"Valkyrie" Threatens CASTLE

Article first published as "Valkyrie" Threatens CASTLE on TheTVKing.

ABC's Castle returns for a sixth season tonight with "Valkyrie." When the series paused last May, Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) had decided to accept a job in Washington D.C., a step up for her career-wise, but something that she was sure threatened her professional and romantic relationship with Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion). Before she could break the news to Castle, though, he dropped to one knee and proposed. Will Beckett choose Castle or the job?

Well, both, it turns out, as Castle decides to have its cake and eat it, too. Thankfully, we get the rest of that proposal scene at the start of "Valkyrie," not left to wonder how it all worked out. I feel like this moment is necessary, and for fans who have loyally followed the series for the past five years, earned. It's not overly dramatic, but does reveal a lot about the two leads and how they feel about one another. Plus, a big engagement!

After that is dealt with, it feels OK to skip forward two months. Castle and Beckett are busy people, and the first couple of months of this arrangement are likely to be the easiest. They miss each other, sure, but they haven't been kept apart too long. Now, it's been more than six weeks, and it's time for them to spend some one-on-one time. Of course, a case gets in the way.

I was a little disappointed that Castle jumps headlong into a case-of-the-week so quickly. A lot of time in "Valkyrie" is given to Castle and Beckett figuring out their new dynamic, now that Castle cannot help her with her work. But even more of the hour is spent trying to solve the crime Beckett and her new partner (Lisa Edelstein, House) are assigned to.

Look, Castle is a procedural, and it will never be anything different. It is not the type of series that will abandon the formula and grow into something more, and if one goes into "Valkyrie" with that notion, you may not be too disappointed. I am grateful for the personal interplay time we do get in the premiere, more than in most installments. Yet, seeing how great Castle and Beckett are together, it's hard not to wish for more of that.

Castle gets involved in the case. He tries his best to respect Beckett's wishes and stay away, after a single false start, and I think that shows some real growth and maturity on his part. This is a sign they can make the new circumstances work for them, as long as he is willing to give something up, which he does willingly for her. However, it's clear Beckett also misses working alongside him, and that is what will likely end the D.C. stint. Castle will step aside so that Beckett can fulfill her dreams, but maybe her dream, which she doesn't realize until she loses it, is doing the job she loves with her man, and she'll want to get back to that.

Satisfying, "Valkyrie" is part one of what is at least (and likely not more than) a two-part story. There are high stakes, a dramatic twist, and it all feels like a natural part of something bigger. I like the D.C. team, temporary as they might be, and the tale is a fine one for this genre.

My only real complaint about "Valkyrie" is how Castle rushes off to be with Beckett right after Alexis (Molly C. Quinn) brings home a boy named Pi that Castle immediately clashes with. I mean, Castle and his mother (Susan Sullivan) talk about what Castle should do, and then instead of doing it, Castle leaves. This isn't him avoiding being an overbearing dad; it's him running off to something totally unconnected at a time when he shouldn't. The Alexis plot should have been held for a different episode so that it doesn't feel so disjointed when Castle goes to the capital, twice.

I do appreciate how Castle manages to work in some guy time for Castle, Ryan (Seamus Dever), and Esposito (Jon Huertas). They may be hanging out and talking about work, but it's the easy camaraderie that is nice to see, showing that perhaps the three finally have a lasting friendship, unlike how they drifted apart during times Castle and Beckett were estranged.

Considering the type of show that Castle is, "Valkyrie" is a good effort and a triumphant return, as best as we can expect from an episode in the genre. Castle airs Mondays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.

Castle weathers the storm

Grade: 86%

CASTLE begins season five much in the same way that season four ended. In fact, the action picks up the morning after last spring’s finale, which is probably why the premiere is titled “After the Storm,” a reference that could apply to the confrontation at the station going down, or the alter ego of the fictional Nikki Heat finally falling into bed with the man behind Derrick Storm.

