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TV Time: Once Upon a Time 2.12 and Castle 5.12

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After a much-needed “Treat Yo Self” day yesterday (featuring shopping, Starbucks, and a TON of inauguration coverage), I apologize for being a bit behind in my recapping duties. In order to catch up, I’m going to combine my thoughts about this week’s Once Upon a Time and Castle episodes. And remember, you can always catch my thoughts as they’re formulating on our shiny new NGN Twitter.

ONCE UPON A TIME 2.12

Title In the Name of the Brother

Two-Sentence Summary Dr. Frankenstein’s past comes back to haunt him as the residents of Storybrooke struggle with whether or not to kill the stranger whose car crash brought him into their world. Rumplestiltskin and Regina each face struggles of their own as they deal with fallout from Cora and Hook’s appearance in Storybrooke.

Favorite Line “Keep smiling buddy. You’re chained down. He’s on his feet, immortal, has magic, and you hurt his girl. If I were to pick dead guy of the year, I’d pick you.” (Emma, to Hook)

Five Fast Observations
1.) The cinematography in the flashback portions of this episode was incredible. I loved the choice to film Victor’s world in black and white because it works on multiple levels: It’s a nice homage to the original Frankenstein films, and it also reflects the fact that this seems to be a colder world, a world without the vibrancy that magic gives to Fairytale Land. That was reflected in the brilliant decision to keep Rumplestiltskin in color even in Victor’s world.

2.) I love the idea of Red and Victor forging a close friendship, if not a romance somewhere down the line. Before this episode, I had never really thought of how similar they are, but now I really like that these two “monsters” have each other to lean on. For as much as Snow loves Red, she could never fully understand her guilt and her dark side. Victor can understand that, and he also gives her an outlet for the side of her that wants to take care of someone, to be someone’s support system. Red is such a beautifully complex character, and this episode showed me that Victor is also incredibly complex. They both want to make a fresh start, and I’m definitely behind the idea of them making a fresh start together (and not just because their chemistry was already so rich in this episode).

3.) Speaking of chemistry, it doesn’t get any more fun than what’s going on between Hook and Emma right now. I love that Hook is so blatantly attracted to her, because we know that a huge reason for the attraction is the fact that Emma bested him and got under his skin with her cunning and strength. Colin O’Donoghue is so fantastic in this role; he’s so charming but so broken, and I love that he plays both facets of this character in such a real way. And I love that he brings out so many facets to Jennifer Morrison’s Emma, too. The scene between them in the hospital was flirtatious, contentious, and surprisingly warm. I love that Emma feels compelled to protect Hook even while fighting against his advances, and I’m excited to see what becomes of their relationship as the season progresses.

4.) I’m really happy that finding Bae is how Rumplestiltskin wants his debt repaid by Emma. I was fearing it would be something much worse. I’m looking forward to seeing these two characters interact through this storyline because Morrison and Robert Carlyle have always had a fantastically antagonistic kind of chemistry. Also, how amazing was it to see Charming spring to his daughter’s side as soon as Rumplestiltskin showed up asking for his favor? I loved seeing him go into “protective dad mode” because Josh Dallas plays that paternal side to the character so well, and we haven’t gotten to see much of it yet. The image of Emma being surrounded by her father and her son as she faced Rumplestiltskin made me emotional because she finally has the protective, loving family she’s been living without for her entire life.

5.) Once Upon a Time is a show filled with heartbreaking moments, but I think Belle throwing the chipped cup against the wall may have been the most heartbreaking moment yet. To know everything Rumplestiltskin went through in “Skin Deep” to get that cup back—to know everything that it means to him—made that scene almost unbearable to watch. I’m a sucker for symbols, so to see such a beautiful symbol of him and their relationship (imperfect but still worth saving, damaged but not lost) destroyed right before his eyes was so painful. And Carlyle was once again devastating in that moment, especially as he walked away from the cup without using his magic to put it back together (because why fix something that isn’t worth anything anymore?).

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TV Time: Castle 5.11

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Title Under the Influence

Two-Sentence Summary The death of a DJ at a release party for a pop star leads Castle, Beckett, Ryan, and Esposito to a teenager named Joey “Monster” Malone, a kid who’s under the thumb of a powerful criminal and works by stealing for him. Esposito takes the orphaned Joey under his wing and, in the process, reveals some secrets about his own troubled past.

Favorite Line “I know you ain’t a cop with that fancy shirt and poofy hair.” (Suspect MC Thug, to Castle in the interrogation room)

My Thoughts Confession Time: I fell asleep about halfway through the episode. The combination of staying up until 2 a.m. after the Golden Globes (Award show coverage never sleeps!) and a subpar Castle episode made it all too easy for me to drift off. But never fear, Castle fans—not even a 10:30 p.m. nap would keep me from writing about the show. I got up at 1 a.m. and finished the last half-hour, but I did find myself nodding off again at points.

