BEAUTY & THE BEAST: Doubt Thou The Stars Are Fire
Episode 120: “Anniversary”
THERE ARE SPOILERS AHEAD!
[Photos: Ben Mark Holzberg/The CW]
This week’s Beauty & The Beast was infinitely more satisfying than other episodes since “Insatiable”. We see more of Cat and Vincent interacting as a couple actually would; they seem to be settling in. Characters behaved in ways that were true to themselves, except for one key twist. I feel heartened by what I’ve seen, and I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I did. Let’s dig in.
Cat awakes on the anniversary of her mother’s death; Vincent is perched in her window, watching her sleep. The dialogue between them as he teases her about her sleep habits is endearing, and it helps us relate to them as a couple, since most of us have probably teased or been teased about our own sleep habits with our mates. While cuddling, they reflect on the dual nature of the anniversary of Cat’s mother’s death/the anniversary wherein Cat and Vincent first saw one another. Cat wants to move forward by avoiding her family’s annual celebration of her mother’s celestial birthday, i.e., when she was born to the stars. Vincent doesn’t want her to deal with the inevitable guilt, and instead talks her into making a visit to her mother’s grave.
Surprisingly, Gabe is at the cemetery, visiting Dr. Chandler’s grave. Vincent lurks behind as Cat proceeds to the grave. The interaction between Gabe and Cat is far more familiar than it had been; Gabe confesses that Cat’s mother was his doctor and the only loving adult in his life at that time. After swapping sweet stories about Dr. Chandler, Cat feels moved and suggests that Gabe attend her family’s celebration with her. Vincent beasts out in the background, abuses the poor tree that hides him, and leaves. Finally, Gabe points out that the Dr. Chandler’s headstone is cracked; Cat has no knowledge of whether her mother’s body was ever moved, but her interest is piqued.
Having left the cemetery without the now missing Vincent, Cat reports for duty at a public event with the mayor (seems like they’d use unis for that, but whatever). Cat updates Tess, and Tess suggests that Vincent disappeared due to jealousy that Cat invited Gabe to attend an event that Vincent cannot attend. Meanwhile, Vincent shares his concerns about Gabe with J.T., who accidentally validates Vincent’s suspicions. Accordingly, Vincent goes to talk to Cat about his Gabe willies at the mayor event, when he hears Gabe quarrel with the mayor’s aide. He shares his gut feelings, along with the details of the overheard argument with Cat, when the mayor is shot. Vincent sees the shooter and goes after him, but gets his phone only. Last call on the phone was placed to…duh duh duh! ADA Lowan.
Cat and Vincent re-connect on the precinct roof, where he gives her the phone and the details. Video footage of the event shows Gabe angling the mayor towards the shooter just before the shooting…or just photo op? J.T. hacks into Gabe’s financial records (by the way, I checked; ADAs in NYC start at $60k, not exactly lavish life style salary). They find a $25k wire transfer. Cat confronts Gabe. That $25k was for a PI, who found that Dr. Chandler’s casket was exhumed two weeks after burial, and no city record of a gas leak or any work done. Considering that Cat didn’t identify her mother’s body, an absent autopsy report, and the closed casket funeral, Cat wonders whether her mother didn’t pull a Vincent and simply fake her death.
Cat rushes to share the possibility with Vincent, but he doesn’t react as expected. He tells her not to exhume her mother’s body because he already knows she’s not in there. Apparently, his beasty senses already told him there was no body in there, but Vincent chose not to tell Cat that crucial piece of information to keep her away from Muirfield. I have to say, other than the whole Alex debacle, I’m usually on Vincent’s side, but Vincent screwed up on this one. Cat is pissed, and I don’t blame her. When Vincent accuses Gabe of using Cat’s mother’s death to pull her in closer and heatedly tells her he doesn’t want her to see Gabe anymore, Cat serves the sauce right on back. That’s my girl. Just because he’s hot doesn’t mean that he can tell you how to live.
At the celestial ceremony, Cat is, well, catty with her dad. She’s angry with her mother for lying to them, and asks her dad for the release form he signed when Dr. Chandler’s body was moved. Gabe and Cat head to the address on the form, an abandoned farmhouse without power or water in the middle of nowhere. When Tess discovers through her investigation that the target of the sniper was in fact Gabe, she tries to reach a now out-of-cell-range Cat. In desperation, Tess next calls Vincent (what, are they Facebook friends now, too?) and gives him the scoop, so Vincent goes after them…using the tracking device he’s placed on Cat’s car?
Whatever his method, Vincent arrives just in time to save Cat from the evil sniper who has also followed Cat and Gabe to the farm house. While they’re making up, Cat and Vincent spy a strange dark grey boxy thingy outside. It’s a headstone, engraved with the name, “VANESSA” and a calla lily. Vincent confirms the presence of a body beneath his feet. After Vincent leaves, Cat shows the headstone to Gabe, but she chooses to let her mother’s body remain there for now. After Cat also leaves, Gabe remains behind and finds Vincent’s claw marks in the rafters of the barn from the fight with the sniper. Gabe places a call (to blondie?) confirming that he’s “found him” (presumably Vincent), when what to our wondering eyes should appear, but ADA Lowan eyes glow a la mode de Vincent. The plot thickens.
