Beauty and the Beast (1987–1990): Season 1, Episode 9 - Dark Spirit - full transcript

Investigating a mysterious death makes Catherine the target of a voodoo cult.

This is where the wealthy
and the powerful rule.

It is her world,
a world apart from mine.

Her name is Catherine.

From the moment I saw her,
she captured my heart

with her beauty, her warmth
and her courage.

I knew then as I know now,

she would change
my life... forever.

He comes from a secret place,
far below the city streets.

Hiding his face from strangers,
safe from hate and harm.

He brought me there
to save my life.

And now, wherever I go,
he is with me in spirit,



for we have a bond stronger
than friendship or love.

And although we cannot
be together,

we will never ever be apart.

- Oh, yes. Oh, yes.
- Wonderful, wonderful.

What are the rest
of you having?

I think it's
a legitimate write-off,

in spite of the new law.

Wouldn't you agree, William?

Yes...

you're, you're
absolutely right, Arthur.

It happens occasionally.

Is it hot in here?

I don't think so.

I'm absolutely burning up.



- Are you all right?
- I'd like to propose a toast.

Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!

Sit down and relax!
William!

He'll kill me! He'll kill me!
He'll kill all of you!

Get 'em off!

Got a choice one,
Radcliffe.

Wealthy socialite throws
himself out a window.

Turns out he was poisoned
by a loyal servant.

You mean I finally get a case
where the butler did it?

Hey, good help's hard to find.

Suspect's name's Hector Ocala.

Cops found the poison
in his room.

Lab says it was Haitian,
just like Hector.

Awfully damning.
Do we have a motive?

His boss left him
$50,000 in his will.

That'll do.

Sounds like this one's
open and shut.

Yeah, well, up until
about an hour ago.

Now the public defender claims
Hector Ocala is incapacitated.

Unable to stand trial.

On what grounds?

Get this.

PD says Hector Ocala's
some kind of voodoo priest.

They says he's
gone into a trance.

Go check it out.

- N'oublie pas moin, Papa Ougan.
- N'oublie pas moin, Grand Bois.

We get all types,
but this guy's too much.

See for yourself.

He's been like that
ever since he got here.

He don't eat, he don't sleep.

Mr. Ocala?

He don't talk either.

He's spooking everybody
with that crazy talk.

The word is it's
some kind of voodoo spell.

Who told you that?

A couple of PD's
were down here yesterday.

I heard 'em talking.

Don't believe
everything you hear.

...pas moin, Papa Ougan.

Yes, come in.

Professor Ross?

Yes.

I'm Catherine Chandler.
Chandler.

Yeah, my secretary said
you phoned.

Have I caught you
at a bad time?

No, no, not at all.

Sit down. Let me...
I'll take this.

So, what can I do for you,
Catherine Chandler?

Well, I've been told

that you're an authority
on voodoo.

Yeah. Yeah, much to the chagrin
of my colleagues in science.

We have a murder suspect
in custody.

His defense attorneys claim
that he's a voodoo priest.

Well,

if he's committed a murder,
he's not a priest.

More likely a sorcerer,
a "boko,"

a servant of evil.

Voodoo is full
of dualisms:

white magic,
black magic,

and each has its cult.

If you're inside the cult,
then you're protected,

bit of you are outside,
then you are the enemy

and their gods and
demons are everywhere.

"Loa," they are called.

birds, clouds, beasts.

Well... they do possess people.

Scientifically speaking,
of course.

Well,

I can explain it
in medical terms

if you prefer, yeah.

Voodoo, long ago,
discovered a truth

that modern medicine
still resists:

the mind rules the body.

If faith can heal,
then fear can paralyze.

Or kill,
all in your point of view.

I don't know if I believe that.

Here, look at this.

What do you see?

A shell.

No, it is the key
to the universe.

It is a beacon to the gods.

You see, in voodoo, nothing
is what it appears to be.

Really?

Is this intrinsically any less
powerful than the sacred images

of all the other religions?

I guess not.

No, no, you keep it

for good luck.

Look, forgive me.

You gotta forgive me

for carrying on like this
about this stuff.

I mean, I have this bad habit

of lecturing all the time
and I know

you didn't come her
for a seminar.

No, I didn't.

I need to determine if Hector
Ocala's trance is a put-on,

a maneuver to avoid prosecution.

See, I couldn't possibly
tell you that

without seeing him in person.

Would you be willing
to go the Tombs and have a look?

I was hoping that you would ask.

