her life up to go with me (…) would you?” This unfortunate line was a product of the initial rejections by Catherine when he went out on the limb, Alex and her insistent babble on their meant to be love and her suffering for the last 10 years as well as the unrealistic life she was painting for a desperate man, and the mere fact that Cat was handing him a flash drive after she committed one more crime because his life will always be complicated and in need of protection. You mix all that in a pot and you can only get a disaster. I am so glad you brought up his expression. I was furious with V when he uttered those words – as I’m cursing at him for his audacity and was screaming things like “what?!?! Excuse me! you’re a manimal without a job, a temper you can’t control, on the run with incompetent killers after you! Why the HELL would anyone that is SANE give up their life for you unless they are CRAZY” The expression on this face stopped my rant. It wasn’t I am the shit come with me but more so I am ready to escape my life and run. This all was about a glimpse of a better future because when he asks Cat if she would run with him he knows he won’t be an underground doctor or whatever but he will be a different man. And who wouldn’t get tired of the people you care about more than anything else putting their career and life endanger to protect you every day so you can have a life that’s not much of a life really. Bad choice of words – Yes – and who isn’t guilty of that but bad intention or was it intended to put down Catherine –NO.
    Luli - @itslulim

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  10. I also want to add something since my last post was short--ha!

    I read a lot of comments on twitter and such in regards to Epic Love and how can their love be Epic if he chose Alex not Catherine this , that and the other. For me while I hated the Alex arc, Alex, frustrated by Vincent, Catherine and sometimes both. I thought while it could have been handled better, suffered a lot of gaps thanks to editing and was PAINFUL to watch because of the road they travelled just to hold hands. I am (ughh) “glad” it happened. At least for me indifferent scenes and dialogues I was able to see how much of a tortured soul both Catherine and Vincent were and the fact that they both need all or nothing kind of love to be fulfilled. They found ways to attach themselves to each other lives just to find that and provide that to someone else. Vincent needs to save her, show up and offer to help her with stiches or flexibility exercises provide over explanations and she did the same while angry and thinking she had lost him to Alex, she still showed up for everything. At any point did we see V trying to sneak away wbad boy but as my soul mate”. For me that’s Epic love and even epic love is built with unfortunate circumstances or good intentions that break hearts but it’s also about the place we hold in someone’s heart. Epic love doesn’t have to be fatal attraction, I see you and now I can’t live without you. While I do respect the opinion of my beloved beasties, I DISAGREE beyond words that the arc tainted the epic-ness of the love because it’s too early to judge the magnitude of epic-ness. They are just building it, fighting their inner and outer demons. They’re making sacrifices not on our schedule or in a manner we expect them to but they are honest with each other, protect each other, forgive each other and that’s the ingredients of Epic love to me. I will add a little once you preview Cold Turkey… (Can’t wait)!

    Luli - @itslulim

    You recaps are really good and funny.

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    1. Thank you for this post Luli!!! You have summed up all the point so well and properly addressed this whole 'epic' debate. I also would add that epic doesn't mean no obstacles, no confusion and everything working out perfectly. To me that would not equate to 'epic'. Epic means struggling through all these adversities and obstacles, while loving each other even you can't be together for whatever or other reason and somehow in the end, making your way back to each other. I think that what will make VinCat epic is them working hard for this love they clearly have because at the end of the day their situation is an impossible one, so if they want it they would have to 'earn it' for lack of a better word.

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    2. Yep I agree you gotta earn it. "Earn" perfect word.

      Luli @itslulim

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  11. NO deny Vincent was such a JERK TO catherine once Alex entered the picture:

    1) seeing Red: He lied to Cat and seemed to just put Alex`s safety above her.He only concerned abt Alex and just forgot that Cat had just ALMOST DIED and instead had her running around with severe GUNSHOT WOUND trying to save his fiancee. When Cat was shot at AGAIN and went down,V didn`t even tried to help her cause he only worried abt Alex. Didn`t even thank Cat for what she did while she supposed to be in her hospital bed and even dare to talk about being loyal while HE AND alex had just kissed. BIG JERK!

