A Whole New World on the
Season Premiere of ‘Castle’
By Lisa Caputo
2013-09-23
‘Castle’ kicks off its sixth season with a brilliant and
compelling two-part episode
It has been four long months since Castle
ended its fifth season with a breathtaking and emotional finale, the
culmination of an exciting, captivating, and often extremely touching season
that saw Castle and Beckett exploring the ups and downs of their first year in
their newly established romantic relationship. The finale took viewers through
a rollercoaster ride of emotions as Beckett struggled with a potential new job
offer in D.C. and Castle struggled with the thought of potentially losing the
love of his life. In the closing minutes of the intense and dramatic final hour
of the season, Castle got down on one knee and proposed to Beckett, leaving
fans waiting all summer to find out not only Beckett’s answer to Castle’s
proposal but also whether or not she had accepted the job in D.C.
Sunday’s highly-anticipated sixth season
premiere not only answered those questions in the most perfectly satisfying way
possible, but it brilliantly kept the focus of the episode on something much
more important; how Castle and Beckett would move forward after those decisions
had been made. Penned by the uber-talented Rob Hanning and directed by the
legendary John Terlesky, “Valkyrie” picked up immediately where last season’s
finale left off, with Castle down on one knee and anxiously awaiting Beckett’s
answer to his proposal. In a short but very sweet scene, and one that was so
perfectly Castle, the two solidified their engagement, decided that
Beckett should take the job in D.C., and committed themselves to their
relationship no matter what they may have to face along the way.
Not only was this scene so perfect in that
it quickly and effectively answered the two major questions presented in last
year’s finale, but it was also everything that this scene needed to be. While
the finale’s proposal was misleading, shocking, and almost heartbreakingly
serious, with the audience being made to feel as Beckett felt, believing Castle
was preparing to end his relationship with her, this continuation was sweet,
funny, and incredibly romantic. It showcased every element of what we have come
to truly adore about these two as a couple, from their hilarious banter and
their awkward fumbling to their sharp one-liners and their ability to express
the most heartfelt emotions through both brilliant dialogue and detailed
performances. It also set the stage for Beckett to explore this new job
opportunity in D.C. while allowing it to truly be a decision that the two
discussed together and were committed to dealing with together.
From there, the episode jumped ahead two
full months, taking the story to D.C. to explore this next chapter in their
lives as Castle and Beckett struggled to make their relationship work despite
the distance between them and their busy yet now very separate schedules. While
Beckett was attempting to establish herself in her new job, Castle was
returning home from a lengthy cross-country book tour, and it was quickly
revealed that the two had been struggling to find time to see each other,
creating the foundation of the episode’s storyline.
New characters were introduced in the
process, including Beckett’s new partner, Rachel McCord (played brilliantly by
former House star, Lisa Edelstein), and Alexis’ new love interest, Pi
(played by Myko Olivier). Meanwhile, the majority of the supporting cast was
either non-existent or given very little to do within the episode, something
that is understandable given that the majority of the story took place in D.C.,
but it also makes it seem rather clear that this storyline will not last long
this season and that Beckett will find herself back in New York with an
ensemble of familiar faces sooner than later.
With that said, even the absence of the
supporting cast did little to take away from the absolute brilliance and beauty
of this episode. While last year’s “After The Storm” was an incredible premiere
in and of itself, “Valkyrie” was truly playing in a whole different league. It
had the elements of a typical premiere episode, resolving last year’s questions
while setting the stage for new storylines this season, yet it took the story
so much further and had the feel of a mid-season sweeps episode, as if this was
not just the beginning of a new season but very much a continuation of a story
that has not missed a single beat since we last left it. Perhaps it was simply
the content, showcasing a very big story with a lot of intensity and emotion.
Or perhaps it was the cliffhanger ending and the fact that it was, in reality,
the first of a two-part episode. Whatever it was, the end result was that this
was truly one of the most powerful, compelling, captivating, emotional, and intense
episodes of the series thus far and certainly the biggest premiere to this
point.
This was an incredibly detailed and layered
episode and one that would take far more than one review to adequately discuss.
There are, however, a few key elements that should be highlighted. One of the
most interesting aspects of this episode was that it combined the original
elements of the series with the new developments of Castle and Beckett’s
relationship. We saw Beckett immersed in her work, Castle spending more time
with his family and his writing, and the two struggling to walk the line
between Castle’s desire to figure out the story and his getting himself in way
over his head, just as we would have seen in any of the earlier seasons of the
series. Yet we also saw these two so wonderfully domestic and familiar in their
relationship, being more open and honest than ever before, and fully committed
to one another despite the hardships of their now-long-distance engagement. It
was a poignant mixture of the classic Castle elements and some very
fresh and wonderfully captivating elements as well.
But at the heart and soul of the story was
the struggle that Castle and Beckett both felt as they attempted to navigate
the waters of their new situation. Only two months into Beckett’s career in
D.C., the two revealed they had not seen each other in the past six weeks,
something that clearly weighed heavily on both of them. And while Beckett
struggled to find her place as a Federal Agent, attempting to prove herself all
over again and doing it all without Castle by her side, Castle struggled to
come to terms with the fact that he and Beckett would never get to solve a case
together again and nothing would really ever be the same for them. It was a
heartbreaking lesson that they both seemed to learn throughout the episode, one
that may very well be at the core of Beckett’s eventual decision to return to
the NYPD and to her regular routine and life with Castle. After all, this is a
storyline that has a great amount of potential to bring Castle and Beckett
closer together and make them both realize just how much they appreciate the
life they share together as it is, and the Castle team seems to be
brilliantly mining this story in that way. Clever writers.
With so much going on in this premiere
episode and the pace being incredibly fast and intense throughout, the hour
certainly flew by in a way that was reminiscent of the first part of a Castle
two-parter. So it should have come as no surprise that this was, in fact, just
the first part of an epic, season-starting two-part episode. Even still, and as
is always the case, it did come as quite a shock. In an intense and chillingly
emotional cliffhanger ending, Beckett revealed to a devastated Castle that he
had been poisoned by a deadly military chemical, just part and parcel of his
seemingly harmless attempts to help her solve her case. The heartbroken couple
stared at one another in the dark interrogation room as the screen faded to
black and the words “To be continued” faded onto the screen.
While the fan in me thought it cruel to
make the audience wait four long months for a resolution to the finale’s
cliffhanger only to leave us hanging even longer with another cliffhanger
ending in the premiere, the writer in me could not help but grin from ear to
ear because, quite frankly, what better way is there to kick off an epic new
season of Castle than to do it with a two-part episode?
Clever writers indeed.
________________________________________________________________________________
6x02 - "Dreamworld" Review
What Partners Do on ‘Castle’
By Lisa Caputo
2013-09-30
Castle and Beckett reunite as partners in a race against
time to save Castle’s life
Castle
kicked off its highly anticipated sixth season last week with the first
installment of an epic two-part premiere episode. While the episode found
Castle and Beckett in a whole new world with Beckett trying to find her way in
D.C. as a Federal Agent, every aspect of the hour brilliantly combined all of
the classic Castle elements while exploring an exciting and fresh new
storyline. Sunday’s conclusion seamlessly continued that storyline while
cleverly paving the way for Castle and Beckett to reunite as partners in a race
against time to save Castle’s life. It was another exciting, intense, and
dramatic hour of television, establishing Castle as truly being better
than ever as it kicks off what is sure to be its most compelling and
captivating season yet.
Last week’s epic season premiere concluded
with a shocking cliffhanger ending, with Beckett heartbreakingly delivering the
news to a devastated Castle that he had been infected by a deadly military
chemical. It was a severe fallout to his attempt to get involved in her latest
case in an effort to get back some of the magic that had originally brought
them together in the first place and it left him with only 24 hours to live
unless they could solve this case and get him an antidote within that
timeframe. While it was clear that the titular character would not be killed
off, the cliffhanger itself was not the question of whether Castle would live
or die, rather how he and Beckett would be able to save his life and how the
aftermath of this twist would affect their story. It was also a brilliant way
to facilitate this dynamic duo reuniting as partners to solve the case,
something that clearly could not happen without such a dire twist in the
storyline.
Penned by longtime Castle great,
David Grae and directed by Tom Wright, who has been at the helm for epic
episodes like “Sucker Punch”, “Knockdown”, and last season’s “Recoil”, Sunday’s
“Dreamworld” picked up right where last week’s “Valkyrie” left off, with a
stellar continuation to the dramatic and emotional cliffhanger ending. While
Castle struggled to handle the devastating news of his being infected, Beckett
did her best to stay strong and positive, attempting to keep Castle’s spirits
up as she clung to the hope that they would solve this case and save his life.
While the outcome of the episode was always
rather clear in that it was evident Castle would surely survive and he and
Beckett would solve the case just in the nick of time, it certainly did not
take anything away from the intensity, suspense, and emotion of the episode. It
was an hour filled with every element of a truly great Castle episode,
from heart-pounding action to moments of comedy to high-octane drama to
heartbreaking emotion. As always, the Castle team managed to combine all
of these elements so seamlessly while also telling a truly compelling and
captivating story throughout the hour.
There were many highlights throughout the
episode, from full scenes of great storytelling to small details that provided
further insights into the characters, and every moment of the episode was
crafted in brilliant fashion. With Castle being cleared to work on the case
with Beckett and her fellow Feds, something that was helped along by Beckett’s
devotion to him and McCord’s rather sympathetic agreement, most of the hour was
an intense race against time that found the team hurdling from one twist to
another in their quest to solve this case and save Castle’s life. Yet so often
throughout the episode, it was the quiet and personal moments that shone
brighter than anything else, exposing the fears and sorrow of everyone
involved. As incredible as the edge-of-your-seat suspense was throughout the
hour, it was those quietly emotional moments that truly formed the heart and
soul of the episode.
From Beckett’s enamoured description of
Castle to McCord early in the episode, to her absolute determination to do
anything and everything to solve the case and save Castle’s life regardless of
the potential fallout, to her stoic way of supporting him and lifting his
spirits despite how much the thought of losing him was torturing her as well,
Beckett proved time and time again just how much she loved Castle and how far
she was willing to go to protect him. Yet Stana Katic played this role
throughout the hour with so much quiet emotion and fear coursing through
Beckett’s veins, allowing us to understand that she was just as terrified and
just as devastated as he was, even if she was trying to keep a brave face for
his benefit.
Meanwhile, Nathan Fillion delivered a
plethora of poignant scenes throughout the episode, showcasing his serious side
and Castle’s obvious pain as he struggled to deal with his potential impending
doom. In fact, the scene early on in the episode that saw Castle on the phone
with both Martha and Alexis, attempting to hide the truth from them while
making sure they were aware of how much he loved them, was absolutely
heartbreaking and full of emotion. So, too, was the scene later in the episode
when Castle shared a stirring moment with McCord as he looked for assurance
that Beckett would be okay if he did not survive this ordeal.
Speaking of McCord, Lisa Edelstein turned
in a truly remarkable guest appearance in Sunday’s episode. While she was great
in last week’s premiere, portraying McCord as very much the way Beckett once
was, the heart and soul of her character was truly displayed through
“Dreamworld” as we began to see McCord as someone who had compassion and
empathy and a great deal of both faith and respect towards Beckett. It was that
personal element to the character of McCord that struck me most in Sunday’s
episode and it was something highlighted beautifully by Edelstein’s astounding
portrayal of her.
While the supporting cast again had a very
minute role in this episode, and understandably so, one should never put it
past the legendary Susan Sullivan to be able to shine throughout the hour even
with only a scene or two to work with. Her role in the story provided some of
the most heartbreaking emotional moments of the episode. Sullivan showcased how
well Martha truly knows her son, immediately picking up on the signs that
something was wrong with him despite his attempts to hide the truth from her,
and also beautifully displayed the extent of a mother’s love for her child as
she enlisted the help of Ryan and Esposito to find out what was really going
on. While her scenes were brief, they were truly unforgettable.
