Title The Lives of Others

Two-Sentence Summary After Castle injures his knee during a ski trip with Beckett, he’s confined to his loft while the rest of the 12th precinct crew investigates the murder of an IRS agent. However, Castle’s boredom is soon abated with the help of a pair of binoculars and a possible murder across the street, which may or may not have the makings of the best birthday ever for the mystery novelist.

Favorite Lines
Castle: How many murders do you think we’ve solved since we met?
Beckett: I don’t know…Maybe a hundred or so?
Castle: A hundred? Here’s to a hundred more.

My Thoughts When looking at my list of favorite Castle episodes, it became clear to me that my tastes tend to favor the more dramatic fare this show offers up from time to time. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t also love Castle when it’s being fun and funny. I simply like a little substance with my silliness, and that’s the reason I completely adored “The Lives of Others.” It was the perfect way to celebrate 100 episodes of Castle by celebrating what this show does better than any other: effortlessly weaving a web of mystery, comedy, and romance with the help of sharp writing and great performances.

As some of you know, I’m a big fan of Castle’s “genre episodes” (“Heroes and Villains,” “Undead Again,” “The Final Frontier,” etc.), so, of course, I was already predisposed to love this little Alfred Hitchcock tribute. Throughout the episode, I found myself smiling at the nods to Rear Window (especially Stana Katic in that stunning Grace-Kelly-esque dress). Andrew Marlowe and Terri Miller did a fantastic job writing an episode that was a beautiful homage to a classic mystery story while twisting it in a way that was uniquely Castle in its quirky setup and romantic payoff.

Like most of the 99 episodes that came before it, “The Lives of Others” benefitted heavily from Nathan Fillion’s charisma. Ultimately, this episode was a love letter to Richard Castle, and it worked because it reminded us over and over again of why this character is deserving of not one but 100 love letters. Fillion got to show so many facets of Castle’s personality in this episode: his adorable-yet-annoying childishness (whining about when Beckett was going to bring him dinner); his playful sense of fun (The whole bit with the toy helicopter was some hilarious work from Fillion.); and his determination to find the true story behind everything (I loved that his inability to give up on this murder harkened back to his inability to give up on the murder in the pilot.).

One of the things I love most about Castle is the way these characters have grown over 100 episodes while still retaining a true sense of who they were in the pilot. It’s only because we—and the characters—know Castle so well that we’re able to appreciate the twist in this episode for the true joy that it was. Castle is the kind of man who would love nothing more than a murder to solve for his birthday. (In fact, he specifically told Beckett that on Valentine’s Day, which I thought was a cute little thing to bring back.) And Beckett is the kind of woman who understands him enough to get him exactly what he wants. I love when you can feel the sense of history between two characters, and never have I felt that as strongly as I felt it between Castle and Beckett in this episode.

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Title The Wild Rover

Two-Sentence Summary When a baker with connections to the Staten Island mob is found dead, Ryan returns to the undercover life he left behind in order to become a homicide detective. While he works to bring down the mob from the inside and protect a former love, his struggle to start a family with his wife, Jenny, is brought to the forefront.

Favorite Line “Don’t let the looks fool you, boys. You don’t want to mess with her either.” (Ryan, about Beckett)

My Thoughts It took this episode to prove something to me once and for all: My name is Katie, and I am a Kevin Ryan fangirl. I always thought I was more of an “Esposito girl” (because, let’s be honest, you’re usually one or the other), but my taste in Castle episodes says otherwise. Earlier this season, I found myself surprisingly disinterested in the Esposito-centric “Under the Influence,” but I have to admit; both Ryan-centric episodes in the series so far (this one and Season Four’s “Kick the Ballistics”) have been among my favorites in their respective seasons. I’m not sure if it’s the way he’s written or the way Seamus Dever plays him (or, more likely, a combination of those two factors), but Ryan makes a really solid centerpiece for an episode.

