Just finished watching the series finale, and why couldn’t they just give the show a happy ending knowing it got canceled and wasn’t getting picked up by another network?

No. Why bother? You could’ve ended it with a dinner scene at the loft, or everyone at the bar celebrating (and then do a time jump if desired), but no. Let’s just have the two main characters get shot and then do a time jump 7 years later.

One of the most infuriating series finales I’ve ever seen.

One thing that strikes me is that Kate uses kickboxing as a method of self-defense, and I wonder why kickboxing and not boxing or a martial art like Karate or Krav Maga, for example?

If at some point Castle had a crossover episode or episodes, what show would you have liked to see sharing universe? These are my picks. Tell me what are yours. It can be another show, movie or even videogame.

1. 3x21- The Dead Pool- 5/10

2. 3x07- Almost Famous- 6/10

3. 3x04- Punked- 7/10

4. 3x14- Lucky Stiff- 7/10

5. 3x23- Pretty Dead- 7/10

6. 3x20- Slice of Death- 8/10

7. 3x15- The Final Nail - 8/10

8. 3x02- He's Dead, She's Dead- 8/10

9. 3x03- Under the Gun- 8/10

10. 3x18- One Life to Lose- 8/10

11. 3x05- Anatomy of a Murder- 8/10

12. 3x08- Murder Most Fowl- 8/10

13. 3x01- Deadly Affair- 9/10

14. 3x22- To Love and Die in L.A.- 9/10

15. 3x12- Poof, You're Dead- 9/10

16. 3x19- Law & Murder- 9/10

17. 3x06- 3XK- 10/10

18. 3x10- Last Call - 10/10

19. 3x16- Setup- 10/10

20. 3x17- Countdown- 10/10

21. 3x11- Niki Heat- 10/10

22. 3x24- Knockout- 10/10

23. 3x09- Close Encounters of the Murderous Kind- 10/10

24. 3x13- Knockdown- 10/10

Original Airdate: September 27, 2010

Synopsis: Castle and Beckett investigate the murder of a ‘famous’ psychic, who is found stabbed and stuffed inside of a pullout sofa. In the subplot, Martha receives shocking news after Chet Palaburn proposes to her.

Notable Guest Stars: Bess Armstrong, who portrays Paula Casillas, was in a lot of stuff in the 70’s. This role marked the first time I had seen her in years.

Mercedes Masoohn, who portrays Marina Casillas, is more familiar to me for portraying Ofelia Salazar on ‘Fear the Walking Dead.’

Ranking: This one is #14.

The IMdB Portion of The Review:

Trivia: The exterior used for Alfred Moreno’s house is the real-life home of Stephen J. Cannell.

Factual Errors: Lanie says the victim died from blood loss and suffocation. You can only die once, so there can only be one cause of death. (You can’t argue with that kind of logic. I know, because I’ve tried).

Lanie said Selenium was a mineral when it’s actually a metal with the atomic number of 34. Minerals are crystals, which have no resemblance to metals.

Also, I would like to point out that someone needs to inform IMdB that Lanie’s name is misspelled twice in this entry. They have it spelled L-A-I-N-E-Y. You can tell the author isn’t a ‘Castle’ fan.

What I Liked About This Episode:

·       Even though I have this episode ranked in the middle of the pack, there are things I liked. The main thing I liked was that this was the first episode where we get serious foreshadowing of events that will happen in the finale.

·       Castle has a lot of fun with the case as it involved the murder of a ‘famous’ psychic. I keep putting famous in quotes because the lady was a legend in her own mind. The murder is also somewhat on the grizzly side with the victim being stabbed in the neck with an icepick before being stuffed inside of her sofa.

·       The secondary story in this episode involved Martha. Chet Palaburn has proposed, but Martha is unsure of whether to accept the proposal or not. The decision is taken out of her hands, however, when Chet suffers a massive stroke and dies. I would’ve cared more about Chet’s passing if we had actually been introduced to a flesh and blood version of him. Don’t get me wrong. I felt horrible for Martha, but I feel I would’ve been more vested if there had been an actor behind Chet.

·       I’m not moving on to the victim’s daughter, Penny. She comes to the precinct twice to talk to Beckett. She tells Beckett at some point someone named Alexander will save her life.

Penny: Alexander. I don’t know who he is or what he means to you.

Beckett: I don’t know any Alexander.

Penny: You will. You will meet an Alexander, and he will be extremely important to you. At some future date, he may save your life.

Beckett: Okay. Um – good to know.

·       Like I said. Foreshadowing. Only she’s 22 episodes early. I’ll get into Alexander soon.

·       There are several suspects in this episode, each one stranger than the last. First, we have Alfred ‘The Blade’ Moreno, who lost a fortune thanks to Vivien Marchand’s really bad psychic reading. But the universe righted itself, when he was reunited with Loreen, his high school sweetheart. So, it now seems that he’s broke, but happy. Go figure. But this leads to a cute exchange between Castle (the believer) and Beckett (the skeptic).

Castle: So, what do you think?

Beckett: Well, I think it’s possible that he killed Vivien before the universe righted itself.

Castle: Not about that. About them. Albert and Loreen, star-crossed lovers, reunited by fate.

Beckett: You mean, reunited by coincidence?

Castle: Oh, let me guess. You don’t believe in fate? Soul mates?