In summary: tired Katie + filler Castle episode = sleep

It wasn’t that I didn’t like this episode. In fact, I really liked some things about it (learning more about Esposito, to be specific). However, the episode as a whole felt like something out of a different show. It was good, but it didn’t really feel like Castle.

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TV Time: Castle 5.10

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Title Significant Others

Two-Sentence Summary The death of a divorce attorney leads the team at the 12th precinct to the unsolved murder of a pro golfer’s wife. Meanwhile, Beckett moves into Castle’s loft for a brief stay while her apartment is being fumigated, but things get a little more crowded when Castle’s ex-wife Meredith comes to visit.

Favorite Lines
Martha: This isn’t a flophouse, darling. You’ve got to stop letting freeloaders just live here.
Castle: Please tell me you see the irony.

My Thoughts I’ll get this out of the way now, so you can decide right away whether or not you want to keep reading: I didn’t love this episode. In fact, I thought it was the weakest link in what has been a very strong fifth season so far. It wasn’t “Heartbreak Hotel” or “The Limey” levels of bad, but it certainly wasn’t one of the show’s stronger efforts. I wanted more: more Meredith, more comedy, more romance, and more certainty at the end about where this show is going for the rest of this season. I know it seems like I’m being greedy, and maybe I am. But I know what this show is capable of, and I get frustrated when it falls short of that.

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TV Time: Castle 5.09

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Title Secret Santa

Two-Sentence Summary While investigating the murder of a Santa impersonator, Castle and Beckett prepare for their first Christmas as a couple. Romantic reunions, new traditions, and expanding families appear on the horizon as the holiday spirit descends on the 12th Precinct.

Favorite Lines
Ryan: Jenny says to me, “It just doesn’t feel like Christmas without kids.” She wants to try. But I come to work; I watch the news every day…It seems like the world’s falling apart. How am I supposed to bring a kid into that?
Esposito: World’s always falling apart, bro. Since the beginning of time. But having kids, raising a family…That’s what keeps it together.

My Thoughts I was excited for “Secret Santa” from the moment I found out Castle would be doing a Christmas episode this season. And I can honestly say that this episode didn’t disappoint. Were some things different than I was expecting? Yes. Did I get the epic “Caskett gift exchange” I’d been dreaming of for years? No. But I got something that was quite possibly even better: an episode filled with the warmth that makes Christmas such a special time of year, like a mug of hot chocolate on a snowy winter evening.

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TV Time: Castle 5.08

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Title After Hours

Two-Sentence Summary After a disastrous first meeting between their parents, Castle and Beckett’s frustration with each other is heightened while protecting a witness to the murder of a priest. Stranded without guns, wallets, and phones, they find themselves caught in a deadly game of hide-and-seek with the Irish mob.

Favorite Line “Catholic school is like combat. Unless you’ve been there, you don’t know.” (Ryan)

My Thoughts I found myself pleasantly surprised by this episode. Going into it, I had very low expectations. I was just biding my time until the Christmas episode airs (December 3), and I thought this would be a cheesy filler episode, stuffed with TV “meet the parents” clichés. Sure, it had some of the cringe-inducing awkwardness I was worried about, but ultimately this was another strong episode in what is turning out to be a standout season for this show. It had fun twists, great banter, strong performances from the supporting cast, and an unexpected amount of genuine emotion running throughout.

I was glad to get the disastrous dinner party out of the way as soon as possible. I’m not a big fan of watching situations turn sour for the sake of comedy, but I liked that this conflict came from what felt like real differences rather than manufactured ones. While it became something a little over-the-top by the end of the scene, I liked that there was a believability to what was going on because after five seasons we’ve gotten to know all of these characters and have an idea of how they’ll react when paired in new combinations. It’s nice to see character continuity extended to even the supporting cast.

Speaking of supporting casts, how fantastic are Susan Sullivan and Scott Paulin? I loved watching them bond over their children being in danger. They seamlessly moved from tension to understanding to warmth in a way that only top-notch actors can do. When she gets the chance to go for the gusto, Sullivan can rip my heart out like no one else on Castle. She only gives us brief glimpses behind Martha’s theatrical façade, and the fact that her dramatic skills are dished out sparingly makes them all the more powerful when we see them. The moment where she quietly, honestly shares her fears about Castle’s safety with Jim was beautiful, as was the reveal that both Castle and Beckett have told their parents they feel safest with each other. There was something genuinely heartwarming about that scene, something that has stayed with me for the more than 12 hours since the episode aired.

