MovieChat Forums > Beauty and the Beast (1987) Discussion > Does it get any better?!

Does it get any better?!

posted 10 years ago by TheRebel-JimmyDean
13 replies | jump to latest

Rant to follow:

I'm 4 episodes away from finishing the 1st Season and let me tell you it has been a CHORE to watch this show.

I know a lot of shows have weak first seasons. Greatest examples being Beverly Hills, 90210 and Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Both of these shows were pretty boring in their first year. Buffy was very Villain of The Week and 90210 was very Social Issues/After School Special every episode. However after getting through these mediocre first seasons I found both these shows 2nd and 3rd seasons to be outstanding and their personal peaks in their long runs.

I'm hoping this to be the case with Beauty and the Beast. So far the 1st Season has been cheesy beyond belief, super episodic and boring as all hell. I only watched this initially for Linda Hamilton and she is the only reason I am forcing myself to at the very least finish the season out.

But I have to ask, does Season 2 get any better? Because if it's going to be the same old crap every episode I'm just going to call it a day with this show after I finish Season 1.

My problem is that every episode is so repetitious. They all start out with that GOD AWFUL opening credits sequence (gag) and then cut to the remaining credits as they play over a view of the city.
Then Catherine gets some new case at her office. She goes to investigate. She gets in trouble. Cut to Vincent with his unexplained magical sixth sense of knowing she is somehow in danger all the way down in his underground mole city. Cut to Catherine in danger. Cut to the exact same shot of Vincent running through the tunnels. Cut to Catherine in danger. Cut to the exact same shot of Vincent riding on top of the subway (LOL). Cut to Catherine in danger. Cut to Vincent bursting through a door/window/roof. GRRRRRROOOOOWWWWLLLL. "CATHERINE!" "VINCENT!" Kills bad guys. "CATHERINE!" "VINCENT!" Case solved. "CATHERINE!" "VINCENT!" Cut to Catherine and Vincent on her balcony. "OH CATHERINE!" "OH VINCENT!" (They sure love to use each others names just about every chance they get) Then to conclude the episode Vincent once again expresses his love in some corny hallmark card kind of way. The end.

^This is basically what has happened in almost every episode thus far. It follows the exact same format as the previous episode, only it never brings back any characters and every episode it's a new central character with problems being helped by Catherine and/or Vincent. Only to disappear the following episode and never be seen or mentioned again. There are only a small amount of main characters (like 4!) and it's usually only Catherine or Vincent who have storylines, which is understandable, they are the leads. But some character development wouldn't hurt would it?

The only remotely likeable characters on the show are Catherine (thanks to the strong performance of Hamilton, in spite of her terrible dialogue and boring storylines) and Joe Maxwell, her boss. I can't stand Vincent. He's broody, preachy, monotone and beyond dull. He takes himself way too seriously. And he can't seem to speak a sentence without long dramatic pauses every few words ie: "Catherine I feel as though....you have found a way...to make my soul....brighter...with your love." Everything out of his mouth sounds like something you'd read on a fortune cookie or as previously stated, a hallmark card. So cheesy and it got old fast after the first few episodes.
"Father" is also a total bore. All he does is sit in his little underground study and preach about morals and life lessons which he gets from his books. STFU already!! I did like the Edie character but she only lasted less then half the season and I know she apparently won't be coming back (even though she is still credited every episode. Was it really that hard to remove her name when they transferred the show to DVD?! Lazy asses. False advertise much?)

It also doesn't help that each episode runs about 50 minutes. That's 10 minutes longer then today's TV shows and perhaps if I liked what I was watching I wouldn't mind the extra running time but since I am bored to tears and can usually only focus for like 5 minutes before spacing out again, that 10 minutes really drags on.

So basically after this long rant, I want to ask the fans of the show if Season 2 gets any better based on the problems I've expressed with Season 1. I was planning on watching the whole series but there is no way in hell I'll watch Season 3 without Linda Hamilton, who as I stated earlier, is the sole purpose I am watching this. But I just don't know if I can force myself to sit through another 22 episodes of Sarah Connor giving googley eyes to the Cowardly Lion.

So suggestions? My options are to A) Keep watching because it will get less episodic, more character development and less cheesy or B) Quit it now because it apparently just isn't my cup of tea?

[–] LeMarchand 10 years ago

Short answer: B.