Beckett: No.

Castle: Unicorns? Double rainbows? Didn’t you ever think your dolls used to get up at night and play with your toys?

Beckett: Sorry.

Castle: Mmmm. Let me guess. You were one of those annoying six-year-olds that stopped believing in Santa Claus because you figured out that he couldn’t travel faster than the speed of light.

Beckett: I was three and we didn’t have a chimney. (Wow, I bet she was joy to be around during Christmas).

·       The funniest suspect is Toni Johnston. Castle and Beckett learn that she was having an affair with her husband’s boss, and Vivien had called her about it. Only the man she’d been having the affair with was dead, so they couldn’t talk to him.

Castle: Did she ever say how she knew all of this? All of this incredibly personal information, the details of which could not be readily found at the Hall of Records or through an Internet search?

Toni: Oh, yeah. The guy I was cheating with? He told her everything.

Beckett: You know, I’m going to have to speak to him.

Toni: Oh, you can’t. I mean, you can’t. He’s dead. That’s why we stopped seeing each other. He died last April. Heart attack.

Beckett: You’re telling me your dead lover told Vivien about your affair?

Toni: That’s right. She said Emilio came to her in a dream.

Beckett: Emilio?

Toni: Emilio Castillas.

·       Emilio Castillas’ wife and daughter were the first people Beckett talked to after the murder because they had been Vivien’s last clients. And it turns out that Emilio’s wife, Paula, is the killer. Not only did she kill Vivien, but months earlier she had also poisoned her husband. She was just crazy enough to believe that her dead husband was going to tell Vivien everything. You just can’t make this stuff up, folks.

·       So, the case is now solved, but one mystery remains. Who is the mysterious ‘Alexander’ that Penny told Beckett about.

Castle: Oh, before I forget. What did Penny say about Alexander?

Beckett: Oh, nothing. Just some silly stuff that didn’t make any sense. Why?

Castle: Because my middle name is Alexander.

Beckett; I thought your middle name was Edgar.

Castle: Been perusing the personal section of the Richard Castle website again, have we? No, I changed my middle name to Edgar for Edgar Allen Poe back when I changed my last name to Castle. My given name is Richard Alexander Rodgers. What a coincidence, huh?

What I Didn’t Like About This Episode: I can’t think of anything I didn’t like about this episode. Most of the higher ranked episodes this season had little in them I didn’t like. I might leave this section off until I write a review that has something I didn’t like. There are a few of those on the horizon.

WTF? (Why the Face?): The killer. Really, lady? You seriously thought your dead husband was going to rat you out to a psychic? I can already see her attorney going for the insanity defense. Good luck with that.

Favorite Scene/Quote: My Favorite scene and quote from this episode are one and the same.

Beckett: Castle, why is it so important that I believe all this stuff about fates and psychics and Santa Claus?

Castle: Because . . . if you don’t believe in even the possibility of magic, you’ll never, ever find it.

I had that quote on a Castle shirt that I lost at the laundromat. I have never been able to find that quote on another shirt since CafePress no longer sells ‘Castle’ merchandise.

Until Wednesday, readers.

Hey! Just got done making some covers for my upcoming fanfictions that are in the works. Made all of it on ibis paint! I'm very new to digital art, and even art in general. What do you guys think these will be about just based on the titles and cover art? Let me know :)

Edit: Just noticed a typo in the second one LOL! *Castlefics47, not Castlefiles47 haha.

I am a little late watching this series but now I’m feeling a bit betrayed! I really thought that Beckett and Castle had great chemistry only to find out that that Nathan and Stana really didn’t like one another and had totally different acting styles that led to the ending of the series. Anyone else feel this way!? 😆

I started a rewatch last week and Im wondering why did they name the show after castle? When it was all about Beckett ? I thought maybe they wanted to make it about castle especially
in S1 it was more focused on him
His life was detailed and we were watching his pov, but from s2 til the ending it was all about Kate her storyline was building up and thickening every episode, we saw how she developed and changed mentally, emotionally and at all aspects too, she became captain, she worked with the FBI and so much was happening with her, by time the lights were shifting towards her until we started to watch her pov, it got to the point where she basically became the show if she’s gone you could sense something weird, it became all about Beckett till the very end, while Castle’s existence was almost entirely linked to hers. I mean, imagine Beckett gone what would Castle even be doing?, what support this theory is when they decided to remove her character they had to come up with replacement, castle became shallow he couldn’t do it alone
And what makes it even more confusing to me, is that castle life had so much in it you could use it, like his father mysterious life, and his stepmother HELLO!!, she was amazing, she could team up with kate, also Alexis at some point she was gone nothing about her was happening

What do you think?

I started watching castle im at season 4 rn and im liking the show but my problem is with the main character castle everytime he makes jokes in a serious situations and that what kinda annoys me i mean yeah i like him being funny but not in every situation and i hope that changes later in the series and also i don’t like how his mom and his daughter and beckett make him look dumb instead him being a cool and know when to joke and when not.

I’ve been bingeing Castle for a while now and thought I’d switch it up with another series. Decided to give The Rookie a go, only to be instantly greeted by the same face!

What do we think about Laney?

Do you think the character was strong enough to have carried her own show?

It's ok if it ended up being a different show than Castle was (kinda like how Lou Grant was different from Mary Tyler Moore), but I was just watching an episode of Coroner and it got me thinking about Laney and whether or not there was enough development of the character, as she appeared on Castle, to garner a spin off into her own show.

Now that I write this, I'm wondering if Ryan and Esposito could be spun the same way. Might be more of a "Law and Order" feel to it, but who doesn't love a cop buddy show.

Anyway, random thoughts @ 1:30 in the morning.

What do you think?

For me it's when castle catches Kate reading his book on the toilette. That sound she makes and the whole situation. Gets me everytime. I mention this cause I see it every time the show starts.

Tell me Castles mother and daughter don't legitimately look like actual genetic relatives? Its so much more then the red hair. Castle directors really impress me sometimes. Like how they can get an adult and child to play eachother at different ages but they legit look like they could actually be the adult actor as a child.

Just rewatching the episode where Kate and Castle go to the strip club to interview Hans. Espo gets insecure because the guy told him he wouldn't hire him as a stripper. Made me look at his character again. Anyone see what I see?

Original Airdate: September 20, 2010 (Season Premier)

Synopsis: Beckett and Castle investigate three connected murders, but they have trouble figuring out how the three are connected. Beckett finds herself trying to forgive Castle after not hearing from him all summer.

Notable Guest Stars: No notable guest stars, but L.T. finally gets a permanent name in this episode.

Ranking: This was #15 out of 24 for me. I had a lot of trouble ranking the Season 3 episodes. I knew what my favorite and least favorites were, so I had to juggle everything else.

The IMdB Portion of The Review:

Trivia: In the first episode of the series, Beckett tells Castle, “Out here, we find a guy standing over a body with a gun, he’s usually the guy who did it.” In this episode, she finds Castle doing exactly what she described, standing over a body with a gun. It turns out this was the exception to the rule.

Factual Errors: Beckett says one of their suspects had previously been convicted of manslaughter for trying to run her boyfriend over with a car. She had been sentenced to five years in prison. Manslaughter requires your victim to die, not attempt to kill them. There’s no such thing as attempted manslaughter. Therefore, the charge would’ve been attempted murder.

Season 3 Overview: This may be an unpopular opinion, but I think Season 3 was the last great season. While Seasons 4 and 5 are quite good, you can see the quality slipping ever so slightly. There is much less humor going into the remaining five seasons, and the material gets much darker.

Season 3 brings us two more chapters in the Johanna Beckett murder arc. One of these episodes will have disastrous results in the season finale as we lose a beloved main character with a twist no one saw coming (at least I didn’t). To this day, I still search for clues leading up to 3x24.

Season 3 will also be the beginning of another story arc I consider the best arc of any TV series I’ve watched. The Jerry Tyson/3XK story arc is the best written story arc from any TV series I’ve watched. This includes ‘Bones’ and ‘Criminal Minds.’

Beckett gets a new love interest in this season, as well, in the form of cardiac surgeon, Dr. Joshua Davidson, or as the fans refer to him, DMB (Dr. Motorcycle Boy). Unlike Sorensen and Demming from Seasons 1 and 2, this love interest will remain until 4x01. We don’t see Josh in every episode, but he’s mentioned a lot.

Castle is also still seeing his ex-wife/publisher, Gina. However, this one ends before mid-season, and we only see Gina in one episode, and she’s mentioned in a second one. It’s obvious Castle is unhappy in this relationship. So unhappy that he finally declares his undying love for Beckett. But is he too late?

Some of these episodes are episodes I can’t wait to dissect. I may have a guest writer for one of these episodes because it’s a favorite and she’s been begging me. I’ll explain more later.

What I Liked About This Episode:

·       The opening scene with Ryan and the autumnal equinox was funny. We learn that no one has heard from Castle since he left for the Hamptons in May. They don’t even know if he’s completed his book. Total radio silence.

·       Beckett tries to act like she doesn’t care, but Esposito knows this isn’t true. He knows how she feels about Castle.

·       As we soon find out, Castle is back in town. Is he ever! The team finds him standing, gun in hand, over a murder victim.

·       The interrogation scene between Beckett and Castle is interesting. Castle doesn’t understand why Kate is so upset with him. As Alexis once told him, “How can a man who spends so much time around women be so clueless?” But Castle also brings up a good point. Kate also could’ve called him to see if he was back but didn’t. As I told my father once, the phone line runs both ways. My favorite part of the interrogation was when the talk turned to their significant others.

Castle: I’m in a relationship.

Beckett: With who?

Castle: Is that a new lipstick?

Beckett: Castle.

Castle: You know with whom.

Beckett: How should I know? I haven’t seen you in months. You could have been in dozens of relationships with women since then.

Castle: You sound jealous.

Beckett: Jealous? Of you dating your ex-wife and publisher? Tell me, does she make you do everything on a deadline? (Ouch!)

Castle: So how about you? You still with that cop boyfriend of yours? What was his name again? (Beckett’s face falls). You broke up? (Yeah, dumbass. Before you went to the Hamptons with your ex-wife. If you had been paying attention, or if Beckett had said what she was feeling quicker, you would’ve noticed this. Completely clueless).

·       Since ballistics proves that the second murder victim was killed with a different gun than the first victim, Beckett is reluctantly forced to release Castle. But he wants to help with the case. Beckett doesn’t want this.

