Tunneltalk/Issue v.1 n.4
Tunneltalk is a Beauty and the Beast (TV) letterzine edited by Barbara Storey, Victoria Clark and Sharon Himmanen.
There were 17 issues.
This zine began after the letterzine Passages ended.
From the August 1991 issue: "This publication is intended as an outlet for fans; it will not be sent to either Witt-Thomas or Republic, or anyone else connected with the show, so don't be afraid to say your piece."
v.1 n.4
Tunneltalk v.1 n.4 was published in June 1990 and contains 45 pages.
The TOTM: There were two -- 1. Just what part did Catherine play in Vincent's violence? 2. Who was stronger, Catherine Chandler or Diana Bennett?
- this issue contains short fiction: "Samhain" by Glenda Young
- one fan has many comments about Kaleidoscope, see that page
- the topics of this issue: the third season was misogynistic and violent, there was speculation that TPTB was cruel regarding Catherine's death because they were angry at the actress (who was close to giving birth in real life), the prospect of a BatB movie was adding extra stress to fans in their attempts to get along and "behave" so that TPTB would give them what they wanted, many comments about Diana Bennett's insufficiencies including her messy clothes, accusations that Catherine Chandler made Vincent Wells act in dangerous ways, anger about fans' lack of power and finger pointing, letter campaigns, comments about betrayal and humiliation, the controversial The Lifeline Letter, and did fans owe TPTB any gratitude?
v.1 n.4: Excerpts from the Letters
[Kate D]:I sat down and read all three issues of Tunneltalk enjoying them thoroughly even when views expressed do not agree with my own. Controversy and debate are what conversation is supposed to be about, and TUNNELTALK promises to be true to that format. It is a pity some fans are seeing it only from their own perspective but hopefully the voice of reason will prevail and they'll come to realize no one can please all of the people all of the time
I'm a writer by trade, and thus I can sympathize with the creators and writers from a slightly different perspective, that of having been there. For those who feel betrayed by the third season and harbor anger at Koslow and Co. for "lies" perhaps a few words in their defense may be in order. Maybe artists can paint as they like and starve until they find a patron and "literary" writers can remain true to their standards to see their work published verbatim in college presses who will pay them in copies, not cash, but the rest of us write to eat and often have no choice but to compromise if we want to see our work in print or on the screen. I'm sorry if that doesn't sound so romantic, but most often the ones who shout loudest about not knuckling under are those who are safe and secure in their own jobs, doing exactly what their own bosses tell them to do and have never faced the DEADLINE of "turn it in on time or starve this week."
[Kate D]:Since the topic for this month is Catherine, I'd like to address those issues and then I'll shut up. I'm not particularly fond of the third season either, but I do feel that Diana had the potential to become a stronger character than Catherine. I think the writers made several mistakes with Catherine's character that were, at the end of Season Two, irretrievable. Perhaps those are the creative differences Ms. Hamilton cited, and, if so, I don't blame her for wanting out.
I've heard several fans say they don't believe the producers heed anything we fans say but let's explore for a moment and see if that's true.
In early interviews it was stated the series was created around Linda as the central character. It was, then, her show, and in the first few episodes you see it reflected in that the stories are Catherine's while Vincent remains in the background. I suspect the original concept was that it would be a female "detective" story with a twist of this man/beast who loves her coming along only at the end to pull her butt out of trouble. It wasn't meant to be Scarecrow and Mrs. King or Starsky and Hutch. It was not a partnership. Catherine was the Lady Magnum, with a shadowy savior to come to her aid.
Then something happened. They didn't know it was going to, but it did. The audience fell in love with the secondary character rather than the pivotal one. Vincent was gorgeous, sexy, mysterious, romantic, fascinating. We, the fans, wanted more of him. The producers answered in that by the second half of Season One, there is more Vincent, less Catherine, or the two together rather than her story with Vincent tossed in for spice. But perhaps because they had been laboring under the wrong assumption, that Catherine alone could carry the lead, they had already presented several faults that could not easily be corrected.
1. The introduction: Catherine's voice "... though we can never be together, we will never, ever be apart." Who says? Many fans saw this as an erroneous assumption. She is stating, in effect, that she could never, ever, commit herself body and soul to this person. It is impossible at this point for her to even conceive of a relationship beyond the platonic. I kept wanting to reply, "Well, if you don't want him, honey, I'll take him." I don't think women were the only ones who got fed up with Catherine's lack of commitment. My husband kept watching the ends, when they gaze lovestruck at each other and commenting from the sidelines "Do it! Do it! Kiss him, you silly broad."
[snipped]
Of course, there are exceptions to both. But Catherine appears to be brave as a man is defined as brave, fighting for truth, justice, and the American way, yet when it comes to putting conviction behind where her heart is, she falls flat. She does not have the courage it takes to stand by the man she loves, come what may. In danger to life and limb, she'll slug with the best of them, but in facing down public opinion, Catherine is scared to death that those from her world above might find out about her Beastie boyfriend and condemn her for it.
I believe if Linda Hamilton had been given her druthers, she would have had a much more acceptable and popular Catherine. In an interview I read, she wanted the kiss at the end of Season One, and cried when she didn't get it. It would have changed their relationship, irrevocably, for the better. We would have seen forward movement, not stagnation.
[snipped]
From the little we saw of Diana, I believe this woman 1. Would commit herself body and soul. She'd like the poetry and the music, but sooner or later, she'd want more fulfillment and go after it. 2. She's cautious of Vincent, naturally, but not afraid of him. She understands him in a way Catherine never could. I had the feeling her background would be a lot different from Catherine's. She's been on the outside and knows how it feels. 3. If she had to face exposure of her love for him, she'd stand behind him and take the lumps with him. She'd have the land of courage Catherine, unfortunately, lacked.
