So basically we can all blame "Twilight" for this. Hopefully this won't be replaced by a Frankenstein series that also misses the point.

The Frankenstein MOVIE misses the point, though, which has always bothered me. Especially since it shaped the public opinion of the character.

It's a bit ironic, really, since the book is about a complex character who everyone thinks is a terrible monster. Kind of what people who haven't read the book thing the Frankenstein monster is...

I don't think that matters since despite the public opinion everybody tries to draw from and interpret the story the way it was meant to after that original movie was released. Or give it an amusing and original spin as opposed to a generic monster movie.

Like...I can't even remember the last time I saw a flat-top Frankenstein outside of a Castlevania game.

I'm from Poland so never really had any contact with english literature until my 20s and damn did EVERYTHING in the media get the Frankenstain's Monster wrong, like everything about the guy and the only correct rendition of this character appeared in Van Helsing of all things which is considered a realy bad movie

Which is hilarious because there's already a "Beauty and the Beast" story inspired by Twilight about a scarred up and piercing covered goth kid that's an asshole, and some girl.

Does Vincent ever get around to saying his catchphrase in this new show?

Which catchphrase, you say?

"THUNDER!

THUNDER!!

THUNDERCATS!! HOOOOOOO!"


Oh. Never mind. He isn't even an anthropomorphic lion in this one.

I can't take this seriously because it's freakin' Lana Lang as a detective.

can't imagine how any one could... I mean did the guy who cast her even looked at this girl I can picture her as a babysitter but not a detective, I mean she looks like she's there cause of "bring your kid to work day"... I don't have anything against her shes just way too young looking to sell the part

Weepy Lana. She's back. I thought I had seen the last of Kristen Kruek after that horrendous Street Fighter sequel. Welp, count me out.

Been a while since I watched one of your Manic Episodes. Seriously, I forgot how good they were. COMMENCING ARCHIVE BINGE!!!

It's always depressing when television series end up being "boring." Couldn't they at least manage a so-bad-it's-good level of entertainment? *sigh*

What the hell... After you reviewed the original series, I actually hunted it down and watched it. I liked it very much. The story, the characters, the sets, the make up effects, it was wonderful. I think it was even better than you described it was ^^
But this? What the hell is this?! If I want Hulk fanfiction I'll look up Hulk fanfiction. Don't remake shows unless you make it surpass the original! There was enough in the original to improve on.

Oh joy, more of Lana Lang. My friends always wondered why I couldn't get through Smallville. Its too bad when the CW takes a concept and doesn't use it well enough. They've been known to make good shows. Sometimes...

So this is like Smallville only instead of Clark Kent, it’s Bruce Banner, and instead of Bruce Banner, it’s Edward Cullen channeling through the body of the movie version of Kyle from Beastly? I can just see the guy screaming out in the near future, “This is the skin of a BEAST!” while pointing to his face.

The CW is not the only station with this issue. Apparently, TV these days wants more beautiful people than ugly people. But watch, if this is targeted to the Twitards, it’s going to be popular enough they may renew it for a second season, unless it gets the Friday night slot, in which case, it’s doomed (let’s cross our fingers on this one). Since I don’t watch TV anymore, I missed commercials about it, and since I’m not home on Thursday evenings to begin with, it was inevitable I’d have missed this, and it’s most likely for the best. The ’87 show is looking more and more pleasing to the eye now.

Also, because my parents are also out on Thursday evenings, Mom missed the show, which I just know she would’ve ended up sitting down to watch. Thank God for Thursday nights.

I only heard about it because I kept seeing promo ads for it a few days ago on the Springboard or Blip players (can't remember which), and every time it ran, I couldn't help but think how rediculous and Twilight-like it was to have a "beast" looking like that, especially since I'd seen the previous episode of Manic Episodes about the 1987 show.

I agree that the Beast in order to be a beast has to have some type of character flaw, Now that does not mean they have to make him ugly. Could have made him an asshole or something and I would be ok with it, mind you it would have to be a well written asshole *cough Damon cough* in order for us to like him but the fact is the beast has not character flaw.... He's Handsome, Kind, AND A DOCTOR.

After watching it, I thought of a way to fix the script immediately, in the next episodes make him take one of those antidotes that he has and that turns him into a complete monster but a monster that has control of himself, that way at least someone is ugly.

Actually, what Lupa meant is that they turn his "beast" status INTO a character flaw, instead of just a character trait. She specifically made the point that Beauty and the Beast is supposed to be a story about accepting someone as they are, not trying to cure them of it because it's "just soooooo horrible!"
However, I see what you are trying to say. This Vincent has nothing to really complain about. He's pretty, nice and a doctor, hes just got a little scar, more a conversation starter than a disfigurement or drastically different appearance.
Also, that thing about your fix to the script, I believe that exact thing happened to Bruce Banner in the really really old Hulk cartoon. He tries to cure himself, and ends up mentally as Dr. Banner, but physically stuck as The Hulk.

