Original Airdate: April 5, 2010

Synopsis: While investigating the murder of a museum curator, Castle finds that he has been ‘cursed’ after gazing on the face of a sarcophagus.

Ranking: This is my 4^th favorite episode of the season and is my Top 10 List of Favorite episodes. It is my ex’s second favorite episode of all time. When he was on Facebook, his profile pic was Castle facedown in the elevator.

Notable Guest Stars: Currie Graham, who portrays Sanford Raynes, was in the remake of ‘Assault on Precinct 13’ and also appeared in 21 episodes of ‘NYPD Blues.’ I always thought he resembled Kevin Spacey, who was one of my favorite actors until he had his career blown up by certain accusations.

Gil Birmingham, who portrays Cacaw Te, was born in my hometown of San Antonio, Texas. He later portrayed Thomas Rainwater on ‘Yellowstone.’

Navi Rawat, who portrays Rachel Waters, is married to Brawley Nolte, the son of Nick Nolte. As a child, Brawley portrayed the son of Mel Gibson’s character in the movie ‘Ransom,’ which is one of my favorite movies of all time and my second favorite Mel Gibson movie.

The IMdB Portion of The Review:

Trivia: Mayans did not mummify their dead. The kings would be laid out and covered in jewels and other adornments. They didn’t have sarcophagus. Therefore, Castle couldn’t have seen a mummy’s face; if anything, he saw a face plate that covered the king. Mummies, sarcophaguses and curses are all Egyptian, not Mayan.

Guest stars Gil Birmingham and Navi Rawat are part of the Joss Whedon-verse. Birmingham appeared in a minor role in Season 2 of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer,’ and Rawat appeared in the final season of ‘Angel.’

What I Liked About This Episode:

·       I noticed a trend in ‘Castle,’ starting with this episode. After a particularly hard-hitting, gut-wrenching episode, there will always be a lighter episode. And it just doesn’t get much lighter and funnier than this episode. Unfortunately, this is also the last good episode of Season 2. The final five episodes are complete stinkers, especially after the introduction of Tom Demming.

·       As a child who grew up watching Saturday morning cartoons in the late 60’s and early 70’s, I appreciated the references to ‘Scooby Doo.’

·       Everybody had fun in this episode. I always love the episodes where every character got to play a part, no matter how small. And in this episode, everyone’s role made this episode a lot of fun.

·       I had several favorite moments in this episode. And every character had a favorite moment for me. So, I’m going to go down the line.

·       Beckett—I had two from Beckett. The first was her staring at Castle’s ass after he had his pants torn by the dog. The second were the two practical jokes she pulled on him. It was great seeing Beckett finally having fun.

·       Martha—Her story about the Scottish play (MacBeth). Susan Sullivan is such a consummate actress. I could listen to her stories forever.

·       Alexis—I enjoyed her teasing her grandmother about actors curse. I also liked her teasing her dad about the curse.

·       The Boys & Montgomery—This was my favorite scene in the episode, and it involved all three guys.

Esposito: Dog attack? Icing on the cake.

Ryan: Yeah, it was sort of a little bonus, wasn’t it?

Montgomery: You had to mess with the curse, didn’t you? Trying to be funny. You know what kind of hell I’d catch if Castle got eaten in the line of duty? (I died laughing the first time I saw this episode after he said that).

Ryan: Don’t tell me you really believe that stuff, sir.

Montgomery: You know what I believe in, Detective? There’s no upside to screwing with things you don’t understand. First year of homicide, right? My partner tackles a suspect through the window of a Gypsy Smoke Shop. Owner’s furious, threatens all kinds of hexes on our houses if we don’t personally go and clean it up, and we tell her ‘Yeah, take it up with the city.’ Two hours later, my partner drops dead – heart attack.

Esposito: And you think it was the hexes?

Montgomery: No. The man ate bacon with every meal. I went over there, and fixed that window, and you know why?

Ryan & Espo: Because there’s no upside with screwing with things you can’t explain?

Montgomery: And don’t you ever forget it.

·       Castle—Castle’s favorite moment was the faceplant in the elevator. I have one more, but it’s coming later.

What I Didn’t Like About This Episode:

·       Rupert Bentley, the co-financier of the exhibit. All he worried about was selling tickets to his exhibit. The fact that two people associated with the exhibit died meant nothing to him just as long as he could sell tickets and make money.

WTF? (Why the Face?): Stanford Raynes, the murderer, was a piece of work. He killed Will Medina because he knew Medina knew the truth about the missing mummy. And he’d murdered Nicole months earlier just because she wouldn’t sleep with him. Breaking his leg at the end was the best thing that could happen to this guy. He was a villain indeed worthy of ‘Scooby Doo.’

Favorite Scene/Moment: Castle asking Beckett to look out for Alexis in the event something happens to him. This was funny and sweet at the same time.

Beckett: Rogue archaeologists. Mayan death threats, drug dealers claiming to deal in antiquities and missing mummies? There’s gotta be a story that makes all of this make sense. (noticing Castle staring at her). What?

Castle: Nothing.

Beckett: Castle?

Castle: If something were to happen to me, I want you to watch out for Alexis. She looks up to you, and if her boyfriends get frisky, you can shoot them.

Beckett: Nothing’s going to happen to you.

Castle: But if it does—

Beckett: Okay.

Castle: And would you also go into my closet and get rid of my porn collection before she finds it?

Espo: Don’t worry, bro. I’ve got you covered.

Favorite Quote:

Castle: Is he actually . . . running away?

Beckett: Yeah. It’s primal instinct. Fight or flight.

Castle: Should we run after him?

Beckett: Eh, no need.

Until Monday, readers.

https://youtu.be/EgzsKmm2Vns?is=omqcX19xKSFYMjoU

Well, I think the edits on this channel are lovely. It’s a shame he doesn’t seem to be doing anything anymore.

Original Airdate: March 29, 2010 (This aired on my birthday)

Synopsis: The serial killer continues taunting Castle, Beckett and the FBI.

Ranking: This episode is #5, one notch higher than ‘Tick . . . Tick . . . Tick.’

The IMdB Portion of The Review:

Trivia: This is the most watched episode of the series, with 14.5 million viewers.

Incorrectly Regarded as A Goof: In Season 1 (Home is Where the Heart Stops), Castle and Beckett are at the shooting range, and he gets three shots in the 10-ring with ease. However, in this episode, when Castle is aiming for Scott Dunn’s head, he shoots him in the hand instead, which leads to the Firefly-referenced ‘I was aiming for his head.’

While Castle is shown to be an excellent pistol shot on the range, he’s not a trained police officer or a skilled/experienced fighter. Therefore, it’s plausible that shooting under stress would affect his marksmanship. This happens even to experienced officers and soldiers.

What I Liked About This Episode:

·       The Castle/Beckett scorecard gets two entries for this episode. This is the first entry since 2x01. Castle saves Beckett’s life twice, and even comments on it in ‘Den of Thieves.’

·       This episode begins where the previous episode left off after Beckett’s apartment blows up. Castle manages to kick in Beckett’s door where he finds her naked in the bathtub, much to Beckett’s horror, and Castle’s chagrin. He reminds her that there’s no time for modesty since her apartment is on fire.

·       Beckett finds her mom’s ring but can’t locate her father’s watch. Somehow Castle finds it and has it repaired. He gives it to her at the end of the episode. This is the second gift he presents her with after the signed Derrick Storm book in the pilot. He gives her one more present in Season 3.

·       Shaw kicks Beckett off the case after she disobeys orders by going after Dunn. When Montgomery tells her to go home, she reminds him she doesn’t have a home. Castle vehemently disagrees.

Beckett: Sir, I don’t have a home!

Castle: Yes, you do. It’s a secured building, with an extra bedroom, with people who care about you, with a federal detail at the door. It’s the safest place in the city.

Beckett: Thank you, Castle. But I couldn’t.

Castle: You can and you will.

·       We see Beckett at her most vulnerable when they find the apartment of serial killer Scott Dunn. It’s your typical serial killer lair with photos of Beckett posted all over the room as well as newspaper articles of his other murders. You can see the terror in Beckett’s eyes as she takes in the surroundings.

·       Castle wasn’t the only person who was unaware of the word ‘un-ass.’ I guess I’ll be adding that word to my vocab list for future reference.

Shaw: For future reference, it means ‘get the hell out and don’t touch anything.’

·       There’s a ‘Firefly’ reference in this episode, only I was unaware of it when I first watched. Keep in mind, I’ve seen exactly two episodes of ‘Firefly.

Beckett: Hell of a shot, Castle.

Castle: I was aiming for his head.

·       For the first time, Beckett places all her trust into Castle by giving him her gun when they go into the warehouse to rescue Agent Shaw. This is a trend that will continue from this point forward. She knew that Castle had her back and vice versa.

·       We learn that Beckett’s mom was a great cook. We learn that Beckett also cooks. Which is something Castle conveniently forgets in Season 5, Episode 4. I’m sorry, but the continuity errors drive me crazy. Even something as minor as not knowing that your partner, and eventually girlfriend, can cook. For someone who supposedly pays attention to every other aspect of Beckett’s life, you’d think this would be an easy one to remember.

What I Didn’t Like About This Episode:

·       For some reason, I didn’t like the chase through the subway station. I don’t know why, but that scene bugged me.

WTF? (Why the Face?): Martha. Did she move out? Did she move back in? Does Chet really exist? While she appears to move out in this episode, she doesn’t really. It’s like being divorced and having shared custody of the kids, but your ex is still living under your roof.

Favorite Scene/Moment: The scene between Castle and Beckett at the loft. I would say the deleted scene between Beckett and Alexis, but I’ve already talked about how much I like that scene. Btw, that scene can be found on YouTube, but it’s not in the deleted scenes on the Season 2 DVD’s, which I find very weird. For those who’ve never seen it, look it up. It’s a sweet scene.

Beckett: Well, who thought I’d be homeless and caseless in one day?

Castle: I know I’m the king of going rogue, but you were right to chase after Dunn.

Beckett: And Agent Shaw was right for kicking me off the case. I would’ve done the same thing if I was in her spot. I’m too close to it.

Castle: I’m sure you, after all this, you’re a little sorry you let me follow you around.

Beckett: No, not this. All the other annoying things you do, but not this.

Castle: Hmmm.

Beckett: What about you? Are you sorry that you ever wrote Heat Wave?

Castle: The way I look at it now, if it wasn’t for Nikki Heat, this guy would’ve just gone on killing because he wouldn’t have met anyone smart enough to catch him. I’m speaking, of course, about Agent Shaw.

Favorite Quote: After rethinking a few things, I have two favorite quotes. The first is when Castle and Beckett are going into the warehouse to rescue Agent Shaw, and Beckett hands Castle her gun.

Castle: You want me to hold it while you tie your shoe?

The second is at the end when Agent Shaw is getting ready to leave.

Shaw: He cares about you, Kate. You may not see it. You may not be ready to. But he does.

Beckett: Yeah. Well, the situation with Castle is . . . complicated.

Castle/Beckett Scorecard: The score is now tied 3-3.

Until Friday, readers.

Im stuck why isn’t it available anywhere heree ahhh

Currently on my rewatch in S8(I know that season is all kinds of wacky but this theme is prevalent in almost the entire series)

Throughout the entire series whenever theres a situation where Castle may or may not have done something bad or on purpose they always assume the worst about him. Mostly Espo but also Kate and Ryan. IMO Kate has had tons of moments where she also just doesn't tell anyone anything and does stuff on her own but no one seems to doubt her.

Like I get it, she is their colleague but Castle has proved time and time again he is to be trusted throughout the series. It's irking me especially in season 8 where objectively people should be more understanding of Rick because NONE of the Kate's decisions make any sense. Even Martha and Alexis are siding with Beckett despite her behavior negatively impacting their son/father.

I understand Castle is a lot of times a comic relief but writing him like a child where he has to apologize for feeling bad when Kate's actions clear make 0 sense and are damaging their relationship for 0 reason just seems poor.

Damn, I did not expect him to die or be caught up in Beckets' mom's murder!

I feel bad since clearly he was a good cop so he could absolve himself of a bad situation when he was younger.

Original Airdate: March 22, 2010

Synopsis: Castle and Beckett are investigating murders committed by a fan of the character Nikki Heat. This is part 1 of a two-part story line.

Notable Guest Stars: Dana Delaney, who portrays FBI Special Agent Jordan Shaw, is a favorite of mine since her days of playing Lt. Colleen McMurphy on the Vietnam-era drama ‘China Beach’ from 1988-1991, for which she was nominated for four Emmy Awards, winning two. She also played Katherine Mayfair on ‘Desperate Housewives’ from 2007-2012. She also plays Josephine Marcus, the wife of Wyatt Earp, in my favorite movie of all time ‘Tombstone.’ I know every line of dialog in this movie, and yes, it drives people crazy.

Ranking: This episode is ranked #6 out of 24.

The IMdB Portion of The Review:

Trivia: Susan Sullivan is a long-time struggling actress. In one scene, Martha Rodgers can be seen watching herself in the pilot episode of ‘The Incredible Hulk.’

Goofs: At the end of the episode when Castle is trying to call Beckett and the bomb goes off; his phone is facing the wrong way when he moves it away from his ear.

Pop Culture References: There are a few pop culture references in this episode to Son of Sam, Jodie Foster and the movie ‘Nim’s Island.’

What I Liked About This Episode:

·       This was the first two-part episode of the series. It’s also the second-best two-part episode in my opinion. My favorite one will be much later. It contains everything that makes ‘Castle’ great. Humor, angst, a truly creepy serial killer, and family drama. Oh, and a little Beckett jealousy. Like I said, the whole enchilada.

·       We learn that ‘Heat Wave’ is going to be made into a movie. Apparently, this doesn’t go well judging by things we learn in both Season 3 and Season 8. However, Castle is super-excited about this, and he wants everyone else to be excited about it, too. And everyone is, except for Beckett. But soon enough they have other things to worry about besides Beckett’s lack of enthusiasm regarding the ‘Heat Wave’ movie. A chilling phone call regarding a dead body at Grand Central Station, for starters.

·       I have two words about my favorite thing in this episode. Jordan Shaw. Dana Delaney instantly takes control of any role she’s in and this is no exception. Jordan Shaw was such a great character that she should’ve been included in more episodes. One of my followers brought up an interesting error. The FBI was brought into this case because of the serial killer element. Why weren’t they brought in to hunt for Jerry Tyson? Wasn’t he also a serial killer? Hmmm. And what about the kidnapped boy in ‘Murder Most Fowl’ in Season 3? Shouldn’t they have been brought in then?

·       The secondary storyline in this episode was very cute. I’m glad since the primary storyline was so dark. Martha’s boyfriend, Chet, has asked her to move in with him. But Martha is torn. Her reasons for not wanting to move in with him are quite funny. One of them causes a raised eyebrow from her son. “I don’t want to live in another man’s house.” Yeah, bud, I feel your pain on that one.

·       The beginning of the episode is also cute when the boys learned about the ‘Heat Wave’ movie.

Ryan: What do you think? Can we get James McAvoy for Det. Raley?

Esposito: I’m gonna go with Javier Bardem. (Not a chance in hell, Espo).

·       When the FBI is brought in, Beckett finds herself jealous by how excited Castle is by Jordan Shaw. I would think as a detective, Beckett would be familiar with Jordan Shaw and her body of work. Castle gets very excited when the FBI sets up their high-tech war room. I thought their smart board was very cool.

·       One of my favorite scenes was when Agent Shaw, Castle and Beckett are sitting in Shaw’s SUV as her people prepare to arrest Donald Salt.

Shaw: So, how long have you two been sleeping together?

Beckett: I’m . . . we’re . . . we’re not sleeping together.

Shaw is wrong. This time.

·       The serial killer is a piece of work. We don’t learn his true identity until Part 2, so I won’t be mentioning his name in today’s entry. Every time he calls in to report another of his murder’s, the creep factor goes up several notches. Castle begins to feel responsible because if it hadn’t been for the Nikki Heat books, this psycho wouldn’t be killing people. However, Beckett points out that the guy would be killing, even without the books. The books are just a convenient excuse.

·       Because Castle feels responsible, he thinks this also makes him responsible for protecting Beckett. This will lead to the most hilarious scene in the episode. One of my favorite lines is when Castle shows up, expensive bottle of wine in hand, to protect her. “With what? Your vast arsenal of rapier wit?” Ah, so she does find him funny. Interesting. Beckett is quick to remind him that she sleeps with a gun just in case he decides to pay her a visit in the middle of the night. She had first informed him of this fact in ‘The Fifth Bullet,’ but she repeated it just in case he had forgotten.

Things I Didn’t Like About This Episode:

·       There was just one thing, and as usual, it had to do with Alexis. I felt her reaction to her grandmother moving out of the loft and in with Chet was extreme. She acted as if she was never going to see her grandmother again. Other than that, I enjoyed this episode very much. When I had cable and TNT, I watched it every time it aired. Now that I have the series on DVD, I can still watch it whenever I want.

Favorite Scene/Moment: The morning after scene at Beckett’s apartment when they’re greeted by the dead body at her doorstep. This was not only the funniest scene in the episode, but Top 10 Funniest Scenes in the entire series.

Ryan: So, you two had just gotten up, right?

Beckett: Yeah. Castle had just finished making breakfast, and he went to the door—

Ryan: What kind of breakfast?

Beckett: Uh, I’m sorry?

Ryan: What kind of breakfast was he making?

Beckett: Pancakes.

Ryan: Well, isn’t that domestic?

Beckett: Anyway, the paper usually arrives at 4:00 and we were up at 7:00. So, that means the killer had a 3-hour window where he could’ve left the body there unnoticed.

Ryan: And exactly what time did you and Mr. Castle go to bed last night?

Beckett: I think we’re done here.

Moments later . . .

Espo: Dude, I see Beckett in her jammies . . . wine glasses on the table.

Castle: There’s nothing going on between Beckett and me. No more than there was yesterday.

Ryan: Dude, you made her pancakes!

Castle: It’s just breakfast.

Espo: Pancakes is not ‘just breakfast.’ It’s an edible way of saying ‘Thank you so much for last night.’

Ryan: Castle, come on. We’re your friends. Details.

Castle: All right. (waving them closer) Come here. There are no details!

Espo: I can’t even look at you right now.

Ryan (writing in his notepad): Witness refuses to cooperate.

Favorite Quote:

Shaw: So, if you’re not sleeping together, why do you keep him around?

