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Castle 5-6: The Final Frontier

A murder at a science fiction convention. Anyone not expecting a Firefly reference or two? I certainly was, yet they still made me laugh.

The fictional show that our murder revolves around is Nebula 9. This cheesy show only lasted 12 episode and that was 10 years ago (Firefly reference in the number of episodes and how long ago it aired). Castle has no use for it, saying he prefers Star Trek, Galatica, and that Joss Whedon show (reference #2). Of course, Beckett turns out to be a fan of Nebula 9, something that Castle can’t stop teasing her about, although he is also begging to see her in the uniform she wore at the time as a fan.

At this convention, there is the “fan experience.” Created by an ubber fan of the show (who bought the rights to it cheaply), this “show” allows fans to pretend they are members of the crew and act out an episode with the original captain, or at least the actor who played him.

And after one such performance, the creator of the fan experience is found dead in a prop on the set.Read More »Castle 5-6: The Final Frontier

Castle 5-5: Probably Cause

I first fell in love with Castle because of the humorous approach they took to mysteries. I’m not saying they don’t take mystery and murder seriously, but they have fun along the way with the quips and flirting they’ve always had between Castle and Beckett. But along the way, they’ve also developed such real characters that when they do a case that is more serious or personal, I love those just as much. That was certainly the case last night.

The episode started out like any other one. Castle’s at home, he thinks alone, and then hears Alexis in the house. She’s come home to do laundry and grab some snacks before taking off again to meet some friends to study. Castle’s a little perturbed by that, but the murder scene puts all that from his mind.Read More »Castle 5-5: Probably Cause

Castle 5-4: Murder, He Wrote

A nice romantic getaway to the Hamptons. What could be better than that? Well, if you are Castle and Beckett, maybe a romantic getaway without a murder. But then where would the fun be for us?

I’ve got to admit, I wonder a bit about the setting. Yes, they’ve talked about Castle’s place in the Hamptons before. But since ABC’s hit show Revenge is set there, I’m wondering if there is a connection. I also wonder if last season’s fairy tale themed episode was inspired by Once Upon a Time. But those are minor points since both episodes were good in their own right.

And I have to give them early credit for the shout outs to the fans. First, there is the title of the episode and the mention of the classic show Murder, She Wrote. People were making comparisons to that show early on because of the writer solves murders premise. Plus, there’s the scene where Castle is trying to come up with a trendy couple name for them. After several bad attempts to combined their names, he comes up with – Caskett, the long used name in the fan community. Just fun little nods I really enjoyed.

This is also the season with the best used story arc so far. Usually, a story arc plays out over just a few episode over the course of a season. Here, they’ve been doing something with Castle and Beckett being together in every episode so far. They are really playing it for laughs, too, and I’m enjoying it. Of course, something this big really does need to play a part in so many episodes, at least at the beginning of the season. Still, I’m a bit surprised that another domino fell tonight. Just how long are they going to keep this secret relationship a secret?

But enough preamble; we’ve got a murder to solve.Read More »Castle 5-4: Murder, He Wrote

Castle 5-3: Secret’s Safe with Me

Storage wars meets murder. The headlines almost write themselves if last night’s Castle had been a real murder. And it had some serious fun moments along the way.

The case starts with a dead girl in a cheap motel room. But she had $4,000 in cash on her, so why was she in that hotel? And why did she write LIE in her own blood? She lived in Philadelphia, and her boss was tracking her down because she had stolen the money from him, but he hadn’t arrived in the city yet. (Plus if he were the killer, it would be like the shortest episode ever. We haven’t even gotten to the opening credits yet.)Read More »Castle 5-3: Secret’s Safe with Me

Castle 5-2: Cloudy with a Chance of Murder

Second episode but first day of work? As strange as it might sound, that is what we saw on last night’s Castle as Beckett, Esposito, and Castle all returned to work after Beckett and Esposito finished serving their suspension.

The episode opens with Beckett trying to decide what to wear to work for her first day back. And Castle is there to help her. That is if suggesting she constantly needs to change is actually helping. They discuss the need to keep their new relationship a secret since Gates wouldn’t go for them being together. (No couples as partners, and Beckett doesn’t think the fact that they aren’t truly partners/co-workers would matter to Gates.) So they don’t car pool into work. And Beckett is upset when Castle doesn’t bring her a morning coffee like he always does. She wants everything to be completely normal.