But you have to admit that Hulk/Banner would still be more interesting then what they have now. Hell at least the Beast would have more screen time.

Yea I agree the whole concept was missed here for this remake. For some reason they think people want to have their scared beasts be romantic, cuddly & high sex appeal.
-smh- twilight has done more harm than I realized.

look up Mad TV: Pretty White Kids with Problems on youtube.

ahahahaha, I love that skit that was funny XD

The only CW show I like is Supernatural...
So it makes me sad when I see shows like this airing along side it XD

Wow this looks dumb... and the pretty actors don't help...

*SIGH* Twilight has a lot to answer for...

The problem isn't just that they're pretty actors, it's that nearly the ENTIRE cast is made up of extremely pretty people that ALL look WAY too young for their jobs. They're actors that probably get cast as teenagers in other things. Although, I think that was Yannick Bisson I saw in one shot there. Poor guy, he deserves better than this crap.

This. There are a lot of people on TV who are very, very pretty, but who also look old enough to be police officers or doctors or scientists or whatever they are.

So, sorta like what the 2004 movie did to the Phantom of the Opera, casting-wise. Sounds like I can skip it. I really liked your in-depth analysis, Lupa; you made your points well. Even though most of my favorite shows are on the CW (i.e. The Vampire Diaries and Supernatural), I can't disagree with your assessment of the CW's image.

A scar.....his physical deformity they used to make him "A Beast" is a fucking scar!


Its not even that serious a scar, and in most romances, they sometimes have a male romantic love interest or "Sexy bad boy" sport a scar to give him that deep, twisted, "dark and brooding is sexy" look.


Espically if the guy is a fighter or rogue vigilante whatever.

Yeah, I can really see Lupa's point that in any other network it would work except on The CW, since they obviously don't know a thing or two of what makes physical deforment.

Good ME video Lupa.

From the vibes I've been getting from people, the CW's version of a physical deformity would be a pimple.

I mean, the whole "he is this hot guy that fought in Iraq and got horribly messed up after a bombing or something" could have worked if they left out the experimental serum thing. They didn't need to go that route.


It could have a been a good character development showing how depressing and serious it can be for a soldier to be not only be horribly scarred emotionally and mentally, but physically in war as well. And the kindness and gentleness of someone helping them overcoming it and helping them see who they are inside (most of the theme of Beauty and the Beast stories) despite how they used to look before they entered The War, if they left out the serum subplot and have the courage to increase the scars and body manglement to that of just a thinly looking scar. Once again, a concept that could have been good but screwed up once again by stupid execs of the shallow CW

Yeah I will always see her as Lana and that chara ruined Smallville for a long while. Damn it. Sorry..just can't see past that ever.

I saw an ad for this on TV tonight. I snorted and pointed out to my girlfriend what a travesty this was. She threw a blank stare at me. I think I might choke her tonight.

So it's Beauty and the Beast TV show meets Twilight. Fucking Twilight.

Lupa I think the very reason you think it wont last a single season, is the exact reason why itll last 10.

That is a deeply cynical and bitter view to have.

And goddamn a small part of my soul for thinking it's going to be the correct view. :(

Thank you, thank you! I was very discouraged by the positive comments on Hulu and elsewhere for this show, and the shunning I've been receiving for my opinion that Twilight fans would love it. After watching the French criterion collection The Beauty and the Beast, and seeing this review I honestly feel like my world is once again assuming an upright position, rather then the mad sideways one it was in.

I saw Kirsten Kreuk and thought "This will be a Smallville rip-off".

I saw that Vincent looked human and thought "This will be a Twilight rip-off".

I saw Vincents scar, that even his short, folded-back bangs almost covers up and thought "This will be a Harry Potter rip-off".

Turns out I was right, on all accounts!

I mean, it's like they tossed every popular movie from the past 10 years in a blender. The scar Harry Potter, the prettyness of Twilight, the transformation from Twilight and The Hulk, the Supersoldier from Captain America, the pretty lead that doesn't do her job and never gets in trouble for it from Smallville, the chased by the government from the Bourne series... That is the things from the pilot alone, if this is anything like Smallville, we'll see a LOT more rip-offs done badly throughout this series.

When will the big-time producers learn that just because you reference something, it doesn't make it as awesome as the original, it just makes it stolen. (Funny that, since they are the same people who calls the fans of their works for thieves for watching the stuff before it goes on DVD or airs in their countries)

Wait... this is a remake of the '87 series? How can you get it so wrong? How can you get the ORIGINAL series so wrong? IT DON'T WORK 'LESS THE BEAST IS ACTUALLY UGLY! Beastly got this freaking wrong too! But at least there was effort from them to make the Beast unappealing to look at! They failed miserably, but STILL.

Just... gah. BEAST = UGLY. LRN2ANYTHING.