[much, much snipped about Catherine Chandler's faults]
I agree I was not satisfied with Season Three, which appears to me to be one great big dream Vincent had in the midst of his delirium. It has all the elements of a dream. If we are to presume Vincent is a virgin, then his mind can't produce the details of how this consummation happened, thus we didn't see it happen. I know why they did it, with CBS hanging over their shoulders with demands for more violence and the fears of censorship, but I stand with the fans who felt cheated out of all the questions we had been waiting to have answered being jumped over quickly so we could get to the action. Playing it the other way, though, had Catherine lived, I doubt she could ever have come to terms with having this baby by Vincent and the commitment it would have forced upon her. Whatever was she going to do now, if she hadn't died? Yet, I certainly would have been better satisfied with another kind of ending. I can't see Vincent as a crusading Daddy anyway. I hope Season Three turns out to be just a dream.
[Sharon H]:I agree that for the first season, Beauty and the Beast really focused on the Catherine Chandler character, making it really Linda's show. Kate speaks of mistakes the writers made with the character of Catherine. I think probably one of the biggest was in shifting the emphasis from Catherine to Vincent, and I think the ratings support this point. The series was the most critically and commercially well-received during the first season, when Linda carried most of the scenes, and Vincent was a mysterious, enigmatic part of Catherine's story. During the second half of the first season, the story shifted emphasis to become their story, but Vincent was still in the background. By the time the second season came, the series had really become Vincent's story, and we began to see less and less of Catherine. The ratings also dropped enough to get the show cancelled in May. And, of course, during the third season, the writers made the mistake of thinking that Vincent alone could carry the series, and Catherine was out of the picture (other than in passing reference). As it turns out, the show turned into a commercial and critical disaster. I think the writers would have been better off in revealing Vincent to us much more slowly, adding dimension to him bit by bit, rather than this sudden shifting of gears between first and second season. I personally feel that the series was at its best when it dealt with Catherine's evolution and acceptance of her role in Vincent's life, and his role in hers, such as "A Happy Life."
[snipped]
The inevitable comparison between the two women, which is, in some ways, is unfair to Diana. We saw Catherine during the most vulnerable period in her life, saw her completely restructure her life, and followed the course of her relationship with Vincent. We knew her for two full years better than we would know even our closest friends, because we were allowed to share the most intimate details of her life, something most of us don't do, even with our closest friends. After watching the first nine episodes of season one, I felt as though I knew Catherine very well. After watching nine episodes of the third seasons, I find I don't really know Diana at all, and sadly enough, I really don't want to know her.
So, discussing which woman is stronger is kind of meaningless to me because I have nothing to go on as far as Diana is concerned. Anybody can wave a gun around; Diana was a trained police officer, so I expected her to use one, which she did, a lot. Actually, in retrospect, it took a lot of courage for Catherine to carry and learn to use a gun, because nothing from her background prepared her for something like that. But beyond that, it took a lot of strength for Catherine to learn self defense and use her body to protect herself, relying on a gun only as a last resort ('The Outsiders"). I never saw Diana engage in any hand-to-hand combat, although she was probably trainedi n self-defense. And if that guy from "The Outsiders" had been stalking Diana instead of Catherine through the tunnels, I think she'd have blown his head off at the first opportunity. Look what she did to Gabriel. Cold blooded murder is not a sign of strength, and we unfortunately didn't get the opportunity to see Diana's reaction to what she had done, if indeed she had one. Her actions at the end of "Invictus" were something I'd expect Snow to do, and I positively loathed him.
[Barbara S]:I wanted to comment on the letter in this issue written by [Kate D]. We thank you, Kate, for your kind words about TUNNELTALK, and want to let you know that your letter, in and of itself, is perfect proof that our goals for TT are being realized. Your views of Catherine's character couldn't be more diametrically opposed to our own (more on that in a minute!), and we are so glad that you wrote to express them, in a calm, rational way. That's exactly the kind of discussion we want to engender within these pages. We do not all think the same way, or even see the same things in B&TB, which is just as it should be—and is also not a call to civil war, but simply business as usual in fandom. We hope this zine never reflects only our points of view — that would be pretty boring, not to mention presumptuous of us! Anyway, we hope to receive many more letters from you in the future.
Now, about Catherine... I happen to see exactly the opposite scenario going on. Just because Catherine says, "And although we can never be together . . ." doesn't automatically mean that she is the one who has made that decision. After 'Terrible Savior" — and that was early on in their relationship, she barely knew him — we never saw any evidence that Catherine was afraid of him. Indeed, she was, more than once (The Alchemist," "The Outsiders," "The Rest is Silence") the only one with the courage to trust in his true nature enough that she literally embraced the "Dark Vincent." And that includes Father. When she retreats from his chamber in "Ceremony of Innocence," it is not out of fear, but bewilderment at his actions, and an intuitive sense (a woman's intuition, perhaps) that there is something wrong with this picture that Vincent doesn't see — she's going to get to the bottom of this, somehow. And she does. In my opinion, she spent the first season adjusting herself to their relationship — no small feat, we have to admit. Anyone who has ever been a partner in a mixed marriage, or a gay relationship, knows what it is to have to accommodate the small minds of strangers within the context of a very personal emotion. Which shouldn't have to happen, granted, but it does. And then, she spent the entire second season waiting for Vincent to catch up to her.
Like your husband, I sat and cursed at every near-kiss. But I was speaking to Vincent: "What are you waiting for? Don't be afraid — she loves you! Kiss her, for crying out loud!"
