Title Number One Fan

Two-Sentence Summary When a woman with a dark past appears to have mudered her boyfriend, she takes a group of people hostage until her favorite mystery author—Richard Castle—can prove her innocence. Castle and Beckett team up with Ryan, Esposito, and Captain Gates to uncover a tangled web of people willing to do anything to expose the truth and others willing to anything to keep it hidden.

Favorite Lines
Beckett: Listen, I’m kind of looking forward to spending the rest of my life with you, so don’t do anything stupid in there, okay?
Castle: Hey, don’t worry. I think I already hit my “stupid quota” for the day.

My Thoughts Most of my favorite Castle episodes include some combination of these factors: a case that’s different than your standard procedural fare; guest actors who make you truly feel the weight of the case; at least one moment with Castle’s family; a real sense of love and trust between Castle and Beckett; some quality time with the entire 12th precinct family; and a strong balance between all of the genres that make this show a very unique success. In most cases, even the strongest Castle episodes can only fulfill some of those requirements. Imagine my surprise, then, to see that six seasons after Castle first premiered, it was able to produce an episode that so effectively incorporated all of those factors. “Number One Fan” was the best episode of this young season, and it proved to me that the new, confident tone I was so impressed with in “Valkyrie” is here to stay.

The episode began on a high note and never looked back. The tone of the first scene was perfect. I feel like this season’s writers have shown a really strong grasp of how to integrate Castle and Beckett’s relationship into the rest of the show. The opening scene with the two of them in bed talking about her lost job was filled with the easy domesticity and natural feeling that should come from the interactions of an engaged couple. It allowed Stana Katic and Nathan Fillion’s unforced chemistry to take a simple scene of exposition and wrap it in the kind of warmth that feels right for where these characters are in their relationship.

Of course, the tone of the scene shifts from sweet to silly the second other characters begin parading in and out of their bedroom, but that’s what I love about Castle. The tone can turn on a dime, but that’s the way real life works. I still don’t understand Pi’s purpose (and I feel like he’s taking away from Alexis as a character right now), but I did have to laugh at the way his presence brings out the snarky side of Castle like nobody else. And I couldn’t stop laughing at Martha in her stage combat outfit. The way this scene’s comedic tone escalated reminded me of the opening of last season’s “After the Storm,” and I mean that in the best possible way.

It was a good thing this episode began with such a silly moment of comedy because, once the action really started, it was one twist, turn, and emotional moment after another. This episode had one of the strongest cases in a long time, and so much of it came from the emotional connection we were able to build with Emma and the way it utilized so many things we’ve come to learn about Richard Castle as a character. I love when the show reminds us of Castle’s work and his fame, and this episode took that a step further. It wasn’t just a reference; it was what the plot of the entire episode was based around. I loved the way it was hinted that much had been written about Castle and Beckett’s working relationship outside of just his books—because that would be true of a bestselling author who has such an interesting relationship with his muse. And I liked that Emma’s knowledge of Castle’s experience with the NYPD was what motivated her to ask for his help clearing her name. Castle is the kind of person who follows his gut and looks for the story even when the facts all point in another direction, and it makes sense for Emma to hope that he of all people would be able to solve this case.

Continue reading →

Title Need To Know

Two-Sentence Summary Castle rejoins the 12th precinct for a murder investigation involving the death of a TV actor who was famous for playing a nerd in a cheesy high school comedy. However, when the case becomes deeper than just a murder investigation, Beckett and Agent McCord show up in New York to take over the case, which leads to more than a little competition and a serious conflict for Beckett.