Later that evening, our favorite lovers wine and dine al fresco, under a patio decorated with Christmas lights and candles, thanks to Vincent. I was doubly impressed by the chocolate covered strawberries, red wine, and cheese plate. Who of us wouldn’t be impressed by such over-the-top romance? When Vincent tries to ruin the moment by bringing up Gabe’s sketchiness again, Cat shushes him and tells him to just let her kiss him. Yep, standard couple moment: sweet and snarky.
Tess and Bishop also appear to struggle this episode with the normal issues of a clandestine couple: getting busted by a co-worker, PDA, whether to go public, who should transfer if they were to go public. After initially suggesting to Tess that she be the one to transfer, Joe ends up transferring the nosy detective who was onto them to another precinct. Well played, Bishop. But what happened to your wife?
Questions for the week: if ADA Lowan is truly a beastly victim of Muirfield, why didn’t he also realize that Dr. Chandler’s body was not actually interred in the graveyard at the beginning of the episode? Or did he notice it, and just use the cracked headstone as the excuse regarding why he was onto it? Where did they buy those glorious calla lilies? Those are the nicest I’ve ever seen! It was nice to see Heather again; does anybody know where things stand between Heather and Vincent? Considering how often Vincent is over at Cat’s, Heather must know something is still going on, but she hasn’t been around much that viewers have seen. And how is it that Vincent managed to find Cat at the farmhouse? How many times I have I written in my write-ups, “Vincent arrives just in time to save Cat”? Have you looked up the title of my recap this week? I found it fitting…
Two episodes left! See you guys next week!
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[Official Show on CW] [Previous Recap: “Playing with Fire”]
Vincent has an acute sense of smell. He can smell Catherine- same way he could tell there was a body in the grave at the farm house, but note he just said “a body,” not your mom. Everyone Murfield experimented on was different and has different abilities- they are determined by what type of animal DNA mutation was used on them… also, Gabe was one of their first guinea pigs… think of him as Beastie 1.0. Vincent was experimented on as an adult… that would make a BIG difference.
If Vincent’s acute sense of smell were as powerful as all that, he wouldn’t ever have to ask J.T. to track down Cat’s burner, which he has done on more than one occasion. Maybe he had the sniffles this week =) The other important question: if Lowan is a cross-species mutant, why can’t Vincent smell it? He should be able to tell that Lowan smells different from other humans. And it also begs the question: what was Vincent crossed with, and what was Lowan crossed with?
I’m back finally! So… loved this last episode. Still have to recover from Evan’s death, but Gabe’s storyline is quite entertaining, and manages to distract me from grieving (the death of Evan and the consequent lack of that sexy accent finally made me decide to catch up with “spooks” the bbc series, after years of wavering). So, Gabe is not only dark and hot, and darkly hot, but we can’t place him among the good or bad guys with certainty! I LOVE THAT. Although yes, all the questions you wrote, Leslie, should surely find an answer, cause as of now they’re big fails.
Then… Cat and Vincent are just lovely. I adore him being jealous (he has never been so evidently jealous of Evan) and her answering him just right. They are so good together that I can’t stop myself from thinking, now that we can sleep peacefully knowing of the renewal for a second season, that it will be so difficult to put in a convincent reason for them to be torn apart eventually (cause I think it has to happen sooner or later).Or maybe they won’t, and in that case I hope they never become boring.
As much as I couldn’t stand Heather, her disappearance from the show is big gaping hole that must be filled (a few mentions would do, I don’t necessarily have to see her that much). ANd what with JT’s girlfriend?
Confession: I really hoped that Cat’s mother would be alive (I laughed so much at your “pulled a vincent” ahhaahah), even cause I remember Poor Dear Evan fnding out something about her that made him gasp, and then discussing it with Vincent as if there was a biiiiiiiiig dirty secret from which Cat has obviously been kept away. By Vincent. And don’t tell me it was just that they moved the corpse.
Angelica, I am with you about Gabe: darkly hot, and not sure what he’s about? Oh yeah, I’ll take a slice of that to go, please. And you’re right about them being split apart, the show would be boring if all they did was live happily ever after; there will always be intrigue. And J.T.’s girlfriend, yes! I was wondering about her the other day; alas I can only write about so much, but I agree it’s an unanswered issue. And your point about the Vincent/Evan secret is spot-on. It ain’t just that her body was removed, so I’m eagerly awaiting resolution on that point. Thanks for visiting again!
Sendhil face is like perfect. Sorry, I had to point that out again!
It’s always a pleasure reading and commenting here, cause in Italy the show wll be broadcasted only in the summer, so almost no one knows it yet, and I like to discuss it with people (well I do see it with mom and a friend, and I love that too, but they focus only on a few things), so.. here I am, whenever I can!
Whoa, Angelica, you’re in Italy? I had no idea you weren’t a native English speaker, and I normally pick up on that right away. Good job!
reaaaally?? oh that’s flattering!!! Yes, born and raised in Italy, close to Rome.