In the end, the complex yet fascinating and
captivating case was solved, with Beckett and Castle combining their talents to
figure out that this was a case of revenge as their suspect was attempting to
find justice for having the love of his life taken from him. Not only did the
remarkable ending find a brilliant way to link the case itself to the personal
storyline between Castle and Beckett, especially Beckett’s determination to do
whatever it took to save Castle’s life, but it also beautifully set the stage
to plant the seeds of doubt in Beckett’s mind about this dream job she had
landed.
After all, Castle’s life was put in grave
danger because of his attempts to rekindle the partnership that was the very
foundation of their relationship and it was clear that Beckett’s determination
to give this job a fair shot and live without regrets was causing the man she
loved so much pain and suffering. While he was happily willing to make it work,
even despite this harrowing ordeal, it was Beckett who began to have her
doubts. When McCord delivered a brilliant line of subtext at the end of the
episode, one that referred to her newfound partnership with Beckett but
actually had Beckett thinking of her partnership and relationship with Castle,
it seemed as though she had come to realize that she may have more regrets than
she ever thought possible should she continue trying to make this Federal job
work.
While her decision will not come
immediately, it is clear that the Castle team has brilliantly laid the
foundation for that conclusion to this storyline to come to fruition soon
enough. With Beckett beginning to doubt whether her new job is worth the
sacrifices, both to her personal life and ultimately to so much of who she is
and what she believes so strongly in, and with her starting to see the
suffering it has already caused to those she cares most about, it seems to this
reviewer that she will inevitably choose to return to her old life, truly the
life she has always wanted, and that this decision will come quickly and will
lead both Beckett and Castle to better appreciate what they have together back
in New York.
In the meantime, it has certainly provided
a thrilling and exciting new storyline to start this sixth season off in an
absolutely brilliant and remarkable way. Being that the Castle team has
a history of building off of their incredible premiere episodes and continuing
to make the story even better each step of the way, it is sure to be an epic
season indeed.
_______________________________________________________________________________
6x03 - "Need To Know" Review
6x03 - "Need To Know" Review
“Castle” : Justice Doesn’t
Have To Be Blind
By Lisa Caputo
2013-10-7
Beckett is pitted against her old team while Castle is
caught in the middle in this week’s hilarious but thought-provoking new episode
Castle
concluded its epic two-part premiere last week with a stirring and emotional
hour, effectively kicking off this highly anticipated sixth season with a pair
of stellar and compelling episodes. With all of the drama and intensity that
these first two episodes served up, Sunday’s installment turned to more
lighthearted fare instead, something the Castle team does so well as
they seamlessly weave from drama to comedy from one episode to the next.
Penned by the incredible Elizabeth Beall
and directed by the talented Larry Shaw, who was at the helm for last year’s
fantastic milestone 100th episode, Sunday’s “Need To Know” found
Castle back at the 12th precinct, assisting Ryan and Esposito on a
case. But when Beckett and McCord swept in to take the over the investigation,
the awkward situation pitted Beckett against her old team and forced Castle to
take sides between his fiancé and his friends. What ensued was an hour filled
with hilarious comedy, entertaining competition, and heartwarming moments.
The episode began with an interesting case
in New York, with Ryan and Esposito investigating the gruesome death of a
former star of a 90s teen show, a fantastic parody of Saved By The Bell.
With a clever pop culture reference, an interesting crime scene, and Castle
feeling the need to escape his now-crowded loft, he was immediately intrigued
by the case and made an effort to worm his way into the investigation with Ryan
and Esposito, much to Gates’ opposition. But when McCord and Beckett arrived
unannounced and staked their claim on the case as a Federal investigation, it
became an all-out competition between the Feds and the NYPD. While Beckett
found herself in an awkward situation, having become the unwanted Federal Agent
that she loathed herself as a detective, Castle found himself caught in the
middle between being happy to have his fiancé home and wanting to show loyalty
towards Ryan and Esposito.
