Hunting for VAN HELSING

Article first published as VAN HELSING Review on Seat42F.

SyFy had such success with Wynonna Earp earlier this year that it’s no wonder they’d aim to get a second female-led reboot of a classic character back on the small screen ASAP. This time, it’s the VAN HELSING character from Dracula who receives the twist, with the story taking place in a near future where the world has been overrun by vampires. Can she save the world?

Kelly Overton (True Blood, Legends) stars as Vanessa Van Helsing, a woman who has been asleep for at least three years. Standing guard over her is Axel (Jonathan Scarfe, Ties That Bind), a military man who doesn’t know why she’s important, but knows it’s his job to protect her and the doctor who cares for her (Rukiya Bernard, The Stagers). When an old friend of Axel’s, Ted (Tim Guinee, The Good Wife, Revolution), shows up with a small group of survivors, things change for Axel and his charge.

I like that the pilot doesn’t jump straight into the action, and is just the beginning of the story, not a pattern that will be repeated week after week. It takes its time introducing the characters and letting the audience figure out who is important, which isn’t entirely clear in the first hour (though the main cast is listed on the show’s website). It doesn’t even introduce a lot of the major players in the initial offering, though since the series is airing two episodes back-to-back on premiere night, that might be saved for the second half.

I also like that VAN HELSING isn’t confined by the literary character on which it is so loosely based. Sure, I like a good Dracula adaptation, but that probably wouldn’t fit the network’s brand, whereas a slight-future reimagining totally does. Overton is believable enough as a woman desperate to find her daughter, who is somehow also a superhero that could possibly change the world, and her mission is one people will root for.

What I don’t like is that there aren’t any real stakes here (hehe), at least not at first. So Van Helsing has some powers, so what? It’s not like she can do something that will end the vampire reign overnight. Sure, she gives survivors a fighting chance, but it doesn’t seem like there are that many of them left anyway. They might secure a city or an area, but really, what’s the point? Axel isn’t likely to ever get his Kit Kat bars back.

Which means there has to be more to Vanessa Van Helsing that even what we’re seeing. But the problem is, she isn’t likeable or sympathetic, and neither is Axel, who are the two characters who really get developed in the pilot. There’s no purchase to really cling to; nothing to drawn you in. I’m sure, given time, I could learn to enjoy these characters, but the fact that there’s no charm or vulnerability early on makes me less likely to stick it out.

I am intrigued by two characters. Sam, a deaf, observant man, is played by Christopher Heyerdahl. There’s nothing to really get me excited about Sam so far, but I loved Heyerdahl in Hell On Wheels, so I want to see what he’s doing here. I’m also very intrigued by Flesh (Vincent Gale, Bates Motel), (SPOILER ALERT, though it is listed on the Cast page of the official website) a vampire who turns human again after biting Van Helsing. While I’m sure there will be Angel-esque guilt, I am curious to see how VAN HELSING uses such a role.

But those things aren’t really enough to get me into the show. If anyone who isn’t sucked in by the first hour gives it more of a chance and thinks it significantly improves over time, let me know. Otherwise, in an era of peak TV, I just don’t have time for this one.

VAN HELSING premieres September 23^rd at 10/9c on SyFy.

No "Loser" With THE GOOD WIFE

Article originally written for Seat42F.

CBS’s THE GOOD WIFE was one of the few broadcast network shows airing on Easter Sunday, but those who ignored this installment, “Loser Edit,” because of the holiday missed out. Alicia (Julianna Margulies) grants an interview to Petra Moritz (American Horror Story’s Lily Rabe), who is doing a profile on her. But when Petra gets a hold of the firm’s hacked emails, which reveal Alicia’s affair with Will, it becomes a race not to hide the truth, but to deflect and minimize damage.

The persona of Saint Alicia has always been an interesting one. Those who know Alicia know that she’s not a saint, but in general, she’s a very respectable woman deserving of much of the praise she gets. Still, she is human, and there are temptations. Will is one of those temptations, and while we viewers, who witness what Peter (Chris Noth) does and how their marriage is basically over before anything happens with Will, understand Alicia’s choices, the public, who only see that packaged image, will not.