[Barbara S]: There continue to be rumors about a B&TB movie, and Ron Koslow has said that talks are under way, but as far as I can see, that's no different than the news of a couple of months ago. Yes, everyone would like to do a movie, but it seems no real progress has been made yet. Another rumor is that Ron Koslow might be the one to write the script if there is a movie. What do you all think of that? I have to admit to having a slight case of mixed feelings on that one; what could we expect, at this point, from the man who wrote the pilot episode, "A Happy Life," and "Though Lovers Be Lost..."?
[Sue K]:I might as well get it out of the way at the beginning and say that I am one of those who in no way enjoyed Season #3 and for whom the character of Catherine Chandler is and will always be as important to the show I fell in love with as Vincent. I could not accept Catherine's death, and in fact now look upon Season #3 as a nightmare that I'm finding it easier and easier to ignore. As an artist, I have been doing a great deal of B&TB illustration for fanzines and TunnelCon, and have found drawing Catherine and Vincent together a remarkable healing process, just as those who find writing "Season #3 resolution stories find it in the words they put down on the page — the words that reunite Catherine and Vincent.
I have, because of my outspoken opinions, been in the "thick" of World War Beast at times, and I agree with everyone who says that it's time to make peace. So let this be my one and only letter expressing my overall feelings about what B&TB means to me — and then I won't harp on it anymore unless I am responding to a specific point raised in another letter. [1]
First of all, I am one of those who would like to sincerely thank B&B Lifeline for putting out that marvelous letter encouraging all of us to "stick to our opinions" and not allow others to label us. One thing that seems to have resulted from the current polarization of B&TB fandom is that people who think and feel alike about Season #3 (whether pro or con) seem to gravitate together; I think that's clear from reading many of the current letterzines, and also from personal correspondence. In the April issue, Constantia said that she didn't know anyone who liked the Lifeline letter. In direct contrast, I don't know anyone who DIDN'T love and appreciate it! I'm not directly connected with Lifeline, though I live in the Bay Area, but the many people I correspond with, all over the U.S., feel as I did about the letter — we (and I know I CAN speak for the majority of my friends) wanted to stand up and cheer. My friends and I had most definitely interpreted the words of several established leaders in fandom the way Lifeline did — as an "order" to follow the party line or else be labelled "ex-fans" and traitors to B&TB. In fact, it had been our consensus that much of the initial split had been announced and fostered on the pages of some of these established fan organizations — long before the Lifeline letter appeared. We felt the Lifeline letter was long overdue. I think this shows that we have all more or less been finding people of like mind to "hang out with," so that's why we can all say "I don't know anyone who liked Season #3" or "I don't know anyone who liked the Lifeline letter" and have it be true — for US — without necessarily representing the accurate balance of views in fandom.
[Sue K]:I don't think any of us are going to change our minds about our feelings regarding Season #3 or who was responsible for what at this point I have based my feelings both on what I was attracted to in B&TB in the first place (Vincent AND Catherine), what facts I have been able to collect, and gut instinct. I will never try to force my views down anyone's throat, but if I hear what I consider to be misinformation, I will share my view of the proceedings. A recent example of this is the goings-on at the San Diego Creation Convention, in which some things were stated as "facts" that had a whole different side to them that never had a chance to be expressed. I and my friends were deeply upset by some of the misinformation generated at this convention, particularly in regard to a specific group of fans who have now been labelled as troublemakers and traitors. Since I know some of these fans, and I certainly have found them to be rational, polite, and intelligent, I had quite a different view of the events outlined in San Diego. Since I don't want to get into a debate here over what has become extremely painful for some of the people "named" in this issue, I won't go into this any further — suffice it to say that I feel this was very damaging. I think there must be a difference between advising people to stick to their own opinions (politely, of course) and public name-calling.
With any luck, we will have worked through this stage in the "war" by TunnelCon. There have been definite stages, haven't there: first our initial reaction to the third season; then the debate over its merits; then the attack and counterattack over opinions and feelings — and now, the first tentative attempts at peacemaking. I think it WILL take time to find that peace, but we all seem to be at least THINKING about it now. l don't really think it will be easy, but I think it's possible. I currently correspond with two people who enjoyed Season #3, and we're finding ways to make accommodations with our differences of opinion. Perhaps this is the way it MUST be done — one on one. When faced with large, faceless groups who profess one view or another, we get scared and then defensive and then we attack to protect ourselves; but when faced with a single person, with real feelings and interests and needs, we see that maybe they aren't so scary after all. Maybe we CAN like them, maybe we don't have to feel exactly the same. I really think that one-on-one communication is the key to our healing. I would like to give special thanks here to my two friends who are helping me to make my separate peace.
There has been much talk about how to write for the return of B&TB. I agree with everyone who says that blackmail is not an effective (or polite) tactic; in fact, I have never used this or any other hostile tactic in the letters I have written to CBS, Fox, and others. Instead, I have politely requested that Catherine's return be considered for future B&TB projects. This does not, however, mean that I would continue to watch B&TB in its present format I will not "threaten" Republic or anyone else by telling them I will refuse to support B&TB without Linda Hamilton as Catherine — to do so would be counterproductive and unfair to those who can find ways to like the show without her. But this does not mean I have signed my name in blood to continue watching B&TB in any form.
It may appear that I simply have no interest in B&TB without the Beauty. As long as it's understood that I won't "blackmail" anyone, I trust it also can be understood that I can have my own "personal conditions" for supporting the show. I will simply not share those "conditions" with Republic.