I think so much of what makes Ryan appealing to me and to many in the audience is his courage of conviction. If there’s been one consistent thing about this character from the beginning, it’s his desire to do the right thing. Ryan does the right thing even when it’s not the popular choice; he does the right thing even when it could cost him friendships he’s spent years building (see last season’s finale for the perfect example of that). That profoundly moral center was at the heart of this episode on so many levels. Ryan wanted to do the right thing for Jenny in giving her a baby. He wanted to do the right thing for Siobhan in protecting her. And he wanted to do the right thing for the victim by getting justice by going undercover once more, no matter the danger it would put him in. What I loved most about the plot of this episode was that it made sense for what we already know about Ryan.

We know that Ryan trusts authority figures more than any other character on this show, and that makes even more sense after learning that he was undercover for such a long time. If he didn’t follow orders and trust the people he was working for, he would have been in even greater danger than he already was. We know that Ryan always tries to be an upstanding cop, and now we know that some of that probably comes from his guilt over leaving Siobhan the way he did. We know that Ryan is probably the most loyal character on this show, and that made his relationship with Siobhan even more realistically painful. As I’m writing this, I’m starting to realize just how well-developed Kevin Ryan is as a character. Bravo, Castle writers (and Dever) for creating a secondary character on a procedural as rich and nuanced as Ryan has become.

I do think that so much of this episode’s success at building a strong and believable backstory came from Dever’s performance. Throughout the course of the show, Ryan has been a steadfast champion of doing things by-the-book, but he’s never come across as preachy or condescending. So much of that has to do with the earnest way Dever plays him. In this episode especially, you could see the internal struggle Ryan faced between doing the right thing as a husband and doing the right thing as a detective. Dever made you feel the stakes for his character without overacting, which isn’t an easy task. There was a certain gravitas he carried with him in his undercover scenes that had me holding my breath because I understood how much pressure Ryan was under to succeed.

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Title Scared to Death

Two-Sentence Summary The death of a young woman leads Castle and Beckett to a mysterious DVD that promises to bring death at midnight of the third day after its viewing. While Beckett attempts to solve the case with reason by tying it to a serial killer and his brother, Castle begins to work his way through his bucket list, believing his death is imminent.

Favorite Line “You’re a cop. And I’m a cop…helper.” (Castle)

My Thoughts After the intense drama of the last two episodes of Castle, it was nice to shift gears and return to a lighter take on the procedural genre. I’ll admit that my expectations for this episode weren’t sky high, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much fun I had watching this episode. I think I’d even go so far as to say it was some of the most fun I’ve had watching Castle this season, and this has been a pretty great season to be a Castle fan.

My favorite Castle cases are the quirky, somewhat nerdy cases: the zombies, the sci-fi convention, the vampires, the ghost hunters, the soap opera writer, etc. So this case was incredibly enjoyable for me. I loved the callbacks to the best of the horror genre because they were integrated perfectly into the plot: the cabin in the woods, the creepy video, the meeting in the mental hospital. Even Castle rejecting Beckett’s propositions made sense within the context of the episode and Castle’s character as we know him: Sex is never a good thing in a horror movie, and it’s definitely in Rick Castle’s personality to buy into that superstition 150%.

The horror plot also gave us that deliciously fun phone call with Wes Craven. I adore reminders that Castle is rich, famous, and well-connected, so this was like a surprise gift in the middle of an already-fun episode.

So much of the “fun factor” in “Scared to Death” came from the interactions between Castle, Beckett, Esposito, and Ryan. But I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Perlmutter’s presence as well. I love Lanie, but Castle and Perlmutter’s continuing antagonistic relationship is a beautiful thing to behold. One of my favorite moments in the entire episode was Perlmutter calling him “Defective Castle.”

The entire group in the 12th precinct was firing on all cylinders this week in terms of their comedic timing and chemistry. I’ve always loved the natural divide between the skeptics (Beckett and Esposito) and the “believers” (Castle and Ryan), but this episode edged Esposito just a little bit closer to the believers. And it was hilarious to watch. The scene where Beckett tried to get the two detectives to watch the DVD was perfect, with Seamus Dever and Jon Huertas showing off their own comedic chops. I also laughed out loud when Esposito had his “startled…not scared” reaction to the creepy hotel owner sneaking up on them.