The premise of the episode lent itself to
some truly hilarious and awkward moments throughout the hour, including a great
number of sweet and funny Caskett moments that were remarkably swoon-worthy. It
all beautifully highlighted how well the Castle team can handle comedic
episodes, witty dialogue, and lighthearted romance just as they do gripping
drama, intense action, and stirring emotional moments. Yet amongst the plethora
of witty pop culture references, hilarious scenes, and sharp comedic dialogue,
there was also a very thought-provoking heart to the episode, one that found
Beckett truly becoming someone she never wanted to be, and one that would
forever change the direction of this season after a shocking conclusion to the
episode.
Throughout the hour, it was brilliantly
revealed that there were elements to Beckett’s new job that would force her to
put aside her own convictions and values, thus making her do things that she
never thought she would ever do. At the end of last week’s episode, Beckett
learned a harsh lesson that her new job would sometimes require her to help
cover up government conspiracies, the kind that were not unlike the one that
led to her mother’s murder that she spent over a decade trying to uncover, and
it was clear that Beckett had obvious reservations about that. But this week,
more harsh lessons were added, including the revelation that she would have to
investigate cases while being kept in the dark about why she was investigating
them in the first place. For someone like Beckett, someone who puts so much
value in uncovering the truth and finding justice, it seemed to be a tough pill
to swallow to know that she would rarely be given the truth herself.
It was starting to become clear to Beckett
that working for the Feds would always be a far cry from the job she had as a
detective and certainly not a step in the right direction according to her keen
moral compass. Her dedication to seeing justice served and uncovering the truth
to bring others peace would need to be pushed aside for politics, forcing her
to turn a blind eye to everything she had once dedicated her life to. And while
she and McCord were proving to make a good team, it seemed as though their
partnership would always lack the sense of true camaraderie and friendship that
she had with Ryan, Esposito, and even Gates at the NYPD. This was something she
began to miss more and more throughout the episode, feeling the distance between
herself and her former team and clearly feeling guilty about the position she
was now in while presiding over them on this case.
While Beckett grudgingly accepted to play
by the rules in order to do her job, we quickly learned where her true loyalties
lay and what lines she was not willing to cross. First, when McCord instructed
the NYPD team to abandon their case in order to not obstruct the larger
investigation that was taking place, Beckett selflessly provided Castle with
the classified information he, Ryan, and Esposito would need to crack their
case and catch their killer. And when McCord came down on Gates for her team
violating direct orders, Beckett stood up for them and convinced McCord to let
them continue their investigation.
Later, when she discovered that the CIA,
who had ironically taken over their case after they had taken it over from the
NYPD, had blackmailed one of their witnesses into risking her life to spy on
her mobster family for them in their ongoing investigation, Beckett found
herself unable to push aside her convictions and her morals any longer. Despite
the potential fallout, Beckett leaked information about their witness to the
media, describing her as a person of interest in their case rather than an
informant, something that she knew would not only protect the young woman from
her family as they would want nothing to do with her if she were being
investigated, but would also eliminate her as having anything to offer to the
CIA as a potential spy.
Likely having saved this woman’s life,
Castle later told Beckett that her standing by her convictions and doing the
right thing was something that made him fall even more in love with her. In a
beautiful final scene to the hour, Castle explained to Beckett that it was
obvious their long-distance relationship was not working out and that it was
far too difficult for them to spend time together in their current situation.
With that, he pulled out a shiny new key and revealed to her that he had bought
an apartment in D.C.; a new home for both of them to live in together. While
Beckett likely would have never asked him to leave behind his family to move to
D.C. with her, she was clearly over the moon that he had offered to do so on
his own. But their celebration was short-lived as, in true Castle
fashion, the moment was interrupted when McCord unexpectedly arrived at the
loft and explained to a shocked Beckett that the Feds had discovered that she
was the one who leaked the information to the press. Despite McCord’s
admiration for Beckett and her belief that she was the best agent she had ever
worked with, Beckett’s time as a Fed was over; Kate Beckett was fired.
