Photo Credit: The CW - Jay Ryan (L) as Vincent Keller, Kristin Kreuk (R) as Catherine Chandler.
OVERALL GRADE = B (84%)
After a very dramatic and suspenseful end to where we last left off on Beauty & the Beast, “Means to An End’ takes a step back . . . only to gear us up for a shocker ending. Like always, Beauty & the Beast does a spectacular job with their characters - crafting a story around character development and exploring the relationships between them - is a regular strength of the show . This week, we continued to look at the clashing relationship between Catherine and Tess while also bringing in the larger conversation of what “doing the right thing” means. However, where the show seems to stumble upon is on their ‘big bad’ arc, so to speak. To sum it up briefly: Braxton follows the same arc that Juliana had last season. I think you can pretty much figure out my point, but I’ll explain this concept later, along with why I wasn’t particularly happy with some of the creative decisions that were made. On a more positive note, the two points that did perk my interest was a) who’s the new beast? (my theory will be explained later on) and b) Muirfield’s back!
The episode starts off with a soft and tranquil sequence where Cat and Heather enjoy some tea at little ol’ cozy Il Cantuccio. Wait a minute. Shouldn’t Catherine be worried about Vincent? Apparently, the team has a plan. A plan that allows them to keep tabs on Graydal and DHS BUT that doesn’t actually guarantee that Vincent is safe. He could be dead! Brainwashed! But apparently that tea makes all of Catherine’s worries go away. But wait a minute? Isn’t Catherine unemployed? Actually, just suspended. So, I guess things weren’t that bad as “The Getaway” had depicted. And while I’m ok with the show playing with the pace and drama of the story, I feel that this change in tone kind of diminishes the previous episodes’ strengths. Now, there’s a slight possibility that things are actually going to be “ok” - at least for Catherine. I liked the idea of them losing “normal” and I want to keep it that way until the end. Not that I don’t wish them happiness, but it just seems like the more realistic route. Poor Vincent, on the other hand, is actually being tortured. Sidenote: Why does everyone keep hanging out in the same places where it’s easy to find them? i.e., Il Cantuccio, Cat’s apartment.
Enter Tess - who joins the tea party. Seriously, is Il Cantuccio the only coffee shop in town? And what ensues is an awkward interaction between Catherine and Tess because while Tess is team “law and order, Cat is still team “beastie.” While most people have disliked Tess' character this season, I’ve understood Tess’ motivations for her decisions - but it doesn’t make sense for her to try to stay ‘in the dark’ while wanting to hang out with Cat and the gang. You know what the topics will be. Better yet, you know what’s on that laptop. It’s like a mother not wanting to walk into the kitchen because she knows her kids are in there making a mess. Only until she is forced to walk into the kitchen will she then take action. And that’s Tess’ strategy - which we know is pointless. Well at least she’s not dating Joe’s twin anymore - I think.
Shortly after, things start to pick up as we find out that DHS is raiding Graydal. Which begs the question: How did DHS track Vincent to Graydal? But not to worry because DHS did not get to Vincent. The important thing to take away from here is Agent Dylan’s encounter with Braxton. It seems like they have a history that goes beyond the “cat and mouse” game. For example, how did Braxton know about Agent Hill’s murder? She seemed very confident and smug about the whole matter. And she maintains this collected coolness throughout the entire episode. It makes me question her underlying motivations and if she knows more than she’s leading on. Perhaps we’ll find out later.
Back to Vincent’s situation, Braxton runs a series of ‘tests’ on Vincent to figure out what type of beast he really is. Although the tests are hard on Vincent, the true challenge comes when he is forced to do things that are against the law. Because this type of test involves everyone - whether or not they want to be included. It’s not just Vincent on the line - it’s everyone. And this becomes problematic especially for Catherine because it means crossing over to the zone that Tess specifically warned her to stay away from. And this goes back to the constant dilemma that Vincent and Catherine face when they are forced to break the law for the greater good. But things get really tricky when Catherine finds out that the evidence that Vincent is asked to steal is the very same evidence from a case that she and Tess had worked on. This makes me believe that Braxton knew that he wasn't just dealing with Vincent - he was dealing with a whole group of people.
