The idea of taking a cultural fable and attempting to shoehorn it into contemporary America seemed foolish to many, but the resulting story is fresh, the characters finely-drawn and appealing, and the potential for dramatic conflict, character development, and growth high.

Linda Hamilton brings to Catherine Chandler many elusive qualities.  She is not beautiful in the typically American sense, but she has perhaps the most unusual and classically graceful face to grace our television screens in quite some time.  Her warmth, inner peace, and honesty come through in her every interaction with those around her.  The only major change that her meeting with Vincent induces is one of direction, not of personality or philosophy.
We get the distinct impression, from the start, that Catherine and Vincent were made for each other - and that the attack serves only to make that which "should be" a reality.

As Vincent, Ron Perlman is impeccable, bringing to life a character more original and alive with possibilities than any fictional character since Mr. Spock.  Starting with the voice, which Perlman uses to act with far greater skill than many actors use their whole bodies, we sense both great empathy and deep conviction in the character of Vincent.  When we finally see Vincent's face, the voice and actions have made his physical appearance supremely unimportant.  We know the essentials of what Vincent is from the vocal interchanges with the bandage-blinded Catherine.  In blindness, with only words to light the way, these two people discover each other.

The supporting cast is extremely strong, most notably Roy Dotrice as Father.  A product of an obvious Shakespearean stage background, Dotrice is perfectly cast as the patriarch of the Tunnel World.  We sense in him the same gifts which Vincent displays in his interactions with Catherine - love, warmth, empathy.  We also sense a deep sorrow and sacrifice in his character - and we look forward to learning more about him in future episodes.

The technical production values of "Beauty and the Beast" far exceed any other television program currently in production.  The direction and production design work are excellent - the makeup is superb, and the music is the most beautiful I have ever heard interwoven through a netork television series.

If the production and performance aspects of this series remain as high as they are in "Once Upon A Time In The City of New York", then "Beauty and the Beast" is destined for a long and interesting run.  This series has the potential for greatness.  Let us hope that the shining promise of this pilot episode is not lost in the weeks ahead.