It was a shocking conclusion to not just
this episode but also to the new storyline that was being explored as an early
arc to this sixth season, and while there will surely be a lasting impact to
Beckett being fired from her job and having to find a way to get back into the
NYPD after leaving her position for a second time in just two years, it was
certainly an interesting way to bring Beckett back to New York. While it
appears as though Beckett never had to make the choice on her own to stay in
D.C. or return to New York, she ultimately did make that choice the second she
opted to follow her heart and her convictions rather than to play the game that
the Feds expected her to play. She made that choice twice in the episode,
showing her loyalty towards her old team and also to the innocent people who
she had pledged her life towards protecting and finding justice for.
Thus, Beckett ultimately did make her
choice. Now, she can return home with no regrets. She can return to being a
detective, a partner, a friend, and a fiancé, all while being able to look in
the mirror and be content with the person she still is. And so can we.
_________________________________________________________________________________
6x04 - "Number One Fan" Review
Back and Better Than Ever on
‘Castle’
By Lisa Caputo
2013-10-14
Castle and Beckett are called upon to assist the NYPD in a
dangerous hostage situation in a thrilling new episode
Castle has
been back and better than ever in what has proven to be an exciting,
compelling, and fresh new season so far. The early arc of the sixth season
found a newly engaged Castle and Beckett attempting to make their relationship
work despite Beckett taking on a job as a Federal Agent in D.C. The arc pushed
them both beyond their usual limits, struggling to maintain their relationship
despite the distance between them and the absence of their working partnership,
something that has long been the very foundation of their romantic relationship
together. When Beckett found herself fired from her new job at the end of last
week’s episode, a shocking result of her standing by her own convictions and
beliefs and refusing to turn a blind eye to the injustices that were part and
parcel of her new position, the door was opened for Beckett to return to New
York and attempt to make her way back to the NYPD.
Penned by the extremely talented longtime Castle
writer, Terence Paul Winter, and directed once again by the legendary John
Terlesky, Sunday’s “Number One Fan” began with Beckett lamenting to a
half-asleep Castle that she felt more than a little lost at this juncture in
her professional life. Having never been fired before and having been unable to
secure her old job back at the NYPD due to budgetary issues, Kate Beckett was
unemployed for the first time in her adult life and the mere thought of it was
proving to be unbearable for the hard-working former detective.
The opening scene between Castle and
Beckett was absolute magic, one that took the time to explore all of the
playfulness and banter that fans have come to expect from these two while also
brilliantly exposing the stark differences between them as well. Through one
hilarious and poignant exchange of dialogue between them, Beckett vented to
Castle that she could not live a life of sleeping in and spending her days
aimlessly waiting for someone to call to give her something to do, pondering
what kind of life that really was, while Castle dryly replied that it was
exactly the life he lived.
This scene, however, also rather brilliantly
presented some very likely foreshadowing for Castle and Beckett as it became
abundantly clear to them that even in this private moment between them, they
were never truly alone in Castle’s loft. With Pi, Martha, and Alexis all
intruding rather uninvited into Castle’s bedroom, it became rather evident that
the loft had become incredibly crowded, perhaps signaling a potential problem
should Castle and Beckett decide to move in together in the very near future.
But the playful and funny opening scene quickly
gave way to what would become an incredibly intense and dramatic storyline
throughout the hour, as Castle was called upon by the NYPD to assist in a
dangerous hostage negotiation. Castle arrived at the crime scene with Beckett
in tow, a stark contrast to their usual routine, only to discover that the
suspect refused to speak to anyone but him, eventually finding out that she was
a fan of his work and desperately needed him and his expertise to help prove
her innocence.
The case itself was certainly one of the
most complex out of the hundreds of cases that Castle and Beckett have tackled,
yet amidst the twists and turns and the mystery of it all lay a rather
compelling story about a woman who had been framed for murder and her
desperation to clear her name. The suspect, Emma Briggs, was played brilliantly
by guest star Alicia Lagano, who stole nearly each and every scene that she was
in throughout the hour and proved to be one of the most compelling and
captivating suspects yet.
