Beauty & The Beast: Dinner Plans Run Amok

Episode 207: “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?”

[photos: Sven Frenzel/CW]

I’ve been complaining about Cat and Vincent not getting enough quality one-on-one time in Beauty & The Beast, and episode seven delivers up the one-on-one time, if not the quality.  Cat and Vincent have a short make-out session in her bedroom, and while they both say their hearts are racing, neither one of them actually seems into it.  It just seems like the chemistry between these two actors is off.

Or maybe that’s actually in the script, because Cat is still highly disturbed by the imagery of Vincent ripping out Windsor’s heart last week.  Cat’s concern stems not only from the inherent ooginess of seeing this viciousness go down right in front of her, but also by the increase in Vincent’s viciousness over the last many weeks.  Bottom line: no freaky-deaky.

Later at the precinct, Cat, Gabe and Tess share a bit more information with Tori about the flatlining plan they had had for Mr. Windsor, but then Tori leaves them to it.  Eager to get back to Gabe’s theory that Vincent’s handler is setting a trap for Vincent, the detective trio huddles around Gabe’s computer.  However, they discover that Gabe’s Muirfield-related computer files have been wiped.

Given the file disappearance, the trio is concerned about Vincent, so they descend on Vincent’s houseboat with JT to determine Vincent’s location.  Just as they pinpoint him in Troy, news reports begin popping up of a warehouse explosion in Troy.  Fortunately, Vincent noticed the explosives in the warehouse before he entered, and he tripped them without harm to any of the glorious hair on his head.  He makes it back to the houseboat with the rest of the good guys.  They decide to record and analyze “the handler’s” voice to see if they can identify him.

Vincent calls his handler, whom the omniscient audience knows is Bob, and initially requests his next orders before moving on to angry threats and hanging up on him.  JT has managed to determine by this point that the hacker of Gabe’s computer was the FBI.  Cat reasons that she and Vincent should have take her father up on his initially rebuffed offer of Thanksgiving dinner; they’ll use the opportunity to pump him for Muirfield information.  Tess and JT stay behind to work on the analysis of the voice recording; Gabe responds to a call from the hospital about Tori having been in a car accident.

Despite the anxiety of boyfriend-dad introductions, Cat and Vincent plow ahead with their questions for Bob about Muirfield.  This quickly turns into, “I have a friend who is beast” conversation.  Bob is sly, though.  He plays along like he’s figured out that they want him to track down the beast handler, so he requests all the information they’ve gathered to get started.  Cat places a call to Gabe for him to transmit the information, but worried about relaying the information electronically, Gabe drives out to meet Cat and Vincent at Bob’s, and brings along Tori, whose in his care after her discharge from the hospital.

When Gabe arrives, Vincent pretends to be civil but not overly familiar with either Gabe or Tori, but when he and Tori shake hands cordially, the mutual touch seems to affect both of them.  What that impact is exactly and how it works is still a big question mark, but it causes Tori to go all goldy-eyed and excuse herself to Gabe’s car.  In contrast, Vincent fully transforms into a beast and attacks Cat’s father.  You know, I can’t really blame him, because Cat’s dad really is a horrible man.  In theory, Vincent doesn’t consciously know that Bob’s anything except an abrasive father and G-man, but maybe he’s picking up on Bob’s subterfuge on a subliminal level.

Naturally, Bob’s not pleased that Vincent has just attacked him, and he affects righteous indignation.  Cat begs both her father and Vincent to talk to one another before any big moves are made.  Bob takes advantage of the leverage; he agrees to look at their files, try to find the handler, and never say anything about the situation if Vincent agrees to disappear from Cat’s life.

Then, strangely, Thanksgiving dinner proceeds anyway.  Bob says he’s hungry, and I gotta hand it to his staff; they did prepare a pretty awesome-looking meal.  But at the dinner table, Vincent and Tori accidentally touch again, and both start to transition.  Vincent excuses himself from the table before becoming full beast and goes to the orchard.  Tori goes full-on beast and up-ends the table, to everyone’s surprise.  Man, all that good food gone to waste.  The foodie in me wanted to cry.

While Cat argues with her father over whether Vincent is a victim or perpetrator, Tori seeks out Vincent in the orchard.   Vincent is hostile; he tells her to stay away and not to cry, but dickishness must be beast-nip to girl-beasts.  She gets in his personal space, he barely, feebly protests, and they kiss.  And bull if he doesn’t just stand there and go with it.  Doesn’t pull away or anything!  Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, Vincent!? Seriously?

Of course, Cat sees them at this least opportune of times.  Vincent lamely makes the excuse that Tori kissed him, and a fairly civil fight ensues.  With Bob’s demand still ringing in his ears, Vincent agrees there is no excuse, asserts that he really isn’t fine despite all of his previous declarations of just the opposite, and tells Cat to walk away or he will.   Injured but stoic, our heroine turns on her heel and heads to the house.  Oh girl, we’ve all been there.

Back at the Batcave, Tess and JT have been bemoaning the lameness of Thanksgiving, eating pizza, and drinking a lot of beer.  JT asks Tess why she’s single, and then he confesses that the first time he met her he wanted to kiss her…and plants one on her!  And darned if Detective Barbie didn’t kiss him right back!  My daughter and I watched the episode together, and we were both floored.  Gabe calls in the middle of the kiss, so it doesn’t last that long.  Tess lets Gabe know that the only thing of significance they’ve been able to determine is that there are church bells in the background of the voice recording.  Later, JT and Tess agree that no one needs to know about their kiss.

Tori leaves with Bob’s minion, so he can drive her back to the city/finish her off.  Vincent rendez-vous with Bob; given Cat’s emotional state, Bob knows that Vincent has made good on his end of the bargain.  As such, Bob hands him some information and says that he took a look at Tucker’s agents, and that one stuck out.  He also mentions there is a new target in Windsor’s building.  Of course, Vincent doesn’t know that Bob is actually is handler, and how completely horribly he and Tori are being played.  Vincent plans to head to Tori’s place to check on her.

Cat and Gabe are all that are left at Bob’s house, so they ready to depart.  Bob and Cat embrace, and Bob the Dad promises he’ll always be looking out for her and will do his best to help them find Vincent’s handler.  Just then, Cat hears church bells not too far off…

The episode wraps up as Vincent enters Tori’s place, sees her tied up, and trips the bomb wired to the front door of her place.  We see her apartment explode from the street level.

So, questions for next week: Has Vincent ever once asked himself why he is obligated to do these missions to kill other beasts?  Am I the only one who really doesn’t much like him this season?  I get that the writers need dramatic tension, but changing who Vincent is at his core doesn’t sit well with me.  Gotta admit I’m leaning Team Gabe.  Is he really losing his humanity?  Will we ever get noble Vincent back?  Or will he always have a stupid weakness for redheads?  And what the heck is up with the weird pheromone reaction he has to Tori?  I dread the writers getting too liberal with the laws of mammalian attraction and reproduction.  Speaking of, what will come of JT’s and Tess’ game of sucky-face?  Wonder if we should limit our expectations to flirtation, or if there’s more to come?  And finally, how completely amazing will it feel for us when Bob bites the big one!?

See  you guys in a few days for our recap of the mid-season finale!

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[Official Show on CW]   [Previous Recap: “Father Knows Best”]

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