Beauty and the Beast

Detective Catherine Chandler is a smart, no-nonsense homicide investigator who, as a teenager, watched her mother killed and was rescued by an unknown protector. Years later while probing a murder she finds evidence pointing to Vincent Keller, a military doctor reported dead in 2002. Catherine discovers Vincent survived and was the stranger who saved her, but he carries a secret: when enraged he becomes a powerful, uncontrollable beast, with super-strength and heightened senses. Vincent has kept himself hidden for ten years to protect that secret and the people closest to him. Their working relationship develops into an intense emotional connection that complicates Catherine's duties, loyalties and her search for closure. Past wounds and outside enemies make every decision have consequences.

Created by Ron Koslow, Sherri Cooper-Landsman and Jennifer Levin, the series premiered in 2012. It blends crime procedural storytelling with sci-fi romance and stars Kristin Kreuk as Catherine and Jay Ryan as Vincent, supported by Nina Lisandrello and Austin Basis.

The show attracted attention from audience-voted and genre award bodies during its run, earning several nominations that reflected its young adult appeal. Though it didn't rack up major industry trophies, its cast and crew received recognition at fan-driven ceremonies, regional television festivals and niche genre events during its broadcast period.

Its modern fairy-tale premise and the central beast-and-lover romance generated an active online fandom, with fan fiction, artwork and social media discussion sustaining interest between seasons. The show's tone helped normalize darker supernatural romance on network television and raised the profiles of its lead actors among genre audiences.

Critical response was mixed to positive, with many viewers praising the chemistry between leads while noting uneven plotting. Audience ratings average about 7.4/10 (453 votes) on aggregator sites. Major themes include identity and secrecy, trauma recovery, duty versus desire, and the moral cost of protecting loved ones.