My honest feeling, however, is that Republic KNOWS that a large number of fans (yes, no one knows how many, or the "real" statistics) are disaffected with the direction taken in Season #3, and they will probably try to get Linda Hamilton back to assure the largest support base for future projects. They would still have supporters for any form of B&TB, of course, but they'll have a lot more if they can find some way to return the character of Catherine, and I think they realize that now.
Since, for me Catherine is as essential as Vincent, just getting Vincent back "alone" is not going to make me want to watch the show. Many have made it clear that they want Vincent back no matter how, and that's fine, but it's not why I watched the show and not enough of a reason for me PERSONALLY to watch or support it in future. For me, forever and always, B&TB is the love of Vincent and Catherine. The story of Vincent alone might, in its own, way be compelling and moving, but it would never be Beauty and the Beast.. I wish they would simply give it another title if it comes back without Catherine, because the "Beauty' part really doesn't pertain anymore — for me — without Catherine. The word "Beauty" in the title becomes meaningless if you can simply "fill in the blank" with any woman — be it Diana or someone else. In a way, still calling it B&TB is just confirming that Catherine was disposable, and for me that can never, EVER be true. BEAUTY and the Beast, for me, ceased to exist with Catherine's death. Vincent does continue, but his Beauty does not If they were to call the new show "Vincent" it would be more accurate and honest. And maybe I'd watch that show, because it wouldn't be "pretending" to be what it was the first two seasons with Catherine.
[much snipped]
...the REASONS I watched B&TB were effectively destroyed with Catherine's death. Many people, I know, were able to keep finding things they liked about B&TB continuing, and were able to accept the changes. But I feel no guilt or shame that I was not one of those people.
There are so many other things I could say, but it's basically rehashing what many have said and what I've said before, so I will stop this before it gets to novel length. I have attempted to make my views clear from the outset, and will not belabor them in future — the time for that is past. Instead, I also ask if we can all find a way to bridge the gap. No, I'm not going to change my views and I don't expect anyone else to change theirs. I think the key right now is to 1) stop casting blame at any one faction and 2) agree to disagree. I really don't think the issue is "was Season #3 good or bad" anymore. That is NEVER going to be resolved, because it's strictly a matter of personal opinion. And we may NEVER know the true facts about why things happened as they did behind the scenes at the production offices of B&TB. I also think the time is past to worry about blackmailing Republic, CBS et al with our letters, because I think we all realize that that is counterproductive. We are intelligent, albeit passionate, women. (Eds. note: And men, too!)
I think we all are reaching for similar goals, at least in terms of making peace — some of us will never feel we can love a "new" B&TB in Season #3 format without Catherine, and I ask only that others accept that. These feelings are strong and deeply felt and based on much thought and deep belief, not merely arrived at superficially, or out of any desire to "make trouble" for anyone. I also ask that others realize that I will never do any thing to destroy or prevent a return of B&TB to the screen in any form, even if I cannot support it within my heart. Because I cannot support Third Season does not mean I will prevent, or make it more difficult, for you to get the show back. I wish you luck in your endeavor — and with the best of luck, the return of B&TB will be in a form all of us can truly love. In the meantime, here's my hand — shake?
[Joyce F K]:It might be a more constructive thing to ask ourselves the following question: When Beauty and the Beast returns to the air, my greatest joy would be realized if (fill in the blank with one or more of the choices) 1. Diana and Vincent became friends who helped each other in various routine as well as monumental struggles; 2. Diana and Vincent became lovers and fulfilled a new dream together; 3. Somehow Catherine was returned to Vincent and they carried on as they had left off; 4. Somehow Catherine was returned and she and Vincent progressed in their relationship dramatically; 5. The romances of other tunnel/Above people were featured.
This way we would be looking ahead to our thoughts and wishes, rather than staring back at what has already been. If, in communicating to the writers/producers/ network, we could express our hopes and desires for these situations rather than our ultimatums, perhaps our opinions can be expressed in positive ways.
It appears that many of the fans who adored season three would still prefer to see Catherine and Vincent reunited. If that's the case, we are more united than we seem to be. I'd like to let those "in charge" know that I would like to see Catherine again. I'll let them know that I'd watch whatever they offered and judge it once it was presented, though.
Season three was fantastic as a side-track or spin-off; I'm hoping that "season four" gets our eternally entwined lovers back together, with their bond intact and their relationship in full gear.
[Arwen B]:I really like the idea of free expression; something that seems to be sadly lacking in and around some of the other B&TB publications. I am a mature, educated, adult woman, and I don't need anyone to tell me what to think or say. I'm a fan until I decide otherwise. I am outraged by third season B&TB for three very good reasons:
1) I utterly refuse to support any show that encourages violence towards women. The Charles Bronson plot device of: "Kill/rape his woman to motivate the hero and justify his violence" is totally unacceptable. Even to stay silent when it is used is to imply consent. The attitude of women-as-things leads to actions like the Montreal massacre.
2) The romance between Vincent and Catherine was and is the central lynchpin of the show. The other characters were interesting, but did not get enough air time to be fleshed out. For two years and 44 episodes we were told "He is my life—without him there is nothing," and "Don't die, Catherine — if you die, I'll die too." Is it our fault if they did a good sales job? I have my choice of any cop/action/adventure show on to channels. I wanted, and still want, Vincent and his one true love — Catherine.
