From a tale as old as time, this series was loosely based on the same classic tale that Disney would draw from years later for their blockbuster animated feature, but the similarity ends there. This was a decidedly more urban retelling of the timeless story of Beauty and the Beast, set in the confines of the Big Apple.

Beauty and the Beast starred Linda Hamilton as Catherine Chandler, an Assistant D.A. in New York City who had been attacked by a group of thugs and brutally beaten - only to be saved by a creature with the face of a lion and the body of a human named Vincent. He nursed her back to health in his underground dwelling, a subterranean city beneath the city streets. During her stay, Catherine met Father, the leader of the underground city responsible for raising Vincent, and underlings Kipper and Mouse. Eventually, Vincent and Catherine would fall in love with each other, developing a psychic connection that allowed them to communicate with each other.

Catherine returned to the city above and continued her often-treacherous work for the District Attorney, Joe Maxwell. Whenever things got too dangerous, she could always call on Vincent, and she paid plenty of visits to the underground city to see him and the rest of her new friends who welcomed her into their group.

Linda Hamilton would leave Beauty and the Beast after the second season, even though the show was developing a cult following. To explain her absence, the character of Catherine was killed off. It was explained that before she died, she had given birth to a son, who was then kidnapped by her killer, a wealthy crime lord named Gabriel. Joe Maxwell would hire a top investigator named Diane Bennett (the show’s new star) to track down the child and Catherine’s killer. And, as might be expected, Vincent would make his presence known to Diane and offer his assistance.

It was a creative solution to the dilemma of losing the show’s star but it did little for the ratings. Within a year, this quirky and poetic show would be cancelled, much to the dismay of its loyal followers. But in its short time on television, it made quite an impression, thanks to its fantastical elements and sheer originality – a love story quite unlike any other ever broadcast.