If you’re strictly looking for a first-class presentation of the shows, the DVD set earns every one of the five stars it’s getting from its patient fans at Amazon.com. However, to jam six CDs into a standard-size case, a few features we’ve come to expect from recent TV series collections had to go: no DVD extras (not even chapters within an episode!), no cast bios (what has Jay Acovone been up to since the last time he yelled “Radcliffe!”?), and even the episode guide has been relegated to the inside of the DVD jacket (it works, sorta, because the case uses see-through plastic).

So, for everyone who needs more, much more about Beauty and the Beast and the people who made it come to life, some of the best online resources presented for your clicking pleasure:

Beauty and the Beast Central Department

If you’re a newbie to this cult classic, consider TV.com’s Beauty and the Beast website. It offers a series summary, cast roundups, episode guides and ratings, and a forum. IMDB’s Beauty and the Beast page offers a cast listing, favorite quotes from the show, trivia, goofs and user comments to fill in gaps in TV.com’s coverage. Get a Brit-flavored take on this history of the show at Television Heaven’s Beauty and the Beast page. The Wikipedia entry provides a great series synopsis, extended discussions of the main and major supporting characters, and even one author’s suggested origin for Vincent and other larger-than life characters from other cult-classic TV shows!

Music and the Spoken Word Department

We grabbed the Beauty and the Beast soundtrack Of Love and Hope, featuring music and poetry from the show as read by Ron Perlman (the Beast) when it was first released. It’s available again from Rykodisc – so get your own copy!

B and the B Book Department

Longtime fans might recall a series of novels based on the series. These include Beauty and the Beast and Beauty and the Beast: Song of Orpheus by Barbara?Hambly, Beyond Words, Beyond Silence by Nan Dibble, and Masques by Ru Emerson. All sadly out of print, but available (mostly) via Amazon.com (follow the links), or from other used booksellers.

Prefer comics? Beauty and the Beast: Portraits of Love was a comic book based on the series, written and illustrated by Wendi Pini. It’s available used from many book and comic sellers (follow the link to search Google).

Fan Fiction and Much, Much More

Not only is there a web page for just about everything, there’s probably a webring for just about everything. Check out the Beauty and the Beast Tunnel webring to discover fan fiction, fan art, tributes to actors from the series, and much more.

Hollywood Classics Department

The Shop Around the Corner. Forget Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail! Discover the original and learn how love can hide in plain sight.

Casablanca. Love for a woman, love for a man, love of country, love of freedom. Find out why everybody comes to Rick’s – and never leaves the same.

Triple-Threat Department

Beauty and the Beast. Whether you prefer the Cocteau, TV, or Disney versions, this classic story reminds every man to prize the beauty in his life and every woman to search for the prince hidden inside the beast.

Cary Grant Department

An Affair to Remember. Take an ocean voyage, plan a trip to the top of the Empire State Building, and along the way discover the connections between human and divine love.

Notorious. She’s a woman with a past looking for love and trust. He’s a man sworn to defend his country – and she’s the perfect weapon.

North by Northwest. It’s a cross-country romance at express-train speed! A Cold War spy thriller! A search for meaning! It – is – North by Northwest.

TV Department

Remington Steele. Invent the perfect detective, and you might be surprised what happens when your invention becomes reality.

Best of Britain Department

Jane Austen series. Love is a serious decision, a fun-filled romp, or sometimes as overblown as a Gothic thriller. Jane Austen knew it, and fortunately so does the BBC.

Lord Peter Wimsey – Harriet Vane series. The titled sleuth faces a double-barreled dilemma when he falls in love with a mystery writer on trial for murder: even if he saves her from the gallows, can they overcome their pasts to create a future together?

Happy Valentine’s Day!