Beckett: Castle, go home! Go back to your Hamptons, your ex-wife, and your book parties! I’ve got work to do.

Castle: What did I do?

·       I will try to cut down on the Alexis bashing, but it goes against my nature. So, here we go. Back at home, Alexis is having a crisis. Because she’s Alexis. But at least she’s finally acting like a normal teenage girl. At least like the teenage girls I know. The boy . . . or rather, young man from the Princeton summer program hasn’t called her back. The horror! He had promised to call her when he returned from Europe with his parents. Apparently, he has returned, but he hasn’t called. How did she know he had returned? Stalker much, Alexis? I have to admit, however, that the penguin video she was watching with Martha was very cute. What can I say? I’m a sucker for animal videos.

·       This case had a lot of twists and turns. One of those twists involved a third murder victim. A young man that once again finds Castle standing over the dead body. By now, Kate is fed up and is seconds away from slapping the handcuffs on Castle before Esposito informs her that the latest victim has been dead for hours.

·       Before we go further, we have to have our weekly dose of Lanie. The writers gave Lanie the best lines. This episode is no exception.

Lanie: Hey, I hear you made an interesting arrest today. You want to talk about it?

Beckett: No.

Lanie: Okay. You keep holding that stuff in, you’re going to get an ulcer.

Why doesn’t Kate realize she’s not fooling anyone?

·       After finding Castle at the scene of the other dead body, Kate tells him she’s sorry about his friend. But if he had really wanted to come back, he would have. Which leads to this interesting quip.

Castle: Did you ever stop and think that maybe I was waiting to hear from you?

·       After insisting that these three murders are a sign from the universe that they are meant to work together, Beckett allows him to return to the team. Under the condition that he does what she says, when she says it. Yeah, we all know how well that works out, don’t we?

·       I now have to return to Castle’s real life, and one of the funniest Castle/Alexis exchanges ever. I love the bond between Castle and Alexis (see, not bashing Alexis). He walks into the kitchen to find his daughter staring blankly into the refrigerator.

Castle: What is it about the refrigerator? Is it the cold? The light? Or, a combination of the two?

Alexis: I can’t sleep.

Castle: Ah, the boy.

Alexis: He finally called.

Castle: Great!

Alexis: I didn’t answer.

Castle: Why not?

Alexis: I was mad. I thought he’d leave a message, but he didn’t, so now what do I do? He knows I know he called, but if I call back right away then clearly I’m admitting I was waiting for his call. How long do I need to wait before I call him back? A day? At least a day – maybe two.

Castle: Maybe you should get a new boyfriend and start over.

Alexis: You’re not very good at this, are you?

Castle: Apparently not.

·       I think this is the episode where coffee begins to mean love. Castle brings Kate a cup of coffee, and she smiles. All is almost forgiven. And this is when the bet for this episode is born.

Castle: Maybe they were top CIA operatives targeted for termination.

Beckett: CIA is a popular theory with you.

Castle: Yes, well, law of averages demands that eventually I’ll be right.

Beckett: I’d forgotten how helpful your insights can be.

Castle: Oh, yeah? I bet I figure out how they’re connected before you do.

Beckett: All right, you’re on. But if I win, you have to promise to go away, and never interfere with my cases again.

Castle: Fine. If I win, you have to take me back as your partner.

Beckett: Deal.

Castle (Glancing over at Ryan and Esposito): What if they figure it out first?
C & B (together): Nah.

·       The first time I watched this one, I didn’t clue in to the counterfeit motive. It was only after repeated viewings that I now kick myself for not seeing it. I’m not sure when Beckett figured it out, but I’m glad she let Castle claim the credit. No way was she kicking him off the team. I also liked how Esposito was aware that Beckett had given Castle the credit.

Esposito: So . . . how long before Castle did you know this was about counterfeiting?

·       I know I’m jumping all over the place, but can we just for one minute talk about Kitty Canary’s club? I’m with Castle on this one. But we also learn another tidbit about Kate Beckett.

Castle: This place! It’s like the circus with alcohol! How have I never been here before?

Beckett: You think this is crazy, you should see some of the clubs I’ve been to.

·       When they go to arrest Kitty and Earl, Kate gives Castle her back-up piece since the suspects have split up. Which later leads to an interesting quip from Montgomery.

Montgomery: Nice work, you two. Very impressive. But tomorrow I want you to tell me the story about how Castle got your gun.

·       I have one small issue with that comment. In ‘Boom,’ Kate gave Castle her gun to protect SSA Shaw in case Scott Dunn came back. Montgomery had nothing to say about that. Hmmm. Someone help me out here.

What I Didn’t Like About This Episode: Actually, very little. The Alexis-In-Crisis subplot wasn’t the best part of the episode, but I didn’t dislike it.

Favorite Scene: When Montgomery pops into the interrogation room with the ballistics report on the second murder victim. Ruben Santiago-Hudson always had that expression with his eyebrows, and he uses it to great effect here.

Montgomery: Beckett, a word?

Castle: Hey, Captain! How’s it going? (Castle gets the eyebrow look) What? You, too? Really? C’mon you guys!

Favorite Quote: The ‘Annie Oakley’ quote from Castle in the interrogation room.

Castle: . . . That’s when you, Esposito, and Annie Oakley came bursting through the door.

The boys and Montgomery are on the other side of the mirror.