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TV Time Quickies: Once Upon a Time 2.07 and Castle 5.07

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Thanks to a much-needed mental health (aka shopping) day off yesterday and a never-ending battle with allergies, I’m a little bit behind in my recapping/reviewing duties this week. As such, I’m going to combine my reviews for this week’s Once Upon a Time and Castle episodes into one neat little recap package, summing up five observations I had about each episode in addition to my usual two-sentence summary and favorite lines.

Enough of my rambling; let’s get on with the shows!

ONCE UPON A TIME 2.07

Title Child of the Moon

Two-Sentence Summary As Ruby faces the first full moon since the curse was broken, she becomes the prime suspect in a murder investigation and the target of an angry mod, led by King George, who is determined to get revenge on Charming in whatever way he can. In flashbacks to the Fairytale Land that was, Red finds her mother and learns to control the wolf, while the princesses inhabiting present-day Fairytale Land experience a shock when Aurora reveals that Henry spoke to her in their shared nightmare.

Favorite Line “I’m sort of an expert when it comes to rehabilitation.” (Belle)

Five Fast Observations
1.) Red/Ruby is definitely one of my favorite Once Upon a Time characters. Hers is a story about learning to love yourself for everything you are, both the good and the bad. This is such an important and empowering kind of love to represent on this show. The real monsters of Once are the ones who use their power to knowingly cause harm to others. Red is fascinating because she could so easily have become such a character, but she instead learns that just because she has the power to become a monster doesn’t mean she already is one. In fact, she’s probably one of the most inherently warm and selfless characters on the show.

2.) I like that this episode focused on the beauty and depth that can be found in platonic love. It’s so rare to see a completely platonic relationship between an attractive man and woman on television, and that is exactly what we saw in this episode between Charming and Red. You can tell how deeply they care about one another and have faith in one another, but never once did I feel like there was anything but respect and friendship between them. It’s also rare to see female friendships depicted as deep, positive relationships in the media, but this episode showcased two incredibly positive examples of female friendship: between Red and Belle and between Red and Snow. Once Upon a Time does a great job of showing that romantic love isn’t the only kind of love to exist and have power, and “Child of the Moon” showed that both platonic love and self-love can be incredibly powerful.

3.) “I didn’t save you. You saved yourself,” might be one of the most important and influential lines these writers have ever written. With so many girls, families, and young women watching this show, it’s a big deal to have a Charming tell this to Red. This show is not one for subtlety, and in this case it’s a very good thing. There’s no doubt that Red is the one in charge of her own journey, but she also doesn’t have to take that journey alone.

4.) While the main cast all gave incredibly strong performances this week, I have to admit that I was disappointed in the acting by the guest actors in the flashbacks. The line delivery was incredibly stilted in the werewolf hideout. This cast excels at taking dialogue that could be cheesy and making it resonant, but this week’s guest actors gave surprisingly flat performances.

5.) I found myself incredibly moved by the running theme of light and darkness as displayed in each character. Besides the main storyline of Red struggling to balance the good and destructive forces within herself, Regina and Rumplestiltskin were both able to show moments of total humanity with Henry, and Charming’s dark side was heartbreakingly shown by Josh Dallas when George tossed the hat into the fire. Love is able to bring out both our best and our worst selves, and the line between them is often dangerously fine. It’s a credit to the actors that they are able to tread that line so convincingly.

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TV Time: Castle 5.06

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Title The Final Frontier

Two-Sentence Summary After a fangirl is murdered at a sci-fi convention, Beckett’s own nerdy past is revealed through her love for the short-lived TV series Nebula 9. As fans and the cast of the show alike appear connected to the murder, Beckett and Castle explore a world of D-list actors, alien costumes, and real laser blasters.

Favorite Lines “You’re right, okay? It was a stupid show. It was cheesy and melodramatic. I mean, a handful of academy cadets on a training mission and suddenly the earth is destroyed and they’re all that’s left of humanity? I completely understand why you hated it, but, Castle, I also understand why people loved it. It was about leaving home for the first time, about searching for your identity and making a difference. I loved dressing up like Lieutenant Chloe. She didn’t care what anybody thought about her, and I kinda did at that time. I mean, she was a scientist and a warrior, and that was all in spite of the way that she looked. It was like I could be anything, and I didn’t have to choose. So don’t make fun, okay?” (Beckett)

My Thoughts I run a blog called Nerdy Girl Notes. One of my latest posts was essentially a love letter to a science-fiction character. My Facebook photo albums are filled with pictures of me dressed up as fictional characters, waiting in line for midnight releases of movies or unleashing my fangirl tendencies on Halloween. This was a Castle episode about fandom in all of its convention-going, costume-wearing, life-changing glory.

Did I like it?

What do you think?

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TV Time: Castle 5.05

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Title Probable Cause

Two-Sentence Summary When Castle becomes the suspect in the murder of a young woman, it’s up to Beckett, Ryan, Esposito, and Captain Gates to prove his innocence. Things only get worse for Castle when the man framing him is revealed to be Jerry Tyson, also know an the “Triple Killer” or “3XK.”

