6x21 - "Still" Review
Celebrating The Journey on
‘Castle’
By Lisa Caputo
2013-04-30
Castle and Beckett reminisce about their journey together
when Beckett is faced with a life-or-death situation
In light of the recent tragedy at the
Boston Marathon, Monday’s bomb-themed episode of Castle was postponed
for one week, with the following episode being aired in its place last Monday.
While fans would be wise to rewatch these two episodes in the proper order to
truly get a sense of the flow of this final arc of the season, it would also be
beneficial to keep in mind the theme of Monday’s heartwarming and beautiful
tribute to the five-season journey between Castle and Beckett as the Castle team
delves into one final and emotionally draining storyline within their
relationship this season; they will survive and they will, in fact, be better
for it. Always.
Penned by the brilliant Rob Hanning, who
also wrote this season’s dramatically epic “Recoil”, Monday’s episode, aptly
titled “Still”, was a beautiful and moving tribute to the journey between
Castle and Beckett. It was the perfect combination of everything that has made
this show so compelling, with moments of pure hilarity and heartwarming fare
one moment and then a quick dive into the waters of some truly heartbreaking
and emotional drama the next. Between the beautifully edited flashbacks of some
of the greatest moments during the series, the wonderful throwbacks to past
episodes, and brilliant Castle composer Robert Duncan’s use of many past
and present musical themes throughout the hour, “Still” felt like a perfect
homage to this grand love story that creator Andrew Marlowe has carefully and
lovingly told over the years.
The episode began with a truly heartwarming
and captivating moment between Castle and Beckett, the two sharing their
morning together over coffees in bed while beginning their episode-long debate
over which one of them actually fell for the other first. With all of the
hallmarks of their classic banter, Castle tried to get Beckett to admit that
she had fallen for him the first time she met him, while Beckett did her best
to deny it before the happy couple was called away with news on their latest
case.
In true Castle fashion, the tides
turned quickly, though, when Castle and Beckett’s canvas of their bombing suspect’s
apartment concluded with Beckett stepping on the pressure plate of an armed
explosive. While this opening act of the episode was perhaps the shortest in
the history of the series, it was certainly one of the most stellar as well,
with one heck of an intense and dramatic conclusion.
The rest of the hour was unlike anything we
have ever seen on Castle. While the bomb squad worked diligently and
carefully from the floor beneath, Ryan, Esposito, and Gates all desperately
tried to solve their case in order to get the answers from their suspect as to
how to disarm the bomb. But when their bomber committed suicide while in the
holding cell at the precinct and it became clear that the bomb was also set on
a timer, it became a race against the clock to save Beckett’s life, with very
little to go on.
I could literally write a novel on how
absolutely brilliant and stellar this episode was, with so many subtle and
genius nuances to the storytelling from all angles of this episode, but I will
opt to focus on the larger aspects of the story instead.
Knowing that Beckett would eventually tire
of standing still, especially having not gotten much sleep the night prior,
Castle refused to leave her side and did his best to ensure that Beckett would
remain alert and focused by challenging her as only he could. The two continued
their debate over not only who fell for whom first, but also which of the two
were more inappropriate over the years between their suggestive comments and
constant flirting. It became more and more apparent as the episode progressed
that neither of these two were truly oblivious to the signs and signals of the
other’s affection over the past five years, though they were both so often too
terrified to admit to it.
The journey of their partnership, friendship,
courtship, and romantic relationship was explored through their witty banter
and a number of wonderfully created montages from past seasons, making “Still”
the ultimate fan video in and of itself. It was a truly beautiful tribute to
the series, to the journey, and to why so many people around the world have
fallen in love with these two and their grand love story.
With the clock ticking down into the final
minutes of both the episode and, possibly, of Beckett’s life itself, the couple
broke down and said their heartbreaking and incredibly stirring goodbyes. It
was truly one of the most gut-wrenching and emotional scenes of the series thus
far. The two parted with the long-awaited exchange of “I love you”s that were
uttered in what seemed to be their final moments together.
In the end, of course, Castle could not
bear to leave Beckett’s side, even despite her heartfelt pleas to think of his
daughter and his mother. To him, he was set on saving Beckett’s life and
refused to consider any other outcome. As the two worked together in the final
minutes, spinning their theories and bouncing ideas off of one another as only
these two could, they figured out the password to disarm the bomb, thus saving
both of their lives in a captivating moment of both relief and celebration.
