1x15 Any Means Possible *rewatch*

[sweetrosie29]

I love his comment what happens at the party stays at the party  oh the possabilities and a good imagination like mine all sorts of ' situations'   spring to mind and Jay speaking New Zealand   is just hottttttttttttt and sexxxxxxxyyyyyyyy like him

[Bill the beast]

Good grief! I am sorry for any prior mention of blemishes in this thread. What the ...? It was late and I apologize for lapse of good judgement.

[cacosa]

Apr 28, 2014 5:23:52 GMT -5 Savana_ Dying for season3! said:

Nelly anapi -season3baby :) cacosa Bill the beast and others..

Roger Finlay ‏@roguecam · 10h
#BATB #Party . No pics. What happens at the party stays at the party. But Jay was speaking New Zealand! Just saying. @roguecam #up at noon

How I wish we could be there! Jay speaking New Zealand! things got a bit "out of control" ??!! LOL!

Yeah, I saw the tweet this morning , I get it, but it's no fun! Only one good photo, Kristin and Jay, together , at the beginning of the party, is that much to ask?   BTW, see Jay tipsy, dancing, joking It would have been priceless

[Deleted]

I am a little late to the masquerade party..but I was surrounded by costumes all weekend long at a figure skating competition. Here are my much to many thoughts!

Jesús, María y José...the opening scene is muy, muy caliente. The first time I watched the episode, even before I realized it was a dream, it struck me that the scene was from Vincent's perspective. I felt that from Catherine's perspective, the passion would be tempered by a softness that would express a deeper understanding of a love that transcended a purely physical connection. I love that it is stormy outside, paralleling Vincent's inner turmoil...perhaps it is just me,but pathetic fallacy is one of my favourite devices. I love how even in his dream, he sees her as the person who can quiet the tempest within him....well, and then it all becomes a much too scary nightmare...We know from the moment he turns on her that it must be a dream and we know we have nothing to fear, because in a wakeful state, Vincent could never hurt Catherine. ( They certainly snatched that comforting thought away from us at the end of Kidnapped...I am yet to forgive them for that unpardonable transgression.)

The second scene is wonderful on so many levels: the hesitation between them, the fact that he has given her a key after the "I love you" exchanges and the incomparable kiss, JT's banter that just add fuel to the awkwardness, Vincent brushing his teeth as an avoidance technique, the double entendre in Catherine's words "hang out", the look she gives him when he finally turns around to face her, the way he quickly puts on a shirt, the way she denies that she is thinking about THAT, when THAT is the only thing they are both thinking about, Catherine's joke about him running out to do groceries...and then how it all turns serious and she does not understand his reactions, the look in his eyes that reveals his deepest fear, and the way she is left mystified by his behaviour and that quick peck on the cheek.

Scene three: poor misguided Evan; he is so convinced that he is doing the right thing that he is unable to see who the enemy truly is; he feels that this is his only course of action if he is to protect Kate from the beast that might hurt her (deep down inside I believe that be is also motivated by the realization that she shares a bond he cannot understand with the creature and is afraid that he may lose her to IT). It is revealing that the Murfield agent realizes that this is not only about science for Evan, that it is personal. This is the scene that prepares us for Heart of Darkness; Evan is irrational, incapable of seeing anything for what it actually is, and he is single minded in his goal to bring the beast down. He will eventually make a pact with the devil himself, in guise of course (tying into the masquerade theme).

Well, welcome Sendhil....but I hated the character he was playing from the moment he appeared on my BatB screen with his little white towel around his waist saying: "can I take a shower first". I did like the humour, and it was clear that they were introducing Gabe as a potential future love interest for Catherine as he delivered his second line.

The scene between Catherine and Tess, as she arrives bearing gifts (a latte of course), shows us that their friendship is stronger than they both realize at the moment (preparing us for Partners in Crime). The conversation is natural, warm and easy, the type of conversation that only true friends have together.

Poor Vincent, everyone wants him in captivity of dead: Murfield,aided and abetted
by Evan; Joe and his hired assassins, for the murder of his brother; Gabe (unknown to us at this time), to save his own life....Tess's line, "shoot first, ask questions later" also foreshadows the events in Insatiable, where she actually shoots him.

Gabe's interview of Tess really shows off her bad-ass side, and I love it....but Gabe quickly puts her in her place and has us immediately questioning his motives, alliances and intentions.

Bromance is blooming when JT returns to the warehouse. What I most enjoy about Vincent's and JT's friendship is how little they actually have to say, because they know so much about each other; words are often not needed. The honesty between them is touching; the way Vincent admits his fears, the way JT supports and encourages him. After his conversation with JT, he is more ready to tell Catherine the truth, to make himself more vulnerable in front of her.

When she returns to the warehouse, they are both so caught up in their own thoughts and fears that they do not realize at first that they are not talking about the same thing; but this confusion will lead to one of the deepest conversations between them. For the first time in a long time, Vincent is feeling hunted like a wild animal; he needs Catherine's love and support more than ever, but he is afraid to give into his needs or fear of hurting her. She wants to be with him, to protect him, to keep his enemies at bay and cannot understand why he is pushing her away. Their frustration is palpable in this scene and leads to Vincent's big reveal about his past. I truly appreciate the candour between them, the way neither holds back, the way she stays, even though she is shaken by what she has learned.....and there they are again, working together to solve a case, to prove Vincent's innocence.
It's a little sad that as he is feeling more ready to reach out to her, to thank her, she is a little more leery and pulls away. His self loathing is so alive in this scene, yet Catherine says the exact words he needs to hear. She feels the same thing he feels; they may not be together physically, but they are very much a part of each other, inseparable, actually.