Longer answer: Many of your criticisms could be levelled at pretty much any other 80's drama (though some are unique to BatB) but if you're not enjoying it by now, chances are you're not going to.

No tears please, it's a waste of good suffering.

[–] TheRebel-JimmyDean 10 years ago

Thanks for answering.

I actually did enjoy the Season 1 Finale "A Happy Life." By far the best episode of the entire season. Unfortunately it still isn't enough for me to want to continue with the next season (especially since I have so many other shows I want to start instead). But at least it ended in a good place so I don't feel bad about not continuing.

[–] nealhd 10 years ago

I know this is prob months too late, however I am new t B&TB with Ron and LInda. I only watched this cause the producers name was on this and the new B&TB. I was wondering if there was any similarities, which there are very little.

I am only 4 episodes into season four. (Season one was not a total bore for me, and was an up and down for me).

However, the beginning of the season is a improvement so far. Vincent has yet to run through Below to Above.jump on a subway to save Catherine or whomever is in jeopardy, that he did may times in the first season, I lost count. (LOL)

That is allI know right now, I will get back to you. I am A Linda And Ron fan, so I will watch season 3, and let you know how it is, assuming you have not watched it yet and had no intention of watching.

I do love the villain Paracelcus.

[–] maleficent1000 9 years ago

I know I’m late, but I figure someone will probable ask this question again. I know I did and came here looking to see if someone posted what I was feeling. I started watching the series, because I found season 1 and 2 at a thrift shop. I started watching season 1 and felt pretty much the same way you did and I was thinking should I continue. I did since I already had the next season. A few episodes into season 2 I started enjoying it more. There was more character development and different story lines. I’m now starting on the 3rd and final season.

[–] Treg1980 9 years ago

Oh I'm so curious how new fans feel about the 3rd season? I for one love it and if I had to choose one favorite season it would be 3 for me. And that's coming from a Linda Hamilton fan!!!
Season 2's trilogy and the whole 3rd season is BatB at it's best!

[–] Doom 9 years ago

Season 3 is my favorite season. Easily.

Unfortunately, we're (way) in the minority on that one.

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Wait a minute... who am I here?

[–] Treg1980 9 years ago

I know. But truth is had they gone darker somewhere in season 1 the show might have done better. The show needed way more Paracelcus, more Elliott Burch and more darkness. Why did they drop the luitenant from the pilot who wanted to investigate what was going on underneath the city?
Like the OP said, this show had too many episodic storylines and no real arcs until the end of season 2.

And Hamilton was great as Catherine, I'm a huge Linda Hamilton fan, but God was Jo Anderson good or what. It's because of her I could handle what happened to Catherine.

[–] Doom 9 years ago

I agree.

And I like the way they immediately introduced Jo Anderson as someone who could take care of herself, no problem.

Plus I thought Stephen McHattie made a fantastic villain as Gabriel.

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Wait a minute... who am I here?

[–] debster859 7 years ago

I hope so TBH im finding this hard to get into i too much soppy love story and not enough interesting episodes to get really excited about , i love the charractors its just the snooze fest story lines im having a problem with, every time i watch an episode i end up falling asleep, please tell me S2 and 3 any better.

[–] red_rackham_77 7 years ago

I'd say go with A with a much bigger open mind to gothic, classic, renaissance, and romance.

But don't worry you are free to quit at anytime.

I tried the remake one, hoping it would be just as great as this one but once again big failure and miserably let down. Casting, acting, plot and lines, everything was horrible. I stopped after three episodes and saw the last episode and told all about what happened through out the series. I am glad Ron and Linda were not featured in it.

What I loved about this series is that it took on topics like gang violence, murder, child killing, domestic abuse, child abuse.

I have other reasons but maybe later, hope this changes your views on it.

[–] jamesboland (690) 7 years ago

To the original poster, I highly recommend you keep watching.

I understand some things might have thrown you off a little in the first few episodes, but the simple fact is this: you saw the first episode and didn't stop. Then you proceeded to watch the second. And third. Need I go on?

You obviously go for this sort of thing. More power to you. Tough it out for those of us who can't.

[–] Galactus03 (4289) 7 years ago

Dude...he posted this 4 years ago at imdb....lol....I doubt he's still debating if he should continue watching...

[–] jamesboland (690) 7 years ago

It's never to late to start watching again. If you're up for the heroic challenge to be the first to finish the series, you'd certainly impress me for rising to the occasion.