“After the Storm” begins on a light note, Castle (Nathan Fillion) and Beckett (Stana Katic) almost being caught in bed together by the early return of Martha (Susan Sullivan) and Alexis (Molly C. Quinn). This scene nearly repeats soon after at Beckett’s apartment with Ryan (Seamus Dever). Beckett and Castle have a warm connection that begs to be handled in a fun way, and this episode delivers that.

What can be said about the new couple’s decision to sneak around, rather than let family and friends in on the fact that they finally hooked up? Is it immaturity, as Beckett (not unjustifiably) accuses Castle of? Or is it embarrassment, as they both ask the other? I don’t think it’s either. I think that Castle is sincere when he says he’d like to keep her for himself just a little while longer. Given Beckett’s lack of enthusiasm for public sharing, it’s not so surprising that she agrees.

Letting the leads of a series get together always carries a risk. After the disaster that was Moonlighting, dramas that are about more than sex have been a bit gun-shy in pulling the trigger. However, Chuck and Fringe did it just fine, and Bones hasn’t suffered any negative backlash. Perhaps these success stories are what finally prompted CASTLE, four years in, to try making the move themselves.

The important thing to maintain after getting those characters together is the chemistry. If sex changes the witty banter and tension between them, it can ruin the moment. Unless the relationship develops into something much deeper than before, which can keep things interesting. CASTLE has chosen the former option, allowing Beckett and Castle to trade their barbs as usual, which not only means they will be able to keep their secret from their loved ones for awhile, but also allows CASTLE to not change its formula very much. This is probably wise for now, though eventually, should the show continue more than another year or two (a very likely possibility), there will have to be some shift to here the romantic feelings become more than just playful.

Romantic affection isn’t the only type to be found in “After the Storm.” Esposito (Jon Huertas) and Beckett remain suspended from the force, leaving Ryan to try to work the case of who killed Beckett’s mother on his own. He quickly realizes that’s not going to fly, and recruits Beckett and Castle to help him out. When the three discover that Esposito has been chasing his own leads, they come together, despite lingering tension between Esposito and Ryan.

At first, CASTLE was a two person show about the titular male lead and his professional partner and inspiration, Detective Kate Beckett. As the years have gone on, though, Ryan and Esposito have slowly become more developed as characters. “After the Storm” features both on their own, showing off their cop skills, as well as revealing the deep loyalty they still feel towards Kate. This team mentality is not only inspiring, it will likely be the norm going forward, as it should be.

Gates (Penny Johnson Jerald) may not seem the fuzzy type, but she would like in on some of that love. She doesn’t say so explicitly, but she does get to give a peek at a side of herself we haven’t seen before, praising Beckett for her loyalty to Montgomery, and expressing hope that she may one day be seen in the same light. It’s a touching moment, more than a throw away, and at the time, Gates seems like she may deserve it. True, she’s tough, and refuses to let Beckett and Esposito cut their suspension short (providing an excuse to skip a few months to account for the summer before next week’s episode). But that doesn’t make her a bad guy.

Yep, status quo is not quite restored at the end of “After the Storm.” But it soon will be. It’s kind of a shame because this is the opportune time to shake things up. Beckett and Castle getting together is some movement, but the placement of Beckett’s mom’s case on the back burner once more is disappointing. It will probably be a series-long arc, but knowing that doesn’t make it any better. Ah, well. This is the curse of the procedural.

Overall, CASTLE returns with charm and humor intact, wonderful guest stars like Jack Coleman (Heroes, The Office), Geoff Pierson (Dexter, 24), and Tahmoh Penikett (Dollhouse, Battlestar Galactica), and a thrilling, action-packed piece of mystery for it’s newest hour. For a case-of-the-week crime show, that’s about all a fan can ask for.

Castle delivers a good "47 Seconds"

Castle delivers a good "47 Seconds," but what about the other forty-two minutes of the episode?

ABC's Castle tackles a bomb explosion this week in "47 Seconds." While the feds handle the main investigation, the NYPD is allowed to help. Beckett (Stana Katic) and company soon pinpoint a suspect (Tim Guinee, The Good Wife), whom the FBI arrests. But they have the wrong man. Trying to reconstruct the story of the forty-seven seconds leading up to the bomb going off proves difficult. Luckily, Beckett has Castle (Nathan Fillion), king of stories, to help her figure it out. Which he does.