Favorite Line “Castle, your whole relationship is built on the foundation of your boundary pushing.” (Ryan)

My Thoughts With the conclusion of this episode, the “Beckett in Washington” arc ended as abruptly as it began. Back when Beckett first got the job offer, I remember feeling confused as to why she would take it, knowing what we do about her desire to honor the victims over following any sort of directive from a superior. It’s nice to know that I was right in my initial assessment of Beckett’s chief conflict with this job, but I’m still left feeling like it was more of a “good for the show” decision than a “good for the character” decision. It didn’t reveal much that we didn’t know already about Katherine Houghton Beckett (and I wish we had more scenes between Beckett and McCord), but it was nice to see the show try something new even in its “middle age” and do so in a way that was true to what we know about Beckett.

The reason I think this arc didn’t reveal much about Beckett that we didn’t already know is because we already know that Beckett prioritizes getting justice for victims over bureaucracy and protocol. While this isn’t earthshattering information, it did provide for some strong moments of internal conflict for this character, and I liked seeing her ultimately stay true to who she is: the one who honors the victims. When Beckett gave Castle the USB drive and when she leaked the name to the press, I felt incredible pride for this woman who refused to give up on her principles.

While I felt proud of Beckett for staying true to herself and doing what she believed was the right thing to do, I was also pleased to see that her actions actually had consequences. I was surprised to see Beckett get fired rather than quit in a later episode, but, in the real world, doing what she did would have led to a firing. As much as I love Kate Beckett, she can be quite the loose canon when she thinks she’s in the right and her superiors are in the wrong, and that’s not a good fit for a job in Washington.

And with that, Beckett is back in New York where she belongs, fighting for justice and honoring the victims. It was interesting to see her on the outside looking in when she joined McCord at the 12th precinct. The place that was once Beckett’s home was suddenly foreign soil, including her old desk (what a fantastic running sight gag that was). This episode did a great job of showing rather than telling us that this was where Beckett belonged—from the way she went back to standing in front of the murder board to the way Gates so passionately defended her team’s belief in fighting for the victim—so when Beckett handed over that flash drive, it felt less like a fiancée doing something for her romantic partner and more like a detective doing something for the team she wishes she was still playing for.

That team was the reason this episode was so strong. How great was it to be back in New York with Ryan and Esposito again? (Answer: GREAT) I love when Castle and The Boys (that sounds like a band name) get to interact for more than just a token scene or two because Nathan Fillion, Seamus Dever, and Jon Huertas have such excellent chemistry. From the first moment when Esposito ignored Castle’s call as Castle watched on TV to the countless quips about Ryan’s love for 2 Cool for School, this episode proved to me that this show would be lacking something special without the presence of Huertas and Dever. It was just so great to have the boys back together, and their race to solve the case independent of Beckett and McCord felt like the excellent Season Two episode “The Double Down.”

Continue reading →

Source: Tumblr.com

Title Dreamworld

Two-Sentence Summary After learning that Castle has only a day to live after being exposed to a deadly chemical related to her latest case, Beckett frantically searches for leads to keep her fiancé alive and prevent a possible terror attack in Washington. Her investigative work leads her to a journalist, whose grief over his own fiancée’s death at the hands of an air strike from the secret military base known as Dreamworld has driven him to seek out revenge against the sitting Secretary of Defense.

Favorite Lines
Castle: Next time I say I’m dying to see you, let’s keep it metaphoric.
Beckett: Deal.

My Thoughts One of my favorite things about Castle is its brilliant character continuity. We can be presented with new situations and obstacles for these characters without the show feeling completely foreign because the characters’ reactions to these situations are always true to what we’ve learned about them over the last six seasons. It’s why Castle and Beckett making the leap from partners at work to partners in life was so successful last season, and it’s why “Dreamworld” was so successful as well. The way every character in this episode reacted to its events was such a shining example of what makes Castle a great show: It’s a rare procedural that’s driven by characters rather than plot, and it never tries to shy away from that. In fact, it embraces our connections to those characters and the characters’ connections to one another. Those connections are what made this episode so compelling and emotionally engaging.

