BEAUTY AND THE BEAST COMPANION
By Peter J. Formaini, USA

Special Episode Information (click here for contents)
Extracts from His Major Companion

Episode 23 (Series 2, Episode 1)
Chamber Music

Critical Rating 7.5 Violence Rating 2.5 Original Air Date November 18,1988

Major Performance Credits

Rolley (adult) Terrance Ellis Mary Ellen Geer
Rolley (child) Garland Spencer Paco Dion Basco
Miss Kendrick Janet Maclachlan Attendant Philip Diskin
Eli Theodore Bikel Friend Vonte Sweet
Mouse David Greenlee Punk Marcus Chung
Anthony Shavar Ross    
Major Production Credits Literary / Musical References
DIRECTOR Victor Lobl Teleplay By Ron Koslow
  • Byron, George (1788-1824)
    "She Walks In Beauty"
    (1814-1815) [Partial Reading]
  • Schumann, Franz (1797-1827)
    "Unfinished Symphony" (1822)
  • Beethoven, L. Von (1770-1827)
    Piano Sonata "Moonlight"
  • Schumann, Robert (1810-56)
    "Sonata in F Sharp Minor"
EDITOR(s) Drake Silliman Story By  

Milestones

First instance of Vincent and Catherine unable to resolve the conflict of a friend
Catherine's first misuse of her DA credentials

Special Notes / Trivia

The piano pieces in this episode were performed by Gloria Cheng
If you wondered at the lateness of the date on which this episode kicked off the second season, the reason was the writer's strike of 1989, which delayed production of new episodes for all series, some longer than others.  Beauty and the Beast started later than nearly any other show, thus abetting the problem caused by sequencing the episodes in an order that drove the marginal audiences away.  These two factors combined to knock the series down several Ratings points in the Neilsens and marked the beginning of the series' troubles. See episode 33 for a further explanation of the ratings drop.