EPI-LOG ARTICLE on Beauty
and the Beast
review by Nina Johnson. Click
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Episode 7 (Season 1, Episode 7)
Nor Iron Bars A Cage
Nor Iron Bars A Cage (airdate: Nov. 13, 1987). A man is in his van at Central Park using his infrared camera to film scenes of the night life there. A man who is walking his dog appears on the screen and the dog starts snarling and barking. The man point his camera to where the dog is barking and is startled to see Vincent's face there. He starts towards the spot, but Vincent is gone. Back at his office, the tape is replayed then frozen on Vincent's face. The cameraman is totally astounded by the picture. The next day Joe gives Catherine a surprise. Moreno has recommended here to head up a Domestic Violence Prevention Program. The problem is that the job is in Providence, Rhode Island. This will take her away from Vincent and she has only 24 hours to make up her mind. Catherine decides to talk the offer over with Vincent and waits from him a the Grate. Vincent is visibly hurt by Catherine's news. She too is having a hard time dealing with the offer and cites several reasons for going and just as many for staying. Vincent, who truly loves Catherine, knows that he must let her go in order for her to be happy. He tells her that she must use her ability to help others who are in need. Even though they will be physically apart, he will always be with her in spirit and in her heart. He leaves her then and once safely out of her sight, he breaks down in tears. Back at her apartment on her balcony, Catherine too is crying. The next day she tells Joe that she had made up her mind and will take the job. He says he will hate to lose her and had secretly hoped that she would turn down the offer. Vincent is with Father who tries to console him, but to no avail. Vincent goes above and comes out of the main drainage tunnel where Professor Hughes and Jonathan spot him. They chase him through the woods and shoot him with a tranquilizer dart. They think that no one has seen their capture, but in a building, an old woman with a telescope has viewed the entire scene. Meanwhile, Catherine is busy packing the things in her apartment, getting ready to move to her new job. She finds a book of sonnets from Vincent and sadly reads the inscription. A knock at the door brings her out of her mood and she finds a note there. She reads it then goes to the tunnel entrance in her building and meets Father. He tells Catherine that Vincent has been missing for two days. Catherine is surprised that Father cam in person to tell her and he states that he knows she cares. Vincent is being held in Hughes' lab with constraints. They have him attached to some medical equipment and Hughes' readings point out that Vincent is more structure like an animal than a man. Jonathan is not in agreement with him on that point and thinks he can make their discovery public knowledge. But Hughes has been left out of many academic discoveries in the past and wants the decision to be made together. Catherine has returned to her balcony with no idea where Vincent may be or how to find him. She stares out over the city and wishes, "Vincent, be well"
Hughes and Jonathan continue to examine Vincent, who is having a nightmare. In his dream he is in Catherine's apartment, but it is empty and a strange blue light fills it. In Catherine's bedroom is a while light and on her dressing table is a rose. Catherine is behind him and as he walks towards her, she vanishes. Regaining consciousness, he calls her name which Hughes hears and is shocked. Jonathan doesn't believe that Vincent spoke and tells Hughes that it was probably only mimicry as a parrot would. Hughes believes that Vincent has a soul but Jonathan hopes not so they can make a killing on their discovery. They try to give him more of the sedative, but Vincent breaks into a rage and frees himself of his bonds. Jonathan hits Vincent with two of the tranquilizers and Vincent collapses onto the floor. Edie has come to Catherine's after hearing about her cold feet on the new job move. They have coffee and Edie spies the book of sonnets from Vincent and asks who "he" is, which Catherine avoids. Edie has brought a paper with her whose headline declares "Grandma Sees Monster Captured." Catherine takes the paper and begins to read the article.
Vincent is once again in a cage, silent. Hughes and Jonathan have some words and Jonathan pushes Hughes out of his way as he goes to get the department heads to show off his new discovery. When he returns, both Vincent and Hughes are gone. Catherine talks with the reporter, Byron Trask, of the article and then talks with the old woman. She tells what she witnessed, describing Vincent. She shows Catherine where she saw it take place through her telescope. It is the drainage tunnel. Catherine goes there and finds two of the tranquilizer darts. Hughes, meanwhile, is with Vincent who begs for him to release him. Catherine has discovered that professor Hughes is connected and goes to his office to confront him. Outside is Jonathan who follows Hughes and Catherine on their way to Vincent. There he and Hughes fights and Hughes is stabbed by Jonathan for the keys to Vincent's cell. Catherine grabs the keys as Jonathan tries to get them back. She pushes him against Vincent's cell, where Vincent breaks Jonathan's neck. Catherine opens the cage and frees Vincent. She then goes to Hughes who is dieing. His last words are an apology and the wish to have known Vincent better, then he dies in Catherine's arms. Once safely back home, Vincent, bathed and treated, and Catherine sit together. He reads to her a stanza of William Wordsworth as she gazes at him lovingly. But how could I forget thee? Through what power, even for the least division of an hour, have I been so beguiled as to be blind to my most grievous loss? - That thought's return was the worst pang that sorrow ever bore, Save one, only one, when I stood forlorn, knowing my heart's best treasure was no more; That neither present time, nor years unborn could to my sight that heavenly face restore.
Guest Cast: Michael Ensign as Dr. Edward Hughes, Christian Clemenson as Jonathan Gould, Darryl Hickman as Quint, Basil Hoffman as Bryon Trask, Ellen Albertini Dow as Anna Sausch.
Writers: Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon, Ron Perlman
Director: Thomas J. Wright