I cannot even begin to express how tired I am of Pretty White People The TV Show. ABC Family is a big offender when it comes to this. Every time I see one of their promos, it's young, thin, attractive white people just sitting in a semi-circle. The monotony of it all, and worst of all the presumption that I might care about these people by virtue of them being physically attractive, is awful.

With the Beauty and the Beast remake, it's kind of amazing how little they attempted to do. There's really no creativity or risk taking in any facet of this; if anything, they just took the original TV series and sterilized it of anything remotely different or intriguing.

And that preppy, broody guy has in no way earned the name Vincent. He's so completely and utterly non-Vincent, it almost seems like a joke to call him that.

I can see that the CW, in naming it after the old show and in giving some of its characters the same (or similar) names to the original, are trying to catch the attention of the original audience or of young fans of the 80's version, but yeah, they're basically pandering to the Twitards.

The 80's show, as you said Lupa, is about accepting someone who would be considered monstrous or ugly or unacceptable on the outside, but has a good and beautiful soul and heart. The Vincent of the 80's show, while really requiring a flaw or two to make him more 'beastly' aside from his appearance, at least worked in that respect. This Vincent really could have a normal life. Heck, he could sue the Government or something for their military testing on him. Let's be realistic, he's got no reason to be a beast aside from maybe some therapy or something.

If the CW had renamed this show something else, like 'Skin Deep' or 'Beast' or 'Generic Title With Vague Reference To Source Material', and given the 'leads' different names, then the show would still be the same, and no one would care or have as much hate for it. Trying to evoke the feelings that fans of the old show have or tap in to the Twilight craze is just being lazy.

And if we're talking of ways to 'make this work', I'd start with a re-casting. Get rid of Lana Lang >.> I know she's 'pretty', but she's not that good of an actress. Get an actress with that same attractiveness and with a lot more talent. Do some research on what DOES make a good detective. Heck, I see Marishka Hargitay's Detective Benson as a better build for what Catherine's updated version could be. She's not a child, beautiful, and has a past that makes her feel less than beautiful and perfect.

Second fix- Vincent. I like some of the suggestions above, but there's really only 2 routes to go here: One, try and design, through practical makeup and prosthetics, a creature design that could be intriguing and yet also scary. Essentially, make an original and creative beast and really tap in to that 'Urban Fantasy' feeling. Two, if you want a more 'realistic' or 'sciencey' deformity, then go with either a LOT of scars on his body (massive burns, battle wounds, ANYTHING but one Y shaped scar on his cheek), just so many that it'd freak people out to see him, or have his body change (not like the Hulk or a Werewolf perse but in some way other than a slightly angry face) when he goes in to his 'beast mode'.

All in all, you're right Lupa. They didn't get the point. They will never get the point, and I hope that this show will generate so much flack and criticism for its blanding down that it gets cancelled before the season even ends.

Oh dear god how can they fail everytime DAMN YOU TWILIGHT

OH JESUS CHRIST WHY D;

They're not even trying... It's like they just had a half-baked idea for a show and then they made it and tacked on the fairytale name because dark, modern versions of fairytales are in right now, and the character names are the same by coincidence... OTL

This just makes me so angry!!!!

Kristin Kreuk, sure I remember her. From Smallville, yessiree, and from nothing else. Absolutely nothing. Nuh-uh. There isn't anything else. To remember her being in, I mean. Nope.

Nope.

They should've just ditched the scar and maybe even the transformation and straight-up made the issue about the beast to be his incapability to fit into society anymore, no matter how dandy he looks. After all those disney movies we saw as kids that were about how only the inner beauty matters, it'd be quite refreshing to see someone address the issue of somebody maybe not having that inner beauty. The Beast would've been such a good vehicle for that.

But then again, if the production team was in any capability to create a good show in the first place they probably would have, with either premise.

This is the main reason why i hated X-men 3
Rogue's character goes and instead of learning to understand her powers she takes a shot and bam fixed so the movie was saying what this disgusting piece of shit is saying
Hey kids you don't like how you are well don't ever deal with that just get plastic surgery get fake who you are to fit in fuck you remake and fuck you x-men 3

How do you miss..the point! Dx how!!!!!?

Also ....isn't the beast just going to be another metaphor for ......domestic violence? siiiiigh

Sigh. As soon as I saw the preview for this show, I knew it would bite. A shallow, looks-centric story with no depth. Seriously, they follow up Ron Perlman with THIS junk?

"Let's have a B&B series… but since we can't lose the hormonal tween crowd, let's make the Beast BEAUTIFUL! But he acts all aggressive and growly! In a sexy way!" "GENIUS!"

Sigh, the CW execs could learn from "Grimm" that not every character has to be a hottie for people to love them. Ordinariness has its charm, even ugliness. Then again, the only decent shows they have right now are "Hart of Dixie" and "Arrow."

And they totally missed how much people LOVED the original Vincent. Not for his looks, but the poetry and gentleness in his soul. If someone is truly beautiful inside, eventually you stop noticing their outsides… and the reverse is also true (see Edward Cullen).