Common Sense Media Review
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fantasy police procedural lacks a certain fairy tale charm.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Beauty and the Beast (TV)
What's the Story?
In a modernized telling of the classic fairy tale, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST stars Kristin Kreuk as Catherine "Cat" Chandler, a detective who was shattered when her mother was murdered by gun-wielding psychos a decade ago. Cat herself would have been next, but she was saved by a mysterious beast-like human, though no one believes her story. Now she's a tough, big-city homicide officer, and while investigating a case with her partner, Tess Vargas (Nina Lisandrello), Cat uncovers evidence that handsome doctor Vincent Keller (Jay Ryan), reportedly killed by enemy fire while serving in Afghanistan in 2002, is still alive and connected to a series of crimes. Cat investigates and discovers that Keller is not only still alive, in hiding for the last 10 years, but is afflicted with a strange disorder: Every time he gets angry, he turns into an unstoppable beast. Oh, and he's being chased by the same bad guys who killed Cat's mother. So Cat and Vincent join together in secret to solve crimes and put together the puzzle pieces of a conspiracy that embroils them both. Falling in love would complicate things immensely, but Cat and Vincent can't help themselves.
Is It Any Good?
Shadows, secrecy, and spy subplots really liven up a romance, as Linda Hamilton and Ron Perlman showed us in the late '80s when Beauty and the Beast was first recast as a TV romance/thriller. Unfortunately, the CW's take on Beauty and the Beast lacks the gothic frills of the '80s version, which gained a lot of atmosphere from the subterranean sanctuary in which the Beast lived. The updated Beauty takes place in an anonymous big city, with plot points and settings that will remind you more of Law & Order than Grimm's fairy tales.
Nonetheless, the cast has good chemistry, even if some of the leads are overly pretty. (C'mon, a pair of female detectives on a metropolitan police force who are both model-hot and look to be maybe 30 each? That's television for you. ...) At least Kreuk and Ryan, as Cat and Vincent, work up some decent heat together. Teens may love the show's overwrought, dramatic romance, though parents may want to watch with them to discuss any issues that arise. For instance, tough cop Cat needs saving pretty frequently. What message does that send? Did the makers of Beauty update the setting and forget to work on the tired old "helpless woman needs a strong man" trope?
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why Cat, supposedly a strong and effective police officer, so often saved by Vincent in Beauty and the Beast. Why is it usually women in jeopardy in the media and men acting as the heroes? What message does that send?
Have you seen other versions of Beauty and the Beast? How does the Beast look in other renditions? Why do you think the makers of this version chose to portray Vincent as an extremely handsome man with a few token scars? Does that detract from the lesson that looks don't matter in true love?
Do you think Beauty and the Beast is a romance? A thriller? A drama? What elements of the lighting, costumes, dialogue, setting or score bring you to your conclusion?
TV Details
- Premiere date : October 11, 2012
- Cast : Brian White , Jay Ryan , Kristin Kreuk , Nina Lisandrello
- Network : CW
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic )
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 13, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate