What happens "After Hours" for Castle?

ABC's Castle has had a very satisfying and varied last few episodes. First, there was the geek-centric installment, wherein we learned of Beckett's (Stana Katic) cult obsession. Then, a documentary crew showed us what happens when the staff gets in front of cameras, throwing off their game. Finally, this past week, "After Hours" explores the romance between Castle (Nathan Fillion) and Beckett, which has finally been allowed to flourish this season, under scary circumstances.

It used to be, series were too scared of the Moonlighting curse to put their leads together until the end of the run. Lately, shows such as Bones and Chuck have disproven that this should not be done; it just needs to be dealt with correctly. Castle's own stab at things, in the currently airing fifth season, seems to be following the successful path, rather than killing the series.

You see, what does a show in is if you lose the dynamic tension between the main characters. Castle and Beckett still have that tension. It comes to the forefront in "After Hours," when they are on the run from mobsters together. They must trust one another, working together to try to get their witness to safety. It's not an easy thing to do; as well as their partnership works, they have to balance their worry for one another with a confidence in each other's abilities. This is explored terrifically in this episode.

The other thing keeping the tension up is the worry that Captain Gates (Penny Johnson Jerald) will find out about the pair. Ryan (Seamus Dever) and Esposito (Jon Huertas) are already in on the secret, as is Castle's family, but none of these people, who love Castle and Beckett, would rat them out, even though their relationship is against department rules. (Castle may not officially be a cop, but his work with the department would realistically make the rules apply to him.) Once Gates learns the truth, it will present an obstacle that will have to be overcome, unfortunately, probably too conveniently.

Add to that, Castle and Beckett are still early in their romance, and so are unsure themselves how things might work, long-term. They worry that they are too different after a dinner with Castle's mother, Martha (Susan Sullivan), and Beckett's father, Jim (Scott Paulin), gets rocky. Of course, they are not their parents, but it's easy to see how such a scenario could scare them a bit. Even if the real purpose of such a scene seems to be to add some lightheartedness to the episode, which happens when Jim and Martha bond over their concern for their children.

"After Hours" sets this dysfunction in a high intensity story, with twists and great guest stars including Bonita Friedericy (Chuck), Tony Denison (The Closer), and especially Patrick Fischler (Lost, Mad Men). Is it still a formulaic procedural? Yes, but in season five, the aversion to taking risks is ebbing, and Castle is finally stepping it up as it's own unique entity. More of this, and it could grow beyond the strict conceits that have held it back thus far.

It also helps that Fillion and Katic are absolutely phenomenal, no matter the situation.

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

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Want to read some of my fiction? It's on my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Also, for the latest updates and article links, as well as commentary on episode I don't fully review, please follow me on Twitter! Article first published by TheTVKing

Psych Out (Until November)

   This past Wednesday, USA's Psych ended its summer run. Like most USA shows, Psych does half of their season in the summer, and the other half sometime during the regular television season. For Psych, a crime procedural about a very observant man who pretends to be a spy, that usually means January. But this year, as they have twice before, there will be a Christmas episode, presumably in November. Yes, November. Don't ask my why. This year's will be It's a Wonderful Life-themed.

     In the season finale, Shawn (James Roday) and Gus (Dulé Hill) helped a spy (Franka Potente, the Bourne movies) clear her name. It was a little like the Bourne Identity series. It wasn't quite the standard case of the week episode, but it also wasn't one of the special episodes that rate a different directing style or a theme song remix. Instead, it was a slightly bigger case than they usually solve, it being a season finale, and the case also had to be wrapped up a little quicker so that the writers could spend the obligatory few minutes not quite getting Shawn and Detective Juliet O'Hara (Maggie Lawson) together.

     That's right. Not getting them together. For four and a half seasons now, Shawn has been in love with the female cop, but never actually made a real move on her. While the two get slightly closer to something real every season, for some reason, like most shows, the writers just won't pull the trigger. Last year, Shawn had a steady girlfriend. This year, Juliet overheard Shawn basically say that he loved her, and she finally kissed him. But it was in Declan Rand's (Lost's Nestor Carbonell) house, the man she has been dating. And she didn't leave when Shawn left, though I doubt she kept her vacation plans with Declan. Of course, we won't know that for sure until at least November, if not later.

     What is the obsession with shows like Psych for putting two characters so obviously right for each other, close, but not allowing them to forge a relationship? Perhaps it's the Moonlighting curse, as that show allowed its two main characters to consummate the relationship, and then watched the series blow up in their faces. Other shows (Bones springs to mind) have waited like Psych has. But Grey's Anatomy hasn't suffered from Derek and Meredith being together, and House is about to take the plunge between the title character and Dr. Cuddy this year. If they can do it, so can Psych.

     Two more criticisms about this season of Psych: the theme song and the recasting of Young Shawn in the flashbacks. Although four actors have played Young Shawn during the series' run, Liam James has done it by far the most, and the new boy that has played him the last few episodes does not measure up at all. Get Liam back! Also, the longer version of Psych's theme song is amazing, while the short version is lame. I know it's the same song, but it's true. Most of last winter, the long version aired. It aired very little this summer. Please install the long version permanently, save, of course, for any special episodes with remixed versions, which are nearly always cool.

     Psych will return to USA later this year.

Article first published as TV Review: Psych Out (Until November) on Blogcritics.

Don't Psych Juliet Out

USA’s best show, Psych, is heating up!  If you don’t know, the show is about a faux psychic detective, who uses his keen observational skills and overacting chops to solve crimes, usually in very entertaining and funny ways.  Last season, the ‘psychic’, Shawn (James Roday) has to choose between high school crush, Abigail (Rachael Leigh Cook, She’s All That) and co-worker, Detective Juliet O’Hara (Maggie Lawson).  Shawn made, to many viewers, the wrong choice, picking Abigail.  For the show’s creators, it was another roadblock on the way to the romance that has to be: Shawn and Juliet.
Like any good romantic tension between two show leads, it must be strung out for many years.  Psych is currently in it’s fourth season.  Unlike other shows, however, they are not the two main characters.  Shawn and Gus (Dule Hill,The West Wing) are, if any two, and Juliet and her partner,  Lassiter (Timothy Omundson), are more supporting.  However, the “will they, won’t they?” has become of issue as the show goes on.
Romance can be successfully done mid-series.  While critics often point to Moonlighting as an example of failure, this past season The Big Bang Theory showed that it can have two main characters get together, and the show doesn’t lose anything for it.  Psych needs to copy the latter.  The longer they wait, the more frustrated audiences get.  Look at Bones and Booth on Bones.  Fans won’t stand them apart much longer.  Psych should not make the same mistakes.
That being said, this has been a banner year for the dramedy, and each episode has been better than average.  Last week’s guest appearance by Judd Nelson (The Breakfast Club, Suddenly Susan) continues the trend of ’80’s references.  And Shawn almost told Juliet how he felt about her.  Plus, during this winter run, the extended theme song has played every episode, and it it truly the best current theme song on television!  Tune in every Wednesday night at 10pm, including tonight, to see how it all plays out.