As the episode concluded, even “Iron” Gates
could not help but cheer for the reunited couple, finally announcing in a
hilarious exchange of dialogue that she had known of their relationship all
along and had been supporting it in her own quiet way by keeping it under wraps
and turning a blind eye.
To some, this episode may have been the
true calm before the storm, a heartwarming and moving tribute to Castle and
Beckett’s love and commitment before the dramatic, emotional, and relationship-testing
final arc of the season takes over. To me, however, it was a beautiful homage
to the journey these two have been on for the past five years and, most likely,
a brilliant way of reminding us that these two have endured so much in that
time and have always come out stronger, closer, and more dedicated to one
another because of it.
So as we enter into these final two
episodes of the season (it pains me to even utter those words, by the way), and
no matter how choppy the waters get or how much the annual fear and paranoid
begins to set in, just remember the profound words of Castle tonight, words
that were undoubtedly meant as reassurance from the brilliant Castle team;
“In situations like this, it’s important to have faith.”
6x22 - "The Squab And The Quail" Review
Introducing The Arc on
‘Castle’
By Lisa Caputo
2013-04-23
Castle and Beckett hit a major relationship obstacle in
Monday’s emotionally dramatic episode
Due to the tragedy at the Boston Marathon
last Monday, ABC opted to postpone the highly-anticipated bomb-themed episode,
“Still” until next week, instead airing the following episode out of order this
Monday night. While this may disrupt the continuity slightly next week, it was
certainly a respectful move on ABC’s part and it gave the audience a chance to
experience the beginnings of the final arc of the season a week earlier than
planned.
I always thoroughly enjoy when the Castle
team delves into the heavy emotional drama, particularly when it pertains to
Castle and Beckett’s relationship, which made Monday’s stellar episode truly
compelling and captivating from start to finish. While I am certain that fans
may be split on whether they enjoy or fear this final arc, it is abundantly
clear after Monday’s episode that the final few episodes of the season are
going to deliver the drama and emotion in a truly epic way.
Penned by Castle newcomer, Jason
Wilborn, who truly deserves a standing ovation for his brilliantly detailed and
emotional writing within this episode, “The Squab and the Quail” introduced a major
obstacle for Castle and Beckett as the two seemed to be in different places
within the progression of their relationship. In the midst of their
relationship troubles, Beckett found herself assigned to personally protect the
handsome, charming, and very much swoon-worthy millionaire, Erik Vaughn, who
certainly took a liking to her, something that drew Castle’s immediate
attention.
Cue a jealous Castle and a very resistant
Beckett, both showing great disdain for the position that Beckett was put in.
But with their relationship still being kept under wraps from Captain Gates,
there was little either could do to avoid Beckett’s assignment. Not only was
this a truly interesting way to challenge both of them and lay the groundwork
for this final arc of the season, it was also extremely ironic in that Castle
was so upset over Vaughn using his influence over the Commissioner in order to
force Beckett to serve as his personal bodyguard throughout the case,
considering that Castle himself used his own influence over the Mayor to begin
shadowing Beckett in the first place.
The hour was filled with fantastic moments
between Castle and Beckett, both together and individually, and Canadian leads
Stana Katic and Nathan Fillion absolutely stole the show on Monday night. With
Castle fuming and paranoid over Beckett staying in Vaughn’s hotel room to watch
over him and Beckett struggling with pushing Vaughn away while in the midst of
her own insecurities over her relationship with Castle, the two proved time and
time again how much they truly love each other and how committed they are to
one another, yet it was still quite evident that the stage was being set for
the next hurdle in their relationship this season.
Not only was this story a necessary one in
terms of further developing these two individually and as a couple, it was also
very much a true-to-life story to tell. Likewise, it opened the door for some
truly outstanding moments throughout the hour. First, the opening scene between
Castle and Beckett that introduced this roadblock by pitting a video game
playing Castle against a temptress Beckett, clearly being on completely
opposite pages as to what they wanted to entertain themselves with that
evening. When Castle hesitated to drop his gaming for Beckett’s seduction, a
rightfully ticked off Beckett did well to communicate her feelings to Castle on
the way to their crime scene, complete with the sarcastic and challenging
banter that is a staple for these two.
