She lost her at “Beast”
Baby Chandler comes back to town with a big ring on her finger, but her big sis never finds out because she is busy ditching the police and having secret rendezvous with her fugitive boyfriend. Gabe finally goes psycho and decides to kidnap Heather by proxy. He also starts time-sharing Wardy’s office AND the dungeon. You can’t blame the guy of not optimizing the use of resources! In the end, Heather has a close encounter of the beast kind and finally realizes her sister isn’t as crazy as she thought for the past decade.
The episode starts with Cat driving through the streets of Manhattan. A hard task in itself, but even worse considering Cat is being tailed by her own precinct. Tess gives her some pointers on how to lose the tail over the phone. Then Tess tells Cat to say “Hi to Vincent” just in time for CAPTAIN WARD to hear her. Hmmm in Tess’s defense, there is more than one Vincent in NY… but… No, that was pretty stupid, why would she use his name!? So many other words one can use to talk about Vincent: “Mr. Hottie” “Soldier Hunk” “Dr. McBeast”, etc. etc. Have some creativity Tess!
After losing the tail by breaking every traffic rule there is, Cat arrives at her apartment. She frantically fishes for a new burner phone and… discovers that Heather is there; ready to resume her INTERRUPTER EXTRAORDINAIRE duties. Heather is all “surprise! I have some life altering news and I just flew across the country to share them with you!” and Cat is all “You are here… sure I am happy, don’t be fooled by my ‘Oh shit’ expression… but hold that thought… I want to pick up my laundry…” So she actually picks up a laundry basket and goes up to the roof [If I was Heather I would have followed her… that was a pretty suspicious sudden laundry obsession]. And turns out Heather actually has some major news: She is going to get married! But Cat leaves before she gets a chance to tell her.
Downstairs, Heather decides to catch up with some local news and realizes her sister’s ex is a wanted criminal. Heather is obviously worried, as people tend to do when they realize they dined with potential serial killers. Cat’s all “He DID NOT do it [he actually did]”. “Not that I keep in touch with him or anything… kinda lost track around the time he got plastic surgery to remove his scar… the one he got… in a fight after a motorcycle accident… Nothing I am saying is odd I swear! Let’s talk about you!” Heather is so eager to share her news that she lets the Vincent subject go. Heather begins her story and… she goes all the way back to the day she moved to Miami. Wait, what? Heather and Catherine haven’t talked, texted, tweeted, facebook-stalked since then? That’s a little extreme… even for someone with a beast boyfriend. In any case, Heather is interrupted by Cat’s phone [a 911 from Tess], so Cat leaves… again. Cat is not winning a “Best sister” award any time soon.
At the PAVILLION OF SECRET BEASTLY RENDEZ-VOUS, Cat tells Vincent about her suspension. They decide it is time to remind Gabe of the awful things he did and he “has conveniently forgotten”. True… Gabe did all sort of awful beastly things in the past and he should pay for them [and deserves to be exposed], however… Cat conveniently forgot them too! Which still bothers me! But now that no-one is suffering from selective amnesia anymore I am all for the plan, I guess. Cat also tells Vincent she doesn’t know how to tell Heather she is in love with a fugitive beast. Vincent suggests she could start with the “fugitive” part. When being a “fugitive” is the best feature of your boyfriend… you have serious issues.
At the PRECINCT, Wardy politely asks Gabe if he is having a jealousy psychotic episode. Gabe tries to deflect by suggesting they should bug Cat’s apartment, phone, car, lock her inside a tower and throw away the key… At that precise moment, Heather walks into the precinct. Gabe goes from obsessive mad-man to charming fellow in less than two seconds, which I think is more proof that he is a psycho. Heather asks about Cat and Gabe ends up telling her about her suspension. Then he tries to win Heather over with fake concern and asks her to give him a call if she finds her… you know “to make sure she is OK”.