Beckett’s logic clashing with Castle’s wild theories has always been a source of great comedy for Castle, and it worked to great effect again this week. Just because they’re in a relationship doesn’t mean Beckett is going to stop being annoyed by Castle’s theories, and that’s a good thing. For as fantastic as character growth is—and for as rich as Beckett’s growth has been—this episode was a nice reminder that she’s still the same logical cop we met in the pilot episode and that her relationship with Castle is always going to be that mixture of oil and water that keeps the banter alive. Character consistency is just as important as character development.

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Title Hunt

Two-Sentence Summary With Castle in Paris after going rogue in his quest to get Alexis back from her kidnappers, Beckett and the team back in New York City make the chilling discovery that Alexis was deliberately targeted by her kidnapper. As pieces to a puzzle long left unfinished are revealed, it’s discovered that Alexis was kidnapped as bait to lure an elusive intelligence asset—her grandfather (aka Castle’s dad).

Favorite Line
“I just want you to know, son, I’ve always been proud of you. Always.” (Jackson Hunt)

My Thoughts It’s official: Castle has grown up. Who would have thought five seasons ago that the show which began as a quirky take on the procedural genre would be capable of producing something as intense, complex, and riveting as these last two episodes have been? I’m not ashamed to say I never saw it coming. I’ve always loved Castle’s more dramatic efforts, but “Target” and “Hunt” surpassed even my high expectations for what this show is capable of. I think it’s safe to say I have a new favorite two-parter.

“Hunt” took all the best things about “Target” and added another powerful ingredient to the mix with the introduction of Castle’s father. This was the first episode to separate Castle and Beckett for nearly the entire thing and have me walk away impressed, which is a testament to both Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic’s great standalone performances as well as the impressive work done by the supporting cast, especially James Brolin and Molly Quinn.

The episode began with another quietly powerful moment between Castle and Beckett, building on the shift in their dynamic that we saw last week. Once again, it’s Beckett’s turn to bring Castle a cup of coffee as well as the reassurance and stability that comes along with it. The whole scene was a beautiful parallel to the moment Castle held her hand in the precinct in last season’s finale. This time, it’s Beckett’s job to remind Castle that he’s not alone. She’s not giving up on this case, on Alexis, on him. Because she loves him. It wasn’t the time for her to make that big confession, but it’s been there in all of the little things she’s done for Castle in the last two episodes.

I was especially happy to see Castle accept Beckett’s hand and hold it. To be honest, it wouldn’t have bothered me if he didn’t; the man has a lot on his mind that he has to face down on his own. But he held onto her hand; he let himself lean on her if only for a brief moment. This episode was Castle’s time to make a stand for Alexis, the person he loves more than anything on Earth—even more than Beckett. And this moment was Beckett’s way of showing that she’ll stand with him for as long as it takes. He’s done that so many times for her. It’s her turn now.

Throughout both of these episodes, I loved watching Beckett work to stay strong for Castle and help him in the only way she really could—by being a good cop. But we were able to see the strain it put on her in this episode. Katic made Beckett’s helplessness tangible. The scene between Beckett and Esposito in the precinct was heartbreaking because you could tell she was so torn between wanting to be with Castle and wanting to stay in the precinct for as long as it took to get Alexis safely home.

The relationship between Beckett and Esposito is one of my favorites on the show. From early on, he’s been her voice of reason, her guiding light when she’s searching for answers or the right path to follow. Esposito has always helped her see who she really is and what she really wants. I have such a soft spot for moments when he nudges her towards the man she loves, so I thought it was a great touch to include the scene between them where he basically tells her it’s okay to leave the case behind for the night to comfort the man she loves (him calling her “Kate” for the first time was a beautiful little detail to show how serious and personal the situation is for all of them).