Yet the case also perfectly laid the
foundation for some truly interesting development amongst the regular cast of
characters, especially for Castle and Beckett themselves. It found Castle and
Beckett swapping their usual roles, with Castle taking the lead on the
investigation and Beckett being there to support him along the way, something
that was rather refreshing to see as it showed how much they have learned from
one another over the years in their partnership and gave leads Stana Katic and
Nathan Fillion an interesting challenge that they both passed with flying
colours. It also allowed us to see Beckett’s concern for Castle, not being used
to him being front and center in a dangerous investigation while she could only
assist him from the outside. There were some interesting parallels to season
four’s emotional “Cops and Robbers” in that way, yet the stakes were so much
higher for these two now and the payoff was even greater for the audience as
well.
But perhaps the most compelling aspect of
the episode was the way in which it explored the familiar dynamics between
Castle, Beckett, Ryan, Esposito, and Gates in a whole new way, with Beckett and
Castle not formally being a part of their team in this episode. Gates was quick
to welcome Beckett into the fold due to Castle’s part in the investigation,
something that so brilliantly showed her respect and admiration for Beckett and
her abilities as a detective. Likewise, it was interesting to see Beckett
navigating the waters of investigating with her former team while not actually being
their leader anymore, something she forgot from time to time as she hilariously
slipped back so seamlessly into taking charge and directing them along the way.
It was a rather interesting way to bring Castle and Beckett back to the NYPD to
work with Ryan and Esposito without jumping the gun and making it all too easy
for Beckett to get her job back this time around.
In the end, Castle and Beckett solved the
case, proved Emma’s innocence, and reunited her with her birth father,
completing the work that her murdered boyfriend had lost his life for. Their
efforts were rewarded when Emma’s father, a powerful friend of the police
commissioner, used his influence to have Beckett reinstated to her former
position on Gates’ team at the NYPD, with Castle welcomed back as her partner
as well, another reminder that as much as Gates may protest his being there,
she truly does respect him as a vital partner to Beckett.
With that, Castle and Beckett now found
themselves with yet another thing in common; just as Castle secured himself a
spot on Beckett’s team in the pilot episode due to his influence of the Mayor,
so too does Beckett now find herself back at the NYPD due to the help of a
powerful new ally as well. Thus, the dynamic duo are together once again, with
their romantic relationship thriving more and more with each episode and their
partnership now fully restored as well.
Castle is
back, folks, and we’re just getting started.
_________________________________________________________________________________
6x05 - "Time Will Tell" Review
Back to the Future on
‘Castle’
By Lisa Caputo
2013-10-21
Castle and Beckett tackle a Terminator-inspired mystery
that leaves more thought-provoking questions than answers by the end of the
intriguing hour
Some of the most interesting cases on Castle
have long been those that bridge the gap between fantasy and reality,
prompting Castle, Beckett, and the audience, to question their own beliefs in
their search for the truth. Sunday’s intriguing episode crafted a clever return
to the classic Castle elements that have made this series a great
success. It was carried by a twisted and outlandish case, family drama between
Castle and Alexis, some great Caskett scenes, and a thought provoking ending,
all of which highlighted the show’s uncanny ability to combine comedy, drama,
intense mystery, and stirringly emotional character development.
Penned by the genius dream team of Castle
creator Andrew Marlowe and returning series writer Terri Miller, and directed
by the brilliant Rob Bowman, “Time Will Tell” found Castle and Beckett
investigating a murder suspect who claimed to be a time traveler from the
future who had returned to the present day to stop a heinous series of events
from occurring. With Castle and Beckett once again pitted against one another
on the case due to their differing opinions between fact and science fiction,
the episode brilliantly highlighted the stark differences between these two
while it also proved that those varying views were what made these two such a
successful and compelling team in the first place.
While Beckett has certainly become more
open-minded in recent years, a direct result of Castle’s influence on her, she
still held strong to her belief that every bizarre event has a realistic and
logical explanation. Meanwhile, Castle became more enthralled by Simon Doyle’s
story with each mysterious plot twist in the complex and entertaining case.