Despite knowing that this was a 'bad idea,' Catherine decides to steal the evidence herself in order to prevent Vincent from exposing himself. And here's the important character study: Catherine will always sacrifice her friendship for Vincent's safety. And you can see why Tess has always felt a bit sour about this because to Tess, it feels like Catherine is picking Vincent over her. Even when Tess first found out about Vincent, she was a bit jealous that Catherine confided and trusted with this man she had just met instead of her best friend. Catherine never wants to be put in a situation where she has to choose between Vincent and Tess but Tess always draws this line between her and Cat that forces them to take sides. And when Tess arrests Catherine, you can see the look of disappointment in Tess' face. Once again, you've let me down. It's a painful moment between the two as if we've come to know them as partners both as cops and as friends. We're used to seeing them both fighting for the same cause and to see them drift so far apart to opposite sides of the law is heartbreaking. Yet, we knew it was only a matter of time before we reached this point.
For a moment, it looked like Tess wasn't actually going to let Catherine go but Catherine managed to reason with her. And Catherine's approach to this situation is interesting. Again, both Nina and Kristin did a fabulous job depicting their troubled friendship in this episode. Desperate, Catherine decides to appeal to Tess as a cop - not as a friend. Tess is tired of hearing 'Vincent' as an excuse to get away with everything. And Catherine knows Tess and how her mind works. So she explains to her that sometimes we need to let the small fish go in order to get the big fish - a pretty logical explanation of crime fighting. Tess knows this to be true. Catherine continues to argue that this man that they’re after has very evil intentions and needs to be stopped. Tess, as captain, should not want to let this big fish get away. And lastly, Catherine explains to Tess that 'although you've chosen to stay away from Vincent and beasts - I don't have that choice. Vincent is my husband and I am his wife. And there's nothing that can change that.' This reinforces the fact that Catherine doesn't get herself in trouble - this is her life and it's not her fault or Vincent's. These are all valid points that resonate with Tess because Catherine isn't using emotion to argue her point - she's using reason and logic. Tess finally gives in and lets Cat go because she knows she wouldn't be doing the greater good any good. And it's a remarkable testament to their friendship - that no matter how different they may think or act, they'll always come together when they need each other.
Meanwhile, Heather is dealing with her own drama with Kyle. Kyle can’t help but feel left out of things - because he actually is. It doesn’t help that Heather keeps avoiding his calls and much less, when she leaves with JT. Because Heather is not honest with him, Kyle is forced to take matters into his own hands - by visiting Cat’s DHS office. And of course, Agent Dylan jumps at this opportunity to get Kyle to perhaps help them out. Bottom line, Heather is going to have to do a lot of explaining when she finds the guts to face Kyle again. I must also comment that I love Heather and JT’s interactions - especially when they try to go out and be productive. Of course, this time is no different as they end up in Braxton’s captivity. However, I think it was part of the plan to get caught because later on, we learn that JT recorded Braxton’s confession.
Speaking of, Catherine and Vincent figure out that Braxton is the beast buyer himself which honestly kind of felt like a let down to me. Anyway, they come up with a plan to lead DHS to Graydal in order to bust Braxton. Now, before we get to the climax, let me backtrack to last season for a bit. One of the things that I wished could have been different for last season was Liam's arc. He was introduced too late into the season and we spent too much time chasing around Julianna when the real threat was Liam. Liam was an interesting villain because he was the 'grand daddy' of all beasts AND happened to be the same beast from 1854! Liam not only posed a threat to Vincent's beast, he also brought in the bigger conversation of destiny and how Vincent and Catherine fit in with it all. Essentially, the way the 'big bad' arc was written was to make us (including the characters) believe that Julianna was the bad guy. When, in actuality, she was doing all these bad things for a noble cause - to stop a bigger bad guy. Of course, Vincent and Catherine don't believe her because she did do a lot of questionable things. But we learn that these villains are so desperate for their cause that they will do anything - even become a bad person themselves. The other thing that puzzled me about Julianna were her actions because she went about things the wrong way - threatening to kill Vincent when she actually needed him to stop Liam? Her logic did not make sense. Now, let's fast forward to this season.
