Don’t Overlook ‘Beauty and the Beast’

Knowing that The CW’s romantic drama Beauty and the Beast will return for another season sure makes you feel better about this last leg of the second season, doesn't it? Don’t tell me those People’s Choice awards don’t mean anything. The little show that could will return this Monday at 9 PM and find our favorite super-soldier facing down a possible prison term for the murder of Kurt Windsor.

There is a stack of evidence against Vincent (Jay Ryan), and Cat (Kristin Kreuk) and team will have a hard time proving his innocence and finding the person behind the entire plot, according to an interview Kreuk did with TVLine. We didn't come this far to reunite the two lovebirds only to separate them again though, right? On the other hand, being in jail will give him plenty of opportunities to go into beast-mode, and the idea of him besting some tough-talking convict sounds like must-see TV.

Of course, none of this matters if you won’t even be around to watch the show on Monday night and don’t have any alternatives lined up. Assuming you have managed to make it nearly midway through the 2010s without a DVR, we have listed out a few of your other options. Because do you really think you could forgive yourself for missing stunning moments like this?

Get It From the Source: The CW

The CW will have the new episodes loaded onto its website the morning after, and unlike nearly every other network you won’t have to verify that you have cable in order to watch the full episodes. This option is ideal if you don’t mind watching the show in front of your computer, and if said computer and internet connection is up to snuff. Trust me, having to reload the browser over and over again gets old real fast.

Go To The Other Source: Hulu

The episodes will also be loaded on Hulu.com for free. And if you shell out $7.99 per month for the premium service Hulu Plus, you’ll get the option of deciding which platform you’d like to watch the episodes on — TV, mobile or computer. Is a monthly subscription worth the added convenience? Eh. Debatable. If you take public transportation home or find yourself constantly traveling, this could be a lifesaver.

If You're Lucky, Try On Demand

The CW is relatively new to the On Demand game, and as such, it’s not quite safe to rely on any particular show appearing on your cable provider’s On Demand website or On Demand set-top box. (Time Warner customers are SOL on this option.) If you choose this option, do so knowing that there is a good chance that the episode won’t be loaded and you’ll have to seek out CWTV.com or Hulu as back-ups.

Pay Up

VUDU sells the Beauty and the Beast episodes for $1.99 (or $2.99 for HD). The only reason you should opt for this choice above the better free ones is because you want to own the episodes afterwards for continuous replays later. No judgment.

Just Get a DVR Already

Not having cable isn't a reason to not have a DVR. TiVo took away that excuse a long time ago. The investment will more than pay for itself when you’re able to playback episodes at your own convenience. We've got enough to be stressed about on a daily basis. Take this one issue off the list.

Images: Ben Mark Holzberg/TheCW, SwagsSoMean/Tumblr