3) Third season plotlines were so poor they caused the network to cancel the show. I like to think fans are powerful — but we just don't muster the numbers that impress network executives and advertisers. The two-hour movie had a Nielsen rating of 21.5; within six shows this was down to 14. This represents a loss of 6207,500 viewers. Almost 7 million people tried third season and disliked it. Now those numbers are impressive. The only show in first or second season to do anywhere near as poorly was the episode "Orphans," at 14 — when the show had just been switched to Monday. "Vincent and (insert guest star here)" cost us fans a renewal—and more episodes of a show we love. Let's all be calm, rational, tolerant adults. We need to get behind a saleable plotline for B&TB and push with our opinions and our dollars. I'm betting on the dream — Vincent and Catherine's dream of a happy life, together.
"It's not a fairy tale anymore" — it's not on anymore either!
"Face reality — people die." They sure do — I've lost three grandparents, my father, and my brother so far, but I don't go look at their graves for relaxation after a hard days' work. I want entertainment, cheerfulness, some romance — and I "vote" with my time and $.
"All great love stories end tragically." Tell that to Disney — they rewrote The Little Mermaid's ending happily. And don't bet on them listening to you; they're too busy counting all the money-bags and laughing all the way to the bank. Their employees still have their jobs — that's reality for you!
I'm not about to tell anyone they can't like something, or that I won't talk to them if they don't believe "correctly." I also don't repeat third-hand, unsubstantiated gossip in order to smear an innocent person. I'm too mature for "Whisper Down the Lane." America had plenty of that tactic with Joe McCarthy — remember what his rumors did to "Father's" life? Let's all be calm, rational, tolerant adults. W e need to get behind a saleable plotline for B&TB and pushwith our opinions and our dollars. I'm betting on the dream — Vincent and Catherine's dream of a happy life, together.
[Fran C]:General comments — re: 1st/2nd/3rd season. Essentially, in my opinion, all the work done in seasons 1 and 2 to build Catherine into a strong, compassionate, decisive, etc.,etc., woman were destroyed in the season 3 opener.
The comments of misogyny were so aptly stated. How more humiliating, how more hurtful towards the character of Catherine could they be? I could not help but wonder if the producers/writers, etc., were so angry with Linda that they chose to punish her in that way. I was angry. Even more so angry in her isolation scenes/loneliness and ostracism. How much more abuse was this character to sustain before enough was enough?The final act of abuse or cruelty (if you will) towards Catherine (and us) was their utter act of inhumanity in not allowing her to even hold the baby — this was the final blow for me, and in my heart. I felt it was also a subconscious shot at Linda, who was nearly at term during the filming. Especially after watching "God Bless the Child" and the incredible demonstration of "longing" for a child (the acting was incredible, and I'm not even sure it was acting — it looked heartfelt to me), this was the ultimate in cruelty toward Catherine and — perhaps more subtly — toward women as well. I don't know and, frankly, I don't want to believe that the writers who gave us 1st and 2nd seasons of characters could change so quickly and decisively. Calling Catherine a "vessel" was so insulting...
[snipped]
In addition, I admit that I found the episode terribly confusing. After spending so much time with Catherine and Vincent, beginning to feel as if they were "friends" with whom I could visit once a week, and understand their behavior as well as what motivates it, I hadn't a clue as to what was going on. I confess — I was unsure as to when "consummation" actually took place. And yes, I did care how it was portrayed. I would have hoped it would have been done with sensitivity, compassion, and love — in a way that allowed Vincent and Catherine to be comfortable with each other (as well as the audience to be comfortable).
[snipped]
A few concluding remarks for now. Everyone is entitled to opinions — they need to be expressed — as long as they do not violate people's feelings or safety. It is perfectly appropriate for fans to note their opinions — it is a form of relaxation and expression of the love they feel for such rich characters as Vincent and Catherine.
[snipped]
This was the final remark to the devoted audience of two years — that our memories would grow faint of Catherine after a few short weeks and that we could move on. I can't move on, and in so saying, I would welcome back Vincent and his beloved Catherine as the characters I grew to know and love and respect.
[Valarie W]:Every time I read something to do with the return of Beauty and the Beast, someone mentions the possible return of Catherine. While I wish she hadn't died, the fact is, she did. In order to preserve continuity (and to be believable) she must remain so. We don't want to repeat the mistake Dallas made, and call it all a dream, do we? The only way around the fact that she died, that I can see, is to do stories that happened before she died. While I'm sure there are many to tell, I, for one, would rather accept her death as a sad fact and go forward. There are many more possibilities in going forward.
For instance, Diana. I resisted Diana at first, as I'm sure many others did, but, by "Invictus" she had proven her viability to me. There are plenty of fascinating possibilities in her friendship with Vincent. I don't feel enough time has passed yet (in their universe) for Vincent to be ready for more than friendship from Diana, but there are stories waiting to be told.
And the baby Jacob. I can't be the only one to be fascinated by him. I want to watch Vincent be a father to his son and explore that relationship further, besides the fact that this baby — whom even Father, a doctor, did not believe was possible — is a living symbol of the special love between Catherine and Vincent, and could be the source for countless stories.
The fanzines often print stories exploring the tunnel world itself and the other inhabitants. Think how little we have seen of the other members of the community and their lives and histories.
Ron Koslow, in an interview with Starlog, mentioned the cable networks, video, feature films, and "movies of the week a la Perry Mason, as possibilities for B&TB's return. We can't give up hope, and we mustn't give up bombarding CBS,and anybody else who could help, with letters. We have the power and we must make our voices heard. We're a special group of people, nine million strong, and remember, it only took 20,000 letters to get Star Trek back on the air in the 1960s — what can nine million of us do?
I want to subscribe to TUNNELTALK. Nobody I know is quite as fanatic on the subject of Beauty and the Beast as I am, and I'm glad there is a forum like this for people like me.