Braxton set up Graydal with the alterior motive to find a beast to stop the new beast - the same way that Julianna held these superhuman experiments to stop Liam. We've spent ten episodes of the season chasing after Braxton - the guy who put up the beast bounty (which is now 10 mill). We spent about eight episodes chasing after Julianna. Just when Braxton is about to die, he tries to blabber out his real reason for doing all of this. Explaining that there is another beast out there to stop and that Vincent is the only one who can stop him. Just before Julianna died, she gave the same desperate speech - that there was a bigger beast out there and that Vincent was the only who could stop him. Sound familiar anyone? Vincent and Catherine's reaction in both scenarios?? Yeah, right!! Another beast? Ha! Pssshhh! That's a good one!! You almost got me! Vincent and Catherine - didn't you learn anything from last season? When people tell you there's another beast, it's probably because there is one. Also, couldn't Vincent tell that Braxton was telling the truth? More importantly, why did Braxton threaten Vincent with exposure, knowing that it might ruin his chance to have Vincent help him? It doesn’t make sense. If you want Vincent’s help, appeal to him as the good guy - not the bad guy. So, see my point? They used the same mysterious misdirection when it comes to the “villain of the season” a.k.a “some sort of beast.” Although beasts are a major subject of the show, I do hope that it doesn’t depend on having ‘beast battles’ for every season finale. The show can do very well on its own with its character and storylines and doesn’t have to necessarily rely on the action to bring in an audience all that much. At least, that’s the way I feel.
So who's the new beast? With only three episodes left, it wouldn’t make sense to introduce a new character this late into the season. Therefore, it has to be someone that we actually know - this makes me believe that the new beast may be Kyle. He’s always been a bit fishy for me and I’ve been waiting for the show to finally reveal who he really is. Not only that, Vincent has never liked Kyle and when Vincent doesn’t like someone, it’s usually for a good reason - i.e, Gabe. Always trust the beast instincts! Second, why else would we string Kyle along through the entire season if he isn’t going to add anything important to the story except bring drama to Heather’s personal life? Despite his sweet and innocent facade, I feel that he may know much more than we know. And if he is the beast, it may answer many of our questions. Like, who took Vincent’s pictures and placed them on Agent Dylan’s desk?? Why did the beast kill Braxton?
After the storm has quieted, Catherine and Vincent hold each other tight, listening to the sound of pattering rain against their window. It’s a calming scene but one that will end shortly because we know that it won’t be long before DHS discovers what was on Braxton’s computers. Unfortunately for them, all they can do is hold on to each other for as long as they can. And it hurts Catherine that she can’t do anything about it as sadly states, “You’re a good man. It’s not fair.” They’re forced to face consequences that they don’t deserve. Again, Kreuk and Ryan’s chemistry is so natural and easy that they feel like a couple who have been through so much together. It’s a tender “stolen” moment but is soon interrupted by Tess - who does not bring good news.
Turns out Braxton was right about there being another beast - because he was killed by that beast. Besides the point of figuring out who this beast is - who’s making beasts again? This leads to the implied conclusion that Muirfield is back. And I’m excited about this. I always liked the concept of Muirfield being this secret, powerful organization and I felt that we didn't spend enough time with them in Season 1. After hiding from Muirfield for ten years, it seemed like they were done away with too easily. Second, It would tie up the entire series perfectly. The story began with Muirfield and it ends with Muirfield - once and for all. And it seems like an appropriate challenge for Vincent and Catherine to go back to the start and finally put an end to all of this. It also seems fittingly appropriate to reintroduce Muirfield since this final season has been routinely revisiting characters, moments, and themes from season 1. And by defeating Muirfield once and for all, it gives the series a sense of closure.
In sum, I hope that the “new beast” arc will make up for the “Braxton” arc which I felt was a bit weak and mirrored some of the problems I felt with the story progression of last season. I’m really looking forward to these last three episodes because a lot will be happening!