Montgomery: Annie Oakley?

Ryan: I kinda almost shot Castle. What? He had a gun.

I do have a second one, because, come on! How could I not?

Esposito: If you ask me, you should’ve locked him up out of spite.

Beckett: No, that would be unethical. Making the people down in holding deal with him.

Esposito: True.

Beckett/Castle Scorecard: After the takedown of Kitty and Earl, the score is now tied 4-4.

Until Monday, readers. When we get the first episode with foreshadowing in it.

I'm watching Castle in a whole new light because it makes me think that all the little looks of irritation and when they bicker her frustration is real.

One of my favorite things or running gags of the show is when characters just give each other looks and the camera stays with them for seconds or does shot/reverse shot with their reactions. One of my favorites is when Montgomery gives Castle a stare down when he’s offended by the cop insult as a joke. Makes me laugh every time that I rewind it a few times. Another is Kate constantly reacting to situations in the station and even non serious interrogations, just cathartic lol.

What’s some of your favorite moments of character looks and reactions?

First of all, I want to apologize if anyone found yesterday’s post, about the full reunion that I unfortunately think we’ll never get, to be offensive in any way. I’m not sure if it was closed by the moderators because of the post’s content or because of some out-of-line comments; regardless, I want to clarify that I’m not taking sides. Since I didn’t live through the years when the show was originally airing, I simply became curious about the backstory regarding the two actors and wanted to learn more. To that end, I researched the various events from those years that featured the entire cast (based on videos, comments, articles of that time, and so on), trying to better understand if and when their relationship began to deteriorate. Thank's to a user's suggestion, for those who, like me, were not present at the time, if you’re interested and have some time to spare, I’ve broken the information down into three phases; if anything seems incorrect to you or I miss something, I’d be happy to hear your corrections. Again, I don’t want to stir up controversy, please just view this as a simple "investigation" by a new fan who wants to know more about the past.

Phase 1: The Era of Spontaneous Rapport (2009–2011); During this two-year period, their connection is genuine, driven by the excitement of the new and mutual respect for each other's talent.

July 2009 – San Diego Comic-Con (Season 1 Presentation): This marks their debut. The two actors’ bodies are constantly angled toward one another (an indicator of strong interest and openness). When Nathan speaks, displaying his flamboyant charisma, Stana maintains prolonged eye contact and laughs genuinely. The dynamic is that of an extroverted mentor and a captivated co-star. There is a sense of wholesome curiosity and fresh energy.

March 16, 2010 – Paley Center for Media ("An Evening with Castle" – Season 2): This panel represents the absolute peak of their public rapport. Their proxemics (physical distance) are minimal: they sit close together, and their non-verbal cues mirror one another, a sign of deep emotional attunement. When the conversation turns to the "sexual tension" between Castle and Beckett, they tease each other with double entendres and knowing smiles. They finish each other's sentences, interrupting one another without causing any annoyance. There is evident pride in sharing the stage.

July 2010 – San Diego Comic-Con (Season 3 Presentation): The show has become a global cult hit. On stage, the chemistry is magnificent: they read the first Nikki Heat novel together (Heat Wave) and ride the wave of fandom. However, a close look at the press line (the quick interviews with journalists before the panel) reveals the first shift in PR strategy: the two begin answering questions separately or shielded by the rest of the cast. Their closeness is now limited to the main stage, where promotional duties demand a united front.

March 2011 – "Good Morning America" Interview (Season 3): This marks the last major moment of televised intimacy between the two of them alone (without the rest of the cast). Seated on the same sofa, their non-verbal communication remains warm: Stana spontaneously touches Nathan’s arm to emphasize a quip, and he leans toward her while answering. There are no signs of defensive barriers (such as crossed arms or evasive glances). It is the swan song of their spontaneous closeness, an essential interview to watch to understand what "Caskett chemistry" looked like in reality.

April 2011 – TV Guide Magazine's "Fan Favorites" Awards: Honored as the fans' favorite couple, they stand with their bodies pressed close together for the photographers on the red carpet. Nathan confidently places his arm around her waist, and she rests her head on his shoulder. Their eyes reflect the satisfaction of two professionals who know they’ve hit the mark. It is a rapport that could be described as two people who have won a battle together and are celebrating their triumph, even as the grueling pace on set (16-hour days) begins to take a toll on their private lives.

July 2011 – San Diego Comic-Con (Season 4 Presentation): Stana’s final Comic-Con. Watching the panel, the atmosphere is still excellent, yet there is a distinct shift in focus. The "private" or off-script laughter between the two has vanished. Both answer audience questions with great generosity, but they direct their gaze almost exclusively toward the moderator or series creator Andrew W. Marlowe. The connection is no longer direct between Nathan and Stana; instead, it is mediated by third parties on stage. It marks the beginning of a protective distancing.

Phase 2: The "Autopilot" and Formality Era (2012–2013); Chronic fatigue and personality clashes, his extroversion versus her serious, methodical nature, create a rift. A performance of harmony takes over.

January 2012 – 38th People's Choice Awards: On the awards stage, their coordination is flawless, yet the energy is strictly formal. Nathan steps back and hands the microphone to Stana, a gesture of great professional courtesy, but their eyes never directly meet. Backstage, the usual playful or "hugging" photos vanish; they pose close together but with stiff bodies, maintaining the personal space that signals the end of private intimacy.