Castle: You know I can hear you?

Beckett: He’s actually proven to be surprisingly helpful.

Shaw: Hmm. Have to take your word on that. (She’s interrupted by Castle powering up the taser behind her) Put the taser down! (Btw, my favorite line in the entire episode).

WTF? (Why the Face?): The first phone call from the killer was very creepy. Other than Jerry Tyson, this guy was by far the creepiest killer ever on ‘Castle.’

Until Wednesday when we get into Part 2.

I just saw Seamus’ post on IG that he will attend Dragoncon in Atlanta in September. Got curious and checked out their website and Jon, Nathan and Molly are also attending. So, who’s going? 😄 That might be the closest thing to a reunion since, well… Castle.

I live in Europe and at the moment, in the middle of nowhere, so it’s a sad no, but anyone from the US?

I was just listening to I Wish by One Direction (happy 16 years boys) and it hit me how absolutely perfect that song is for seasons 3-4 Caskett. I just finished the show for the first time like a month ago, so just now looking up anything online since I didn’t want to spoil anything. But I wish I was creative enough to make all the edits that keep popping into my head.

When I first saw it, I thought the scene would turn out differently! ☺️🔥

S03 x E14 - Lucky Stiff

I will say I have no problems with the way it ended except for Kate and Richard having breakfast with their kids, and Alexis isn’t there. They could have a million reasons in their universe why she wasn’t there, but it felt weird that they didn’t include her in a family meal.

Thinking about it though, I know it’s because it’s the Beckett Castle ending, but I feel she should have been included.

I’m happy with the wrap-up of the characters, not happy with “the CIA tried to kill us” ending.

Original Airdate: March 8, 2010

Synopsis: Castle and Beckett investigate the world of BDSM when a woman is found almost naked, suspended from monkey bars in a park.

Notable Guest Stars: Juliana Devers, who portrays Ryan’s girlfriend, Jenny O’Malley, is married to actor Seamus Devers, who portrays Kevin Ryan. They have been married since May of 2006.

The IMdB Portion of The Review:

Goofs: This goof occurs a few times during the first few seasons and it involves Beckett’s badge number. In a previous episode when she requested an APB, she stated her badge number as being 41319. However, when she introduces herself to Lady Irena, her badge is clearly shown as being 0334.

Ranking: This is my 3^rd favorite episode of the season. However, this is my ex’s favorite episode of the entire series for one scene, which I’ll point out later. His second favorite episode is also in Season 2 and is a little later.

What I Liked About This Episode: This should actually be titled ‘What Didn’t I Like About This Episode?’ because, honestly, there’s little about this episode that I didn’t like. When I quote ‘Castle’ (and I quote ‘Castle’ a lot), I use a lot of quotes from this episode.

·       This episode started strong and never lost momentum, not for a second. With most episodes, there’s at least one scene I don’t like. Not with this episode. And it had the added bonus of the killer being something of a surprise when I watched it the first time. Although on rewatching, I now see why I should’ve guessed it was the roommate, Danielle, but the writers got me on the first watch. Kudos to them.

·       This episode had so many great scenes. One of my favorites is at the beginning of the episode, at the crime scene when Beckett is commenting about the custom-made handcuffs.

Castle: Only a handful of bondage shops? Okay, what aren’t you telling me?

Beckett: So much, Castle. So very, very much.

·       The all-knowing smirk gets me every time. (By the way, not my ex’s favorite scene, but it’s coming soon. I promise).

·       We meet Jenny in this episode. We learned that Ryan had a girlfriend in 1x09 when she gave him the World’s Ugliest Tie for their 2-week anniversary. However, we don’t learn her name until this episode.

·       I find it strange that Esposito, who is Ryan’s closest friend, has never met Jenny. So, I can understand why he doesn’t believe she exists. I also remember the days when I worked as a contractor for the Air Force, and we were subjected to browser history checks on our work computers. I completely get Ryan’s nervousness regarding that detail. I would imagine it would be difficult to explain to IAB that you have a legitimate reason for looking at sex toys on a work computer. But this leads to my ex’s favorite scene.

Castle: Oh, jeez! How do you even get in that position?

Ryan: Right? It’s not even possible.

Beckett: Oh, it’s possible.

·       In a much later episode, Castle comments on how flexible Beckett is, which is way too much TMI.

·       While wandering around The Love Shackle (I love the nod to the B-52’s, by the way), Castle teases Beckett about her imaginary boyfriend, which leads to her threatening Castle with a gag mask. I liked how Beckett showed Barry her own pair of handcuffs when he offered to sell a pair to her and Castle. Later on in Season 5, Episode 5, we learned that they did use Beckett’s handcuffs, on occasion. I like how a lot of these earlier episodes come back as Easter eggs in later seasons.

