EPI-LOG ARTICLE on Beauty
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Episode 26 (Season 2, Episode 4)
Dead Of Winter
Dead Of Winter (airdate: Dec 9, 1988). Snow gently blankets the city of New York. Rebecca is in her chamber which is filled with drying candles. The candles are all white, orange or red, the colors of Winterfest, a Tunnel World festival of celebration. The children are fighting over who will get to deliver the candles first as Vincent and Father try to settle the matter. Vincent takes Catherine a candle. He tells her about Winterfest's meaning and that the entire community has voted to let her join in the celebration. Father and Samantha are finishing their chess game. She wins the game and runs out of the chamber. Vincent enters and Father reminisces about previous Winterfests. This year is the 33rd. Vincent also remembers his first Winterfest, when he was three or four. He was scared even though he was holding Devin's hand, until the room was ablaze with color from the candles. Father feels sorry for Paracelsus who was the originator of Winterfest and had found the Grand Hall where they celebrate. Deep within the tunnels is a chamber with unformed human faces, chemicals, and tools. A woman, Tamara, is working with the clay. Vincent's voice tells her that he has brought the face. Tamara asks whether he will kill them all. Then different voices answer her, Father, Pascal and Mouse. Then the face to the voices is revealed. It is Paracelsus with a gold mask.
Narcissa is clumbing the spiral rock staircase, the Circle of Stone, when she hears Vincent's voice on his way down. When she gets close she sees that it isn't Vincent but Paracelsus. She screams that he is the evil one. Paracelsus offers to light the way for her and lights her dress. She twists and falls off the stairs. Paracelsus takes Tamara a face. He gives her a black box with a rose on it and tells her to start working. The citizens are walking to the Grand Hall. Vincent asks Catherine if he can lead her through the dark. She replies that with him there is no darkness. Inside, the chamber is completely dark save for one candle in front of Father. The speeches for the beginning of Winterfest are made and the candles are lit one by one. Sebastian, a magician, entertains the children. They have invited Lou, the barber, Dr. Peter Alcott and other helpers from Above. Samantha and Geoffrey play checkers. After she beats him, she puts the board next to Father's chess set that has a black case with a silver rose. A hand reaches out, removes Father's set and replaces it with an identical one. The hand presses the rose in the center and the clicking begins. Many of the dwellers express their concern for Narcissa who is not at Winterfest nor been seen for a few days. They all agree to hunt for her the next day. Pascal tells the group that he is going to check the pipes. Sebastian challenges Father to a game of chess which he declines. Father asks Catherine to dance and she asked Vincent if he dances. Father sweeps her away before he answers. Pascal comes to Vincent to listen too. They follow the pipe to find the source of the sounds. Father has agreed to play chess with Sebastian when Pascal and Vincent rush in. Narcissa is placed on the table. She cries out "The evil one! Watch for the poison rose!" Then loses consciousness.
Father and Mary take care of Narcissa. Now everyone wonders who is the evil one. Then accusations fly until Father reminds them of the meaning of Winterfest. Vincent and Catherine talk over the matter. Not many of the helpers have been around since Paracelsus, Catherine is sure that he has impersonated one of them to join the celebration. Vincent says that there are only three helpers at the celebration who know Paracelsus. Sebastian, Lou, and Peter Alcott. Catherine goes to Father and asks if Peter has told him how they met. He tells of finding her stark naked, then further explains as they laugh. Catherine then approaches Lou and offers to play chess with him. He refuses. She turns to leave, whirls back around and shouts, "Lou!" She throws the chess set at him and he screams. But the pieces are all that come out of the set. Mouse comes forward with the other chess case. He has taken apart the bomb. Lou grabs Samantha and holds a knife on her. He tears off his mask and Father asks him to take him prisoner instead of the child. Paracelsus puts the blade to Father's throat. Father tries to reason with Paracelsus. Sebastian shouts out "Paracelsus!" then throws a ball of fire at him. Father breaks free and Paracelsus escapes. Later they all gather in the hospital chamber where Narcissa is recovering. They explain how they figured out who Paracelsus was impersonating. Peter Alcott was the only one who knew that he had delivered Catherine. Sebastian had been trying to get Father to play chess all night so he couldn't have been Paracelsus because Paracelsus would not have blown himself up too. Lou was the only one left. Winterfest is then continued and at the closing ceremonies Vincent and Catherine hold hands. Left alone in the Great Hall, Vincent tells Catherine the answer to the questions she had asked earlier. He holds her arm out to her and they begin to waltz still hearing the music of the evening in their mind.
Guest Cast: Joseph Campanella as Peter Alcott, Tony Steedman as Sebastian, Anne Haney as Tamara, Kathryn Spitz as Rebecca, Clive Rosengren as Lou, Beah Richards as Narcissa, Irina Irvine as Jamie, Marcie Leeds as Samantha, Ritch Brinkley as William, Philip Waller as Geoffrey.
Writer: George R. R. Martin
Director: Victor Lobl.