I think we all knew there was no way Castle was dying in this episode. The real reason the end of last week’s “Valkyrie” was such a great cliffhanger was because it blindsided the characters in addition to the audience. And the reason this episode was still so suspenseful—even with our collective belief that Castle couldn’t die—was because it was so suspenseful for the characters. When you have writing that allows the emotional stakes to be the focal point of an episode, even the most predictable plots can leave you on the edge of your seat with tears in your eyes, which was basically my default position for all of “Dreamworld.”

The case itself was interesting enough, even if it did borrow heavily from common Castle plots: the impending terror threat looming over a two-part episode, the loved one out for vengeance, and the shady political maneuverings. But what I liked about this episode was the fact that all this heightened action happened right at the start of the season rather than at its midpoint. Like I said after last week’s premiere, starting the season with a two-part episode felt like a very confident and intelligent move to secure the interest of new viewers and get casual fans hooked right at the start of the season.

I liked the twists and turns in the case, but my favorite thing about it was the way it helped set up a believable reason for Beckett to leave Washington (because I think we’re all 99.99% sure she’s going back to New York at some point). If she left just because she missed Castle or because she wasn’t good at the job, this whole arc would feel hollow and empty. But it looks like this job is going to force her to confront her beliefs about justice. Kate Beckett has always been driven by her desire to get justice for others because she knows how it feels to lose a loved one. Now, she’s left with the idea that her dedication to getting justice for all victims and their families may have to take a back seat to politics. I’m not sure Beckett will ever be able to justify putting other things above getting closure for a victim’s family. The look on her face when McCord told her the Secretary was going to get off without any real blame said it all: How can she be the one who honors the victims when she’s in a place where not all who are guilty can be brought to justice?

Beckett’s motivation for solving crimes has always been personal, but this episode took it to another level. Like Sydney Bristow and Chuck Bartowski before her, Kate Beckett proved that she’s a force to be reckoned with when the love of her life is in need of an antidote. I’ve seen this general plot so many times before, but what kept it fresh in “Dreamworld” was the way it affected each character. The “search for an antidote” plot may have been done on Alias, Chuck, and a thousand other shows, but there was nothing generic about the way it was handled on Castle.

Continue reading →

Title The Human Factor

Two-Sentence Summary When the man behind a website famous for leaking government information is killed by a drone, the team at the 12th precinct must work with Jared Stack, an operative put on the case by the attorney general. Beckett’s tenacity and intelligence earn her Stack’s respect as well as a chance at a job in Washington.

Favorite Line “That theory is highly improbable. And coming from me, that’s saying something.” (Castle)

My Thoughts “The Human Factor” was much better than I was expecting it to be. It came on the heels of “Still,” one of the best episodes of the season and was originally supposed to follow, “The Squab and the Quail,” which was one of the worst. I was worried that it was going to bring Castle and Beckett back to an angst-filled place in their relationship before the finale, but I am so happy to say that my worries were all for naught. Instead, we saw them as flirty, fun, and united as ever. I’m happy that the obstacles coming their way in the finale are external ones, and they’re believable ones. After so many seasons of seeing how good Beckett is at her job, it felt right to see her offered a chance at something bigger. This episode did exactly what it was supposed to do—it made me excited for the finale while standing on its own as a solid episode with a very strong case at its center.

This was probably one of the most interesting cases Castle has come up with this season. I found myself drawn to the more “procedural-ish” (I love inventing words!) aspects of this episode even more than I was drawn to Castle and Beckett’s interactions, and that only happens with the most compelling cases. I think what made this case stand out were the guest actors. From the son’s palpable anger over his father’s abandonment (and its reflection of Castle’s own abandonment issues) to Stack’s journey to respect Beckett and her abilities, these characters felt like real people with real emotions and believable motivations for their actions.

The case itself also raised some interesting questions about national security, the use of drones on American soil (and abroad), and morality in general. I love when this quirky little show gets serious because it does it in a natural way. There’s never a “very special episode” feel to it (except maybe when it comes to the Johanna Beckett case); it’s merely a matter of reflecting reality: Sometimes life is funny and light, but sometimes it’s serious and makes you think about things much bigger and more complex than your world usually is. I’m not always a fan of episodes where the 12th precinct deals with federal agencies (Season Four’s two-parter was not a favorite of mine), but the conflict in this episode felt real and understandable from both sides.