From the moment Beckett and Martha discover that Castle is in Paris (I’m just going to try to forget how bad the backdrop of Paris was in that shot of him on the phone with them), the plot starts running and never looks back. There were so many twists, turns, and betrayals that it left me breathless. “Hunt” was a spy-family thriller in the same vein as the greatest spy-family thriller of them all, Alias.

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Before I get to my recap, I have to wish a very happy birthday to Leah, a great writer, great friend, and the Kevin Ryan to my Kate Beckett.

Title Target

Two-Sentence Summary The murder of a Columbia student leads the team at the 12th precinct to the kidnapping of the daughter of a high-ranking member of the old Egyptian regime. When Castle discovers that Alexis was also kidnapped, he proves that a father will do anything to protect his child.

Favorite Lines
Beckett: I didn’t think you had that side to you.
Castle: When it comes to the people I love, I do.

My Thoughts WOW. I’m not sure there are words to describe “Target” beyond that. Everything about it was exceptional: the characterization, the music, the plotting, the twist, and the ACTING. I’m the kind of person who gravitates towards performances more than I do towards any other aspect of visual media. So when an episode of a TV show features the finest acting by its very talented cast to date, it’s safe to say that the episode is going to be one of my favorites.

I felt the setup at the beginning of the episode went on just long enough to build the tension. While some parts were certainly a little heavy-handed (Castle talking about setting Alexis free), it all functioned as a kind of calm before the storm we all knew was coming, a brief period to get settled in before Castle found Alexis’s phone and the wild, emotionally turbulent ride began.

In an episode that depended on Molly Quinn more than she’s ever been depended on before, she truly shone. I loved that the writers kept Alexis in-character. She’s her father’s daughter—like Martha said—brave and smart and strong. She’s also been shown throughout the series to be incredibly resourceful, which served her well here. It would have been easy to turn her into a crying, frightened mess, but I loved that she was the strong one. She used her brains, and she used them to the best of her ability. Alexis has always been one of my favorite representations of young women on television, and this only added to my love for the character.

Speaking of the women in Castle’s life, let’s give another standing ovation to Susan Sullivan, shall we? This woman can take a few minutes of screen time and use them in a way that makes her performance unforgettable. I loved seeing her strength rise to the surface again. Martha has grown in such a natural, believable way along with her son over the course of these five seasons. In a time of total crisis, it’s Martha who becomes the glue holding her family together—and Sullivan nailed that mixture of hope and fierce determination with her trademark power and passion.

Castle’s family at the precinct was also a subtle but huge source of support in this episode. I loved the moment when he walked out of the meeting with the FBI agent and the rest of the team watched him go. You could see the sadness, pain, and resolve on all of their faces. Castle is a part of their family and has been for years. And these people protect their own. I never doubted once that they were ready to do anything in their power to save Alexis, who is part of their family, too.

Captain Gates was especially powerful in this episode. I got tears in my eyes for the first time in the episode (but certainly not the last) when she told Beckett to do whatever it takes to “find his little girl.” For all her gruff exterior when it comes to Castle, it’s clear that Gates sees him as part of their family, too. I also loved the way it became clear that Gates knows about Castle and Beckett’s relationship. Like “Probable Cause,” this episode didn’t make a comedic moment out of the reveal. Instead, it was a quiet but important moment of recognition when Gates saw them holding hands. I’m sure this will cause tension after all is said and done with Alexis, but I liked that it was handled in an understated way for now. There were more important things to deal with.

Like any strong Castle episode, “Target” got its strength from its leads. Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic both have never been better than they were here—and I say this is as someone who was blown away by their work in “Always.” I know it’s common fandom hyperbole to say that an actor deserves Emmy recognition after a particularly good episode, but I genuinely believe Fillion deserves at least a second look by the Emmy nomination committee for his work here. His vulnerability was something we’ve never seen from him before—not even from his best work on Firefly. And his darkness was something I’d missed from his days as Captain Mal. There’s something truly terrifying about watching those beautiful blue eyes go dark and cold—and it was absolutely necessary here.