The end of this scene reveals that there is more in Vincent's past; he has dealt with the mob before. (I was really hoping they would explore this in Season 2...alas,,,perhaps in Season 3 then.) And clearly, he does know how they operate and how to deal with them. We see it in the scene where he negotiates with Curtis and later,in Insatiable, when he speaks to the antique arms dealer.

Next, we have everyone wanting to get to Ray first for their own reasons; his death was inevitable...some would say that he had it coming. Evan thinks he can use Ray to get on higher ground with Murfield, Joe and his goons what him as a witness, Catherine and Vincent need him to exonerate Vincent, (Gabe needs him dead,dead in order to get closer to the beast-I know, a little hindsight goes a far way)...well, we all know who comes out ahead this time!

Catherine's little conversation with Gabe by the water dispenser is quite enlightening. We see how smart Gabe actually is; he is already trying to get Catherine to trust him; he truly is a snake in the bush...really, the MOTHER card...and we see that he has some kind of physical ailment that requires a lot of medication. ¿Qué pasa Gaberino?

Well, I'm only at the half way mark and the best is yet to come....I can't wait for tomorrow, when I'll have a little more time to wrap it up!

Any scene that begins with Vincent in the window is a great scene. I really like how he has been coming into her room more and more since Bridesmaid Up....and as always, there is so much sexual tension in the room....When Vincent first notices the dress you can feel his disappointment about not bing able to take her out on a date and he is so happy when she invites him to join her saying that she needs his help. This is actually the first time they plan to work together where Vincent will be out in public and able to move around in a crowd....it's incredible what a little mask can do....and I know what you all thought, chicas....if only that was ALL he was going to be wearing....hang in there a little longer and you won't be disappointed.

At the ball, everyone is hiding their face and everyone is concealing the truth from someone else. Now, if that isn't a recipe for murder, what is??? The ROM looks amazing all decked out for a party...and so do both Vincent and Catherine. The scene it the staircase is breathtaking; we all hold our breath with Vincent, for that split second when he first sees Catherine appear..it's magical! In an episode filled with many special VinCat moments, the ball truly packs a punch. I love every look, every word they exchange with each other, the way they work together to get Ray to confess, the way Vincent keeps control of himself...........

Well, I'm a little more than half way through the episode and the best is yet to come....I can't wait for tomorrow, when I'll have a little more time to wrap it up!

[Bill the beast]

You make us wait this long and then you serialize it in two parts! Well, it was worth the wait. No one sees more than you, @locaxbatb

These are some of the thoughts I've had so far: "Pathetic fallacy"? Had to look it up. Exellent! (I should have paid attention in Literature class) Adelson was so smart about this episode. After such a long wait we are stunned that the heat is finally turned up and Vincent is moving beyond his fears and Catherine is, literally, hanging on for the ride ... But the Beast is always lurking there in the pit of the stomach, threatening to take control ... At least in Vincent's nightmares.

The Beast within Vincent is the Passion; if he lets himself feel his feelings, they threaten to sweep him away. The humanity is the reasoning mind, which can always assert control if done the right way. But you can't suppress your fears; you have to face them, acknowledge them. Fear can't be denied only controlled.

The parallel sex scenes in this episode remind me of the parallel roof top scenes confessing love: Season One and Season Two (02x16). The first is passionate, explosive; the second is calmer, more confident.

And of course that makes me think of the parallel ballroom scenes (01x15 and 02x16), the first has awakening passion, the second humor and a final, mature self-awareness for Vincent that makes the above "calmer, more confident" sex scene possible.

And that makes me think of the episodes of BatB (1987) that I've been watching lately (hiatus frustration). Last night I saw the  episode that perhaps inspired the ballroom scenes. That series is more fantasy, more poetic. The episodes are more like little morality plays. Vincent is permanently half Beast (lion) and Catherine is softer, more traditionally feminine. But as a Beast he is more fully formed as a wise man, courageous, caring and inspiring to Catherine. And Catherine, as a brave Assistant District Attorney (what? wait ...), is even more crusading since she has no fighting ability.

Since Vincent is permanently outwardly a Beast, no real relationship between them is thinkable. So the connection between them is about unrequited love. And it is even more poignant than in our series because it can never be fulfilled (at least in the 1980's; now - who knows?)

Then we come to episode 01x05, "Masques", of BatB (1987).  It is the night of Halloween, the one time in a year when Vincent can walk the streets like everyone else. Everyone wears masks; they think Vincent has the best one of all. Catherine is invited to a masquerade and Vincent is hovering on the edges of the room (he is always sort of stalking her because as he says one time, he feels as if her life and his are so entwined that if she were harmed, he would immediately die).

Well, after an "A" plot where Vincent saves an activist lady from Northern Ireland, Vincent and Catherine are free to spend an evening among other people without fear. They walk through the streets of New York arm in arm, showing each other the sights and experiencing a bond that Catherine describes as "stronger than friendship or love".

So there are no hot sex scenes (thank goodness) in this series but the relationship is more poignant, Vincent is in a way more powerful, in that he is all-wise, always lurking in the shadows to protect Catherine.

[Deleted]

We have a lot of time to kill, Bill the beast! It would have been way too long as one instalment. Way too long! Thanks for reading. I'll post the rest a little later. What are we watching this Sunday?

[Bill the beast]

Next is "Insatiable".