I think the real reason I loved the case so much—more than its complexity or its great guest actors—was because it allowed Kate Beckett to shine. Beckett is extraordinary for so many reasons, but it should never be forgotten that one of the first things Castle (and, by extension, the audience) came to love about her was just how good she was at her job. When I watch other characters come to admire Beckett’s skills as a detective, I feel like a proud mother. Beckett is my favorite character on TV for so many reasons, but one of the first things that stood out about her was that she was allowed to be exceptional at what’s typically known as a masculine job, and those exceptional skills were what attracted Castle to her as much as her looks.

Continue reading →

Title Still

Two-Sentence Summary When Castle and Beckett search the apartment of an alleged bomber, Beckett accidentally triggers a bomb under the floorboards, forcing her to stay completely still or risk setting it off. To keep her spirits up, Castle begins to playfully argue with her over who fell for whom first.

Favorite Lines
Beckett: Rick—I love you.
Castle: I love you too.

My Thoughts A day later, I’m still unable to wipe the smile off my face from that episode. While I was deeply disappointed in last week’s angst-fest of an episode, “Still” reminded me of all the reasons I fell in love with Castle as a show and with the Castle/Beckett relationship. For as bad as “The Squab and the Quail” was, I have to admit that this is a great time to be a Castle fan. Only a few weeks ago we were treated to the fabulous “The Lives of Others,” and “Still” felt like a continuation of the celebratory and slightly nostalgic feeling brought about by that 100th episode. For being an episode thrown together at the last minute and shifted around in its airing order (for incredibly valid reasons), “Still” was an emotional highpoint in a season filled with emotional highpoints, a crowd-pleaser in every way.

Before I get to all the reasons to praise this episode, I do want to acknowledge its place in the “Caskett chronology.” I know it was originally supposed to air before “The Squab and the Quail,” but it fits so much better as a follow-up to what happened in that episode (what happens next week notwithstanding since I’m really trying to avoid spoilers for the finale lead-up beyond what I saw last night in the promo). I’m not sure if “Still” was re-edited to reflect that episode, but had the episodes aired in their original order, “The Squab and the Quail” would have made even less sense. In “Still,” we see Castle firmly entrenched in “best boyfriend ever” territory, so I can’t imagine how Beckett could doubt his investment in the relationship when it was proven once again that he was willing to die with her. I don’t think relationship commitment gets anymore serious than that.

So in my head, this episode will always follow the events of “The Squab and the Quail” because that’s what makes sense. We saw Castle reminded not to take this extraordinary woman for granted, and we saw Beckett question his commitment to their relationship—both of those storylines finding resolution in Castle’s actions (and Beckett’s) in this episode. I’ve never seen either character more committed to each other, and this episode moved their relationship forward in more than a few important ways (Beckett’s “I love you,” Gates revealing that she knows about them, etc.). I’m hoping next week’s episode derives any angst from outside forces rather than internal ones because this episode was far too reassuring just to have them move backwards again.

The first clue that “Still” serves as a better follow-up than lead-up to “The Squab and the Quail” came in the first moments of the episode when we see Castle being a truly thoughtful, doting boyfriend to Beckett, bringing her coffee and the newspaper in bed. (Anybody else cry into their pillow in that moment because Rick Castle isn’t a real man? Just me?) That scene was such a simple moment of domesticity, but it spoke volumes to me about how much Castle genuinely loves and treasures this relationship—his face as he watched her sleep said all that and more. I loved their playful dialogue after Beckett woke up because it was fun, easy, and comfortable—the way their relationship should feel after watching it play out this season. And I loved the physical intimacy between them, too—Beckett on Castle’s lap and the extra kiss both felt so natural and so real, which is all I ever want to see from their scenes.

