Beauty and the Beast – Down For The Count

By: Stacy Miller

There’s nothing like seeing the heroine of your favorite television series show that she’s a strong fighter who is more than capable of protecting herself. Think of the Xenas, Buffys , Nikitas, Clarkes and Lexas– these ladies knew how to kick ass. Catherine Chandler a/k/a/ Mrs. Vincent Keller joined this roster of tough women in the latest “Beauty and the Beast “episode “Down for the Count,” which featured a case involving a fight club.

The episode opens with Vincent (Jay Ryan) in a frantic search for a missing JT (Austin Basis). Has JT been abducted…again? He tells Catherine (Kristin Kreuk) that he will find their friend. Vincent uses his beast powers to get an image of where JT could be and sees a van. Vincent manages to track JT to the van and finds his friend inside playing a video game. JT tells Vincent he’s not as fast as he used to be, his skills are getting rusty. Apparently, this was all part of a test conducted by JT and Catherine to determine Vincent’s beast prowess. Vincent needs to be at the top of his game with that five million dollar beast bounty on his head. He tells Catherine that he can still do his job, track beasts and be a great husband, without breaking a sweat.

Meanwhile, Deputy Secretary Hill (Andrew Stewart Jones) tells Catherine that he has no intention of ending up like the other murdered agents because of his involvement with beasts. He gives her a badge making her a Special Agent to work a case in which it appears that another beast bounty hunter is involved. This man was a German mercenary new to town who had been murdered. So, Catherine is assigned to find out if this man had really been a bounty hunter and who had murdered him.

Unfortunately, Catherine’s new promotion meant that she was taking this case away from Tess (Nina Lisandrello). As a Special Agent, Catherine now outranks Captain Tess, who had to surrender her files of the case to Catherine. This obviously put a strain on their relationship. Tess wondered whether Catherine was secretly pleased with now having the opportunity, along with a badge, to officially look into beasts.

Vincent congratulates his wife on her promotion. Not only was it an advancement for her career, but it would help with their beast problem. The only downside was that with Catherine now sure to be putting more hours in at work and Vincent at the hospital, they’d have very little time to keep track of personal wife/husband responsibilities like paying the rent, picking up dry cleaning, etc.

Not to worry, Catherine has hired Heather (Nicole Anderson) as their personal assistant. Heather handles getting their rent payment in, but her new girl-Friday position doesn’t exactly have her jumping for joy. She can’t stop thinking about Kyle (Michael Roark). And Kyle admits that he’s interested in her too and wants to date. So, Heather is torn as she knows that she can’t date Kyle for fear of him learning about beasts.

JT knows he has to tell Tess that he turned down tenure, but doesn’t know how to do it. He fears that Tess will think that it means he doesn’t want to move in with her because now that he doesn’t have tenure, he won’t be able to afford his portion of the rent. He tells Heather this and she agrees that could be a possibility. Why is love so complicated?

Catherine’s investigation of the alleged bounty hunter leads her to an underground fight club. Vincent goes with her to the club. The manager of the club wants one of them to participate in a fight, but not the one with the beast skills. He wants Catherine! Apparently, this is a women’s fight club. Naturally, Vincent is against the idea as he doesn’t want Catherine to get hurt.

He need not had worried so much because Catherine more than holds her own as she is a well and capable fighter. When one of the other fighters is injured, Catherine urges Vincent to take care of the girl as Catherine is whisked away by the fight club owners.

Before JT has the chance to tell Tess about not accepting tenure, she reveals that she already knows because the landlord from their new apartment called the college to verify JT’s employment. Tess is hurt and upset that JT didn’t tell her and wonders what that says about their relationship. But before they can get into it further, Vincent arrives to tell them that Catherine is missing. He gets them up to speed about the happenings at the fight club. Fortunately, because this was Tess’ case, she is able to track her friend’s location.

Catherine participates in another fight. This time she receives more bruises than during her first round, but still manages to come out the victor. Suddenly, Tess and the police burst in and arrest the patrons at the fight club. Catherine takes off after the owner who is furious when she reveals she is an agent. He orders his men to kill her. It’s hubby to the rescue, luckily! Vincent appears sporting his beast face. When the fight club owner starts crying like a little girl upon seeing a beastie Vincent, he and Catherine realize that he’s not their bounty hunter. But at least Catherine was able to shut down a dangerous fight club. Not too bad for her first case as a Special Agent.

JT and Tess finally have that long awaited talk about their relationship. Tess tells JT that him taking five weeks to pack his belongings and not wanting tenure shows her that he’s not as serious about them as a couple as she has been. All she wants is a normal life, which includes a career and a relationship with the man she loves. But JT is more interested in the world wind excitement that comes from tracking beasts. They are obviously in different places in their lives and the question is whether they will be able to continue as a couple with their future so full of uncertainty.

Kyle again discusses having a relationship with Heather, who seems to be wavering. But is she making a mistake? And is there more to Kyle than meets the eye?

Vincent returns home to find Catherine sitting in a candle lit apartment, but not because she wanted to create a romantic mood. Apparently, their check to pay the electricity bounced (thanks Heather). But at least the couple will have a quiet moment alone. Like a normal couple, which is just what they want.