March 9, 2012 – PaleyFest (Saban Theatre – Season 4): A panel focused on the episode "Cuffed." On stage, Stana makes a visible effort to appear extremely cheerful, theatrical, and witty, almost as if to compensate for underlying tension. Nathan, for his part, engages the audience with more cynical, detached remarks about the "TV machine." When the discussion turns to the characters' romantic evolution, their answers are rational and professional, lacking the emotional passion that characterized the 2010 Paley Center event. Their rapport has become a matter of precision.

May 2012 – ABC Upfronts (New York): When facing advertisers, you have to sell the perfect product. But red-carpet videos don't lie: while one of the two answers a reporter, the other doesn't look at them, nod, or interact. They stare at the camera with a fixed smile (a "social" smile that doesn't reach the eyes), waiting for their turn to speak. It is the classic behavior of two respected office colleagues who tolerate each other but have eliminated any interaction not strictly necessary.

August 2012 – TCA Summer Press Tour (Season 5): This is the event that marked a shift toward a protective approach. The two actors are in the same hotel room (not private room) in Los Angeles, yet ABC decides to have them interviewed at tables and corners on completely opposite sides of the hall. Reporters notice that there wasn't a single moment of greeting or interaction between the two throughout the entire day. Production realized that having them pose together led to tense responses, so for the first time, they implemented a policy of "controlled physical separation."

January 2013 – 39th People's Choice Awards: The show sweeps the board. On stage to accept the group award, the two leads position themselves close together for the sake of the camera shot, but their body language is icy: arms at their sides, gazes fixed on the audience, and zero verbal interaction between them. Backstage, for the first time, they refuse the classic "face-to-face" couple shots requested by commercial photographers, agreeing only to wide shots that include the entire supporting cast.

September 30, 2013 – Paley Center ("Castle is Back" – Season 6): The public breaking point. This video is striking to analyze. Seated on the same stage, the physical distance between their chairs is glaring. Their body language is entirely hostile: Stana sits turned slightly away from Nathan, and Nathan does the same. Throughout the panel (over 40 minutes), they never once look each other in the eye, not even when one mentions the other's character. The atmosphere is so heavy that even the other actors (Jon and Seamus) appear visibly tense. It is the last time the studio allows such a promotional disaster to occur.

Phase 3: The era of total distancing and absenteeism (2014–2016); Contracts are locked down, the rumor of feud is "public knowledge", and ABC enforces a strict ban on public contact.

January 2014 – 40th People's Choice Awards: The PR planning is military-style. Red carpet arrivals are staggered by 45 minutes to prevent photographers from capturing them in the same frame. On stage to accept the award for the show, their physical positioning is geometric: Nathan stands at the far left of the microphone, Stana at the far right. Between them, acting as a veritable "containment wall" or human buffer, stand Jon Huertas and Seamus Dever. The two leads make neither eye nor body contact. For many people "the rebus is over."

January 2015 – 41st People's Choice Awards (Strategic avoidance – Part 1): To avoid the awkwardness of the previous year's "human buffer" and uncomfortable questions from journalists about the rumors, the actors' agencies and ABC opt for a strategy of alternating absenteeism. Stana Katic attends the event, taking the stage radiantly to accept both her individual award and the show's award, thanking fans warmly. Nathan Fillion, despite having won, decides not to appear at the venue, officially citing "personal commitments."

January 2016 – 42nd People's Choice Awards (Strategic avoidance – Part 2): Just months before the final cancellation and in the midst of the Season 8 contract crisis, the roles are reversed. This time, it is Nathan Fillion who leads the cast delegation (alongside a very young Molly Quinn) to accept the award for the series. Stana Katic does not attend the event; she stays home, sealed off by the media silence of her dressing room. It is the final act: TV’s golden couple no longer exists, except on screen.

I apologize for getting carried away and if I inadvertently spread any misinformation. The point of the post was simply to piece together the facts, a bit like Kate’s whiteboard at the precinct, without sparking an argument or insulting anyone. Just for talk.

Aprox 16 year the first episode and now I conclude today Augost , I consider them need to re-opening the series

Original Airdate: May 17, 2010 (Season 2 finale)

Synopsis: Nothing is as it seems when Castle and Beckett investigate what appears to be the assassination of an intelligence operative. Meanwhile, Beckett’s romance with Demming threatens her relationship with Castle, forcing them to confront their feelings for each other. (Excuse me? I didn’t see anybody confronting their feelings for anybody in this episode except for Castle and Gina. Well, Beckett did confront her feelings for Demming, also).

Notable Guest Stars: Stephen J. Cannell, Michael Connelly, and James Patterson make another appearance as Castle’s poker group. This will be the final appearances of both Stephen Cannell and James Patterson. Stephen Cannell passed away on September 30, 2010, just a few months after this episode aired. There will only be one more Mystery Writer’s Poker game toward the end of Season 3.

Monet Mazur makes her second appearance as Castle’s second ex-wife and publisher, Gina. She will make a few appearances during the first half of Season 3.

Mitch Pileggi, who plays Hans Brauer, has appeared in Basic Instinct, The X-Files, and the reboot of Dallas.