After a very dramatic and suspenseful end to where we last left off on Beauty & the Beast, “Means to An End’ takes a step back . . . only to gear us up for a shocker ending. Like always, Beauty & the Beast does a spectacular job with their characters - crafting a story around character development and exploring the relationships between them - is a regular strength of the show . This week, we continued to look at the clashing relationship between Catherine and Tess while also bringing in the larger conversation of what “doing the right thing” means. However, where the show seems to stumble upon is on their ‘big bad’ arc, so to speak. To sum it up briefly: Braxton follows the same arc that Juliana had last season. I think you can pretty much figure out my point, but I’ll explain this concept later, along with why I wasn’t particularly happy with some of the creative decisions that were made. On a more positive note, the two points that did perk my interest was a) who’s the new beast? (my theory will be explained later on) and b) Muirfield’s back!
The episode starts off with a soft and tranquil sequence where Cat and Heather enjoy some tea at little ol’ cozy Il Cantuccio. Wait a minute. Shouldn’t Catherine be worried about Vincent? Apparently, the team has a plan. A plan that allows them to keep tabs on Graydal and DHS BUT that doesn’t actually guarantee that Vincent is safe. He could be dead! Brainwashed! But apparently that tea makes all of Catherine’s worries go away. But wait a minute? Isn’t Catherine unemployed? Actually, just suspended. So, I guess things weren’t that bad as “The Getaway” had depicted. And while I’m ok with the show playing with the pace and drama of the story, I feel that this change in tone kind of diminishes the previous episodes’ strengths. Now, there’s a slight possibility that things are actually going to be “ok” - at least for Catherine. I liked the idea of them losing “normal” and I want to keep it that way until the end. Not that I don’t wish them happiness, but it just seems like the more realistic route. Poor Vincent, on the other hand, is actually being tortured. Sidenote: Why does everyone keep hanging out in the same places where it’s easy to find them? i.e., Il Cantuccio, Cat’s apartment.
Enter Tess - who joins the tea party. Seriously, is Il Cantuccio the only coffee shop in town? And what ensues is an awkward interaction between Catherine and Tess because while Tess is team “law and order, Cat is still team “beastie.” While most people have disliked Tess' character this season, I’ve understood Tess’ motivations for her decisions - but it doesn’t make sense for her to try to stay ‘in the dark’ while wanting to hang out with Cat and the gang. You know what the topics will be. Better yet, you know what’s on that laptop. It’s like a mother not wanting to walk into the kitchen because she knows her kids are in there making a mess. Only until she is forced to walk into the kitchen will she then take action. And that’s Tess’ strategy - which we know is pointless. Well at least she’s not dating Joe’s twin anymore - I think.
Shortly after, things start to pick up as we find out that DHS is raiding Graydal. Which begs the question: How did DHS track Vincent to Graydal? But not to worry because DHS did not get to Vincent. The important thing to take away from here is Agent Dylan’s encounter with Braxton. It seems like they have a history that goes beyond the “cat and mouse” game. For example, how did Braxton know about Agent Hill’s murder? She seemed very confident and smug about the whole matter. And she maintains this collected coolness throughout the entire episode. It makes me question her underlying motivations and if she knows more than she’s leading on. Perhaps we’ll find out later.
Back to Vincent’s situation, Braxton runs a series of ‘tests’ on Vincent to figure out what type of beast he really is. Although the tests are hard on Vincent, the true challenge comes when he is forced to do things that are against the law. Because this type of test involves everyone - whether or not they want to be included. It’s not just Vincent on the line - it’s everyone. And this becomes problematic especially for Catherine because it means crossing over to the zone that Tess specifically warned her to stay away from. And this goes back to the constant dilemma that Vincent and Catherine face when they are forced to break the law for the greater good. But things get really tricky when Catherine finds out that the evidence that Vincent is asked to steal is the very same evidence from a case that she and Tess had worked on. This makes me believe that Braxton knew that he wasn't just dealing with Vincent - he was dealing with a whole group of people.
