Beauty and the Beast - The Complete First Season (1987)

I AM IN LOVE WITH A LION

What can I say, He certainly captured my heart, this is a wonderful series, I wish they would make a follow up of the story which carried on from the last, would be interesting to see how it could develope, RON PERLMAN is just wonderful as VINCENT and that voice is to die for. recommend all 3 series, absolutely wonderful. from a fan in the UK. August 28, 2008

the upside of beastiality

just starting to watch this gem for the first time via our local library . evidently vincent's father made sweet love to a large animal in the cat family . clearly we must work more diligently to accept inter-species love relationships . i wonder if hate legislation is currently either on the books or underway to protect this magnificent love from man's inhumanity to his fellow animals . charming and romantic in the extreme . brilliantly realized carnal adventure for the hole family . June 22, 2008

A romantic world of candlelight and poetry

This was one of the first "grownup" TV shows I remember taking an interest in back when it came out (I was seven). At the time, I was entranced by the visuals, but the more adult elements (romance, intimacy, and urban problems of poverty and discrimination) were lost on me. However, as soon as I heard that Beauty and the Beast had been released to DVD, I rushed out to buy a copy, and the stories and lush visuals don't disappoint.

In the TV series, the role of Beauty is Catherine Chandler (Linda Hamilton), a corporate lawyer who is nearly killed in a case of mistaken identity. Brutally beaten and disfigured in a razor attack, she is discovered by the reclusive Vincent (Ron Perlman), part man, part beast who lives in the tunnels below New York City. Vincent and his adopted father (Roy Dotrice) nurse Catherine back to health. Once she returns to the World Above, as Vincent calls it, she is a changed woman and decides to work for the District Attorney's Office in order to help other survivors of violent crimes. Catherine and Vincent share a strong platonic bond, and although there is definite romantic chemistry between them, they are unable to act on it. Vincent reads Catherine wonderfully romantic, evocative classic love poems; these are also available on the Beauty & the Beast CD.

First and foremost, the show is carried by Ron Perlman, who makes the lion/man Vincent a deeply sensitive, poetic, and yes, romantic figure aware of his limitations in Catherine's world. Linda Hamilton as Catherine Chandler is beautiful both inside and out; deeply concerned for the welfare of others, she has chosen her job from altruism, not for money (her father is rich). Catherine becomes familiar with Vincent's world, where those who are different have found a safe haven under Vincent's wing, so to speak, including Mouse (David Greenlee) and Pascal (Armin Shimerman from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine). Another notable name is Tony Jay as Paracelcus, a villain who threatens Vincent's world below.

The 22 first-season episodes range from mediocre ("Masques," with some of the worst Irish accents heard on screen), to captivating ("Fever," "An Impossible Silence," "Nor Iron Bars a Cage"). Given, the show's '80s values (especially production values) do date it quite a bit, but the interplay between characters (and the romantic tension between Catherine and her boss Joe) and Vincent's lush, mysterious world of damp tunnels tempered by candlelight carry the viewer's interest.

The film's transfer is grainy and blurry, with scratches particularly noticeable on the pilot. The overall video transfer is inconsistent, and that's a shame. Audio quality is decent. The lack of extras is deplorable, particularly given the show's fierce cult following. The packaging is both space-saving and well thought out, although it's hard to read the synopses when the discs are on top of them. Overall, fans of the series will want to snap this up. If you're looking to collect all three seasons, it might be better to hold out for the complete series set Beauty and the Beast: The Complete Series, which promises new extras. June 21, 2008

Enter A Time When Love Was More Than An Act

Epic fantasy, and romanticism on a grand scale were hallmarks of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, and despite the fact that, in the first season at least, there was not so much as one 'real' kiss between the two phenomenal lead actors ( Linda Hamilton, and Ron Perlman ), the State of New York could have been lit up with the electricity generated by them.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST was also blessed with wonderful supporting actors, excellent writing, great music, and second-to-none production values. I have yet to see a series, or indeed, many movies that explored the issue of love with more lyricism, or poignancy. May 20, 2008

The Magic is still there!

It's been a loong time since I've seen this series, and I was delighted to find as I watched it that the Magic I felt when it was on TV is still there. Beautifully produced, the images, feelings, and romance are exquisite, and I'm delighted to have the opportunity to own this lovely series. I bought all 3 seasons, and am settling in to ENJOY. April 20, 2008

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