Is spin the best way to handle this? Eli (Alan Cumming) and Josh (David Krumholtz) think so, having Alicia deny as much as possible, admitting only to a flirtation, while scooping Petra in a petty way by distracting her and setting up other interviews in the meantime. But this dodging, this outright lying, while it does protect Alicia’s public image to some degree, also sends her further down the path of a politician. Alicia doesn’t settle in naturally to the role, but the more she compromises herself, the more she seems like Peter and others we’ve seen in that arena, and the further detached she becomes from Saint Alicia.

Even as “Loser Edit” finds Alicia weathering this storm OK, it spins up an even greater one as accusations of election tampering are lobbied against her. It’s certain that Alicia is not at all involved in voter fraud in her own election, but because there have been strong suspicions that Peter has rigged results in the past, this story carries a lot of potential damage for THE GOOD WIFE. The show is great at pulling skeletons out of closets, picking up threads long forgotten about, and this is the latest continuation of a story from an earlier season. It should be quite exciting.

While Alicia undergoes all of this, Diane (Christine Baranski) gets to work for her new client, R.D. (Oliver Platt). R.D. brings her into a mock trial on civil protection for homosexuals versus religious rights. It’s definitely another ripped-from-the-headlines case, this being a contentious issue of our day. After being given permission, nay, orders, to take the kid gloves off, Diane fights hard and wins the day, though seeing how she does so gives R.D. ideas on how to fight for the other side in a real court of law.

What I love about the way that THE GOOD WIFE handles this is that we get to see thoughtful opinions on both sides from nuanced characters. I agree with Diane, as will many viewers of the show. Her position is well known and, I think, well understood. What’s interesting about R.D., though, is that he approaches the issue from an argument I haven’t heard very well-articulated, someone who respects people who keep consistent values, and who can separate the individual from a widespread practice. He may not be doing right by his nephew (Wesley Taylor, Smash), nor the country in general, but one would be hard-pressed to argue that R.D. is stubborn or hate-filled. Very well done articulating a position that is so often misunderstood or miscommunicated.

The third subplot brings back Andrew (Tim Guinee), who is able, without much effort, to expose Kaldina’s (Archie Panjabi) data falsification. Even if the intention behind it is correct, Kalinda does something very, very wrong that will have bad ramifications for her, Diane, and likely the firm as a whole. Finn (Matthew Goode) tries to help a bit, because he apparently is the most understanding, nicest guy in the world, as anyone else in his place would be furious, but it won’t be enough. Kalinda is about to leave the show for good, and she will not be going quietly.

These three threads, all of which continue serial stories on THE GOOD WIFE, are all excellent, as is par for the program. It always impresses me how THE GOOD WIFE can churn out twenty-two high quality episodes a year, a feat that seems to elude practically every other broadcast network drama, staying timely, engaging, and surprising. Only a few weeks remain this year, but I am ready for the ride!

THE GOOD WIFE airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.

REVOLUTION Still Same Old, Same Old

Article first published as REVOLUTION Still Same Old, Same Old on TheTVKing.

NBC's Revolution begins its second season tonight with "Born in the U.S.A." It's been six months since the bombs decimated Atlanta and Philadelphia, and the survivors of the Tower have spread out. Some are settled in a small town, others have taken off to find missing relations, and still others are out on their own, heading down a self-destructive path.

First things first: the power is back off. Turns out, it only stayed on for a few minutes. Why? Well, no one knows, or at least no one viewers are familiar with knows. There are hints that this is still an ongoing thread, though, and I look forward both to further exploration of the topic, and movement on the getting-it-back-on front. This central storyline often takes a backseat to personal issues, but it's really what drives some of the most exciting episodes, and should be paid more attention to.

The most likely to be involved in this arc is Aaron (Zak Orth). Though he has moved into a house with a woman (Jessica Collins, Rubicon) and teaches elementary school, he still worries about what is going on in the world at large, and is curious about strange behavior by fireflies and other insects. He's got to be the one to figure things out, or at least spur the others to go somewhere they can find more information.

I have to admit, "Born in the U.S.A." really upset me by killing off Aaron. He ranks at the top of the list of favorite characters, and it would be a shame to lose him so early in what could be a long run. I was furious at the show and ready to rail against it had there not been that final scene of him opening his eyes again. Without it, this review would likely be colored by strong emotion and be much less positive.