Later on, after Erik Vaughn was introduced
to the story, Castle returned that openness and admitted to his being
incredibly jealous of the handsome millionaire and the way that he believed
Beckett was charmed by him. Assuring Castle that he was the only man for her,
Beckett shrugged off all of Vaughn’s winning features by simply saying, “He’s
not you.” As simple as this scene was, it was also so beautiful and brilliant
in its simplicity.
Of course, things got complicated when
Castle and Beckett had an argument over whether or not Castle truly trusted
Beckett, and even more so when Vaughn attempted to kiss Beckett later in the
episode, despite Beckett making it clear that she was in a relationship with
Castle. Before anything could happen, however, Beckett pushed him away and
solidified her commitment to Castle, a moment that should prove, once and for
all, that fans should always take ABC’s promos with a very fine grain of salt.
When Beckett admitted to Castle that Vaughn
had kissed her and that she had pushed him away, it was evident to Castle that
he had been wrong to doubt Beckett’s loyalty and commitment to him.
In the end, Castle and Beckett solved the
case and Beckett bid farewell to Vaughn, assuring him that both the threat to
his life and his advances on her were over and done with, illustrated with that
classic Castle subtext in one very loaded and meaningful line.
Castle attempted to make things right with
Beckett when they returned to the loft that night, symbolically cutting the
cable to his video game system and surprising her with a romantic full-body
massage to pamper her and show her that she is the only thing he wants to be
focused on from now on.
Yet even in the midst of this incredible
beautiful and romantic gesture, the brilliant Castle team managed to reintroduce that nagging
question that would set the stage for the final few episodes this season. Just
as Castle and Beckett sealed their commitment with a sweet and tender kiss,
Beckett decided to ask the question that had been on her mind for quite some
time now, “Where are we going?” Not realizing the gravity of what she was
asking, Castle simply smirked and responded, “To the bedroom”, leaving Beckett
to stand back as he lovingly prepared the bed for her massage, wondering if he
would ever be ready to answer that question as she was hoping he would.
With one simple yet deeply meaningful
exchange of dialogue, the stage has now been set for Castle and Beckett to face
what may, perhaps, be the most emotional and dramatic arc of the series thus
far. As someone who believes that nothing brings these two closer together than
a dramatic story arc, I could not be more thrilled. After all, it is always
about the journey and something tells me this will be one to remember.
Though there was one line from Erik Vaughn
that had me pondering if it was a subtle bit of foreshadowing on the part of
the Castle team; “We’re all mislead by our hearts sometimes. It
shouldn’t end a career.” Could Beckett be forced to choose between Castle and
her career before the season concludes?
6x23 - "The Human Factor" Review
The Setup on ‘Castle’
By Lisa Caputo
2013-05-07
The second-to-last episode of the season set the stage for
an emotional finale
In every well-told story, there is a setup
and a payoff; a conflict or obstacle that is presented in order to push the
characters past their limits and, in turn, deliver a powerful conclusion. If
done well, it can have a lasting impact on the audience, drawing us in by
capturing our emotions and leaving us with a conclusion that we will not soon
forget. When it comes to network television, the Castle team are truly
masters of the craft of storytelling, so it was not surprising to see that
Monday’s second-to-last episode of this stellar fifth season was the ultimate
setup to next week’s surely stunning and emotional season finale.
Penned by brilliant longtime Castle
writer, David Amann, “The Human Factor” took the audience through one of the
most intriguing and intense cases of the entire season as Castle and Beckett
struggled to do their job while a secret government agency continuously
prevented them from having access to the usual evidence they would need to
solve their case. But Beckett’s fevered determination and tenacity managed to
earn them a chance to work alongside the agency’s best and, ultimately,
garnered her the attention of the agent and his top-secret government cohorts
as well.
Having already bested both the FBI and the
CIA on more than one occasion during the annual two-part event over the past
four seasons, it seemed to be merely a matter of time before one of these
agencies would come knocking on Beckett’s door. But in true Castle
fashion, timing is the key, pushing Beckett to have to face deciding between
her career and her relationship, all in the midst of her conflicting emotions
over where, exactly, that relationship is headed. Thus, it seems that the
seasoned detective will be forced to decide where her true future lies during
next week’s highly-anticipated season finale.
