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Of Things That Might Have Been... or Just Might Be
| Fanwork | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Of Things That Might Have Been... or Just Might Be |
| Creator: | Ruby Goodwin |
| Date(s): | November 1991 |
| Medium: | |
| Fandom: | Beauty and the Beast (TV) |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Of Things That Might Have Been... or Just Might Be is an RPF Beauty and the Beast (TV) story by Ruby Goodwin.
It was printed in Dancing Lights v.2 n.4 in November 1991.
RPF fanworks in this fandom were fairly rare. See Beauty and the Beast (TV) RPF.
The characters are Ron Koslow (the creator and producer of Beauty and the Beast (TV)), Vincent Wells, Catherine, Jacob (Vincent and Catherine's oldest son, perhaps 6-8 years old), and Catherine and Vincent's second, unnamed son who is 2 years old.
Ron, his friend Ron, who had been raised in the tunnels, who had known Vincent all his life and considered him a brother. How could he have warped the truth so, disappointing and hurting those Vincent loved most?
Timeline
The story either takes place when Koslow is first visiting the Tunnels about 6-8 years after the show (Jacob Wells is about that age); the topic of the movie comes up, but since that was still being dangled in front of fans for many years, it is not as big a clue as one might assume.
Or the story takes place in the present day (November 1991), and Koslow presented the third season of show when Jacob Wells was a baby in canon.
Some Topics and Tropes
- the Tunnel world is real, and so are Vincent Wells and Catherine Chandler
- Ron Koslow based the show on his own background of growing up in the Tunnels, and is therefore not that imaginative
- Koslow refers to the third season as a "gross nightmare, horrifying in it’s intensity"
- having Koslow portrayed in the story this way is a form of grovelfic-y fix-it for fans who were angry about the third season, see more at Beauty and the Beast Fans and TPTB
- Catherine Chandler is thrown under the bus, as it were, as it is revealed that it was her idea to let Koslow portray then on national television ("She had pushed Vincent for him. Proud of what they had, she had rejoiced in their love, and happily had wanted this story told."); this makes Catherine seem a bit selfish and petulant, and makes both Vincent and Catherine too trusting and/ not very smart to have said "yes" to Koslow's plan to portray them and the Tunnel community
- Catherine's "pushing" Vincent to do something against his best interests is a big theme in fan discussion; many fans complained that in the show, Catherine constantly put herself in danger, which in turn caused Vincent to put himself in risky positions
- Vincent, in part, blames Mouse for bringing an old television into the Tunnels, therefore causing a lot of this problem
- While not discussed, one would not be amiss in speculating on Vincent's careless permission to heavy-handedly reveal his entire community for the sake of a television show, something that Vincent and Koslow bring up in a strange whiplashy way: "It's just a TV show."
- Koslow is not an ethical person, is manipulative and scheming; even after he apologizes, says "no more Vincent," he keeps pushing for The Long-Rumored Koslow Beauty and the Beast Movie
- the story includes a very ironic line: Vincent tells Koslow: "I forbid you to ever write or involve my family or myself, or my world in any way again. You may have no control, but I do and I withdraw my permission, effective immediately - do you understand!" -- if taken to its conclusion, it could be seen as a meta-statement to fans themselves, forbidding them from writing fiction or making art about Beauty and the Beast
Summary
The story addresses the show's very controversial third season, one in which Catherine Chandler was killed.
Ron Koslow (writer and producer of Beauty and the Beast (TV)) goes down Below and visits Vincent and Catherine for the first time since the show ended. Koslow dreads this visit as he knows Vincent and Catherine are angry with him regarding the events of the third season.
It is revealed that Koslow was raised in the Tunnels and Vincent considered him a brother. Koslow is godfather to young Jacob Wells. Koslow based his show on these real life characters and setting. Vincent and Catherine gave permission for him to portray them (against Father's wishes).
Vincent is indeed furious. He refuses to shake Koslow's hand, and scolds him for how he portrayed things, telling him it frightened his children and made Catherine cry. Koslow begs off responsibility, saying he didn't have power, but knows he is not telling the truth. Koslow even offers a non-apology, one that includes a line fans are well-acquainted with, "... after all, it was just a TV show."