Aaron dies when the small town where he, Miles (Billy Burke), and  Rachel (Elizabeth Mitchell) are living are attacked by raiders. This is an interesting turn and definitely one that people in their situation would have to deal with, but I can't help comparing Revolution to The Walking Dead here. The town is surrounded by a wall, like Woodbury, though it keeps out living humans, not zombies. And the leader of the raiders (Matt Ross, Big Love) does have shades of The Governor in the way he runs his camp and the falsely pleasant demeanor he tries to exude.

Unfortunately, while we know fans of good TV like this sort of development based on The Walking Dead's ratings, Revolution is much more poorly written than that show, meaning it suffers when it invites comparison. I'd rather they try to differentiate themselves more. It may be that this similarity was not purposefully conceived, but now that it's obviously happened, it's best to abandon it quickly and move on.

Miles is still playing the hero in "Born in the U.S.A." He tries to leave the town, but comes back when he rightly fears they will be attacked, leading to he and the sheriff getting captured. I guess this means the sheriff is probably expendable and will die soon. Miles could end up getting his job, and then he'd have a real reason to stay, even though that would be out of character for him. Though it wouldn't be the first time Revolution let someone veer out of character, and Miles always walks a thin line between believability and stereotype.

The gripping drama of this setting goes to Rachel who is deeply damaged by the events at the Tower. She is haunted and feels guilty, looking like a hollow shell of a person. Mitchell handles this beautifully, really making us understand her pain. Sure, she'll have to come out of it sooner rather than later, but I'm in no hurry to see that happen if only because I like that Mitchell has meaty material to mine, as the scripts aren't always worthy of her.

Rachel is staying with her father (Stephen Collins, 7th Heaven) during her time of healing. It's nice that she gets to go home to a caring parent who can take care of her, as that seems like just what she needs in her sorry state, even if he doesn't seem to be really helping much. Of course, I like Collins and I like this part, especially because it expands what we know of Rachel, so he joining the cast as a new main character is a welcome development.

Rachel's dad talks about how she has always gone for the wrong guys until she met her now-deceased husband, Ben (Tim Guinee). I can definitely see some truth in that, coming through in the way Mitchell plays Rachel. However, her dad is totally wrong that Miles is one of those "wrong" guys. Miles certainly has been selfish and careless from time to time, but bringing Rachel home at a critical junction should have earned him points, and defending the town ought to, too. And Rachel isn't exactly a perfect girl, either, making her share of mistakes. Really, Miles is a great combination of the bad boy and the noble man, at least in the episodes that serve him well, so perhaps he's the right mix for Rachel to end up with, even if he is her brother-in-law, since that seems to be where Revolution is heading.

In season one, Charlie (Tracy Spiridakos) is initially painted as the main character. This is unfortunate, because while she works OK as a member an ensemble, her role isn't strong enough to hold the show. Considering this, I was hoping she'd stay with the group for awhile and not get played up. No such luck.

In "Born in the U.S.A.," Charlie strikes out on her own in search of Monroe (David Lyons). We don't know why she does this because the episode doesn't tell us explicitly, so we must assume it's holdover anger from last year. Maybe she still wants revenge for her brother's death? And her father's? She certainly doesn't want to be Monroe's friend, aiming an arrow at him. But it's hard to find anything compelling about her story. Plus, she was settled for a couple of months in the town with the others before she went hunting, so it would be nice if Revolution explained why she decided to depart when she did, what is so urgent about her quest.

In fact, we only get a couple of small glimpses at the intervening six months. This is fine, letting the story reset itself, and there's always the possibility of seeing more down the road.

Before Charlie has the chance to kill Monroe, he is nabbed by some bad guys. I'm much more interested in his story than Charlie's. His nation fallen, Monroe is hiding in New Las Vegas, getting into fights for money, gambling away his earnings, and generally acting like he doesn't care about his life. This makes sense, given the circumstances, and while we don't know why he is kidnapped specifically, there are plenty who'd like to get their hands on Monroe after everything he's done. Yes, we'll have to deal with Charlie intruding in the arc, but this still should be pretty interesting over the next few weeks.