Meanwhile, Cat and Vincent try to find a crime to pin on Gabe. The carriage driver is a no-go because Gabe has an alibi… but he totally killed him, right? Or not… This is totally irrelevant, but I need to analyze it. It always bothered me that the driver was killed with a “morning star” in order to make it look like a beast-killing. Why would Gabe need a morning star if he had actual claws? It would be reasonable to assume Gabe hired someone to kill the driver and gave this person the morning star. In this case, Gabe could have an actual alibi for the day of the murder. I doubt the writers went through all this reasoning… but it surprisingly makes sense. Anyway, next potential murder to pin on Gabe is Ray Sheckman… and that one, he totally killed. Good plan so far… except, Wardy and his geek squad notice that Cat was checking out the Sheckman cold case and he tells Gabe. Are they BFFs now? I think Ward just wants Gabe to find Vincent so he gets the hell out of his office.
In the meantime, Vincent and Catherine go to the museum where Ray Sheckman was killed. Vincent has a BEASTMONITION that reveals there was a witness to the murder. The witness managed to escape, but left a shoe behind… Seriously CINDERELLA WITNESS? As I bitch about tracking logic and the incompetence of the museum janitors in my head, Vincent and Cat walk out and run into Heather! Little Chandler runs away before Cat can come up with a lame lie that explains why she is hanging out with her “former” boyfriend/current fugitive.
Heather runs and runs and runs…. All the way to the COFFEE SHOP OF GIRL TALK AND BEAST CONFESSIONS [Is it next to the museum or something? Did Cat chase her in her car? Did Heather really walk a long distance in those shoes?]. Anyway, instead of doing sister damage control right away, Cat asks Heather how she found her. The answer is super lame: she cracked the password of her “Find your Phone” app. 1) Cat has to learn to get better passwords! [remember nutty professor?] 2) She shouldn’t carry her phone around when she is with Vincent! But whatever, moving on... Heather begs for the truth and Cat gives it to her. It goes something like this: “Remember the ‘beast’ that saved me the night mom died? Well… that was Vincent. Mom beastified him in Afghanistan and he commits the occasional murder, but only bad people, so it’s OK. Plus he is super dreamy so I love him” And yep… she pretty much lost Heather at “Beast”. What did Cat expect after she ranted about a story that included “beasts” “memory tampering” and “secret government experiments”? Heather thinks Cat is taking her for a fool and leaves. Cat should really have started with the “fugitive” part and work her way up from there.
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| What exactly is Tom Sheckman's "legit business"? Are those, guns? Is that a diamond in the logo? Blood diamonds? |
While Gabe fabricates facts, Cat and Vincent find the ACTUAL witness. A man named JACK WATSON. Poor guy is traumatized after his beast-encounter, but Cat manages to convince him to come forward [something about justice and the greater good or something]. Jack also tells Cat exactly what happened the night Ray died, via a good ‘ole regular FLASHBACK [which looks exactly like a beastmonition]. So we learn that Gabe killed Ray! OH MY GOD! That is NOT shocking at all. We already knew that, so it was a bit of a wasted flashback if you ask me.
Meanwhile, Heather is having one of those lonely wedding dress fittings, which are the doomed destiny of sisters and BFFs of heroines with big bad secrets. Heather never gets to pick up a dress because Tom Sheckman himself goes to the store and kidnaps her. Hmmm… doesn’t he have henchman for that kind of thing? And isn’t he concerned with the store’s security? A place with expensive dresses must have an alarm and security cameras [or maybe not] and he pretty much walks out with stolen merchandise [and an abducted girl!] Also… wasn’t it easier to just wait for Heather outside the store? Guess being stupid criminals runs in the family…
So… JUMP CUT to Vincent finding Heather chained inside the cell in BEAGONSTON, which is obviously the “go to” place for kidnappers these days [I personally enjoyed the houseboat abduction more]. Heather seems scared when she sees Vincent. She probably thought he was going to kill her rather than rescue her. Vincent gets ready to beast out and break Heather’s chains, but Tom sneaks up on him and traps him inside the beast proof cage…Mmmm He didn’t hear him coming? Is there echo on Beagonstone too? In any case, Tom wouldn’t be a good baddie of the week if he didn’t engage on some CONVENIENT CRIMINAL MATTERS EXPOSITION. He accuses Vincent of killing Ray, Vincent denies it, but Tom doesn’t believe him [whatever happened to his concern about having proof?] Then Tom mentions that Vincent killed Ray to protect Heather. She realizes Vincent is the reason she is alive. She is shocked and grateful at the same time.
Without further ado, Tom sets his revenge plan in motion. He sets off a bomb in front of the cage and leaves. Unfortunately for Tom, he never makes it out of Beagonstone because he is intercepted by Cat and Tess, who get all super-cop on his ass. While Cat kicks the crap out of Tom, Vincent realizes that he has no other option than beast his way out of the cage. He warns Heather and begs her to NOT overreact. Vincent transforms and Heather SCREAMS bloody murder. In her defense, that’s probably the “normal” reaction after seeing a beast. Not everyone can have a quiet and intense staring contest with the Beast like Cat. Vincent-Beast frees Heather’s from her chains and then breaks the door of the cage… so guess it wasn’t that beast-proof after all…
Later at Cat’s apartment, the Chandler sisters have a nice heart to heart. Heather realizes two very important things. First, Cat’s secret was huge and it is pretty understandable that she was reluctant to share it. Second, Cat actually told the truth at first, after her mother died. She said she was saved by a beast and everyone thought she was crazy. I think Heather fools us with her bubbly personality. I think she is a smart girl, who offers great insight once in a while. Also, out of Tess, Evan and her; Heather had the best reaction to finding out about Vincent [she didn’t judge Cat as harshly AND… she didn’t shoot Vincent! Always a plus!] After it is settled that Vincent is a good guy, the sisters FINALLY talk about Heather’s fiancé, Matthew, who is great and normal. He better have a damn good storyline in S3 because if Heather is ACTUALLY marrying a good normal guy, I’d be pissed. Unless they make him so perfect it is funny [sort of like Awesome on Chuck]… I even have Matthew dream cast since the summer: David Anders [and his “loyalties are flexible”]… Go ahead and dream cast Matthew + come up with a story of who he really is! I’d love to hear your ideas.
Meanwhile, at the PRECINCT, we discover that Captain Ward is done playing nice with Gabe. After telling him about Tom’s demise, he informs Gabe that the Ray Sheckman case has been re-opened and they have reason to believe the vigilante is not the killer. You go Wardy! I knew I loved you for a reason! Gabe walks into a lineup and our Cinderella witness identifies him as Ray’s killer without hesitation. Who could forget the Indian dude with dashing brown eyes? Especially when he is surrounded by random guys that don’t look like him at all! [and are wearing way less expensive suits].
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| "Yes, Ma'am" |
But this is Beauty and the Beast, so the episode couldn’t end on that positive note. Jack-the-Witness-Watson is playing solitary at a motel with a baby-sitter cop. Why do they always take important witnesses to cheap motels? They ALWAYS get killed there. So yeah… spoiler alert, Jack is going to die. The important thing is how, I guess. Gabe breaks into the room [which he found using his connections I guess… or maybe he has some residual beast DNA and can also track… he was shockingly good at locating people now that I think about it…]. Gabe attacks Jack until he is dead. For a second even Gabe is shocked by his own brutality. Suddenly his motto finally makes sense: “Once a beast, always a beast” However, looks like the “beastliness” is NOT determined by modified DNA. R.I.P Jack… END OF EPISODE.
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| Once a beast, always a beast |
And… after ages I am taking a much deserved holiday so… going on recap hiatus [plus everyone needs time to bake and eat and gift wrap, right?] The three last recaps will be posted in the last three Fridays of January. Happy Holidays everyone!
QUOTES
Vincent [about Gabe]: Well… he is consistent I give him that… I don’t know I think I liked the guy better when he was a beast.