Despite knowing that this was a 'bad idea,' Catherine decides to steal the evidence herself in order to prevent Vincent from exposing himself. And here's the important character study: Catherine will always sacrifice her friendship for Vincent's safety. And you can see why Tess has always felt a bit sour about this because to Tess, it feels like Catherine is picking Vincent over her. Even when Tess first found out about Vincent, she was a bit jealous that Catherine confided and trusted with this man she had just met instead of her best friend. Catherine never wants to be put in a situation where she has to choose between Vincent and Tess but Tess always draws this line between her and Cat that forces them to take sides. And when Tess arrests Catherine, you can see the look of disappointment in Tess' face. Once again, you've let me down. It's a painful moment between the two as if we've come to know them as partners both as cops and as friends. We're used to seeing them both fighting for the same cause and to see them drift so far apart to opposite sides of the law is heartbreaking. Yet, we knew it was only a matter of time before we reached this point.
For a moment, it looked like Tess wasn't actually going to let Catherine go but Catherine managed to reason with her. And Catherine's approach to this situation is interesting. Again, both Nina and Kristin did a fabulous job depicting their troubled friendship in this episode. Desperate, Catherine decides to appeal to Tess as a cop - not as a friend. Tess is tired of hearing 'Vincent' as an excuse to get away with everything. And Catherine knows Tess and how her mind works. So she explains to her that sometimes we need to let the small fish go in order to get the big fish - a pretty logical explanation of crime fighting. Tess knows this to be true. Catherine continues to argue that this man that they’re after has very evil intentions and needs to be stopped. Tess, as captain, should not want to let this big fish get away. And lastly, Catherine explains to Tess that 'although you've chosen to stay away from Vincent and beasts - I don't have that choice. Vincent is my husband and I am his wife. And there's nothing that can change that.' This reinforces the fact that Catherine doesn't get herself in trouble - this is her life and it's not her fault or Vincent's. These are all valid points that resonate with Tess because Catherine isn't using emotion to argue her point - she's using reason and logic. Tess finally gives in and lets Cat go because she knows she wouldn't be doing the greater good any good. And it's a remarkable testament to their friendship - that no matter how different they may think or act, they'll always come together when they need each other.
Meanwhile, Heather is dealing with her own drama with Kyle. Kyle can’t help but feel left out of things - because he actually is. It doesn’t help that Heather keeps avoiding his calls and much less, when she leaves with JT. Because Heather is not honest with him, Kyle is forced to take matters into his own hands - by visiting Cat’s DHS office. And of course, Agent Dylan jumps at this opportunity to get Kyle to perhaps help them out. Bottom line, Heather is going to have to do a lot of explaining when she finds the guts to face Kyle again. I must also comment that I love Heather and JT’s interactions - especially when they try to go out and be productive. Of course, this time is no different as they end up in Braxton’s captivity. However, I think it was part of the plan to get caught because later on, we learn that JT recorded Braxton’s confession.
Speaking of, Catherine and Vincent figure out that Braxton is the beast buyer himself which honestly kind of felt like a let down to me. Anyway, they come up with a plan to lead DHS to Graydal in order to bust Braxton. Now, before we get to the climax, let me backtrack to last season for a bit. One of the things that I wished could have been different for last season was Liam's arc. He was introduced too late into the season and we spent too much time chasing around Julianna when the real threat was Liam. Liam was an interesting villain because he was the 'grand daddy' of all beasts AND happened to be the same beast from 1854! Liam not only posed a threat to Vincent's beast, he also brought in the bigger conversation of destiny and how Vincent and Catherine fit in with it all. Essentially, the way the 'big bad' arc was written was to make us (including the characters) believe that Julianna was the bad guy. When, in actuality, she was doing all these bad things for a noble cause - to stop a bigger bad guy. Of course, Vincent and Catherine don't believe her because she did do a lot of questionable things. But we learn that these villains are so desperate for their cause that they will do anything - even become a bad person themselves. The other thing that puzzled me about Julianna were her actions because she went about things the wrong way - threatening to kill Vincent when she actually needed him to stop Liam? Her logic did not make sense. Now, let's fast forward to this season.