One group that may want Monroe is the United States government. Sailing in from Cuba, rebuilding the White House, the unseen President wants to be back in charge. I assume this is the same President from when the power went out, so his term is long expired and he failed to hold the country together, which doesn't give me a lot of confidence that people will fall in line for him. But he could either publicly hang Monroe as a traitor to score some points, or use him to make Monroe's former subjects fall in line. Either way, the government seems the most likely organization with the ability to catch Monroe.

That being said, though the government is the most obvious choice, it could also be someone with a personal vendetta, like Charlie. There's got to be plenty of those out there. What I'm saying is, take my theory with a grain of salt, though it seems reasonable to me.

The reason we know the government is on the move, besides a brief, unexplained glimpse of activity at the White House, is that a representative sails to shore near Tom (Giancarlo Esposito) and Jason (JD Pardo), who are looking in Atlanta refugee camps for the missing Julia (Kim Raver). The pair haven't decided whether to approach the boat yet, but they likely will be involved in whatever is going on here.

Now, this could pull them away from their current mission. They can't exactly keep asking about Julia if the government is rounding folks up and moving them or assigning them some task. However, in this post-apocalyptic world, it makes sense few would have time to indulge in such hopeless pursuits as looking for someone who quite likely will not be found.

It must be said that the balance between Tom and Jason has definitely shifted, and that is to be appreciated. Both have been through a lot, and it has shaped them in different ways. Though they're not at odds as much as they once were, there is still thick tension between them. I wonder how long they can remain a pair alone.

I like the approach Revolution has of tying their characters into the larger arcs, approaching the big issues from the small scale. There's many things the show does wrong, including being cheesy and under developing its stories and players, but this is not one of them. It is far more interesting to have Tom and Jason, two familiar, main characters, get caught up in something and experience it from their viewpoint than to introduce a bunch of new people or take the situation broadly in an army vs. army scenario.

"Born in the U.S.A." has some good beginnings and a few really nice scenes for the a couple of the most excellent actors in the cast to show some range. It does still suffer some of the flaws of season one, being predictable and inconsistent, but for now I think it's worth keeping tabs on, as it still could eventually reach its potential, evident by several elements already present, and that would make for an amazing show.

Revolution airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Not exactly a Revolution

Grade: 66%

NBC’s REVOLUTION is exactly the type of series that belongs on TV. It is sweeping and expansive, with a large cast of characters in an interesting and different world. All electricity has been gone for fifteen years, and people have gotten by in a variety of ways. Now, things seem to be at a tipping point, with those in charge, who are not very nice, intent to bring back the power for their own gain. A small band of heroes stands in their way. This mix of the classic story with a new twist sounds fantastic!

The execution, however, leaves a little something to be desired. First of all, why kill off two of the best members of the cast in episode one? We see Rachel Matheson (Elizabeth Mitchell, Lost, V) only in flashback, just before the electricity shuts down. Then, in the future, her husband, Ben (Tim Guinee, The Good Wife), is quickly snuffed out. Both of these are excellent performers, and I sincerely hope that at least one of them isn’t really dead, even though the old plot device is a bit overused in this genre.

Second, the heroes’ journey gets off to a rocky start in that the initial gang is a bit clumsily assembled. Viewers are introduced to Ben’s daughter, Charlie (Tracy Spiridakos, Majority Rules!), who is brave, high spirited, and tasked with the fate of the world. Yet, Charlie makes a mistake right away by trusting Nate (JD Pardo, American Dreams) just because he helps her once. She has been raised in this dangerous world. Are we really supposed to believe that Charlie is that naive? And even if we believe her instincts, as Nate may end up being someone worthy of her trust, the character of Nate is extremely uneven in this “Pilot,” trying to prove Charlie’s feelings about him are both unearned, but not entirely misplaced. It doesn’t work.

The rest of Charlie’s group is also a bit odd. Aaron’s (Zak Orth, Romeo + Juliet) involvement is adequately explained because of his connection to Ben, and what he has been entrusted with, which supports that Charlie has reason to rely on him, too, even if he is given a hard time. But then there’s Maggie (Anna Lise Phillips), whom Ben had only recently started dating. Yes, Ben tasked her with taking care of his children before dying, but she doesn’t seem the type who would so operate in such a blindly loyal fashion. She is shrewd and jaded, not exactly someone who should fall in with Charlie and Aaron easily. Yet, she follows Charlie with hardly any argument. Why?