Once Beckett stepped on the bomb, the sweet simplicity of that morning scene disappeared and was replaced by a very realistic tension. I liked the sense of urgency that permeated every scene in this episode. The case itself might not have been that important, but it gave me one good “Oh my God!” moment when the suspect killed himself with the pen. I haven’t felt that kind of shock while watching Castle in a long time. I also have to give credit to the guest actors playing both the young lawyer and the head of the bomb squad; both were fantastic in their sense of helplessness as the episode went on and the situation grew more and more serious.

The tension outside the apartment was balanced by some of the best Castle/Beckett interaction this season. Putting Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic in a room and letting them show the full range of both of their impressive acting skillsets was a smart move. Both actors are so good at conveying emotion with just the slightest change in expression or the subtlest shift in tone of voice, and they put it to good use here. Their playful banter (“I can’t help it if you get off by putting things in my mouth!”) kept the episode from dissolving into melodrama and kept what could have been a brutally tense episode relatively fun.

What I loved most about Castle distracting Beckett with the talk of who fell for whom first was that Beckett once again relied on Castle’s words to help her through a difficult time. Even before they met, Castle’s ability to tell a compelling story kept Beckett going when other people would have collapsed under the weight of personal tragedy. His words gave her strength after her mother died, they gave her strength when she was being hunted, and they gave her strength once again to face a horrible situation. Only this time it was different because the story Castle was telling was theirs and Beckett joined in the storytelling too—as his equal, as his partner.

Continue reading →

Title The Squab and the Quail

Two-Sentence Summary As Beckett begins to wonder where her relationship with Castle is heading, a murder investigation introduces her to Erik Vaughn, an attractive and charming billionaire. When she’s assigned to protect him until the suspect is caught, Castle is driven by jealousy to solve the case as fast as possible.

Favorite Lines
Castle: You know how I get when I’m gaming. I’m like Gretzky.
Beckett: Well at least Gretzky knew how to score.

My Thoughts I had a bad feeling about this episode going into it, and I’m sad to say that my suspicions were confirmed: I did not enjoy most of this episode. I feel like I’m in the minority when I say this, but I have never really enjoyed “jealousy-themed” Castle episodes. The only one I can think of that I liked was “Nikki Heat,” and that was because Beckett was jealous of Natalie Rhodes taking over her whole life—not just her relationship with Castle (and it was just a very well-executed episode in general). I tend to get annoyed with both Castle and Beckett in these kinds of episodes, and this was no exception. Everything felt a little too heavy-handed to me, but at the same time the big issues were left unaddressed, which left me feeling frustrated when all was said and done.

Sometimes an episode goes off the rails at the very beginning and has trouble righting itself after that, and I think that’s what happened in “The Squab and the Quail.” I have never been so uncomfortable watching an episode of Castle as I was watching Beckett try to seduce Castle away from his video games. Before I go on, let’s get one thing straight: I find Stana Katic (and Kate Beckett as a character) to be one of the sexiest people of any gender on TV right now, and I think she can play seduction like no one else. But I found myself cringing watching her wiggle around and speak in a faux-breathy voice as Castle ignored her. I understand that some people probably found it funny, but to me it just seemed out of character for Beckett to be awkwardly and a little too desperately seducing a man who seemed to have no interest in sleeping with her at that moment—even if said man is her boyfriend.

And that brings me to my other issue with that scene: How is Castle that disinterested in Beckett that she has to resort to such ridiculous antics to get his attention? I’m sure some of that scene is realistic; Castle likes playing video games, so it makes sense that he would want to finish his game. But then why invite Beckett over (when we know from previous episodes that they don’t see each other every night)? I found it hard to rectify that man with the man who pined for Beckett for the last four years. This relationship issue seemed to come out of the blue, but it does seem to come from the same place as Castle’s “walls” that the show was supposed to be addressing. But are we really supposed to believe that Rick Castle, the man who was so open about his feelings for Beckett previously, is now starting to hold back because things are getting too serious? Are we really supposed to believe that after less than a year together he’s already losing interest in her, or are we supposed to believe that Beckett is just being insecure? I honestly don’t know…And I’m not sure I like either option.

