#s2x15

Beauty and the Beast

Episode║2.15

Title║ Catch Me If You Can

Story by║ Eric Tuchman ║ Director: Norma Bailey

Original air date in US: March 3, 2014 ║Network: The CW

 Production Company║CBS Television Studios

“Catch Me If You Can” was aired in Italy on December 2,2014║ Network: Rai 4

 Italian Title║ Una Nuova Bestia

Catch Me if You Can is the 15th episode of the Second Season, and the 37th episode overall.

This episode was written by Mr.Tuchman who we haven't seen since episode 2x05: Reunion, that episode that began crazy descent of  VinCat until the breakup. This episode was the crucial step of beginning to put VinCat back together. It’s nice to have a female director on set. In "Catch Me if You Can," much of the action revolves around the gang trying to capture Sam and bring him to justice. This episode is centered all around the Gabe-Catherine-Vincent love triangle.Catherine seems to have lost the ability to think for herself and is agreeing with her new boyfriend in such an incredibly passive way about pretty much everything. It's a protective measure against another broken heart, but it's a fruitless and hurtful method for everyone involved. It's sad that Cat felt enough pain to use this method to escape acknowledging her real feelings for Vincent. However,we got a taste of the Old Catherine back in action who kicking ass with no hesitations at the notion of Vincent's life being in danger.

We  had some more pitch perfect moments of sage wisdom from JT in this episode: from the gummy worms until assuring Vincent that it's wrong to try and fully suppress his beast side or to do anything merely as part of a plan to impress Cat. JT scenes were wonderful. We have one of the greatest scenes in the history of the show: Vincent and Cat end up trapped and literally tangled inside the flipped over car. The car crash aftermath was a wonderful combination of cute, funny, and sexy as Vincent and Cat argued in very close physical quarters.Their bickering crackles with chemistry that even Gabe can’t deny when he gets an earful of it on the phone.

I’ve previously complained that all the dramatic potential for Magnus and Alec’s relationship is being left on the table in favor fanservicey short kisses and “I love you.” And when I complained about the show reducing 500 year old man to a 16 year old girl, I was accused of insensitivity, misogyny, and just plain not being patient enough, because the fallout was coming.

All the ads for 2x15 were very Malec heavy, implying that the episode itself would be also.

This would be when everything would come together, you told me!

The Meh

So here’s what I had hoped to see address based on the previous 4 episode:

Alec betraying Magnus’s trust

Alec standing by while the Shadowhunters tortured him

Alec not believing him when he begged to be saved

Alec strapping him down into a chair to be killed

The mental scars of torture

The mental scars of losing all emotional self-control in front of others, especially people you don’t trust, and the shame of being vulnerable

Alec feeling like a complete failure for all of the above

Alec joining his angel-supremecist group in profiling Magnus

Alec breaking Magnus’s trust a second time by asking his boyfriend to prove he’s One of the Good Ones

Here’s what was actually addressed:

Magnus feels guilty all over again for lashing out when he was an abused child

So basically, sweep all the shitty things Alec did under the rug and give him the chance to just be a good boyfriend so they can kiss some more. Because why show love and connection and understanding when you can just tell us that it exists with a kiss. 

Why have drama when you can just skip over it and your audience will think you’re god.

The Good

Shockingly, for an episode that was not advertised to be about this at all, the Simon story was really well done.

And the Sebastian story was actually a jaw-dropping moment!