That was great! Loved your recap. 219 was definitely imo better than 218, but its not one that I like to watch repeatedly. It had some cute vincat moments that I can watch repeatedly, but other than that I think this episode was obviously used more or less to tie up any loose ends of BATB since S3 was so much up in the air at this point. I am glad that they squeezed in all the loose ends, but a lot of the story telling felt rushed and I get why they rushed it, but like you said about V's beast premonitions, we get that he does it, maybe if they spent a little less time on showing the premonitions they couldve used the extra time towards better/advancing the plot/ little details better. Anyway, awesome recap. Look forward to the final 3 episodes. Have a great holiday!!!:)
ReplyDeleteDear TV Empress, have a great holiday! I enjoyed all your recaps and i'm looking forward to the last three (especially to 220 and 221) :-)
ReplyDeleteGreetings from Germany
Iris
Thank you for posting today as you said you'd be traveling. Really appreciate it! Abfab review as always and so funny! I lived for the VinCat moments (I've watched the end rooftop scene like a gazillion times, lol) but not one of my fav eps. But you always make me see things I don't realize. Have a wonderful holiday!!!! We'll be here when you return mid Jan. Something good to look forward to! xxoo
ReplyDeleteLove it as always and you are right that moment deserved a huge running into his arms hug! Enjoy your holiday!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for recap. Funny and on point. After re-watching most of season 2 I reiterate that this was not the same show I fell in love with from season 1. I think the writers and Showrunner tried to salvage the season with the last 6 episodes but fell.short of the Mark. What saved this show for me were the actors whom love
ReplyDeleteWonderful recap as always. Not really a very good episode, but we have to love what we get and that is what I am doing.
ReplyDeleteStill, there are again major issues with the writing:
Why exactly is Catherine racing through Manhatten? And why can Vincent not get a new burner phone from JT?
How does Tom Sheckman know exactly when Heather is at the bridal shop and how does he know that it is really her? I don't think that Gabe had a selfie with Heather ready to show him. And nobody cared that they were dragging this screaming and kicking girl in a bridal dress out of the store and into a SUV?
After the explosion in the dungeon, Vincent is asking everybody if they are alright. What about HIM being alright - nobody asks that question. And what a stupid line for Heather to say: WHO ARE YOU?
When VinCat research the cold cases, Catherine dismisses the carriage driver mauling, because Gabe had an alibi. Seriously? How does she know that he had an alibi? He was an ADA back then and there was not even a hint of suspicion about him. Nobody would have checked if HE had an alibi.
I try to get behind what the writers want to tell us - like you said in one of your reviews you are trying to do - but often I am at a loss of what it is they are telling us.
And here too, they are portraying the police force as being totally stupid. The guy guarding the witness opens the door - while everybody watching is screaming for him NOT to do that. So predictable and so wrong.
Again, verv grateful for the outstanding actors and their efforts to please the fans and please us they do - in spades.
Happy holidays to everybody - see you again next year
Barbara
Happy Holidays to you too, Barbara!
DeleteThe episode finally reveals Gabe as the villain he has been all the time, no surprise there so it feels rather empty. Heather stumbles in for no visible reason other than to be annoyingly full of reproaches about every aspect of Cath's life, no surprise there either. Vincent isn't the only one that gets a deja-vu sensation. Only he is more polite about it than I would be.
ReplyDeleteTVempress, you called Heather a smart girl who offers great insight once in a while. Not great enough or often enough to impress me, that is for sure. You can't be stupid as toffee and then just lisp some tepid remarks about how she "gets it now" and "still a pretty big mess, huh?". And telling Cath what she already knows about her mother's death. Not exactly great insights in my book. Heather's attempts to act surprised in the abduction-and-rescue scenes are limited to a few screams and her eternal repetitions of What, Why and Who.
The saving grace is Jay Ryan, I still can't get over how he makes this little insignificant show so mesmerizing . Not that BATB is so little anymore with a probable total of 55 episodes over 3 years. The scene in the dungeon where Vincent suddenly has to beast out in front of Heather instead of breaking it to her gently, Jay makes it breathlessly desperate. The portrait of Vincent is faultless, stumblingly emerging from the bomb dust, his first question is of course "You okay?".