The trio of Charlie, Aaron, and Maggie head out on a quest to find Ben’s brother, Miles (Billy Burke, Twilight), who is also sought after by the evil militia. Miles has a connection to the baddies, and also to Ben, neither of which is fully explored in this episode. Instead, viewers just see that he is tough, resourceful, and can single handedly take on an entire squadron of soldiers. Miles seems to be the unrealistic superhero of the piece. Burke brings just enough mystery to the character’s face to make it mostly believable. Though his decision to join Charlie or not is also handled unevenly, with a glaring missing connection between plot points.

The villains are fleshed out a bit better. We don’t see much of the militia leader, Sebastian Monroe (David Lyons, The Cape, ER) in the first episode, be we do get quite a bit of his henchman, Tom Neville (Giancarlo Esposito, Breaking Bad, Once Upon a Time). Tom is hardened, but fair. He serves Monroe, but he isn’t evil himself, just doing what he needs to do to make a life in this new world. He seems genuine when he talks to his captive, Ben’s son, Danny (Graham Rodgers), whom the hero troop wants to rescue. Esposito, already proven a brilliant actor in other work, delicately shapes a fully defined character in a landscape that doesn’t naturally lend itself to such a feat, a triumph on his part.

And then there’s Grace (Maria Howell), who helps Danny, but also seems to unexpectedly have a connection to Ben. While she is just as ill-defined as the rest of the cast, she is also the mysterious stranger, which means this fits a bit better on her. She doesn’t get a lot of time in the “Pilot,” especially after we learn her secret, so she still has time to make a great initial impression. Let’s see if she can do so when much of the rest of the characters haven’t quite landed.

The pacing is a problem, quite possible the biggest one. A lot happens in the “Pilot,” and in a show like REVOLUTION, that shouldn’t necessarily be the case. Many of the issues that arise occur by forcing events along too quickly, instead of taking time. Charlie and the others could have spent several episodes making their way to Miles, really earning them their prize. Instead, it feels like the writers want to rush through the introduction so that they can get to the story they want to make. This is a mistake, as if the relationships and motivations are explored more delicately now, then the set up will be ripe when the bigger action arrives. Fixing the pacing could solve many of the other complaints.

Television is capable of making a great sci-fi show (see: Lost, Battlestar Galactica, Fringe, etc.). Yet, many of the efforts of the last few years fall a little flat (see: Terra Nova, V, FlashForward, The Event, etc.) Why is this? Do producers think that delivering a good hook absolves them from having to develop the characters completely? The draw of great genre shows has always been rich, complex people filling out the strange worlds that are presented. Viewers want to relate to the characters, not just see interesting new landscapes and special effects. REVOLUTION has the potential to be a great show, if it can fix the problems with the “Pilot,” which thankfully are not universal across every character and scene. But there is much work to be done if it’s going to be the next cult favorite.

REVOLUTION premieres September 17 on NBC, and is currently available online.

The Good Wife goes up against "The Dream Team"

The season finale of CBS's The Good Wife, entitled "The Dream Team," finds two of Lockhart / Gardner's biggest foes, Louis Canning (Michael J. Fox) and Patti Nyholm (Martha Plimpton), teaming up to try to bankrupt the firm. As the senior partners scramble to prevent this, Alicia (Julianna Margulies) becomes confused once more about her feelings for Peter (Chris Noth), and accidentally stirs up a hornet's nest involving Kalida's (Archie Panjabi) dangerous husband.

First, it must be said that the scene by the elevator, when Alicia sees both Will (Josh Charles) and Peter arrive together, and then others joining them, and finally, a baby scooting through the middle of the group, is one of the best moments ever! There is the perfect build up of tension, clashes happening all at once, a perfect storm coming together, and another recurrence of a joke that runs throughout the hour. Brilliant!

What is going on with Kalinda? She seems on the verge of skipping town in "The Dream Team," but then, after learning Alicia is in danger, she changes her mind. Clearly, Kalinda has put down roots here, and worries about those she would leave behind. It isn't revealed just what her husband is capable of, but it cannot be anything good, given Kalinda's decision to wait for him with a gun. Might the first case for the firm next year involve clearing Kalinda of a murder charge? Or will this new, as of yet unseen, character stay around for a bit to complicate things? The latter is more appealing, and could still lead to the former happening down the road.

