Slapping on a fresh coat of paint for the umpteenth time, the classic fairy tale BEAUTY AND THE BEAST premieres in its latest incarnation tonight on The CW. A mixture of romantic drama and police procedural, the series centers on an NYPD detective and the “creature” she remembers coming to her rescue during a brutal attack. Created by JENNIFER LEVIN and SHERRI COOPER, the cast includes KRISTIN KRUEK, JAY RYAN and JASON DELINE.

During a press conference to promote the series, writer JENNIFER LEVIN described how this “beast” differs from the character we’ve come to know in previous versions of the story. (CLICK ON THE MEDIA BAR FOR AUDIO)

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST debuts tonight on THE CW