No!

No... no...

How is he?
The same.

N'oublie pas moin, Papa Ougan.

N'oublie pas moin, Papa Ougan.

N'oublie pas moin, Papa Ougan.
N'oublie pas moin, Papa Ougan.

Do you think
he knows we're here?

It's hard to tell.

Hey, you got company.

Hey!

Beast!

Beast of the night!

Revoquer la magique,
revoquer wanga.

Beast of the night!

Revoquer la magique,
revoquer wanga.

What is he saying?

It was a chant
of protection;

an invocation
against evil spirits.

Most of it, anyway.

And the part
about the beast?

That was a hallucination.

A projection
of his fear.

Only, to him,
it was really there.

Now, look.

Look, I know you don't
want to hear this,

but I think your
suspect is for real.

Lindsey Gates?

I'm Catherine Chandler
with the District Attorney.

I'd like to talk to you

about the William Coleman
murder.

You were sitting
next to him

at the party on
the night of his death.

I've already talked
to the police.

Can you tell me anything
about Hector Ocala

and his involvement with voodoo?

I tried to tell the police,
and they thought I was crazy.

I'm not the police.

You'll still think
I'm crazy.

Try me.

All right.
Hector was a boko.

A voodoo sorcerer.

Even though Hector
was his servant,

William was terrified of him.

We first met when
he came into the store,

looking for help.

A spell, a charm, anything
that might guard him

against Hector's power.

I tried to help him,

but I'm no expert.

Everyone thinks I know
more than I do.

What happened the night
of the murder?

William phoned me and insisted
that I come to the party.

It was as though he thought
my being there

would protect him
from Hector's power.

It didn't.

Coleman was poisoned.

He didn't die of a curse.

It wasn't poison that threw him
through that window.

You got to be kidding me.

We roll over on this one,
we'll never hear the end of it.

Do you want to go down
in legal history

next to the Twinkie
defense?

All I'm saying is the P.D.
might have a bona fide claim.

Radcliffe, please...

My expert says it's
a protective chant.

Yeah, he's protecting himself
against a long jail term.

Now will you get
back down there.

He can't keep up
the zombie act forever.

What happened?

He dropped dead.
No marks, nothing.

Drugs?

No sign of it.

We're taking him down
for an autopsy.

I want a copy
in the DA's Office

as soon it's done.

Oh, my God.

Catherine.

Are you all right?

I am now.

Did you see what they did?

Who would have done this?

I was investigating a man
who belonged to a voodoo cult.

He died this afternoon,

but I'm sure it's related.

You can't stay long,
the police are on their way.

Whoever did this to you
was trying to frighten you.

Control you with fear.

I'm not afraid.

Good.

The drawing...

Yes.

What do you think it means?

It's a picture of what
they're most afraid of.

For them it has power.

You must not
surrender to it.

I won't.

If you hadn't
phoned this morning,

I was going to call you
and warn you.

You ought to see what
they did to my place.

But why?

And who?

Ocala's followers,
I imagine.

Catherine, I don't
want to frighten you,

but this thing isn't over yet.

Ocala's followers will
avenge his death.

They liken themselves
to the stars, working at night,

touching everything-- and
invisible during the day.

Well, if they think they can
frighten me off, they're wrong.

Catherine, I don't
think you understand.

They're not just trying
to scare you off the case.

They're trying to scare you
to death.

I will not drop this.

I have two suspicious deaths

and more questions
than answers.

Well, then obviously I will do
everything I can to help you.

Thanks, I appreciate it.

Oh, yeah, look...

I have a class, now.

Maybe we could have
dinner, tonight.

Around 8:00?

Okay.

Good.

You'll find it under several
different names-- chango,

saneria, macumba, voodoo.

The rulers of Haiti have
always used voodoo

in order to stay in power...

But why this, uh,
sudden interest

in such a primitive
superstition?

Someone is trying
to harm Catherine.

What with incantations
and sorcery?

With fear.

I'm going to see Narcissa.

For what possible reason?

I can tell you all you
need to know.

I have dozens of books
on voodoo folklore...

histories, case studies.

Scholarship and belief are two
very different things, Father.

Narcissa is irrational.

She lives in a fantasy world
of spirits and demons.

Perhaps, but to save Catherine

that's the world
I shall have to visit.

He was your brother,
he was in perfect health.

Do you believe he
simply dropped dead?

The autopsy said it
was a heart attack.

Not if you believe in voodoo.

I don't buy
into any of it.