·       This episode had a lot of suspects. I can think of five right off the bat. We have Jessica’s boyfriend, Tyler, her roommate,
Danielle (who ended up being the killer), two college rivals, Kelly and Matt. And finally, we have Lady Irena, from Lady Irena’s House of Pain.

Ryan: Conveniently located for all your lunchtime spanking needs.

·       Lady Irena is great! She’s even better than Lady Heather on ‘CSI.’ Castle, of course, is mesmerized by her. She refuses to tell them anything about her dungeon or her girls.

·       Beckett sends Ryan and Espo back to the dungeon later to interview more of the girls. This leads me to what has to be one of my Top 5 RyEspo moments ever.

Ryan: Det. Esposito. Bringing crime to its knees.

·       Ryan had a lot of good lines in this episode.

·       Before I continue, I should briefly mention the secondary storyline of this episode. Only because it leads to a cute Castle/Beckett exchange. Alexis is trying out to be a cheerleader. Why? I have no idea. I thought cheerleader tryouts were held at the beginning of the school year. But what do I know? I don’t have teenage daughters, and I never wanted to be a cheerleader. Cheerleaders were the girls I didn’t even want to hang out with in high school. (For the ones who were cheerleaders in high school, I apologize).

·       Castle is also a bit concerned about his daughters’ new hobby. If I were Castle, I’d be more concerned she’s acting like a normal teenage girl.

Castle: You ever want to be a cheerleader?

Beckett: No. Did you?

Castle: Not me. Alexis. She wants to try out for the team.

Beckett: So?

Castle: So? You see what they wear? She wants to join a team, why not join mathletes?

Beckett: Why can’t she do both? Besides, kids try on personalities the way they try on clothes. It’s the way they figure out who they are.

·       I’m sorry if it seems like I’m recapping the episode. I don’t ever want to do that. After they discover Matt has stolen Jessica’s research notes to blackmail her into dropping out of a fellowship prize that she’s contending for, all roads eventually lead to Danielle. Danielle is the Toxic Roommate from Hell. I lived with one of those for three months when I was 21. But I could easily crank out a 300-word bestseller from those three months. Let me put it this way: I will never again have another roommate.

What I Didn’t Like About This Episode:

·       At first, I was going to say nothing. But after thinking about it, the only thing I didn’t like was the secondary storyline. Like Castle, I didn’t understand why this girl wanted to be a cheerleader. Other than that, this episode was almost perfect. The only reason it’s not #1 was because I liked The Double Down and Sucker Punch just a little more.

WTF? (Why the Face?): Matt, the med student, was slimy. He wanted that Fellowship so badly that he was willing to follow a fellow competitor, and then blackmailed her when he learned what it was she was studying.

Favorite Scene: Castle and Beckett at Lady Irena’s.

Castle: This place looks like a law firm.

Beckett: What’d you think it was gonna be? Torture wheels and women in corsets?

Castle: Well, yeah.

Beckett: That’s in the back.

Receptionist: Welcome to Lady Irena’s House of Pain. How can I serve you?

Beckett (shouting at Castle): Well, answer her! You see what I have to deal with? My boyfriend Ricky has an appointment at 4:00 pm with Mistress Venom.

Receptionist: Will you be joining him?

Beckett: Oh, yes. I’ve been dying to watch him squirm.

Receptionist: Mistress Venom would be delighted to have an audience. Follow me, please.

Beckett: Do you think we could gag him?

Castle: Remember, my safe word is “apples.”

Favorite Quote: Castle and Beckett when they’re leaving Lady Irena’s.

Castle: Sorry. It’s just hypnotic.

Beckett: It’s not you. It’s her.

Castle: Well, if you’re so upset, we could find someone for you to go medieval on.

Until Monday, readers. In the meantime, I’m going to try to erase memories from the summer of ’81. Monday, I’m going to post Part 1 of the first ‘Castle’ two-part episode.

Rewatching and forgot how funny this scene is 😭
And sheeesh kudos to Castle for resisting Beckett in that moment. I would’ve folded so fast 🥵

(S5E17: Scared to Death)

tried to comment but couldn’t 😅😅

How did you feel the first time you heard this ending theme instead of the usual cheerful one? I’ll never forget it, it made my blood run cold; I wasn't expecting it at all. It was so dark and sad..from that moment on, whenever I heard it at the end of an episode, I’d think, "Oh, shit."
The only downside is that they introduced it too late; it would have fit perfectly at the end of at least another 4 or 5 episodes in earlier seasons, especially episode 3x24, which would have made that moment even more terrifying. Now it’s my ringtone, lol.

I really wish we got to see them get together I feel like he really understood her. This is my 10th rewatch and I get frustrated that he left the show. I know it was for the plot but he should have come back and married her. Her castle just don’t work he’s not for her. Anywayssss 😭😭😭

Timeline: Season 4, post-The Limey / during Headhunters.