[Gretchen A.K.K.]:The end of the innocence. That's what we've found. For two beautiful, inspiring years, we were all friends.... kindred souls. And now? What have we become? Nay-sayers? Dark-siders? The media, that we so impressed with our unwavering dedication last May, has been referring to the "two camps" in fandom: Pro-third season and Anti-third season. And some of the letterzines where we used to express our surprise to find that we weren't alone, that "I thought I was the only one!", have turned into ways to hold message wars with each other. It's sad that these fan forums have turned into negative, personal letters addressed to one person or one group of people. They don't even deal with the show anymore.
Well, let's get back to the show. OUR show. Regardless of what happened last season, I'll look back to a time when we were whole and I'll try to explain my analysis of Beauty and the Beast as a fan. I am still a fan, because a fan is someone who watches a television show. Even though I wasn't happy with the direction of the third season, I still faithfully watched all nine episodes. (If the other three ever get aired, I will watch them as well.) I guess that makes me a hard-core fan, because I continued to watch the show even though it was no longer what I wanted to see.
When I was little, I saw a Star Trek episode in which Mr. Spock got shot. I went running to my mom, crying, "Mom! Mom! They shot Mr. Spock!" She said, "Don't worry. He's one of the stars. They won't kill the star." You know, at the time I didn't believe it, but she was right: Mr.Spock didn't die. As I grew up, I found that this seemed to be a rule! Oops, I forgot. Mr. Koslow said they were gonna break all the rules, didn't he?
[Janet D]:I'm one of those people who was upset by the third season. I would have preferred another actress as Catherine instead of killing the character and adding all the violence. I watched all the shows, even though I wasn't happy with Vincent's transformation into "Catman: the Crime Fighter." You see, I believed Vincent when he said he would die if Catherine died. In their quest to gain a male audience, a literate, romantic story was turned into a violent show. But as one man put it, "I never watched it and I'm just not interested."
[snipped]
Since I'd like to believe that with love all things are possible, I'm hoping for a movie with Linda that would give us the rebirth of the story we all know and love.
In the meantime, I'm subsisting on fanzines. Pamela Garrett's One Day, a Rapture... with its fantastic cover by Beth Blighton, says it all for me.
[Verna W]:Diana — A fascinating strong character in her own right. But she looks too raggedy-looking. Even at the baby's naming ceremony, she looked unkempt. Doesn't she have at least one nice dress?
Violence — the violence does not bother me at all when it is directed at the bad guys.
Diane Davis:I was one of those who believed that the writers who gave us two beautiful and sensitive seasons couldn't possibly let us down. I assumed there would be a powerful, if all too brief, resolution of Catherine and Vincent's story, a time of joy and openness, the pay-off to the exquisitely crafted storyline inherent in all good drama; that Catherine's death would be meaningful and noble, rising logically from the premise of the story, leaving us sad, but enriched with some new message of idealism that would compel us on a new course. They were perfectly capable of doing that; they chose not to.
Looked at as objectively as possible. "Though Lovers Be Lost.." appears to be the work of someone with a deep resentment of women, contempt for the characters they'd so lovingly created, and total unconcern for the fans who'd ensured the show's return. We had watched our female counterpart grow in courage and compassion to become an almost unprecedented role-model in the land of TV — a woman of strength and honor who nevertheless remained totally feminine and vulnerable. They created a woman worth emulating and then chose her fate — the most unsubtle amalgam of male cynicism possible: barefoot and pregnant; the madonna, fallen from her pedestal because she "dared to love," becomes a whore who must be punished with death; the unresisting victim of superior males. It's difficult to believe this was done on purpose and just as difficult to believe that they couldn't see what they'd done and recognize it for the obscenity it was.
Still, I hoped it was an aberration, that soon we'd see those qualities we so admired. But as the arc progressed, I became increasingly convinced that CBS was wrong in its promos — it was still a fairy tale. Not "Beauty and the Beast," for sure — somehow we'd been plunked down into another fable — "The Emperor's New Clothes."
After lining up for months ahead of time in eager anticipation, we watched the parade begin. Some instantly shrieked that the new clothes were beautiful, some timidly suggested that they'd liked the old wardrobe better, and some of us stood in shocked dismay — afraid the "emperor" was about to catch his death. Of course there were sycophants in the realm who told the crowd they'd better wax ecstatic over the current fashions or suffer banishment from the kingdom. A few complied, and others — out of weariness or disgust — chose exile. And that was sad, because it left that once-strong kingdom weaker, should there be another call to battle.
For those who claim it couldn't have been otherwise once Linda "chose" to leave the show, I have to ask: The depth of character, the exquisite attention to detail, the poetry, the carefully delineated relationships, the ethical dilemmas that struck a chord in our own lives, the insights and idealism that left us feeling like better people for having watched — did those things "choose" to leave as well?
There's nothing very mysterious about the "rift" in fandom. Maybe because we all loved the show, there was an illusion that we loved it for the same reasons. Not true. All the "retooling" did was force us each to evaluate what had attracted us to it in the first place. If those elements were no longer in evidence, we were disappointed and could only judge the third season on its own merits. If the features we liked were still intact, then we enjoyed it.
[snipped]
I don't pretend to think everyone's response was similar to mine. For those who watched for other reasons — the performances, the stunning visuals, the action, or for Vincent alone {How many times have you heard someone say, "I'll take Vincent anyway I can get him" or "I don't care what he's doing, as long as I can see Vincent."? That's a pretty straightforward criteria.) the new shows were not a disappointment. It's called "varied opinions," "different strokes," "individual taste." Actually, there's a lot of it out there in the real world, and — believe it or not — it's not always seen as a personal affront or a call to civil war. Anyhow, it's great to see new publications like TUNNELTALK springing up to prove that cancellation has no dominion, and reassuring, too, that there are those willing to examine diverse ideas and conflicting viewpoints like grownups. There's hope for this fandom yet.