Your brother did.

Hector believed
in a lot of things.

Me, I believe in oil changes
and seat belts.

I know how to stay
out of the way.

Out of whose way?

You ask too many questions.

Maybe you would rather
talk to the police.

Hector must've had an enemy--

a very powerful one.

Some people believe that Hector

was a very powerful
sorcerer-- a boko.

Do you think
a powerful sorcerer

would have to work
as a servant?

No.

A boko uses his strength
for selfish ends.

Hector was no boko.

Did Hector poison
William Coleman?

Coleman was Hector's friend.

No.

Hector's enemy killed Coleman

to get at Hector, to steal
his power, to destroy him.

Just like they'll do you if you
keep asking questions.

Welcome, Vincent.

You remember me?

When you were a young boy,

you would play in
the Chamber of the Winds.

I remember.

Narcissa...

I need your help,
your knowledge.

I am a crazy old woman.

Hasn't Father told you so?

How can I help you?

I have a friend
who's in danger.

Her name is Catherine.

She lives in the world above.

Men have broken into her home,

shattered her mirrors,
defaced her walls.

She's afraid it is the work
of those who believe in voodoo.

The Bizago.

La culte des mortes.

They have placed
your friend under a curse.

There was a drawing on the wall

Drawing is veve.

It is used to summon
the demon Baka,

the great beast,
the devourer.

No magic is as great
as Baka's--

no magic is as evil.

The magic can only touch those
who believe in its power.

No! Magic is power...

power of the words,
of the powder,

of the fear that curls in the
heart like a black worm.

Watch your friend, Vincent.

Guard her close.

The way is dark
before her.

Ayida-wedo, ma déese
des serpents,

quand vous venez, c'est comme
un coup de foudre.

Ayida-wedo, ma déese des
serpents,

quand vous venez, c'est comme
un coup de foudre.

Hey, Radcliffe, how
did your lead pan out?

I'm working on it.

We put an extra
patrol on your block.

Don't want anyone else
redecorating your apartment.

Thanks. I'll
keep you posted.

See you later.

- Look at me.
- I'm still shaking.

I heard footsteps running away.

I must have just missed them.

I think you need
some more champagne.

I may not be afraid
of voodoo curses,

but I'm terrified
of snakes.

Hector Ocala's
brother believes

one of Hector's enemies
killed William Coleman.

Ah! Well, he
may be right.

Because, you see, I did some
checking this afternoon,

and Ocala apparently
had worked himself in

with a powerful circle
of Wall Street financiers.

I mean, he... he was advising
these guys on business matters.

Now, I'm sure that
there are some people

that would envy
his position.

The autopsy says he died
of natural causes--

a massive coronary.

It just seems like
such an unlikely coincidence.

In voodoo,
there are no coincidences.

His brother believes
he was killed by a rival.

How could they get to him
inside of the Tombs?

Brick and iron
can't stop a curse, Catherine.

I don't believe in curses.

Yeah, but Hector Ocala did.

If you believe that magic
can kill, then it can.

Alexander, that drawing
on the wall of my apartment..

the creature...

The beast. La bete noire.

Or Baka,
as he is sometimes called.

A terrible demon
who rends men apart

and feasts on their flesh.

Why?

I mean, the rest of it

makes a certain kind
of twisted sense,

but why that drawing?

To make you afraid,
Catherine.

To show you the face of Baka,
the demon that will destroy you.

But then, if you don't believe,

then no harm
can come to you.

And there are much nicer
things to believe in.

Is it hot in here?

Um... not particularly.

Oh, I feel like I'm burning up.

Well, you've had a long day.

I'll take you home.

Okay.

Nous nous rassemblons.

Nous arrivons au bassin.

Nous ne savons pas
ce qui se passe.

Mais nous ferons le travail.

Oh, Lord Baka, your strength
is our strength.

Under your protection,
nothing can harm us.

Nothing can affect us.

Your magic is invincible.

Come to us, Lord Baka.

Help us to destroy our enemies!

Hi.
Hi.

Thanks for coming.

It's all right.

Oh, I'm sorry.
I'm a wreck.

I didn't sleep
last night at all.

I made some tea.
Let me get it.

No, no, no, no.

Look, why don't you

sit right down
here and relax?

That's right.
Sit. Yeah.

And I'm going to bring
you a hot cup of tea.

I don't know
what to do.

How are
they getting in?

How are they getting
past security?

Well, I'm going
to do all I can today

to find you some answers.