Vincent accepts this apology, and watches the couple put their two children to bed.
Then they have spiced tea, and then Koslow starts pushing them about his next scheme, The Long-Rumored Koslow Beauty and the Beast Movie.
Excerpts from the Story
"Vincent", Ron whispered as he felt the current shifting unsteadily in this heated conversation, "That's the way it is in Hollywood. There are things over which I had no control. The storyline was not my idea, not under my control, what could I do?"
Vincent wearily turned to him. "Ron, Catherine cried for day, my children had nightmares that their mother would leave them and never come back. Why didn't you warn me - at least I could have prevented Catherine from watching [television] as her child was ripped from her after the horror of the first hour, then drugged to death. What a sight, it affected me as well, I must admit. We did not deserve this, not after we had such misgivings about your using this, our life, as a premise. Father was right, this could have endangered our whole world. We, and you were wrong. I forbid you to ever write or involve my family or myself, or my world in any way again. You may have no control, but I do and I withdraw my permission, effective immediately - do you understand!"
"Vincent", Catherine walked across the room and grasped his arm, turning him toward her concerned face - "enough, I believe he gets the point." "Ron, Vincent is very upset, and while I agree with him, I also understand that you did not have total control. I think you understand our point."
As a pregnant silence enveloped the room, Ron dropped his eyes, unable to look at the faces he knew in his heart he had wronged. Turbulent thoughts swelled through his mind. Yes, betrayal was the name for what he had allowed. He knew that he wasn’t quite truthful, he had more control than he let on. He was washed with self remorse. Far away it was easy to forget these lovely people that had graciously allowed him to tell their amazing story for over two years, people had responded to the telling - what a story, an unimaginable fairy-tale that just happened to be true. Not that anyone else knew, but he had, and he had allowed it to become some gross nightmare, horrifying in it’s intensity. He remembered when he first saw Catherine, so beautiful, so kind, and so in love with this rare, magnificent man. How he must have hurt her, to abuse the character so. She had pushed Vincent for him. Proud of what they had, she had rejoiced in their love, and happily had wanted this story told. He had betrayed her. He had betrayed Vincent, everyone.
Jacob moved to stand with this father - a smaller replica, sure to grow to his father's height and strength.
Two sets of azure eyes engulfed him and Ron took an instinctive step away. "Geez, Vincent, let me at least explain" he gasped. "I never meant for this to affect you so, after all, it was just a TV show."
Vincent’s gaze narrowed dangerously - "JUST A TV SHOW", he growled. "You take my family and drag it through dirt and filth and have the nerve to tell me it was just a TV show." Vincent turned rapidly towards the large stained glass in his chamber, suddenly as his anger reached a tenuous height by this betrayal.
His eyes full of unshed tears, he lifted his head, "I'm sorry, so sorry."
Vincent's face gentled in an instant. He knew instinctively that Ron regretted all that had occurred. He walked quickly to his side and dropped one massive arm across his distraught friends shoulder. Forgiveness coursed through him and as he gazed at Catherine, he saw it in her eyes too. He glanced at Jacob and with a father's loving yet stern look, he quelled the mutinous look in the eyes so like his own. He lovingly watched as Catherine wrapped her arms around the small boy, who melted immediately into her arms.
"Ron, let's forget this. You are our friend, loved as family. Jacob's Godfather for Christ's sake. Let's drop it. Everything is alright now. It's partially my fault for allowing Mouse to hook up that television set anyway. But, never, again agreed."
Ron signed in relief as he realized that all would be forgiven, that he had not lost these people he needed and loved so. "Your right, of course, no more Vincent."
"Good, how about a cup of tea?"
"Yes, that would be nice, I could use it."
As he sat sipping the delicious spiced tea, Ron watched as the two lovers put their children down for bed, then gazed at each other with a deep and abiding love that Ron both envied and respected. What a magnificent pair, - what a story.
"Vincent", Ron mumbled.
Vincent shifted his eyes from the emerald green of his wife's [to Koslow]. "Yes."
Catherine's soft laughter rang like silver bells through the chamber at the look of absolute horror in Vincent's eyes.