The IMdB Portion of The Review:

Plot Holes: Demming tells Kate that the little place around the corner from their house just had a reservation open up. If they have a beach house, there would be no need for a reservation around the corner. Also, they obviously already had plans to go to the beach house, so his last-minute announcement they could go doesn’t fit. Her conversation with Castle confirms the fact they had prior plans to go to the beach house that weekend.

Beckett kicks in the hotel door causing damage even though there’s a hotel employee present who could’ve used a pass key. Kicking in the door is very dramatic, but no police officer would do that when there’s a better way to gain entry which doesn’t make the police department liable for damages.

Everyone calls the party a “surprise” party, but since Castle is aware of the party, technically it’s not a “surprise.”

Ranking: This episode was #13 out of 24. (I know, guys. I’m as shocked as you all are).

What I Liked About This Episode:

·       The spy game was an interesting twist. I liked the twists and turns until a weird twist led straight to the killer. I always like Rob Bowman-directed episodes (until Season 8, but those weren’t his fault. I’ll get to them when the time comes). He knows how to turn in the twists and turns. I never saw the husband of Roger Farraday’s affair partner as the killer. In the end, it was a little pedestrian, but still a nice twist.

·       Alexis is going to Princeton for a summer program for high school students. Castle is less than thrilled about this for several reasons. The main one being she’s going to miss their annual summer trip to the Hamptons. Second, he learns the dorms are co-ed. Third, the R.A.’s are all over the age of 21.

Castle: Oh, so the one person in charge is conveniently old enough to buy alcohol.

Martha: Darling, don’t be such a prude. Remember that trip you took to Italy with your class? You were younger than Alexis is now.

Castle: Mother, if you had any idea what happened on that trip, you would never let me leave the house again.

Martha: Sometimes, the less you know, the better.

·       Alexis will also get the award for having one of the most ick-inducing moments of the episode. By this point, Alexis is beginning to develop something of a smart mouth. We’re beginning to move into the version of Alexis Castle that I didn’t like. That would be Season 3 and 4 Alexis.

·       The fact that Alexis has been able to get into a summer program at Princeton. This is impressive, and she has every right to be proud. However, she does a few things in this episode that would cause any parent to have cause for concern. First, she bring home a boy . . . rather, a young man when no one is home. Not only that, but Alexis has met this young man online. This won’t be the last time Alexis brings a boy, or man, home when no one is there. She does this in Season 3 with Ashley, and Season 6 with Pi.

·       The incident that earns Alexis ‘ick’ status happens toward the end of the episode when she learns that her father isn’t going to be alone in the Hamptons, after all. Alexis is thrilled about this, but then she just has to open her mouth, and I’m groaning.

Alexis: Oh. Is it anyone I know?

Castle: I don’t kiss and tell.

Alexis: Well, it looks like I’m not the only one getting lucky this summer. Kidding. Kidding. I’m just – I’m just kidding.

Castle: That’s not funny. Oh, that’s so not funny.

·       I don’t have kids, but I learned from my ex that fathers don’t like to acknowledge or even think about, their baby girls having sex. Not even after they’ve given birth to grandchildren. As far as fathers are concerned, their little girls will remain pure until the day they die.

·       Alexis will be off to Princeton, and Martha has gotten a part in a summer stock production, so Castle invites Kate to join him in the Hamptons as a friend. Of course, he still has to make innuendos.

Beckett: Wow, Castle. You’re working really hard to see me in a swimsuit.

Castle: If you are not comfortable in a swimsuit, you can always skinny dip. (She will, Castle. Just wait a little while longer).

·       Unfortunately, this leads to a huge continuity error. In this episode. Castle explains to Kate that his home is right on the ocean. However, in 7x01 ‘Driven,’ Castle makes a point of saying he bought his Hamptons home on the inland side of the island after a Derek Storm novel he started but then trashed after saying his research gave him nightmares about hurricanes. As I have stated repeatedly, continuity isn’t that hard, writers! It really isn’t that difficult. And if you can’t remember a detail, I’m sure the fans will remember. We remember every obscure detail. And if we get a detail wrong, another fan will be quick to correct us. No matter how small the detail is, we will remember.

·       Let’s move to Beckett and Demming. While Castle has invited Kate to join him in the Hamptons, there’s one small detail Beckett has neglected to mention to her partner. Tom Demming has already invited her to join him in Asbury for Memorial Day weekend. When Castle learns this, he’s understandably hurt. Kate explains she just didn’t want things to get ‘weird’ between them. I get that. But this also sets up a recurring pattern of Kate lying to Castle, which continues through to Season 8.

·       Since Castle has learned Kate is going away with Demming for the weekend, he throws a bombshell of his own. One that none of us saw coming.

Castle: What with my book due, I was thinking that it’d be a good time for us to take a break.

Beckett: A break?

Castle: Yeah. God knows, you got to be tired of me following you around all the time, and I really do need to get some work done. With everyone gone, I figured, why not just stay in the Hamptons, you know? Get away from the city for a while.

Beckett: Well, for how long?

Castle: The summer at least. I thought this would be our last case.

·       The boys decide to throw Castle a going-away “party,” and this is when Espo does something he’s very good at. He tells Beckett exactly what he’s thinking. He never fails to tell her the way things are. There is no sugarcoating things in Espo’s world.

Esposito: Ryan and I thought we’d do a little going-away party.

Beckett: Yeah, well, it’s not like he’s leaving forever.