They arrive at the murder scene to learn the victim is the evening weather woman at a local TV station. Family is not in the area, so they turn to co-workers. The other weather woman at the station had a feud with her since our victim got the plumb evening gig even though she wasn’t a true meteorologist. Furthermore, our victim stole some equipment from the other weather woman’s office. But she alibis out.Read More »Castle 5-2: Cloudy with a Chance of Murder

Castle 5-1: After the Storm

ABC Castle

Welcome back, my fellow Castle fans. I trust you had a good summer. Personally, I’ve been looking forward to tonight more than any other season premier of the year. (Well, almost, I’m also very excited about the premier of Once Upon a Time on Sunday.) Yes, that’s how much I still love the season 4 finale.

But we don’t know what kind of summer Beckett and Castle had. See, this episode picked up the morning after the season 4 finale. In fact, Castle wakes up in bed alone, but Beckett soon comes in with some coffee. They start to flirt when Castle’s mom comes in. She was supposed to be in the Hamptons for the weekend, but there she is. Castle quickly sends Beckett to the closet to while he deals with his mom, who is ranting and rambling about something. He puts her off long enough to get dressed and then discovers that Alexis had too much to drink at her graduation party the night before, and called Martha to get a ride home. Castle distracts them to allow Beckett a chance to get out in the funniest scene of the episode. (Although why Alexis wasn’t at a school sponsored alcohol free grad party was a surprise to me. Are those only a California thing?)

Read More »Castle 5-1: After the Storm

Castle 4-23: Always

I am still basking in the afterglow of last night’s Castle. I was worried they wouldn’t really deliver on the promises of the previews, but they did in a perfect way.

Of course, since it was a season finale, we had to bring Beckett’s mother’s murder back into the mix. Honestly, I’m not sure I follow what’s happening with that any more. If they mentioned it more than once or twice a season, it might help. But I actually like the fact that this show doesn’t have something they advance every week. I can only handle so many shows with advancing every week arcs, so it’s nice to have some shows where I can just enjoy the show when it’s on. And I certainly enjoy Castle.

Anyway, as Castle and Beckett meet up at the crime scene, they are discussing Alexis’ upcoming graduation. Castle says he plans a double feature for after the ceremony and invites Beckett, who actually smiles as she says yes. Then she has to prompt a stunned Castle to actually come to the crime scene.

The victim is a former gang member who joined the army to get away from the gang. Since getting out, he’s been attempting to get a job, but hasn’t been having much luck. But his girlfriend insists that he hasn’t gone back to the gang. He wants to keep his son away from that life.Read More »Castle 4-23: Always

Castle 4-22: Undead Again

Allow me to set the scene for you. I have just spent the day at Disneyland with some friends. I am tired. I am spending the night at a hotel room down there so I can go back the next day. I arrive in time to watch Castle, so I settle in and turn on the TV only to have it be the zombie episode. And let me tell you, the make up on those faces was a little freaky. Fortunately, it didn’t keep me from having nightmares, but since I don’t do much horror at all, it did have me worried.

The episode opens with someone sneaking up on Alexis. It’s Castle, and he’s taking part in the game of laser tag they’ve been playing since she was 5. Game to 1000. But she’s not interested because she’s trying to figure out which college to attend. She’s debating between two far away colleges because she doesn’t want to have the option of running home easily. She wants to spread her wings.

Castle’s depressed about that and confiding about it to his mom when Beckett calls. He refuses to take the call at first, and Martha prods him about that. Finally, he decides to work one last case with her, but because of how hurt he is to hang it up after this.

So he arrives at the crime scene, a parking garage, to find the victim was a stock broker at a nearby financial firm. He was found by his boss with a bite mark and his head smashed in. The only other car is from someone who he beat out for a promotion.

This looks like an open and shut, easy case. Castle’s a bit bummed as they go to take down the killer. Only the suspect begs Beckett to kill him. He claims that not only is he not the killer, but he witnessed the killing and then was attacked and bitten by the killer – a zombie and is now worried about being turned into one himself.Read More »Castle 4-22: Undead Again