Here. This will
make you feel better.

Thanks.

Good?

Good.

I must have sounded pretty
hysterical when I called.

Under the
circumstances,

I thought you sounded
remarkably cool.

Mmm...

Oh, that feels good.

Good.

That's good.

I do feel better.

Well, I'm glad.

And I would really
like to stay here,

but I can't miss this
department meeting today.

I'll call you later.

Okay.

I'm here if you need me.

Remember that.

Spiders in your bed?

You got to be kidding me.

I mean, tell me
you're kidding me, Radcliffe.

It had to be a dream.

It was no dream.

Real spiders?

You don't believe me.

Well, just listen to yourself
for a minute.

I might as well.

No one else will listen to me.

Look, we're trying to find out

who trashed your
apartment, Cathy.

Give me a break, huh?

I'm going to put you
on something else.

We got a heavy
caseload here.

What about
the William Coleman murder?

You're beating a dead horse.

Hector Ocala killed Coleman.

Ocala is dead-- natural causes.

That's all she wrote.

It was a coincidence.

Next case.
Let's move on, huh?

What's wrong?

Don't you see it?

What?

On your desk.

What?

Are you all right?

Are you okay?

I'm fine.

Cathy, I think
you need to sit down.

Don't touch me!

What the hell
is wrong with you?

Cathy?!

Professor Ross, please.

He has to be there.

This is Catherine Chandler.

If you would have him
call me right away?

Yes, it's an emergency.

Hey, girlfriend,
you okay?

I'm just tired.

Didn't get
much sleep last night.

If you would just let me
get back to work.

The work can wait,
Cathy.

Maybe you should take
the rest of the day off.

Yeah, that's right.

Come on. I'll go with you.
We'll get some ice cream

and watch the soaps.
Let's go.

Go ahead. It'll
do you some good.

Why are you both trying
to get rid of me?!

Okay. Okay, I'll go.

But I don't need
any help.

He's talking
about turning himself in.

Look at me!

Look at what's happened!

It's in your mind.

It isn't real.

Of course it's real!

Oh, look at my hands!

What is that?

No, my shell.

Let me see the shell.

You must let me help you.

You're doing this to me.

How?

I could never hurt you.

I don't know you.

Catherine, it's Vincent.

You're one of their demons.

You are. You are.

I saw the picture in my room!

Stay away!

Don't come any closer!
Catherine!

Catherine!

You're my life.

Tell me what I can do.

Don't you ever come back.

I can't.

I hate you.

I hate you!

I hate you.

I hate you!

Even in this terrible darkness,
I'm with you.

I'll never leave you.

You stay away!

Hello, Alexander.

Please, help me!

Ah.

Where is she?

She'll be here soon.

What, what, what?

What's the matter?

Nothing.

Good.

Now is no time
to lose your faith.

We're so close.

I can feel it.

I'll light the candles.

Yes.

It's the powder.

The powder takes
away the soul.

The powder.

Is it a drug?

The shell opens
the door.

She clings to it.

Believes in it.

She will die, Vincent.

She is already dead.

I must go to her.

No!

The evil one will take away
your soul!

He has great power.

He preys on weakness.

He has no power.

For those who
wish to harm us,

there is no escape.

Come.

Help me.

I will.

I will free you.

I will fill you
with power.

You will never
need fear again.

I feel so dizzy.

It's all right.

It's all right.

What is she doing here?

She's a friend.

A helper.

Ocala.

Drink

this.

Drink it!

No. No!

No!

No!

It's all right.

Look at her.

Can you feel
the power in her?

Erzuli coeur-noir...

Erzuli je-rouge...

Father Baka, she is here.

She is yours.
body and soul.

Come to her now,
Father Baka,

and possess her.

Doctor!

Alexander!

Oh, Baka.

Come on. We've got
to get out of here.

Baka.

Baka came to me.

Filled me
with his power.

The fire!

Fire can't harm me now.

How can you be sure
that he'll take the stand?

We've notified the FBI.

5:00. No excuses.

How you feeling?

Much better.

I was worried
about you for a while.

I know.

You stuck with it.

You did good work.

Thanks, Joe.

Lindsey Gates
just rolled over.

She's giving us the names

of Alexander Ros''
other followers.

And she copped
to poisoning Coleman.

Alexander Ross was right.

Hector Ocala did have
a powerful rival.

Can you believe that?

A tweed-suit type
like Ross?

Makes you wonder what they're
teaching in college these days.