    2)On Thin ice:Cat just saved his ass but he even got mad at her and defended Alex in front her. Taking Cat for granted and would only call her if he needed saving. MORE VINLEX`S MESS FOR CAT TO CLEAN! don`t get me started on the last scene.

    3)COLD tURKEY; Total Inconsiderate JERK during the jogging scene and almost had sex with Alex in the cabin but came to Cat once he got dumped.

    Noone is saying "EPIC Means No obstacles".BUT the word EPIC should NOT be used to described VINCAT during these episodes.
    The fact that Vincent needed to get rejected by Alex to realised he couldn`t go back to his old life,lessened his so called "intense feeling" for Cat. Don`t forget he and Alex would got it on had they weren`t interupted in the hospital, ice skating ring,and that'romantic cabin'. This is the arc of EPIC FAILED.

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    1. This is going to be long so I apologize in advance.

      At no point did anyone say that VinCat were 'epic' during the Alex arc. That is besides the point. All that's being said is that this one thing, this arc, is not the death of then being an epic couple. If one thing like an ex coming in and forcing them to deal with their respective issues (insecurities, vulnerabilities etc) that both of them had, is the thing that ruins them, then their relationship was never epic in the first place. Clearly this did not happen because to me, it shows that their connection is beyond something like this; that they can withstand hurdles such as the ones the Alex posed.

      1) In Seeing Red, he lied to BOTH women and not just Cat. He was dishonest with both of these women and that added to the confusion and complications that arose in that episode and throughout the arc.

      2) In On Thin Ice, please give me a time stamp or something where Cat first saved Vincent and defended Alex in front of her. The only time Vincent defended Alex was when Cat told him about her illegal clinic, Cat only saved him later on in the episode.

      3) Cold Turkey: you are clearly making assumptions as to what would have gone on in the cabin. There is no evidence to support the idea that Vincent was going to have sex with Alex. Alex may have had that in mind when she bought the lingerie but that does not mean Vincent was on the same wavelength as her.

      Also, no one here said V wasn't a jerk. That has been stated/rehashed a million times. But what it clear is that both Cat AND Vincent were at fault here. They both did and said things that caused the other one to be more guarded and not push for a relationship at that point. I just think people are very quick to jump down Vincent's throat during this arc. He was not perfect, he's never been perfect but Cat also contributed to what we saw in these episodes.

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    2. but in the last scene of episodes 10 it was so obvious that he wanted her to say something"maybe i want you the way you are" but she didn't he just can't wait forever for her to dicide if he is an option for her or not and he was still hurt about happened in the wedding it was a sad scene

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    3. Yes, I definitely agree with that. That was Cat's moment to show that she wanted to move forward in their relationship BUT she had already said she accepts all of him in the hospital bed and that was unequivocal and very clear but I believe the ex coming into the picture later in the ep made her doubt his feelings for her so she became more guarded when they had that conversation at the end of the ep.

      And personally I think that Vincent would wait forever for Cat because he did watch over her for 10 years. That's a long time to look out for someone that you don't care about.

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    4. You guys are making such interesting points, I think there are a million of things at play throughout this arc, the more I talk about, the more things I figure out. I was going to address all your comments, but I decided to organize my thoughts and write them up on my "Cold Turkey" recap, so look for it tomorrow! And thanks again for all the feedback and your insights, it's truly interesting to read.

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    5. cat said i accept all of what you are "but this doesn"t mean that we will be together and have a relationship okey vincent?because it's complicated" .how would you feel if you were in his place?and what would you do?

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    6. thanks to you TVEmpress

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  12. They could`ve made him more caring,considerate,concern abt Cat,and more conflicted abt choosing alex and old life over her. instead of just dropped her like a hot potato once someone else came.