The case of the week in "47 Seconds" is timely and interesting. The Occupy Wall Street movement is at the center of things, as the bomb explodes at one of that group's protests, killing five people. Castle plays with a handful of stereotypes at this rally, including a couple of people who are opposed to the cause. While touting a political message isn't the purpose of the episode, there, surprisingly, isn't a lot of sympathy shown to the protestors. Only to the victims of a crime.

In the end, though, it is not politics that prove the motivating factor, but greed. Not the Wall Street banker greed, but a similar vein in someone from a much lower tax bracket. A news reporter (Christine Woods, Perfect Couples, FlashForward) plots in order to be a news anchor. She helps set up the situation, and makes sure that she is in a position to cover it. Handling this exclusive will certainly get her attention. But by trying to create the news herself, she screws up royally, and will end up in jail instead of in front of a camera.

The real draw of "47 Seconds," though, is Castle deciding to finally tell Beckett about his feelings. He has previously done so, but thinking that she has forgotten, he steels himself to repeat the declaration. Before he can, Beckett lets slip during an interrogation that she remembers everything perfectly about the day Castle confessed to her. It's not a direct confirmation that she heard him, but he is smart enough to take it as such, and assumes her ploy is a rejection. So he keeps his mouth shut.

The whole thing is getting pretty frustrating. Castle ignores this arc for weeks, even months, at a time, only to drop back in on it without much forward movement. Castle is wrong about Beckett not caring, of course, though she has other reasons for being hesitant to get involved with him. What the two should do, what any two reasonable adults in a similar situation would do, is to talk through these issues, and figure out where they stand. Instead, the series continues to play with viewers' emotions, and deliver almost no satisfaction.

This is starting to hurt Castle. Many series have played this game in the past, but with the successful conquering of the "will they, won't they" tension problem in numerous examples, such as Bones and Chuck, fans are becoming less patient. The chemistry between the leads is great, but it needs to start going somewhere. Four seasons in, it's time for Castle to make a move. If not, it may be defined as a typical crime procedural, and it will start to shed people who tune in for something more. Not that the show has ever invested heavily in anything beyond that narrow genre, but still...

There are also a few scenes this week showing how Castle is a good son to Martha (Susan Sullivan) and father to Alexis. (Molly C. Quinn). His relationships with these women are much better done than his dynamic with Beckett, and they provide a contrast that does not do the central pairing any favors. By showing how Castle can have loving, stable people in his life, it makes his lack of such a relationship with Beckett even more of a problem.

Castle airs Mondays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here to read every Castle review I've ever written. To order the Castle DVD, or purchase streaming episodes, please click here.

Castle plays "Cops & Robbers"

     In the latest installment of ABC's Castle, "Cops & Robbers," Castle (Nathan Fillion) and his mother, Martha (Susan Sullivan) are at the bank when it is taken over by four robbers in hospital scrubs, using famous television doctor names as aliases. Trapper John (Darren Pettie, Mad Men, Ringer) seems to be in charge, and catches Castle on the phone with Beckett (Stana Katic). Thus, Beckett becomes the bad guys' line to the outside, much to the chagrin of the hostage negotiator, Captain John Davis (Dean Norris, Breaking Bad). But Castle realizes that something strange is going on when the thieves ignore money, bring explosives, and purposely trigger the alarm. In the end, with the villains having blown themselves out, Castle and Beckett put together what is really going on, and save an abused woman and child.

     The concept of a main character in law enforcement ending up inside a bank robbery, while their partner on the outside manages to get involved in the hostage negotiation, is far from original. It has been done on numerous occasions, with a number of small twists, but basically, all such stories are the same. Except for "Cops & Robbers." Castle throws a huge twist by making the bank robbery just a cover. In fact, there's a significant portion of the episode that takes place after the explosion, and the leads must still solve a real mystery. In this way, Castle puts its own spin on a familiar trope.