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Title Reality Star Struck

Two-Sentence Summary Castle and Beckett prepare for their first Valentine’s Day as a couple while Ryan’s “family planning” begins to affect his work life, and Esposito rekindles an old flame. These holiday preparations are set against the backdrop of the murder of one of the stars of a catfight-filled reality TV franchise.

Favorite Line “You are beauty, passion, and fierce intellect. Be my valentine. —Rick” (Castle’s Valentine for Beckett)

My Thoughts Fun, flirty, fabulously romantic Castle—oh how I’ve missed you! Honestly, that was the most fun I’ve had watching Castle in a long time. The comedy was sharp and full of pop culture references, the twists came fast and furious, and the romance was subtle but still significant. In short, this was an example of what a comedic Castle episode can be when all of the pieces come together in the right way. This episode was like a great piece of chocolate—sweet but not too sugary and incredibly satisfying.

In fact, my only complaint about this episode was the use of Gina Torres. Of course each scene she was in was made 1000 times better just by her BAMF presence, so I simply wanted more of her. She is one of my favorite women on television and has been for years. (Anna Espinosa was always a favorite villain of mine.) Therefore, I kept waiting for her to show up again—and to share some screentime with Nathan Fillion. On Firefly, those two were a dream team, so it broke my heart that we didn’t really get much interaction between them, especially compared to Fillion’s gleeful reunion with Adam Baldwin in last season’s “Headhunters.”

Although I was left longing for more Anna Zoe Jessica Gina Torres, I honestly loved everything else in the episode. In fact, in honor of Valentine’s Day, I’m going to turn this recap into “14 Things I Loved About Reality Star Struck”:

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Title Recoil

Two-Sentence Summary When the death of a young woman points to Senator Bracken, the man behind the murder of Beckett’s mother, Beckett sees her chance to finally put him behind bars. However, circumstances change dramatically when the murder investigation leads to a planned attempt on Bracken’s life, forcing Beckett to act as his protector.

Favorite Line “I wouldn’t have done it. You know…what she did. I would have stood and watched.” (Castle)

My Thoughts This was the best Castle episode in quite some time. I have loved every episode in the “Johanna Beckett Arc” since we first learned about Beckett’s mother back in Season 1, and this was no exception. There’s something about the raised stakes that come with these episodes that seem to bring out the best in the actors, magnifying what’s good about the show while leaving you so captivated by the plot that you forget about the show’s flaws.

I know some might vehemently disagree with this statement, but I like dramatic Castle episodes on the whole more than the comedic ones. That’s one thing this season has shown me over and over again. Don’t get me wrong; I love when Castle is fun—especially when it’s nerdy fun. But I can’t help but feel that the filler episodes we’re sometimes stuck with seem even worse when viewed alongside any of the fantastic dramatic episodes this show has given viewers over the years. When so much character development can happen within the course of one hour, it’s hard to watch a few weeks’ worth of episodes where relatively little momentum happens.

Let’s get back to “Recoil,” shall we? I loved the moral dilemma presented in this episode and the way it asked not only the characters but everyone watching what they would do in Beckett’s situation. What’s more important: Vengeance for yourself and your loved ones or justice for strangers? It’s not an easy question, and there is no easy answer. And the fact that Kate Beckett realized there was no easy answer for her showed just how far she’s come.

When it came to her mother’s case, Beckett used to be blind to anything except her own need to find closure through revenge. In this episode, we finally see her with clear eyes—but human eyes. I loved the fact that Beckett hid the letter but then came clean to Castle about it. I also loved the fact that she didn’t shoot the suspect but ultimately saved Bracken’s life. I often joke that Kate Beckett is my favorite superhero, but that’s not because she’s superhuman. In fact, I admire her all the more for being human—for having moments of weakness that she must fight through, for facing temptation and struggling with it. The reality of Beckett’s internal, moral struggle makes her strength all the more inspiring.

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