The Series Finale. Seems like a long journey, Beasties. We fought like demons in Season 2 to extend the life of this series as long as it needed, perhaps a little too long. All based on the power of Jenn & Sherri's original vision.
I've never been so struck by a TV show in its first season (unless, perhaps, it was
Fringe). It still tugs at my heart when I think of the sense of "longing" Season One had for them to be together, and in the future when I re-watch, it will be only Season One and the first few episodes of Season Two. I'm quite sure Jenn & Sherri would have created a better Season Two. I understand for longevity the series must continually draw the couple together, and then pull them apart. And I don't know, myself, where the series would have gone next, but if Season Two Vincent had recovered his memories before losing Catherine to Gabe, there was still hope for Sherri & Jenn's original romantic concept.
But it was not to be. Lesser talents (!) took the helm and the story became, well, murky. C'est la vie.
The last two seasons became 90% the characters standing around in a scene performing exposition. But in this last episode I did nearly lose it when Cat and Tess (sort of) said goodbye. KK has always been so fantastic at those emotional scenes.
Very cool action sequence of the rescue of the Prince and the exploding car goes off the bridge. (Never considered for a moment that they were really dead)
It is not clear why they needed to escape their NY lives. There would have been some way for Tess to convince DHS that Braxton was responsible, backed up by the Prince's testimony. Although there is a little satisfaction in the idea that they have transferred their lives to France and continue on as sort-of superheroes, I had hoped for a little more.
I anticipated (hoped) that at the end Vincent would be not only exonerated but "cured", and he and Cat would get their normal lives back. With Braxton gone they would be free to resume normal lives and raise a "normal" family. If no one was left with knowledge of beasts but the Fab Four (five?), then former-beast Vincent could return to the life of a doctor and Cat could become a cop again - unless bringing non-beast children into the family.
Early on the series was fueled by that longing created by their separation, as so much stood in the way of this couple being together. It was even stronger in the original, Ron Koslow, series, because you really couldn't think about Vincent and Catherine making love. Here, fortunately, you could, even though Vincent was not exactly "human".
But the final longing would be to see them raise children. I realize Cat could not simply raise children; her life would always be adventurous. But perhaps she could be a crusading lawyer while Vincent could happily be a doctor (who is not pursued by anyone!)
There have been two ways of curing beasts. Just before the end of Season One Vincent was cured by JT's serium. Then, of course, Cat cured Gabe by reviving him with electro-shock. How hard would it have been to have Vincent restored to fully human at the end? I anticipated a last minute desperate Cat restoring Vincent's heart beat (as she had done for Gabe) with the defibrillator, and finding that what was left was just - Dr. Keller.
But, with this ending they have transferred their lives (and friends) to Paris, for reasons unclear, and will continue on pretty much as with the last two seasons. All I can say is at least it was not a tragic ending, and that's appreciated. (With these writers - who knows?)
It was a long road with unpleasant side-trips, but they made it - as we all knew they would.
The best to you all, Beasties. It has been an honor keeping the vigil with such as you.