[Wanda Leah C]: I would like to end by discussing Topic Number Two that Barbara suggested— whether Diana was stronger than Catherine. I do not believe so, but then I always felt that we were only given the character because "THEY" thought we needed a female character in there with all of the males. I found Diana only occupied air time during the episodes she appeared in and really did not give much to her scenes. I realize that Jo Anderson walked into a tense situation, but I believe she could have added more to the character than just saying her lines. I believe the sloppy dressing was just another way to make her different from Catherine. Catherine dressed very nicely and was very lady-like, so Diana had to be the exact opposite so we could not say they were trying to make her into Catherine. I guess what upset me the most out of all her scenes was when they had her kill Gabriel with Catherine's gun. It was like they thought I would suddenly love Diana because she killed the man who caused Catherine's death, and with Catherine's gun. To me it was just another of many scenes from third season that made little sense.
[Elgie G]:Well, here goes, my first fanzine letter, following my first meeting with other B&TB fans of the Boston club. Although the thirty plus there had many different views, we were all able to express them without any rancor (and much laughter). Two are starting a fanzine centered on Mouse, one married couple liked the character Diana better than Catherine, another fan declared that she didn't believe Catherine was dead ("I don't care if she comes out of Pam Ewing's shower!"), another calmly remarked that she watched the third season and did not like it at all, but what the heck, it was free... She preferred to think, read and write about alternate story lines that begin where the second season ended. I'm with her, and so have splurged in buying several different sets of fanzines. The quality varies widely — I won't mention names, but one "press" has really annoyed me because so many pages have so many typos. Either the zines are hastily done and not proofread, or the writers/proofers can't spell. I would be happy to offer my services to proofread, and then I could save $ on purchases!
One magazine printed a "thank you" to Ron Koslow for the program, and here is where I speak up. I appreciate his original idea, but I strongly disapprove of the way he gave in to ratings pressure and changed the show's direction so much. In order to draw the young male audience, the story line became more "dramatic," with much more violence (I know the first two seasons had some), and mostly emphasized the males: the evil Gabriel, Vincent's search with Joe and Elliot's help, etc. Catherine was disposed of in a brutal way, her strong and complex character diminished to being merely a trapped maternal "vessel," very little came through about the Tunnel world's values and the people there, and I can't figure Diana out (yet). And it was all for nothing, because I believe that few of the "target" audience would ever be interested in the basic fantasy, or romance.
I fault Ron Koslow as much as the network for this. I can't help but contrast what he did with the way Gene Roddenbury conceived and produced Star Trek. It is true that Roddenbury had to make changes from the pilot. For example, the stern First Officer, a woman, became the alien Mr. Spock, and the plain pants costume for all was changed to mini-skirted and form-fitting for the women — (did you ever see a fat female in Federation uniform?) Still, G.R. kept to his original vision, and wrote up a sort of guide on what he would/would not accept for the story ideas and production thereof. After all, writers want to get paid, so they go according to the indicated directions. And then, of course, the adventures and challenges of Star Trek were more interesting to the young male audience; I'll bet the fandom is more male than female (except for those liking Spock), and that B&TB fandom is more female than male.
Personally, I always liked the way the stories and people of B&TB related to my very real world and people I know—what we do and why — where I am going. It made me think. I am also a romantic, so I liked that part too!
[Laura J]:From the beginning, I was always a loyal fan of Beauty and the Beast. The series was not only beautiful to watch, but it always made me feel good. The love between Catherine and Vincent was something wonderful to watch. No matter what happened, they always ended up together and the audience knew that they could survive anything. Anything, that is, but the "powers that be." Even if it was true that Linda Hamilton wanted to leave the show, I can't believe they couldn't have come up with a better way to make it happen. I also can't believe that they couldn't convince Linda to stay. Didn't they realize what they had with her, and how she could never be replaced? The 2-hour episode that aired on December 12,1989 was so depressing and hard to watch, that I couldn't believe it was the same program. The way Catherine died was so cruel and mean-spirited, and it made absolutely no sense at all. Beauty and the Beast fans always knew that Vincent would save "his Catherine," and to have her die, just seconds from being saved, was like a slap in the face. It just wasn't supposed to happen.
Fans of the show loved it, not only for the uplifting stories, but because of the special appeal of Vincent and Catherine. These two were meant to be together, and for the producers to think we would accept Vincent with another so-called "beauty" is completely ridiculous. I can't believe any true fans of the real Beauty and the Beast really liked the third season. Vincent used to say Catherine was "his life," and to have us believe that he would be interested in someone else, especially this "Diana" character, was completely unbelievable. I'm sorry, I just didn't care for "Diana" at all. She had nothing to do with Beauty and the Beast, and she seemed like an intruder in Vincent's world.
I hope there's some way Beauty and the Beast can come back, and I hope Linda Hamilton as Catherine can return. If the show doesn't return as it was originally, I'm sorry to say that I probably won't watch. I truly will miss Ron Perlman's Vincent, but as far as I'm concerned, when Catherine died, so did Beauty and the Beast. The show lost all of its Beauty.
I hope Vincent, and all of the show's fans, can awake from this horrible nightmare and find Catherine, alive and well. Because, as Vincent and Catherine used to make us believe — "nothing is impossible."
