EPI-LOG ARTICLE on Beauty and the Beast
review by Nina Johnson. Click here for contents.

Episode 15 (Season 1, Episode 15)

Temptation

Temptation  (airdate: Feb. 5, 1988).  Catherine is in Dr. Sanderle's office where he is examining her face to make sure all the scars have healed properly.  He is satisfied with the exam except for the scar that runs near her left ear.  She tells him that she does not want it removed that it has become part of her.  He tells her that it is time to let go of the memory of her past year, but she reveals that it has been the most wonderful year of her life.  Catherine and Joe later meet with D.A. Levinson.  They are discussing their evidence in a case against Phillip Taylor.  Both Joe and Catherine believe they have enough to proceed but Levinson wants the case ironclad because the attorneys representing Taylor are very tough.  That evening a part is being thrown for the mayor by the Commissioner's office.  Joe and Catherine are required to attend.  Joe dances with a beautiful red-head.  As Catherine is dancing her partner tells her that she redhead is Erica Salvin who works for the Evans and Brannigan firm, Taylor's lawyers.  Catherine's suspicions are immediately aroused.  The following morning, Joe arrives at work, still dressed in his tuxedo.  He and Erica were out all night.  Catherine is happy that he has found someone but is still wary of Erica's employers and their motives.  Joe pays no heed to Catherine's concerns.  In the tunnels, Vincent is about to leave on a journey.  He is going to find a gift for Catherine to celebrate the first anniversary of their meeting.  The place is the "Crystal Cavern", a place that only Narcissa knows of.  Father seriously doubts that such a place exists, but Vincent wants to find out.  As Vincent is about to leave, Father gives him a book for him to read as he travels.  Erica is in her office when she gets a visitor, Evan Brannigan, who is a partner in the firm and an associate of Taylor's.  He advises her that her only job is to keep the D.A.'s office from investigating his boss.  She tells Brannigan that Joe is not corruptible, to which he replies that maybe she needs to use another bribe.  Joe and Erica have a romantic lunch hour and even talk about calling in sick, but reluctantly decide not to.  Before she leaves him, she tells him that her firm is talking about making him an offer.  He refuses to even discuss it, but knows that this is something he has been hoping for in his career.  Back in the tunnels, Vincent reads a passage from the book.  It refers to Catherine's love for him and of Father's acceptance of their love.  How should we be able to forget those ancient myths that are the beginning of all peoples?  The myths about dragons that, at the last moment, turn into princesses.  Perhaps all the dragons of our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us - once beautiful and brave.  Perhaps everything terrible is, in its deepest being, something helpless - that wants help from us.  So you must not be frightened if a sadness rises up before and cloud-shadows, passes over your hands, and over all of you do.  You must think that something is happening to you.  That life has not forgotten you.  That it holds you in its hand.  It will not let you fall.   As Vincent finishes the passage he speaks one word - Catherine.  Catherine in the meantime is working on her own gift for Vincent.  The net day, she talks with Joe to question him about a deposition she got that provides more evidence in the case against Taylor.  Joe says he hasn't had time to read it yet.  Catherine accuses him of letting things pile up because of Erica.  He tries to protest, but she tells him he is acting like a teenager, then leaves.  That evening Joe and the maintenance man are playing mock baseball  in the lobby.  Catherine goes to Joe and apologizes for her outburst.  But he tells her that it was ok, she had every right to bring him back to reality.  He tells her of his job offer and Catherine is shocked.  He then tells her that they want him to start right away and that means that the Taylor case would be delayed.  She tries to convince him that if they really want him they will wait until the case is solved.  His response is that he doesn't want to spend the rest of his life in the D.A.'s office.

    Vincent has found the Crystal Cavern, full of flashing gems and precious stones.  The minerals are all over the walls and ceilings.  He picks out a clear quartz crystal for Catherine.  Joe and Erica have dinner that night and he expresses his concern over the the job timing.  Erica retorts that he is just afraid of any personal commitment.  She runs from the restaurant.  He takes her home in his car and as she gets out she tells him to call her when his priorities are in the right place.  As he pulls away, a police car pulls out from the alley and stops him.  They ask him for his registration and find a pack of cocaine.  He has been set up.  Vincent concludes his journey at Mouse's chambers.  He gives him a crystal as a present, then shows him the crystal for Catherine that he wants polished and mounted.  The next morning the headlines tell of Joe's arrest.  Catherine meets with D.A. Levinson and demands that he stand by Joe.  Levinson has decided to take Joe off the case until things are settled.  She goes to see Joe who bemoans the fact that his career might well be over.  She tries to convince him everyone knows her was set up.  He knows it was Erica and Catherine promises to do all she can even though he asks her not to.  Catherine goes to the firm to talk with Erica.  She refuses to shake her hand, then accuses Erica of using and setting Joe up.  Erica claims she is innocent.  Catherine then tells her that she too is in danger because Evans doesn't have loose ends which is what she is now.  Erica orders her out of her office and Catherine starts to leave, then tells her there must be something good about her or Joe wouldn't have fallen in love with her.  She gives Erica her card and tells her to call.  Later on, Brannigan gives Erica subtle but quite real threats about where her loyalties lie.  Catherine is in the shower when the phone rings.  It's Erica and she's afraid she is being followed.  She is too scared to leave the office and Catherine offers to come get her .  A security guard lets Catherine in.  She and Erica talk, then decide to leave.  As they get in the elevator, a shadowy figure watches them.  Catherine sees him and realizes someone is after Erica.  The figure calls the security guard and tells him to take care of them.  When the elevator opens the women aren't in it.  They got off on a different floor and are running down the stairway.  When they hear other footsteps, they take off their shoes.  As they are racing down the stairs, Erica twists her ankle, but Catherine grabs her and they continue their race for safety.  They reach the security guard and are relieved to see him until he pulls his gun.  Catherine knocks the gun out of his hand, then knocks him out.  They keep running, but the gunman catches up with them just as a loud roar is heard.  Vincent leaps from a stairway and kills the gun man.  Catherine covers Erica's eyes.  Vincent looks silently at Catherine then leaves quickly.  The following day in the D.A.'s office, Joe, Catherine and Erica are there.  Joe thanks Catherine for what she did for him, then he confronts Erica.  She apologizes and tells him that somewhere along the way she lost sight of the true goal.  She hopes that they can set things right someday when the trial is over.  He gives her a lifeless reply of maybe.  Even though Erica finally did the right thing, it is too late for her and Joe.  That evening, Catherine is on her balcony in a white dress surrounded by dozens of candles.  She hears a sound and turns to find Vincent.  He presents the crystal to her and places it around her neck.  She then gives him a leather pouch.  Inside is a white ivory rose.  She explains that her mother had given her the rose as a child.  But since he has come into her life, she now has something to be connected with.  Vincent tells her that ever since that night, he is constantly reminded of what a gift life really is.

Guest Cast: Isabella Hoffman as Erica Salvin, Herb Edelman as the D.A. Levinson, Mark Schubb as Catherine's partner, Milo O'Shea as Evan Brannigan, Robert F. Hoy as Cassut, Robert Crow and Andrew Magarian as cops, John Petlock as Dr. Sanderle, Jason Ross as Franklin, Carlo Ciafalio.

Writers: David Peckinpah

Director: Gus Trikonis