Beauty & the Beast: The First Season

CBS's youth-oriented remake/update of the George R.R. Martin-scripted 1987-1990 cult TV fantasy series with Ron Perlman and Linda Hamilton could also have been titled Supermodel and the Beast (or, to be precise, Supermodel and the Male Supermodel). Set in a New York City where scarcely anyone seems to be over the age of 25, the show stars Krisin Kreuk as Catherine Chandler, a gorgeous police detective who hooks up with handsome Vincent (Jay Ryan), the last known survivor of an Afghan War experiment gone amok—to create a genetic super-soldier with spliced-in animal DNA. Vincent now hides out in the NYC shadows, freelancing as a superhero, becoming—in moments of stress—an uncontrollable Incredible Hunk. Together the pair solve some big-city mysteries and negotiate the pitfalls of a paranormal relationship, whilst the malevolent shadow-government military-industrial conspiracy that created Vincent lurks in the background—along with lots of mopey alt-rock music. Replacing the urban fairy-tale vibe of the original with more of a Twilight-meets-CSI ambiance, this chimerical saga is more or less passable pop-escapism. Presenting all 22 episodes from the 2012-13 debut run, extras include pilot-episode audio commentary, behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted scenes, and a gag reel. A strong optional purchase. (C. Cassady)