[Janet D]:The third season hurt me so deeply that I am still moved to tears when I even think of it I am a mother of two, and the way the character of Catherine was treated in the two-hour movie shocked and disgusted me. What on earth were the powers-that-be trying to prove? That they were capable of creating the most agonizing scenario possible? Well, they succeeded. And in the process, they also succeeded in breaking the hearts of all of us out here who believed in a "... happily ever after..."
In my mind and heart third season never existed, and in my mind and heart, only forty-four episodes exist Maybe I'm naive, but in every fairy tale and storybook I ever read, each story that began with,"... Once upon a time..." usually ended with "... and they lived happily ever after..."
B&TB was my fairy tale, my escape into the realm of romance and goodness, of courage and beauty. It just wasn't about the love of Catherine and Vincent, it was about something in all of us, our dreams, our hopes. Speaking for myself, Catherine is (not WAS) someone I look up to, ami admire, a woman who gave up everything to love and be loved. Together she and Vincent live life as well as they can, savoring the joy and enduring the pain, because they dare to love.
I did not allow my youngest child to view third season, and the reasons are obvious. My son's favorite episode is "... Bluebird..." need I say more? He was never frightened of Vincent, rather, he saw him as a heroic, princely figure, always fighting the bad guys in order to rescue the damsel in distress, Catherine.
What third season did to me, to many of us, was leave us with a feeling of hopelessness. Atleastthat'showlfelt. It seems to me that this travesty was someone's sick idea of revenge on the fans whose only crime was a fierce devotion to a magical, wonderful romance.
[The third season was a] sick joke. Whoever named the writers the "Brotherhood of Pain" had the right idea. I realize this letter is going to infuriate many people, but I'm sorry. If I wanted to see a pregnant woman being tortured and brutally murdered, I could turn in to any other mediocre trash that television now offers.
[Margo Ann Q, who mentioned that she was composing a letter on a typewriter for the first time]:It is hard to know what to say to all of you, considering the tremendous controversy which has been waging a war between us during these past months. But I do know I don't want Beauty arid the Beast to end! We have great power to change the future of our beloved show "only if and only when" we can find a way to come together once again with a common bond. There is nothing at this point that we can do to change the past, but there is much we can do to alter the future. With a united fandom, I do believe we can bring about a resurrection of the beauty and love and values we all fell in love with in the first place. We can get our TV movies and/or our Big Screen production — YES, I know we can do it but, we must start with ourselves. This is my appeal to all of you, dear friends, to find the space in your hearts to forgive and MOVE ON to better things. Just think of the possibilities! We "don't know what the limits are." This is our opportunity to live the wonderful spiritual and progressive lessons we learned from Vincent, Father, Catherine — all we have come to love so deeply.
Beauty and the Beast may be "just a TV show," but we all know it is so much more than that to each and every one of us — how else could it generate such strong emotions and passions within us. We need each other now more than ever. Come, join me in taking the first step. I want to see that movie — I want to visit the Tunnels once again— I want Ron, Roy, Linda, Jay, Edward to breathe life into those incredible characters who have become more than images on a screen — they are our family, just as we are to one another. I love each and every one of you for sharing your thoughts, your hearts, your ideas, your inner selves. I have learned from you, I have agreed with you, I have disagreed with you. You have made me laugh, cry, feel joy, anger, and given me new enlightenment on characters and scenes I never could have thought of on my own. I treasure and respect all of your feelings and opinions. Let us band together now and work together, for only in such a way can we become a true Tunnel Community. I long for that—as I'm sure most all of us do. We could never feel the way we do about Beauty and the Beast and the Tunnels and all who love there and live there if it were not so.
So let those letters of support flow once again. To Russell Goldsmith of Republic Pictures, thanking him for bringing back B&TB to the forefront once more by getting it on a cable channel so soon, and letting him know we are behind his efforts to get B&TB back into production for movies. To the Family Channel, thanking them for supporting B&TB and tactfully asking them to show the episodes in order and not to edit them, so we can garner a new, strong following to help us in our attempts to get new stories. To Ron and Roy, asking them to hang in there and letting them know we haven't given up but are still hanging tough and working for the resurrection of B&TB. And—very, very important—to all these wonderful "zine" editors who sacrifice so much of their time, effort, money and put their hearts on the line for us also. They need, I'm sure, words of encouragement right now as much as we do! The B&TB zine writers and poets and artists have given us so much — I know I for one could not do without them.
We all have so much to give to one another, to share with one another — of our talents, our support, our understanding, our love. We can do it TOGETHER! Let us make sure that Beauty and the Beast is not like Camelot, for "one brief, shining moment," but an inspiration and a joy once again and for many years to come!
[Anita M. H]:Regarding the statement: "I still love B&TB, even though I can't stand to watch it anymore!!". Oh, does that ever strike home. I feel exactly the same way. I love it so much that I ache with it, but it is SO painful now that I am even having trouble watching the tapes. I am, "with what I most enjoy, contented least."
Before the agony of Season Three was wreaked upon my heart, I was flat addicted to those tapes, watching at least portions of episodes every day. And you know what? I almost always fast forwarded to the "good parts." For me, the "good parts" are the V&C scenes. As far as my taste in zines, it is the same story. I most enjoy stories that center on V&C, and their romance. I find myself skimming other stories that deal with action or primarily the ancillary characters to get to the "good parts." I guess if s little wonder that I found S3 so painful, since there weren't any "good parts." This is not to say I found it a total waste, it just wasn't the same show anymore...
[snipped]
How sad that so much love and light was wasted, so many opportunities tossed to the wind. But remember, although it seems that darkness ruled, even the blackest night must eventually surrender to the dawn.
- ^ There are many more letters on this subject by this fan in later issues of "Tunneltalk."