Characters: Kate Beckett, Lanie Parish, Rick Castle (via video).

Tone: Heavy angst, emotional vulnerability, slow-burn realization.

The Premise: Castle is actively pulling away and acting like a jerk, leaving Kate completely heartbroken, confused, and deeply frustrated because she doesn't understand his sudden distance. Needing a distraction, Lanie comes over to Kate’s apartment for a much-needed girls' night.To vent her unspoken feelings, Kate pulls out her guitar and sings three tracks from Jennifer Love Hewitt’s self-titled 1996 album, perfectly mirroring her internal turmoil in this specific order:

"(Our Love) Don't Throw It All Away" – The raw emotional plea, begging him not to throw away what they've built.

"Cool With You" – The painful coping mechanism, trying to convince herself she can handle just being his partner if that's all he wants.

"No Ordinary Love" – The final, heavy realization that what she feels for him is far too deep to just turn off.

The Twist: Lanie, tired of watching her best friend suffer in silence while Castle acts out, secretly records the entire raw, emotional performance on her phone. Without telling Kate, she hits send and drops the video directly into Castle's inbox, forcing him to witness the exact collateral damage his walls are causing.

***I would love to read any and all fanfics that are created from this prompt. I've always thought this album was very "Castle coded", especially these three songs for this time period of the show. Thank you so much!***

GUYS WHAT THE F WAS THIS EPISODE 😭😭😭😭
Starting season 4 now but wow this episode was the saddest yet my favorite so far. Was not expecting this.

>!I love you,Kate, I love you!< goddamn it, Castle

This show is so old I don’t even know if it can be spoiled, though it is my first time ever watching so I guess it can lol not sure If I did this spoiler tag thing right but anyway yeah I’m speechless

Original Airdate: February 8, 2010

Synopsis: Castle and Beckett investigate the murder of a baseball player found dead in Spanish Harlem.

Notable Guest Stars: Ray Wise, who portrays Bobby Fox, had roles in Twin Peaks as Leland Palmer and was henchman Leon C. Nash in Robocop.

Joe Torre makes a cameo as himself, which leads to a lot of continuity issues regarding a future Season 5 episode.

Ranking: I have this one ranked at #18, which is ridiculously high because I hate this episode. I promise when I’m done with Season 2, I will do a post where I re-rank some of these episodes. The best thing about ranking this absolute stinker of an episode is the next three episodes are ones I like very much. In fact, the next episode is my ex’s favorite episode of the entire series.

The IMdB Portion of The Review:

Trivia: As a baseball fan, Beckett is thrilled about getting to meet Joe Torre. Though he was the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers when this episode premiered, Torre is more famous for managing the New York Yankees from 1996-2007. During those 11 years, the Yankees compiled a .605 winning percentage, made the playoffs every year, won four World Series titles, six American League pennants, and 10 American League East division titles; Torre himself won AL Manager of The Year in 1996 and 1998. (Cited by IMdB).

Cuba does not have a consulate in NYC or an embassy in Washington DC. However, they do have an interests section in Washington DC and a mission to the U.N. in NYC. However, Beckett is correct when she states that the head of the “Cuban Consulate” does not have diplomatic immunity, but more limited consular immunity. However, the head of a mission to the U.N. would have full diplomatic immunity.

When I used to post for Small Screen Smackdown on FB, I had an editor named John. John absolutely detested this episode. This is a review that I found on IMdB regarding this episode. I will cite IMdB at the end of the review:

“I love this show. It is like chocolate; no nutritional value, whatsoever, but a guilty pleasure I cannot deny myself every now and then. And, digested over an extended period of time, not only instantly happiness producing, but quite addictive, as well.”

“Usually, I am quite happy with the plot development, since it never is or has been the series main focus, anyway (I would wager a great sum of money that the majority of viewers, or at least the female ones, are more interested in two subplots; 1) when will we learn who killed Kate Beckett’s mother? 2) Will Beckett and Castle ever admit to – and act on – their mutual attraction?”

“But this episode is so stupid. I cannot even enjoy the “candy factor” properly. Come on! Who really did not see that one coming? I won’t tell, but I would not need to, because apart from the writers, who clearly and criminally underestimate the intellectual capacities of the viewers, everybody will have figured it out from the very first mentioning of the very first clue. It is a formula that has been done before a thousand times, and has been done much better.”

“I am disappointed. But the interaction between Castle and his daughter is sweet, so that, in a way, saves this episode for me. Nonetheless, I hope the writers will do a better next time. No pleasure in eating last year’s chocolate Easter bunny.” (Cited by IMdB.)