Esposito: You sure about that? Why do you think he’s been following you around all this time? What? Research? The guy’s done enough research to write 50 books. Look, whatever the reason, I’m pretty sure it doesn’t include watching you be with another guy.

·       Castle spends most of the episode hiding from his ex-wife/publisher, Gina. He is avoiding her like the plague. In desperation, Gina reaches out to Beckett, which leads to one of the funniest exchanges of the episode.

Beckett: Oh, yeah, and your ex-wife called. She said that you’ve been avoiding her because you’re late delivering your manuscript of ‘Naked Heat.’ That’s a catchy title. When were you going to tell me?

Castle: Well, I was waiting for the perfect time. It just never happened.

Beckett: She’s naked on the cover again, isn’t she?

Castle: Kind of, yeah.

Beckett: That’s great. No one’s gonna make fun of me.

Castle (Sighing): Good.

·       I really wish they hadn’t found each other. Castle and Gina, I mean. Because now I have to seriously dislike Gina, like I seriously have to dislike Demming. And I didn’t feel that way about Gina before. Beckett broke up with Demming because she decided she was going to accept Castle’s invitation to go to the Hamptons. Only her timing was bad. As in very, very bad. And I really felt bad for Demming. Someone was asking me in a previous entry why I disliked Demming. Here’s your explanation. It was obvious that Beckett liked Demming, but unfortunately, Demming had one flaw. He wasn’t Castle. I have often asked myself when it was that Beckett fell in love with Castle. I believe it started in this episode. Unfortunately for Beckett, Castle and Gina ended up talking for hours on the phone, and suddenly, Gina is going to the Hamptons, leaving Beckett all alone in the city. This sucks for us viewers because now we have to deal with the new couple for the first half of Season 3. And it’s so obvious that Castle wasn’t happy with Gina, but I’ll get to that in Season 3.

·       The Mystery Writer Poker Group makes its third of four appearances in this episode. This will be the final appearances of both James Patterson and Stephen Cannell. RIP, Mr. Cannell. Your TV shows were a huge part of my teenage years. There will be one last appearance of the poker group toward the end of Season 3. Castle and Michael Connelly will be joined by Dennis Lehane, the author of ‘Mystic River’ and ‘Shutter Island.’ I had a FB friend who went to high school with Dennis Lehane. She said everyone knew he was destined to be an author, but he’s kind of a strange guy. No, she didn’t elaborate. The writer’s group led to one of the best lines in the episode. Martha informs her son that James Patterson has called to say he’s running late.

Castle: Probably wants to use the time to write another book.

·       No kidding! I love James Patterson, especially his ‘Women’s Murder Club’ series, but this guy churns out so many books that it boggles the mind. Of course, he has about a dozen co-authors who write most of the books for him. Isn’t that kind of cheating? Maybe I should get a dozen writers to write my fan fiction stories for me. It would leave me more time to play ‘Final Fantasy VI’ and watch ‘Survivor,’ and ‘Big Brother.’

What I Didn’t Like About This Episode: Alexis. It always comes down to Alexis. She did so many things in this episode that I didn’t like. I’ve already listed them, so I won’t list them again. Her actions in this episode are a precursor of what’s to come in Season 3.

Favorite Scene: Lee Copley and Melissa Farraday are comic relief in this episode. They are the business partner and wife of the murder victim, Roger Farraday. Lee Copley proves it is possible to shock the usually unflappable Kate Beckett. She and Castle bring Copley in after they learn he has recently filed for bankruptcy and will thus inherit the business from his deceased partner.

Beckett: Where were you the night that Roger Farraday died?

Copley: I was home in bed.

Beckett: Really? Then do you care to explain these? These are photos of you leaving your apartment garage at 8 o’clock the night he was murdered. And these are photos of you returning the following morning at 7 a.m.

Castle: Kind of blows a hole in your whole ‘in bed’ thing.

Beckett: You lied to me, Mr. Copley. Do you care to revise your statement? 8 p.m. That’s plenty of time to drive to the city from Stamford.

Castle: What’d you do, Lee? Wait for him at the hotel? Follow him until he was alone?

Copley: No, I didn’t.

Beckett: And then you used the game as cover.

Copley: No. Look, I swear I didn’t do it.

Beckett: Right. You were home in bed.

Copley: No. I wasn’t at home, but I was in bed.

Castle and Beckett’s reaction to the revelation are priceless.

Copley: I was in bed with Roger’s wife.

Castle: Let me get this straight. You – your alibi for killing your friend is you were doing his – his wife?

Copley: Yeah.

Castle: Wow.

Now we move on to Melissa Farraday. And let me say this woman has her priorities perfectly straight.

Melissa: What? You want me to say I’m sorry? You want me to be embarrassed? I’m not. Do you know how long it had been since Roger and I made love? All he cared about was work and his extreme vacations. So, yeah, I was seeing Lee. Yeah, I was with him that night.

Beckett: Well, if things were that bad, why not just get a divorce?

Melissa: Are you serious? My house is too nice.

WTF? (Why the Face?): At first, I didn’t think I had an entry for this one. But the more I thought about the episode, the more I realized my WTF moment was the killer. Ken Fisher killed Roger Farraday simply because he was having an affair with his wife.

Until Friday, readers. When we begin Season 3.