"Proceed with Caution" is the last thing I want Beauty and the Beast to do. I'll explain why and you can tell me if I'm a total crackpot. Sounds fun, doesn't it?

To be totally honest, the story of Beauty and the Beast has never appealed to me; not enough to watch the 80s series or the Disney cartoon version. I have no idea what it's supposed to be about, other than a beastly man who wins the heart of a beautiful woman with his own inner beauty. That's where my entire knowledge base ends, and it may not even be correct.

This modern day "twist" on that story was supposed to appeal because of the perpetual state of war we have been in for the last decade. The beast was a real man who was changed due to circumstances of which we are all aware in some capacity, and our endless imagination wonder if these things are really taking place. Governmental conspiracies!! 

We pointed out last week that Vincent is hardly grotesque, even when he turns. Rumors have it we haven't seen the worst of his change yet, so I can buy that idea. The beastly side of Vincent is what he hides on the inside, rather than what shows on the outside. But could he have even more of a Jeckyll and Hyde fight going on than we see, making him far more dangerous than we realize?

He doesn't just lose his looks, but becomes an angry killing machine, one that might have even turn on those he loves. He may not know if he will turn on Cat when he's full on machine. If my historical recognition is right, that didn't happen in the other versions. 

That analysis was shared to take us here: MOVE IT ALONG! We need to see Vincent scare Catherine and he needs to do it quickly. She needs to know it's not going to be all easy peasy and cartoony superhero-like morphing that she can command he stop by saying she's safe. Coming in and saving the day won't keep the show fresh. If their relationship isn't fresh, and there isn't a hook to keep us interested, we won't be. It's simple, really. The cases of the week are not enough to hold the show up. They are done better elsewhere.

Catherine can't keep running into an alley in the middle of a perp chase, bump into Vincent and have a meaningful conversation. That's ridiculous. All the voiceovers in the world don't adequately connect the cases Cat is working on to the one that is running her life: her deep seated desire to discover what happened to her mother, which has become entangled with the need to help and fix Vincent. 

The mystery of Vincent, his past, where his pals ended up, and the relationship between he and Cat are why I tune in. Those scenes, especially the last one between Vincent and Catherine, click. They give me hope. I find no excitement in the daily grind of Cat's job. She and Tess are no Rizzoli and Isles. I don't want them to be, because that's why I watch the other show. 

Cat's sister, Heather, moved in with her, permanently. She was cute, but I don't know that she will provide much to play off of other than as a potential victim bad guys can use to scare Cat. I hope that's not a plotline we have to look forward to, but it won't surprise me. It would be a great reason to get Cat and Vincent riled up and could even give the police force a reason to step up. 

Two random thoughts: J.T. reminds me of Aaron on Revolution, and Kristin Kreuk has absolutely beautiful hair. I want that hair.

I wouldn't say the second airing was all that much better than the pilot, but I'm not ready to give up. There is potential here, it's going to be interesting to see if it's mined properly and brought to fruition. What about you? Was this better than the pilot? What part of the show keeps you coming back?

Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.