     The chemistry between Castle and Beckett, steadily growing over several seasons, is near bursting at present. Beckett is still lying about remembering Castle confess his love in last season's finale, but it's very clear how much she cares. The duo work together during the hostage situation, sending secret signals, but their understanding of each other goes much deeper than normal co-workers. Many series with two simmering leads keep them apart for many years, and then eventually give in down the line. Only in season four, Castle seems poised to make the shift early, much to its credit. If Beckett doesn't say something soon, and admit she has romantic feelings for Castle, something very obvious, and that he likely already knows, it will be a surprise, and a tragic mistake.

     While on the subject of love, Castle's daughter, Alexis (Molly C. Quinn), ends her own long-distance relationship with boyfriend Ashley (Ken Baumann) this week. Ashley is not seen on screen, nor has be been through much of the drama this year. Their relationship breaks down slowly, and it's more than time for it to come to a close, once and for all, by this episode. Not sure exactly went wrong here, but this story didn't gel all that well, and despite the break up almost seeming forced and out of place, it is still welcome. Is the actor who plays Ashley just not available to give Castle what it needs to make the arc work? Baumann was already starring in The Secret Life of the American Teenager when cast, so it seems unlikely the writers didn't realize consistently getting him was improbable. Or was the point just to make Alexis seem more grown up to her daddy? In that, it worked. As a realistic story one can care about, it does not.

     Martha gets wonderful focus in "Cops & Robbers." Not only does she get to flirt with a bank man, and talk about her acting self, but she gets in on the action, and gets to be there for her son in a way she usually isn't. Fillion and Sullivan have wonderful chemistry, usually featured only in tiny scenes as they cross paths. Witnessing them together in a dangerous situation, seeing them care about each other, and yet still be completely in character, is very gratifying. It may all be a bit contrived, but let's hope the series finds ways to involve Martha more heavily in the future.

     It is fantastic to see Dean Norris in this episode, despite the fact that he is wasted quite a bit, and gets nowhere near enough screen time. He serves a purpose, to be sure. But when landing someone as talented as versatile as Norris to be in your show, you should really take advantage of the gift. Instead, he does the expected, typical thing, and is barely an obstacle for Beckett. Nor does he play any serious important role in the crisis. Ah, well. Still good to see Norris.

     Watch Castle Mondays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.

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The "Rise" of Castle

      When ABC's Castle last aired in May, Beckett (Stana Katic) lay on the ground, shot. The season four premiere, "Rise," picks up immediately after that moment. Castle (Nathan Fillion) accompanies his partner to the hospital. When she finally wakes up, she claims to not remember anything, and asks Castle to leave her alone for awhile. He reluctantly agrees.

     Three months later, Beckett returns to work, having never called Castle. While investigating a new murder, she learns that Castle is working tirelessly to find her shooter, though the new boss, Captain Victoria Gates (Penny Johnson Jerald, 24, Star Trek: Deep Space 9), bans him from the police the station. Having no choice, Beckett must go to Castle to continue to look for her would-be killer, who is still at large. Castle goes over Gates's head to get reinstated, and helps out with both the current case, and Beckett's secret continued investigation into her own shooting.

     Gates is certainly a breath of fresh air. While Captain Montgomery (Ruben Santiago-Hudson) finally gets interesting plot right before he is killed off, Gates has a good back story right off the bat. Knowing Gates worked in internal affairs, and is very by the book, Beckett has to sneak around for personal business, something she never does with Montgomery. Also, Castle immediately rubbing Gates the wrong way by going over her head to the mayor means there will be no shortage of friction in the workplace for some time to come. She changes the dynamics of the series completely. Plus, Jerald is a terrific actress, and will certainly bring some dramatic heft in with her.


     Castle and Beckett have never been further apart than they are right now. Beckett is lying about not remembering Castle's declaration of love, something she only admits to her therapist (Michael Dorn, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space 9). Castle lies to Beckett about having a lead on her shooter to protect Beckett's life. With such monumental things kept hidden from the other, they are setting themselves up for a major falling out of trust. Both have their reasons, but that doesn't make their decisions any wiser, if they want to maintain any type of relationship, working or otherwise.