Honestly this episode let me really disappointed…I was so excited about a jealous Vincent that for me, the only minutes i really enjoyed were the first ones, when Catherine woke up and Vincent was there. A little too much Twilight, but i liked it.
The scenes between Heather/Catherine/Thomas that guy HAS to be hidding something, come one!!! He was really too calm for someone who doesn’t know a thing about his wife past.
Where was Heather? Maybe its just me, but Catherine inviting Gabe for that “party” wasn’t strange? Just because the guy has some stories about Vanessa she just invites him for a Family thing?? Even knowing something is really off about him, you invite him to meet your Family?
Gabe is a beast What a “huge” surprise. We all knew that since the first episode he appeared… i have to tell the truth the writers are really to predictable at this point on the show and i’m not liking it.
Just something about Joe and Tess, he wants to go public but last week he was still marriage. I missed something or they just jump for that this week?? Hello writers you have to tell the story is not our job to presume things.
Tonight’s episode Cat will think she is pregnant, really?? All that for them to have the talk about “What future brings to us?” The are so many possibilities for them to bring this subject up, they had to use he whole baby thing???The fandom is really excited about the possibility of a baby vincat and i hate the idea, at least for now.
Some rumors were saying that Jay Ryan wouldn’t be coming back for second season, of course that’s not true, BUT let me thinking, the writers will let us thinking Vincent died…FAKE DEATH AGAIN???
OR they will use the whole ‘there is no future with me’ to separate Vincat, again what a “huge” surprise…I know Vincat will be apart, i just wanted something like “Ok, i knew something among those lines would happen, but i didn’t see THAT coming”
They are getting a little too much clichê for my sake…
Just another thing that is bothering me A LOT, last week that guy appeared in the police station screaming Catherine’s name, the guy was full of blood, with no fingerprints and no one talk about that again?? No one thought it was, at least weird?
Oh and btw, why Muifield would burry Vanessa in that house? I think, think and i can’t come with a good explanation… Is she was dead why move her body?? I just came with a theory maybe her dna has something to do with the whole mutation thing? I understand nothing about this kind of thing, but could be a possibility???
I know they didn’t know if it would be a second season or not but that’s no excuse to do a bad job. I’m still hoping all those spoilers are wrong and i will come back here next week and say,OMG i was so wrong!!!
Oh and don’t worry i totally understand, life can get us in a way that we don’t have time for anything. I loved your recap and let’s hope the producers know what they are doing, i’m not really optimist since they screw up a lot with Alex arc.
I agree when you talk of the man who screamed her name while covered in blood last week, theu should have mentioned something… it seems like each episode is set apart from the precious, no real links connecting, like “what happens in an episode stays the episode”, and that’s poor writing.
Also I expect an explanation for the removal of Vanessa’s body, and probably your assumption is correct. There MUST be more about her than what we know, and the husband also is hiding something.
Then again, the biggest hole is Alex’s destiny. But I’m sure they’re saving this card for next season or finale.
I didn’t see the preview of the next episode, but the baby thing sounds weird and premature, altough I can imagine already it will be somehow endearing, at least a bit.
Ok, ladies, my apologies. We were going out of town for Mother’s Day weekend, and I had a lot to do to get ready. So, let me address what you had to say.
1) I too think that Vincent there watching Cat was cute. The Twilight reference didn’t bother me too much =)
2) I agree Cat’s dad knows more than he’s letting on. That will be a very interesting story line, assuming it gets followed through.
3) Heather was at the Celestial Bday party, so it was good to see her for a change.
4) For some reason, it didn’t bother me that Cat invited Gabe to the party. She has been searching for clues to the person her mother is, and Gabe is there filling in some pieces of the puzzle. Plus, I think she’s just a naturally generous person. My take, anyway.
5) Gabe is a beast, too. Yeah, not that surprising at this point, I agree.
6) Joe & Tess going public? Did we miss a divorce announcement? I agree something is rotten in the state of Denmark (to use another Shakespearean reference.
7) Let’s talk about the episode from 5/9 (Episode 21) in that recap. Don’t want to ruin it for people who aren’t there yet.
8) Jay Ryan is totally coming back for a second season. Anyone saying anything different is smoking crack.
9) Yes, Cat and Vincent will totally have to separate…maybe the end of this season, maybe next season, and maybe even both. If they’re always together and never experience any setbacks, it wouldn’t be dramatic. So yep, separation and reconciliation/reunion will be a recurring theme. We can bank on it.
10) Good point about Agent Paul Davis showing up bleeding to death at the precinct, and no one following up on that one any further. Definitely weird.
11) Vanessa’s body getting moved. I’m reserving judgment on this story line until it plays out. If it doesn’t get resolved, at the very least, you two (Ana and Angelica) and I can have it out about the lameness of it. I really hope that they don’t somehow have Cat’s mom’s DNA involved in the mutations. Here’s why: been there and done that with the movie Splice (not well, mind you), AND if Vincent is carrying around Cat’s mom’s DNA, doesn’t that kinda make him and Cat related? See where I’m going with that? Eww…
12) YES, when will we find out what the heck is going on with Alex???
Posting the next episode write-up here in a little while. Can’t wait to hear your thoughts!!!