I guess my issue with the opening scene is indicative of my issue with the episode as a whole: It felt off for the characters and the relationship we’ve seen play out so far. It felt manufactured to create relationship angst just in time for finale season. And it seemed unsure of whether it was supposed to be a serious commentary on their relationship or comedic relief.

Continue reading →

Before I get to today’s Castle review, I just want to say that my thoughts and prayers are with everyone in Boston and all of those who were affected in any way by the tragic events at yesterday’s Boston Marathon.

Title The Fast and the Furriest

Two-Sentence Summary Castle and Beckett’s (and Ryan and Esposito’s) conflicting views on belief in the unknown and the supernatural come to the forefront once again when Bigfoot appears to be connected to the murder of a young woman. Meanwhile, Castle attempts to solve a mystery on a much smaller scale when food keeps disappearing from his refrigerator.

Favorite Line
Castle: Did you see the way that gorilla looked at me?
Beckett: I think it was lust actually, Castle. You are ruggedly handsome.

My Thoughts “The Fast and the Furriest” was nothing more than a fun, lighthearted episode of Castle, and on a day like yesterday, a fun episode was exactly what I’m sure a lot of people (myself included) needed. Sometimes you’ll find me complaining about “filler” episodes, but this episode was funny and surprisingly sweet enough to work as a solid Castle episode even without moving the plot along in any major way.

I will go on the record and say that I was surprised by the killer, and I loved being surprised. I knew it wasn’t going to be the roommate’s ex-boyfriend because that would have been too easy. Also, Stana Katic did a great job of showing that Beckett was unnerved by how much she believed his grief and anger over the police not solving the murder—because we all know that she felt the same way about her mother’s homicide. I assumed the killer was going to be Raphael Sbarge’s Bigfoot expert, if only because any guest actor famous enough for me to recognize is usually the killer. And although he didn’t end up committing the crime and validating my theory, it was nice to see Once Upon a Time’s Archie on my TV again (especially since he’s being criminally underused this season on that show).

Once again, we were presented with a case that pits the skeptics in the precinct against the believers, and I don’t know how they do it but that dynamic never feels stale to me. Maybe it’s because the actors are so comfortable with their characters that all of their interactions feel so genuine and easy at this point. It’s truly a joy to watch Katic and Jon Huertas go up against Nathan Fillion and Seamus Dever—bantering and rolling their eyes at one another—because we know that it’s coming from a place of love for all of these characters at this point. You know the show you’re watching has a great cast when you could watch an entire hour of them standing around, debating the existence of Bigfoot and the validity of Bigfoot experts.

This was one of the funniest Castle episodes in quite some time, and it benefitted from great comedic performances from the entire cast. Katic always shines when she’s in “skeptical Beckett mode,” and this was no exception; her sarcastic one-liners and put-downs were all delivered perfectly, and the woman can roll her eyes like no one else in the business. Fillion was hilarious in his joy over the possibility of hunting down Bigfoot. How is it that Castle being a giddy geek over a crime still doesn’t feel old after five seasons? I think that says something about Fillion’s charm. And don’t even get me started on the perfection that was Castle in his ridiculous hunting outfit or the great callback to Beckett having to get an awkward boost from Castle to get out of a tough situation…

But the great thing about “The Fast and the Furriest” was that the jokes came from everyone in the precinct. Ryan and Esposito had some hilarious banter and great facial expressions thrown each other’s way. And Perlmutter and his sass were back in full force. (I especially loved both he and Esposito calling each other the “B-team.”) This is a very funny and very talented cast, and I love it when all of them get moments to shine.

Continue reading →