Fox and Plimpton are two of The Good Wife's best recurring characters, which is saying something, given the elite company the series keeps. Having them both in the same episode, working together, well, that's a dream come true! Which is probably why this installment is called "The Dream Team." They both prove to be formidable foes in the past, so it's little wonder that once they put their heads together, they are able to deal a crippling blow! And that is accomplished just by a little distraction.

Dragging Andrew Wiley (Tim Guinee) into the mess as well certainly doesn't hurt the episode!

It seems like Lockhart / Gardner is ending the season on the same shaky ground it's been battling to stay off of for a very long time, which is a shame, given the promising start of the episode, in which the firm looks to get a share of a twenty-five million dollar settlement. L/G's finances are not stable, but this is nothing new. However, with Louis and Patti's victory in "The Dream Team," L/G has now lost 20% of its income. This will certainly result in massive layoffs. Who is on the chopping block? Alicia, who recently becomes more highly paid than her equally qualified colleagues, or Cary (Matt Czuchry), who just gets his foot back in the door, and is doing everything in his power to make himself valuable to his former employees? Neither deserve it, but both appear to be top candidates, except for the fact that they are main characters.

Unless Cary's employment at Lockhart / Gardner is a scam. Peter acts genuinely surprised when he learns that Cary is quitting the District Attorney's office. But Cary also later receives that call from Peter that is not shown on screen. It doesn't seem like Peter would be plotting against the firm, considering how friendly he is getting with his wife again, but one never knows. Cary could be involved in a shady plot. And Lockhart / Gardner will be lucky to weather their current attack, let alone a second one!

Please let this not be the case! It's so good to have Cary back where he is, and he is a much more noble character than he once was!

Alicia losing her job might just push her back into Peter's arms. She is independent for now, but with no income, she won't be for long. Might Canning's offer of employment still stand, albeit with a lower pay rate attached? She could probably find a job somewhere, but not one as comfortable as the spot she currently holds. Though, given Eli's (Alan Cumming) sway at Lockhart / Gardner, and his desire to keep her happy so she will help Peter, Alicia is probably safe.

That being said, Peter would probably take her back. He needs her by his side to win the governor's race, and while she's willing to help him already, perhaps entwining more would draw the pair closer together. Plus, now that their separation is public knowledge, a reunion of sorts would greatly improve Peter's chances. There are strong hints in "The Dream Team" that Alicia might be warming to the idea of a reconciliation, especially at the end of the episode, when she glimpses her cozy family through the window. And Peter is working hard to be at good to her, proving he could be worthy of a second chance. Might this be the direction that The Good Wife will go? If Eli senses this is a possibility, his protection of Alicia will be over.

Why, oh why, isn't Noth a main character?

Just as sick as Lockhart / Gardner's balance sheet is Jackie (Mary Beth Peil). She is up to her devious games when she buys Alicia's old house out from under her. But at least that comes from a semi-kind place, in that she is trying to provide a familiar home to her son and grandchildren. Hopefully she will heed Alicia's request to hand the house over to the kids because that will still accomplish Jackie's goal, for now, and the family doesn't need a lawsuit to make things more tenuous than they already are.

But this is not Jackie's greatest sickness in "The Dream Team." She becomes confused, and doesn't know what is going on. She imagines her television set playing a movie, but the power is off. These are not healthy signs, and, perhaps surprisingly, only Alicia picks up on it. Peter isn't too concerned when Alicia raises the issue. Might it be up to Alicia, who loathes Jackie, to do something to help her mother-in-law?

"The Dream Team" is a terrific season finale, with some juicy character bits for many of the leads, some new mysteries and obstacles, and leaving whopping cliffhangers. Anticipation for next year will be high! Though fans of The Good Wife have come to expect such standards, and should not be surprised.


The Good Wife has been renewed and will return to CBS next fall.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! To buy The Good Wife DVDs, please click here. Article first published as TV Review: The Good Wife - "The Dream Team" on Blogcritics.

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.

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