Favorite Line “I know him, Lanie. He is an immature, egotistical, self-centered jackass sometimes. But he’s not this.” (Beckett)

My Thoughts There are plenty of good episodes of Castle, even more than a few great ones. But very rarely is there an edge-of-your-seat, marveling-at-the-acting, tear-jerking, nail-biting kind of episode. This was one of them.

Castle is growing up. In getting his two main characters together, creator (and “Probable Cause” writer) Andrew Marlowe allowed for a maturity and depth of storytelling that wasn’t possible before. The stakes are higher now because they’re not just unspoken, symbolic, subtext-laden stakes; they’re real stakes in a real relationship. Both Castle and Beckett know without question what they have to lose now when the threat is losing each other, and that heightened the intensity in this episode to a level that was almost unbearable at times (and I mean that as a compliment).

This new avenue of storytelling has also allowed for some great comedic performances this season from Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic, but “Probable Cause” showed that it also opens the door for a new depth to their dramatic performances as well. We’ve known from previous episodes that these two actors are masterful at creating moments of incredible emotional poignancy for a procedural (and an often-comedic procedural at that), but the stories they told with just their eyes in this episode were nothing short of brilliant. They both found a balance between restraint and vulnerability that stands up against any of their best dramatic performances on Castle to date.

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TV Time: Castle 5.04

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Title Murder, He Wrote

Two-Sentence Summary While attempting to enjoy a romantic weekend in the Hamptons, Castle and Beckett find themselves assisting on a murder investigation with ties to a meth ring after the victim shows up on their doorstep (or, in this case, their pool). Back in Manhattan, Ryan and Esposito attempt to put their detective skills to use to discover the identity of Beckett’s new boyfriend.

Favorite Line “Can I get a writer’s credit?” (Beckett)

My Thoughts This was a fun, funny, and thoroughly entertaining episode of Castle. It seems like the writers know that they’ve captured lightning in a bottle in terms of the way Castle and Beckett’s romance is playing out, and they’re running with it. There’s no pairing on TV as smart and sexy as they are, so it makes sense to showcase the chemistry between Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic to the fullest extent possible, which was clearly the goal of this episode. Well, that goal was certainly achieved; “Murder, He Wrote” was a great way to take the shackles of secrecy off of this couple, allowing the two leads to play and discover new beats in an already off-the-charts dynamic.

This week, I’m going to break my recap down into “The Missteps,” “The Mixed,” and “The Magic” that I found in this episode.

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TV Time: Castle 5.03

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Title Secret’s Safe with Me

Two-Sentence Summary The murder of a young woman sends Castle and Beckett to a storage unit, which holds the answer to not only her murder but the deaths of her brother and parents as well. While working on the case and still keeping his relationship with Beckett under wraps at the precinct, Castle also deals with moving Alexis out of the loft and into her college dorm.

Favorite Line “Even on the worst days, there’s a possibility for joy.” (Beckett)

My Thoughts I’m running out of superlatives at this point when it comes to Castle. This season started out on an amazingly high note, and yet the show seems to be getting even stronger with each successive episode. Finally allowing Castle and Beckett to be in a happy relationship with each other seems to have given both the actors and the writers a renewed energy. If these first few episodes are any indication, I think Season 5 has the potential to be the show’s strongest season yet.

My favorite Castle cases allow for moments of both humor and heart, and this one did exactly that. The parallels about “stuff” and what our physical belongings mean to us on an emotional level were done with enough care and finesse that they didn’t seem as heavy-handed as the running theme about “secret relationships” last week. I loved the fact that there was no way to predict how the case would turn out until the very end (even if it was frustratingly obvious that the doll had something to do with it). And in an episode that featured deep moments of love between Castle and his family, the idea that an entire family could be killed by one man was especially affecting and heartbreaking.

There were so many hilarious moments in this episode. It had been quite a while since an episode of Castle made me laugh this hard. Some of my personal favorite comedic moments included:
• Everything with Captain Gates. I loved seeing such a different side to her character, and I loved seeing everyone’s reactions to it. Penny Johnson Jerald was surprisingly funny, and that element of surprise is what made her scenes really work for me. I’m starting to like Gates more and more every week, which is something I really needed because I felt like her character fell flat for me last season.
• “Need I remind you; I’ve already seen your stuff.” And, “That’s not the owing I mean.” – The sexy banter between Castle and Beckett will never get old because Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic pull it off so well.
• Castle’s theories about Beckett’s doll were priceless. I was especially fond of the one about the old gypsy lady giving her a talisman.
• “Take your hands off your tool…Shut up.” – I can’t decide which was better—Katic’s delivery or the reactions from Jon Huertas and Seamus Dever.

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