Guest star Joshua Gomez turned in a clever
and very convincing performance throughout the hour, aptly playing the role of
Doyle in a way that easily lent itself to supporting both Castle’s belief that
he truly was a time-traveling hero and Beckett’s theory that he was nothing
more than a delusional man with serious mental health issues, depending on
which way each member of the audience perceived him. As the plot thickened
throughout the hour, so too did Doyle’s story, ultimately creating more
questions than answers by the end of the episode.
The topic of Doyle’s character, and what
the truth behind the case really was, was left open-ended enough for the
audience to decide for themselves, either following in Castle’s footsteps and
believing in the possibility of magic or following in Beckett’s high-heeled
shoesteps and being convinced that there was a logical explanation to
everything that occurred throughout the hour. This actually marked the first
time in the series that an episode of this nature was left without a fully
closed case that had an undeniable and fully logical explanation behind it
rather than being left open-ended, something that was quite intriguing in and
of itself.
But the true highlights of the hour came
from the stories that were based entirely in reality, including Castle and
Alexis’ father/daughter conflict and the heartfelt advice that Beckett offered
to her fiancé about how to handle this issue. After weeks of Castle admirably
tolerating the invasion of Pi into his loft and his life, the time had come for
him to finally put his foot down and ask for his home back. But, just as Martha
warned him earlier, Castle’s efforts only served to push his daughter closer to
this unwelcome guest, with Alexis revealing to a crushed Castle that she and Pi
would both be moving out of the loft and into a new apartment together.
While Alexis certainly made valid points to
her father, including the fact that this was her way of supporting herself and
exploring a new life for herself, as well as the very stark reality that she
was an adult and old enough to make her own decisions, it was also extremely
easy to see Castle’s side of the situation and sympathize with his concerns
that she was moving far too quickly with this relationship. Writers Marlowe and
Miller crafted this part of the episode with so much care and emotion, allowing
the audience to clearly see the validity in both of the character’s points of
view rather than taking sides with one over the other. Likewise, the
performances from Molly Quinn and Nathan Fillion were outstanding as well, very
much helping to drive the emotion of their scenes together and remind us all of
why this has always been one of the most dynamic father/daughter relationship
on television today.
Later on in the episode, around that
magical midway point in the hour that has long been reserved for some of the
most memorable Caskett moments each week, Castle and Beckett shared a truly
remarkable scene in which Beckett softly and carefully helped give Castle the
advice that he needed to hear in terms of dealing with Alexis’ decision. Stana
Katic played the scene perfectly, first showing Beckett clearly holding back as
if she was unsure she should say anything to Castle before seemingly accepted
that it was her place now to help guide him in his personal life when he needed
a helping hand. With that, she delicately and very genuinely spoke to him about
how Alexis needed to find her own place in life and find out where she belonged
and how she fit in to not only her father’s life, a life he was now committed
to sharing with both his daughter and his fiancé, but also her own life. She so
lovingly assured him that while Alexis was growing up and the days of holding
her hand and guiding her through life may be over, he had many more wonderful
days and moments to look forward to, both with his daughter and also with her.
While the scene was short and so brilliantly simple, it was also truly a
beautiful moment between these two and one that highlighted how far their
relationship has progressed. It was just so pure and profoundly honest and it
was certainly one of the most captivating and compelling scenes of the entire
episode, perhaps even of the season thus far.
In the end, Castle tearfully watched as
Alexis moved herself out of the loft, motivated by her desire to find
independence and, perhaps, as a misguided act to discover where she fit in to
someone else’s life and someone else’s heart now that she had begun to see that
she was no longer the only one in her father’s life and heart. It was an
emotional and heart-wrenching scene between father and daughter, but one that
will surely progress their story to a whole new level and eventually find them
all the better for having gone through this.
With that, the episode concluded with a
brilliant mirror between the case of the week and the personal storyline,
something that the Castle team so brilliantly achieves in nearly each
and every episode. No matter how much we believe we know what the future holds
for us, all it takes is one wayward event to alter that future forever.
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