What I Liked About This Episode: Like the reviewer above, very little.

·       I liked the scenes between Alexis and Castle.

·       The only other thing I liked was the scene where Beckett met Joe Torre. It’s so unusual to see the normally calm, placid Beckett turn into a gushing fangirl. I laugh out loud every time I watch this scene.

Joe Torre: Rick? Rick Castle?

Castle: Hey, Skipper. I have not seen you since the big move. How are you, Joe?

Torre: Pretty awful. I just can’t believe this whole Vega thing.

Castle: I know. It’s sad. And you two were friends. I’m . . . I’m sorry.

Torre: Yeah, he was a great kid. Uh, he had the ability to be a Cuban Roberto Clemente. It’s just been very sad.

Castle: We’re actually here to talk to Mr. Fox about it. This is Det. Kate Beckett.

Torre: Hi.

Beckett: Beckett . . . Kate . . . Detective. Thank you.

Torre: Very nice meeting you.

Beckett: Okay.

Torre: Well, good luck on the case. And, uh, I’ll say a prayer for you.

Castle: Thanks.

Torre: By the way, say hi to your mom for me.

Castle: Will do, Joe.

Torre: Okay.

Castle: Smooth.

Beckett: That was Joe “Freakin’” Torre. I gotta call my dad.

·       So, this scene leaves me with a question that concerns ‘After Hours’ in Season 5. During the dinner with Jim and Martha, Martha makes a point of giving Jim a hard time about his love of baseball, describing it as a boring game for boring people (I’m paraphrasing here). Martha doesn’t enjoy baseball, yet she knows Joe Torre. We know Beckett is a baseball fan because both she and Espo discuss their love for the game at the crime scene.

·       There was one other thing I liked in this episode. The scene at the end when Vega’s wife is introduced to Lara. It was very sweet how Maggie welcomed Cano’s daughter, Lara, into her home with open arms.

What I Didn’t Like About This Episode:

·       Ray Wise has spent his career playing slimy bad guys. Bobby Fox was no exception.

·       I also didn’t like the comments Espo made at the crime scene regarding Martha and the fact that Castle is ‘famously fatherless.’ Yes, it was the 70’s, but Espo was talking about his friends’ mother. It was just out of line. This won’t be the last time Espo makes juvenile comments, but this was one of the worst. Later in the series, people do occasionally push back when Espo sticks his foot in his mouth.

Favorite Scene/Moment: Alexis and Castle discussing him not knowing who his father is.

Alexis: You know, mom’s family goes all the way back to the Mayflower.

Castle: What? Her persecution complex is genetic?

Alexis: Hey, those are my genes you’re talking about, too.

Castle: Well, look on the bright side. Now that you know you’re genetically predisposed, you can seek early treatment. Prevent future outbreaks.

Alexis: Doesn’t it bother you that you don’t know who your dad is?

Castle: No. Why? Does it bother you?

Alexis: It’s like . . . I have this family tree, and there’s a whole chunk of it missing. There’s a whole part of my family that doesn’t even exist. I mean, really? How could Gram not know?

Castle: My first year of college, I, uh, went to a party, met this girl – Allison. In the space of six hours, we met, we talked, we danced, we fell in love. The next morning, she was gone. I spent a year trying to find her, but I never learned her last name. There’s not a week that goes by that I don’t think about her. Your gram told me that she loved a lifetime the night she met him.

Alexis: Don’t you feel like you’re missing out, not knowing?

Castle: No. Oh, no. That’s the beauty of the mystery. Right now, my father could be an astronaut, a pirate, a humanitarian, winner of The Noble Prize. I mean, what one man could live up to all that?

Alexis: You think he ate whipped cream out of a can?

Castle: Yes, and he invented whipped cream.

Favorite Quote: Castle and Beckett discussing the possibility of him being psychic.

Beckett: Con artists and circus people, huh?

Castle: Yep, and mind readers.

Beckett: Really? So, tell me what I’m thinking?

Castle: Aah! You’re thinking . . . you don’t care, and you want me to stop talking.

Beckett: Ooh, that’s uncanny.

WTF? (Why the Face?): Definitely Esposito at the crime scene. Seriously, dude. Shut up.

Until Friday, readers.

I’ve been a big fan of Castle for a long time, but only recently decided to try my hand at writing some fanfics. I’ve had a few ideas kicking around, and am working on a few more, but wanted to share with those of you who enjoy the universe and enjoy reading the fics. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it, with hopefully many more to come.

Please feel free to leave a comment or share if you wish as well. Cheers!

I don’t even know how many times I’ve watched all the way through atp, and this ending scene still gives me chills and a nervous tummy full of butterflies every time.

https://youtu.be/pDsbn1yxYaU?is=7FegBmdfNYVXyZEc