Thank you, I just read the review. So here are belated Happy Holidays. How about a Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteAs soon as Cat told Watson she would protect him, we knew the poor guy was doomed.
Like you, I didn't get Cat's reaction when Vincent survived the bomb blast unscathed. Nor her later comment to Heather. While Heather's fiancé is "great" Vincent is only a "good guy" Seems that Cat has much more respect for serial killer Gabe by constantly offering accolades about him and to him.
I didn't get why the police found it necessary to follow Cat to her apartment or why she alluded them. Don't they know where she lives? Wouldn't they already have a stake out there?
When Cat and Vincent are searching through the files on unsolved murders, Ward tells Gabe she was on a computer "somewhere" wouldn't common sense alone tell them that she was at home? What a waste of taxpayer money to have multiple tails on a suspect instead of doing the obvious. I thought Ward was "Mr. Bottom Line"
Maybe Gabe used the Morningstar on the carriage driver to avoid DNA evidence. Or, he was still on medication then to prevent his beasting out so he needed a weapon to imitate beast claws. Like Barbara, I don't understand why anyone would check to see if the ADA had an alibi in a murder case.
At the precinct, Heather told Gabe that she would be at Selena's trying on wedding dresses but I wonder how long they staked out the place before she showed up or what she looked like.
The dialog was strange at times in this episode. How to investigate a cold case? Of course revisit the crime scene. Once there, though, "There is nothing here." Unless you know a beast, why not give him the credit for once and let him do his thing? When he does, she disagrees by telling him the police report didn't mention a witness. He has to prove himself yet again by finding a ripped up shoe of all things.
One of Heather's brilliant moments is when she is talking to Tess in the coffee shop. "You know what I love about Miami? My friends don't lie to me" How would she know? I immediately had a suspicion that there is an evil story line here. Heather's fiancé is undercover bad guy. He was sent by the shadowy beast making organization to get to Heather since she is the sister of a beast owner. Far fetched possibly but not beyond what our writers expect us to believe.
Thank you once again for helping us ride out this excruciating hiatus.
Marsha
I think this ep. Set up Heather coming back and having a regular part in S3. Not one of the best eps. But I live the Vincat moments even though interruptions are endless and now expected. They are still super sexy together, no matter the length of time. Always enjoy this show and Everyone's interpretations of the scenes
ReplyDeleteI thought the first scene between VC was super cute like the "I'm in trouble already bc I'm in love with a fugitive". I like the idea of Heather being back and apart of their lives and knowing and liking V. I would have dragged it out a little, too. Don't know why Heather is engaged. Seems unnecessary and early for that. YES More cluseless peeps are needed. Maybe Matthew will be our new resident clueless people that forces Vincat and team to lie bc he can't know. I like how honest Cat was with V in their convo at the pavilion about not knowing how to tell Heather she was in love with a fugitive beast. Sweet, but shows me they are back to sharing their thoughts. I love your carriage driver hitman hired by Gabe theory. Great work. I loved V's hesitation in beasting out in front of Heath-great acting JR. I think cat could have been more effusive in her love for V during her wine convo with Heath. Like I love him even though it's complicated. She was just like he's a good guy and he isn't normal. But lots of people are good guys. It's that V is the love of her life that makes it diff. The end of the episode is one of my fave scenes of the season. I loved the song. Adored the flirty and the kissing was hot. Picking her up was hot. It just felt like classic JR KK chemistry and it was amazing. I believed they were into it. I dug the fun factor of hooking up on the roof, too. It's scenes like these that make me forget their past bad actions lol I was shocked that completely human Gabe killed that guy like that. I liked that part. I knew Sendhil had to be written off the show once he was Cat's love interest and killed this guy though so I started saying bye, which although I like Sendhil, I need to see Gabe go. He is mentioned way too much and he brings up a bad taste in my mouth. No one talks about Tori anymore and that's great bc I can forget she existed. Oh and I believe they were tailing Cat bc they didn't know she was going home. She didn't say where she was going which is why they followed her, to find out and hopefully it would lead to V.
ReplyDelete