     Add to that, Beckett tells Castle that she can't make a serious go of a relationship until her mother's murder is solved, and now she is putting him in danger. Castle will not tell Beckett about his new leads because he knows what it feels like to lose her, and doesn't want it to happen again, permanently. But knowing he cannot have her romantically until the case is closed, he will be even more motivated to finish investigating himself, meaning he could be the next one threatened. It's his own choice to do so, but he is doing it for her.

     Alexis (Molly C. Quinn), without knowing the full extent of why she should worry, is concerned for her father's safety. Certainly Martha (Susan Sullivan) is, too, after the scare with Beckett. Castle has a family that counts on him, which makes his efforts, while somewhat heroic, also more reckless. What would they do if something happened to him? His character doesn't know that he's the titular component of a television series, and thus, invincible!

     "Rise" is also nice because it gives viewers a chance to see Detectives Ryan (Seamus Dever) and Esposito (Jon Huertas) solving cases without Beckett and Castle's support. Usually these two play second fiddle, but in the season premiere, they are almost entirely working alone, the other two caught up in other matters. What's more, they've clearly been doing so for months. This helps establish their competence as policemen, and hopefully will allow them a more active role in future episodes. The same can be said, to a slightly lesser extent, for Lanie (Tamala Jones).

     Watch Castle Mondays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.

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     To order the Castle DVD, or purchase streaming episodes, please click here.

Article first published as TV Review: Castle - "Rise" on Blogcritics.

Castle: The Complete Third Season on DVD

     ABC's Castle: The Complete Third Season comes to DVD this Tuesday, September 20th, the day after season four premieres. These episodes aired from September 2010 until this past May, the most recent season to air. Season three provides many of the stand-alone mysteries viewers have come to expect from Castle, as well as a handful of episodes that play into larger arcs.

     As season two ends, Castle (Nathan Fillion) heads off to the Hamptons with his second wife and editor, Gina (Monet Mazur), just after Beckett (Stana Katic) breaks up with her boyfriend. Season three finds Castle dating Gina for awhile, before the relationship implodes. But the time that it does, Beckett finds a new guy to date. So, of course, the two lead characters never do find the opportunity to hook up. However, in the season three finale, Castle tellz Beckett that he loves her, so it will be interesting to see what the ramifications of that moment will be.

     Though Castle and Beckett don't get lucky in love, they seem to be the only ones. Among the other relationships that play out during the third season, Alexis (Molly C. Quinn) gets serious with her first real boyfriend, Ashley (Ken Baumann, The Secret Life of the American Teenager), so much so that, after a fight, they decide to try the long distance thing as he goes off to college. Ryan (Seamus Dever) proposes to his girlfriend, and she says yes. Esposito (Jon Huertas) and Lanie (Tamala Jones) try to sneak around, and for awhile, their friends allow them to believe it's working. Martha's (Susan Sullivan) beau dies just as she is about to decline his marriage proposal.

     But romance is a small part of Castle, while murder is a much bigger part. There are a number of cool, memorable cases that Castle, Beckett, and company solve during this third season. The team works with Agent Mark Fallon (Heroes's Adrian Pasdar) to stop a dirty bomb in a gripping two parter. Actress Natalie Rhodes (Laura Prepon, October Road, That '70s Show) helps out on one case while studying Beckett, as she will be playing Nikki Heat in a film based on Castle's books. Beckett's old mentor, Royce (Jason Beghe), returns, only to be killed, and Beckett and Castle have to travel to Los Angeles to find his murderer.

     Of course, the biggest episode of Castle's third season is the finale, "Knockout," which continues the investigation into Beckett's mother's murder, an arc spanning the series thus far. Esposito and Ryan learn that Captain Montgomery (Ruben Santiago-Hudson) is part of the cover up conspiracy. Montgomery faces the hired killer himself, losing his life, but saving Beckett's. There is also much examination by Castle over his feelings for Beckett, while trying to convince her to stop digging before she gets killed. "Knockout" ends with Beckett being shot as Montgomery's funeral, and Castle professing his love, as mentioned above, before her head lolls back. What an exciting cliffhanger!

