Episode Report Card Cindy McLennan: A- | 2 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT To Catch A Thief
By Cindy McLennan | Season 2 | Episode 19 | Aired on 04.21.2013
Hospital. Gold is alarmed that Belle's room is empty and shouts at a nurse, who scurries off to look for her. Looking down at the empty bed he spies the matchbook. We cut to the...
Rabbit Hole. Gold enters and berates the "vile" joint to the bartender (Nicholas Carella). This is a lovely touch, if you think about Rumpy's history with Milah and their local tavern. Bravo, Show. Gold asks the bartender if he's seen a girl with, "...brown hair, beautiful blue eyes, and an accent you wouldn't soon forget. Her name's Belle." The bartender says that sounds a lot like Lacey, and points toward the pool table. Belle's there wearing what must pass for racy clothing at 8 o'clock on a Sunday night family show, but honestly -- you wouldn't raise an eyebrow, if you saw this in your favorite coffee shop... provided it wasn't too cold out.
Gold watches for a moment as Belle plays pool and downs a shot, then he calls to her. Belle corrects him. Her name is Lacey. In another nice touch, Sneezy (who, you'll remember, is town line amnesia patient zero) is with her and cracks that her name ought be Fast Eddie, since she's hustling him. Lacey remembers Gold as the guy who visited her in the hospital, but since she thinks she remembers herself, she asks him to move so she can make her shot. We flash back to the...
Enchanted Forest. Rumpy's Estate. As Belle sweeps the drawing room, she listens to Robin Hood screaming in pain. Soon, Rumpy finds her. He's carrying a bloody apron and looking for a clean one, but they're all still drying. Yes, and we're supposed to accept Belle's love for him. I just can't. Don't misunderstand. Belle isn't afraid to challenge Gold for torturing Robin, just for stealing a wand. That's part of what's frustrating. She knows how ruthless he is, and yet we're supposed to buy that she loved him so much that her kiss could have broken the Dark One's Curse, provided he let it.
Rumpy throws the dirty apron Belle's way, and orders her to clean it too, utters some threat about eventually killing Robin and then leaves. Alone, Belle makes her way down to the dungeon, brings Robin a drink and then frees him. He has a few bloody lash marks on his chest, but not enough that Rumpy should have soiled even one apron, never mind several. I'm not sure, but I'm taking this to mean Rumpy tortures his victim 'til he's a bloody mess, heals him and starts fresh. Robin worries that by freeing him, Belle is making herself a target. He tells her to escape with him. Belle can't, or Rumpy will turn his wrath on her people and land. She watches as Robin flees. We flash forward to...