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  13. i just want to say..... "i couldn't have said it better myself!" i mean, there was so much bashing about this "alex arc", how people didn't want to watch the series anymore etc etc, it's so refreshing... and kind of relief that someone can actually see the need of this arc. after all is that's what great love is about, going through whatever kind of obstacles that's presented to you? am not really good in expressing myself so.... in short, i like your recap and how you interpreted/look at things. please keep writing...Oh, and my fav - your quotes :)

    - Sue -

    p/s not trying to sign off as anonymous but the choices available are not familiar to me...

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    1. Why, thank you... I am glad ppl are finding and reading these recaps and I love reading all your feedback! I understand what you mean about so many ppl hating the Alex arc so much... I am also glad to find that a lot of ppl had different opinions about the arc and understand why it was necessary and that it didn't "ruin" the show.

      Thanks for reading Sue, and if you want your name to show instead of "Anonymous" you can select the "Name/URL" option on the drop down menu, type your name and you are ready to go :)

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  14. I'm one that hated Alex to the point of having shrives when I heard her name. I know, it's mean and all, but I can't avoid it.

    No, it's not because she was in the middle of VinCat. The way I see it – and you pointed so brilliantly here – the “stupidity with great red hair” was never a real threat.

    I hated her because she was just plain selfish. Everything was about her, about her needs, ambitions and desires. I don't even think she really loved Vincent. I know that's a heavy P.O.V., but I'll try to explain my thoughts.

    I think she just wanted things the way she wanted and, when he “died”, those things were taken from her and she refused to let life deny her something and that's why she stopped living in the real world.

    Because I can't accept that a person that claims loving someone so much that it was impossible to get over even after 10 years would simply ignore that said someone was scared for his life. Not once Alex worried about what was happening to Vincent or why he stayed away for so long.

    She only cared about her dreams and how happy she was that he had came back. Not once she asked him what he wanted or expected from their reunion. She cornered him with sex without even a real conversation about their relationship's status. She didn't think about anyone, but herself.

    It's okay to be selfish and reckless when you're a teenager, as she was when they started dating. But still being like this after 10 years and after losing the so-called “love of her life” shows that she is like that, that's her personality. To me, that was what bothered me most about her.

    I was stunned to know that someone like Vincent would be involved with someone like her. I still don't see what could have possibly attract him to her. I blame the red hair.

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    1. I completely understand your POV. My dislike of Alex wasn't related to the fact that she was coming between Vincat, we all knew that wasn't going to last. But as you said, it was annoying to think that someone like Vincent would be with someone like her... and I think all her problems: being selfish, naive, gullible, reckless, etc etc derived from the fact that she was so dumb! which really annoyed me! And I kept thinking if maybe she was just 'playing dumb'... but I guess she wasn't. haha And I blame the red hair as well....

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  15. I realize this thread is a year old, but I just found this site, so I wanted to add my two cents on a few points:

    1 - While I appreciated watching Cat rip into Vincent over the ice rink thing, because he was being pretty stupid about it all, it actually really bothered me that she threw out the "if you don't know how you feel" line. In just the previous episode, she was insisting that he go figure out what he really wanted, and now, a few days later, she's chewing him out for doing exactly that. She does this repeatedly over the course of the show: telling him that she doesn't want a normal life, and then castigating him for not being normal enough; condemning him for killing beasts and then turning around and murdering people right, left, and center; etc. I love Cat, but she's not always a very consistent character.

    2 - And this is the big thing: the "Alex is willing to give up everything, are you?" line. It shocked me that so many viewers had such a problem with that line, because to me, his motivation was obvious. He wanted that other life, the underground doctor, away from the threat of Muirfield, etc., with Cat by his side, not with Alex. He was telling her that she was still his first choice, if she wanted to be, and if she was willing to come with him and start over somewhere new. He wasn't rubbing it in that Alex wanted to come and Cat didn't, he was asking if she'd take Alex's place. Her response, as well as the way she behaved during the jogging scene of Cold Turkey, just reinforced all of his insecurities and fears that she didn't want him as he wanted her. They both handled it poorly, but to me, his intentions were obvious, even if his delivery wasn't what it should have been.

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