     Interestingly, unlike other ABC releases, Castle's bonus features are spread across each disc in the set, rather than packing them all onto one disc. This certainly makes sense for the audio commentaries, which are provided for a few of the more memorable episodes. It's also convenient for the deleted scenes, too, keeping them near the episode that they belong with. Those are all pretty standard, nothing shocking or exciting to set Castle's apart from any other show. Though it is fun to see Castle bumble in front of Beckett's father (Scott Paulin). You can skip watching them, and won't miss anything. The longer features are all on the final disc, so the setup works pretty well.

     One three and a half minute feature examines how the twelve murder boards on set are used to film each episode, as told by Kurt DeFilipps, the man in charge of doing so. A just over two minute music video called "Get On the Floor" comes from an episode during the season, expanded with scenes from the show added in. The obligatory four minute blooper reel begins semi-seriously, giving it a fun, unique spin. It also exposes the cast's potty mouths.

     "Castle Goes Hollywood" is an eight minute short about filming in Los Angeles for one episode. Actually, Castle always films in L.A., but the cast and crew talk about how they had to adapt, since usually they are concerned with making L.A. pass for New York, and this time, they can embrace the city where they live.

      Finally, "Murder They Wrote" is a twenty-two minute roundtable discussion with series creator Andrew Marlowe, executive producer Rob Bowman, author Michael Connelly, graphic novelist Brian Michael Bendis, and star Nathan Fillion. The guys discuss the writing process and the realism of the show. They also go into detail about the books and graphic novel that have been released in conjunction with the series. Fillion talks about his experience on Firely, always a treat. Plus, they remember Stephen J. Cannell, author and former guest star.

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     To order the Castle DVD, or purchase streaming episodes, please click here.

Article first published as DVD Review: Castle: The Complete Third Season on Blogcritics.

Castle goes out disappointingly

     I have been a fan of Nathan Fillion for quite some time.  When I learned he was starring in a crime mystery-of-the-week series, Castle, I was disappointed.  He's so much better than that.  Having popped into the show a couple of months ago, having not watched it since the beginning, I was pleasantly surprised to see how witty and entertaining it was, despite the formula.  So I have been watching since, and this week's season finale, "A Deadly Game" was the weakest episode of the last few.

     The finale centered on a 'spy' that was killed during a 'mission'.  Those extra punctuation marks are present because it's all a game, except for the real dead body.  Frankly, I could care less about the murder Castle and his partner Beckett (Stana Katic) are working on.  I tune in for character development and interaction.  This week's case was just boring.  I know, I know.  It certainly sounds exciting, but it wasn't handled in an interesting way.  It kind of plodded along.  It's like there was more concern with how they would end this season with Castle and Beckett than there was about the case.  Which is fine.  That's what it should be.  Except it was done all wrong.

     A hallmark of these types of shows is the entire series-spanning 'will they or won't they?'  It's frustrating as hell and generally dumb.  It's been done over and over again.  Occasionally you'll run across a show like Bones that handles the situation beautifully, but it still wears on over time.  If you're a smart writer, you do it like Chuck or, it appears, House will soon be doing, and you put them together and go for it.  True, that has killed shows before, but to keeping the growth going and the show worth watching, it needs to happen.

     Castle started out ok with this.  Beckett dumped her perfectly good boyfriend (Michael Trucco) when she was about to lose Castle.  So far, so good.  Then out of nowhere comes his ex-wife and the two go off together, leaving Beckett alone and frustrated.  Terrible.

     Instead, the best part of the episode was between Castle and his daughter, Alexis (Molly C. Quinn), as she was about to move into some college dorm for a summer program, and he worried about the sort of things he did at her age without parental supervision.  It was clever, fun, and if the entire show was like this, it would be brilliant.  Capture that light-hearted banter, and Castle could have gold.

     Castle has already been picked up for a third season, and will return next fall to ABC.