Braxton set up Graydal with the alterior motive to find a beast to stop the new beast - the same way that Julianna held these superhuman experiments to stop Liam. We've spent ten episodes of the season chasing after Braxton - the guy who put up the beast bounty (which is now 10 mill). We spent about eight episodes chasing after Julianna. Just when Braxton is about to die, he tries to blabber out his real reason for doing all of this. Explaining that there is another beast out there to stop and that Vincent is the only one who can stop him. Just before Julianna died, she gave the same desperate speech - that there was a bigger beast out there and that Vincent was the only who could stop him. Sound familiar anyone? Vincent and Catherine's reaction in both scenarios?? Yeah, right!! Another beast? Ha! Pssshhh! That's a good one!! You almost got me! Vincent and Catherine - didn't you learn anything from last season? When people tell you there's another beast, it's probably because there is one. Also, couldn't Vincent tell that Braxton was telling the truth? More importantly, why did Braxton threaten Vincent with exposure, knowing that it might ruin his chance to have Vincent help him? It doesn’t make sense. If you want Vincent’s help, appeal to him as the good guy - not the bad guy. So, see my point? They used the same mysterious misdirection when it comes to the “villain of the season” a.k.a “some sort of beast.” Although beasts are a major subject of the show, I do hope that it doesn’t depend on having ‘beast battles’ for every season finale. The show can do very well on its own with its character and storylines and doesn’t have to necessarily rely on the action to bring in an audience all that much. At least, that’s the way I feel.
So who's the new beast? With only three episodes left, it wouldn’t make sense to introduce a new character this late into the season. Therefore, it has to be someone that we actually know - this makes me believe that the new beast may be Kyle. He’s always been a bit fishy for me and I’ve been waiting for the show to finally reveal who he really is. Not only that, Vincent has never liked Kyle and when Vincent doesn’t like someone, it’s usually for a good reason - i.e, Gabe. Always trust the beast instincts! Second, why else would we string Kyle along through the entire season if he isn’t going to add anything important to the story except bring drama to Heather’s personal life? Despite his sweet and innocent facade, I feel that he may know much more than we know. And if he is the beast, it may answer many of our questions. Like, who took Vincent’s pictures and placed them on Agent Dylan’s desk?? Why did the beast kill Braxton?
After the storm has quieted, Catherine and Vincent hold each other tight, listening to the sound of pattering rain against their window. It’s a calming scene but one that will end shortly because we know that it won’t be long before DHS discovers what was on Braxton’s computers. Unfortunately for them, all they can do is hold on to each other for as long as they can. And it hurts Catherine that she can’t do anything about it as sadly states, “You’re a good man. It’s not fair.” They’re forced to face consequences that they don’t deserve. Again, Kreuk and Ryan’s chemistry is so natural and easy that they feel like a couple who have been through so much together. It’s a tender “stolen” moment but is soon interrupted by Tess - who does not bring good news.
Turns out Braxton was right about there being another beast - because he was killed by that beast. Besides the point of figuring out who this beast is - who’s making beasts again? This leads to the implied conclusion that Muirfield is back. And I’m excited about this. I always liked the concept of Muirfield being this secret, powerful organization and I felt that we didn't spend enough time with them in Season 1. After hiding from Muirfield for ten years, it seemed like they were done away with too easily. Second, It would tie up the entire series perfectly. The story began with Muirfield and it ends with Muirfield - once and for all. And it seems like an appropriate challenge for Vincent and Catherine to go back to the start and finally put an end to all of this. It also seems fittingly appropriate to reintroduce Muirfield since this final season has been routinely revisiting characters, moments, and themes from season 1. And by defeating Muirfield once and for all, it gives the series a sense of closure.
In sum, I hope that the “new beast” arc will make up for the “Braxton” arc which I felt was a bit weak and mirrored some of the problems I felt with the story progression of last season. I’m really looking forward to these last three episodes because a lot will be happening!
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