Hello all! I am finally getting a chance to finish this review that I have been working on for a couple of weeks now.
"Nooo!" Perhaps you heard me shouting this from my home when a certain recurring character was killed off in this episode. Ah, the wasted potential. The rushed fruition of a redemption plotline (my favorite type of story when done properly). And the sad situation poor Catherine is in after losing yet another family member. Alas, there was a decidedly unfortunate turn of events in "Sins of the Fathers," but the positive aspects of the episode included a few exciting turns in the Liam storyline, with his possible vulnerabilities revealed. I have a feeling that when Liam is defeated, it will be due to his short-sighted, obsessive hatred of his supposed enemies. Let's review and discuss.
I'm including some lyrics from Sugababes' song "Follow Me Home" that reflect the unbreakable love between Vincent and Catherine which they need to rely on now more than ever, as the final showdown of the season grows ever closer.
"Like a light into my life
I never thought that it would feel so bright, yeah
All I wanna do is hold you tight
And I'll be with you through troubled nights
Sometimes life it drags you down
And plays you like a fool
Makes you feel so empty, sometimes
It can be so cruel, ooh yeah..."*
Return of the gem! I loved that Catherine used the gem to subdue Liam in order to begin the gang's attempt to wipe the villain's memory and thereby stop his evil shenanigans. The gem is such a cool piece of mythology that was never fully developed but has a lot of potential. The first inklings of beast history and scientific as well as evolutionary possibilities that were put out there in Season 2 were some of my favorite plot elements of that season. Of course, Liam isn't only a beast; he's superhuman too. So it was awesome that the gang were able to get as much use as they did out of that gem. As we saw later, Liam is so strong that even Reynold's memory wipe therapy was not able to fully subdue him. Earlier, Liam's cold-blooded, cruel murder of Helen Ellingsworth while framing Vincent showed again just how unblinkingly evil he really is. The combination of that level of malevolence and his total lack of morality is a scary one. Though some of the storylines in Season 3 have been flimsy, Liam has emerged as a sturdy, intriguing character and a force to be reckoned with.
Reynold's memory wiping attempt! This was neat and fun; I enjoyed everything about this part of the episode until the ending. Yes, I know that the explanation of Reynold's potion was sketchy and hard to believe. Yet sometimes, I must admit that I find the show's deficiencies a little bit adorable, so I let that one pass. Reynold's entrance with Vincent after his jailbreak was classic, and in fact, Cat's biological dad had a lot of memorable moments in this episode. Seeing Reynolds interact with Heather was unusual and interesting. Hearing him speak of his desire for redemption was moving, since, let's face it, all season Reynolds has been a likable frenemy. But his remark about his own life being over sounded like foreshadowing, and of course it was. One thing we can count on from the writers lately is telegraphing their every move before it happens. This is certainly not one of the show's more endearingly cheesy qualities.
Due to a time crunch and Liam's strength, Reynolds was not able to fully wipe his memory or stop his crusade against VinCat. Instead, it seemed like Reynolds' hatred of Alistair and Rebecca was just transferred fully onto Vincent and Catherine. Not only did this show in chilling clarity just how much malice Liam still feels towards Alistair and Rebecca, but it takes his crusade (the purpose of which is still mysterious) to a new level of terrifying. If Liam is going to take his hatred of his past love and rival out on our heroes, they are in big trouble.
I wonder if killing the Ellingsworths in revenge for their ancestors' poor treatment of him was a "bucket list" entry for Liam, who had previously hinted that his ultimate mission is to end his long, miserable existence.
The strength of Vincent and Catherine's love, and its ability to see them through the hardest of times, has been too repetitively mentioned this season. After all, we already had no doubt in their epic relationship. But if all that prattle about this quality was leading to anything, it is leading, hopefully, to a strong pay-off in the season finale. Somehow, the two of them must face Liam, possibly in his most feral and deadly state, and persevere, as well as finally get the wedding they so richly deserve.
"So follow me home
You'll never be lost
We'll weather the storm
whatever the cost
I won't walk away
I'll stand by your side
I'm here for you
The rest of our lives..."*
We also saw more awkwardly chaste moments between Vincent and Catherine, but at least they continue to forge onward in their love and mutual commitment to winning the battle against Liam, even in the face of terrible hurdles like Reynolds' death. They are, as Heather noted, so cute.
What did you think of this episode? Share your thoughts in the comments. And be sure to catch the season finale (!) of Beauty and the Beast, next Thursday at 8/7c on the CW.
*Lyrics taken from the song "Follow Me Home" by Sugababes.
**Commenters, please refrain from sharing major spoilers from the season finale, as the CW will not be airing it until Thursday, 9/10, and many of us have not seen it yet. Thank you!**