Monday’s episode was a very case-heavy
episode yet it never failed to keep the intensity, suspense, and intrigue that
a truly great Castle case must possess in order to not be distracted by
the lack of personal storylines that most fans crave on a weekly basis. In
fact, while there were only a few key scenes between Castle and Beckett, the case-related
storytelling was extremely captivating and also incredibly compelling. It also
allowed for the audience to see not only Castle and Beckett doing their usual
routine as television’s greatest on-screen couple and crime-solving partners,
but it also displayed Beckett as her own professional best, something that
ultimately earned her some much-deserved recognition in her career.
Truly, Beckett outsmarting, arresting, and
then going toe-to-toe in the interrogation room with Agent Stack reminded us both
of how exceptional Beckett is at her job as well as how fantastic Stana Katic
is in this role. Having a highly intelligent, skilled, sassy, sarcastic,
strong, and stoic female character on television, especially one who can still
possess femininity, vulnerability, and believability, is such an inspiring
thing. In today’s television landscape there is truly no better female
character who fits that mold than Kate Beckett. A great deal of credit must go
to Katic for her deeply layered, emotional, and captivating portrayal of this
also very much well-written character, and this was quite obvious in Monday’s
episode.
There were some interesting storytelling
elements at play when it came to Castle and Beckett and the state of their
relationship throughout the hour as well. First were the scenes of them clearly
happy, comfortable, and thoroughly enjoying their relationship, including a
scene in the opening of the episode that had Castle using his remote-controlled
toy tank to spy on a half-naked Beckett as she got ready for work in the
bedroom. With all of the trademarks of their suggestive banter and playfulness,
it was a great start to the episode for the dynamic duo.
Twice throughout the episode, Castle
answered Beckett’s phone himself as well, a sure sign that their relationship
is now comfortably out in the open with nothing to hide from anyone at the The
12th precinct.
Later on, Beckett had some fun at Castle’s
expense, using his remote-controlled toys to stir him from his slumber and
playing on his wild imagination to convince him that the machines were coming
alive to attack them. Castle hilariously grabbed a baseball bat and whacked
away at the toys while Beckett gave herself away, unable to stifle her laughter
any longer. Again, the two were sweet, playful, and very relaxed, truly
enjoying their time together.
Yet throughout the hour and despite these
entertaining and hilarious scenes of a playful couple seemingly in a solid
state in their relationship, there was plenty of symbolism at play to remind us
that they were not entirely on the same page at this point. In fact, the
costume department seemed hard at work to use some fantastically subtle old
tricks to achieve this in how the two were dressed; blue versus purple, dark
versus light, rather than dressing them in similar tones and colours. This has
long been a way for the Castle team to subtly let us know that there is
something amiss between these two and it was something that was not overlooked
in tonight’s episode by any means.
In the end, Agent Stack pulled Beckett
aside after they closed their case, asking her the question that would surely
set the stage for next week’s climactic season finale; what does she want for
her future? After complimenting her work and her exceptional abilities in her job,
Stack offered her an opportunity with his secret agency, working for the
Attourney General himself to solve the most challenging and skill-testing cases
imaginable. For someone like Beckett, this would be her greatest opportunity to
take the next step in her career and truly make a difference in the world.
Beckett’s hesitation, though, and her
ultimately opting to keep this job offer a secret from Castle was enough to
signal that she was certainly debating where her future truly lies. The
question at hand will surely set the stage for an emotional and memorable
season finale next week. Even still, the reality, of course, is that we know
what her decision will prove to be in the end. After all, the heart wants what
the heart wants.
6x24 - "Watershed" Review
Decisions and Diving In on
the Season Finale of ‘Castle’
By Lisa Caputo
2013-05-14
The Castle team delivers yet another emotional and epic
cliffhanger in the season five finale
When it comes to epic season finales with
emotional cliffhangers, nobody does it better than the Castle team. Each
season, the clever minds behind this stellar story manage to pull the audience
in and captivate them for the final hour of the season, drawing the viewers in
with an emotional and compelling storyline before crafting one final plot twist
in the concluding minutes of the season that leave their loyal fans with much
to debate and discuss throughout the long summer hiatus. Past finales from
these masters of storytelling have included some of the most hopeful, heartbreaking,
thrilling, and shocking moments and conclusions of any show in today’s
television landscape. Monday’s emotionally stirring and thought-provoking
season five finale was certainly no exception, concluding with a powerful and
stunning moment to cap off a great year.
Penned by the creative genius behind this
incredible series himself, Andrew Marlowe, “Watershed” presented the compelling
and emotional story arc that had been so beautifully crafted over the past few
weeks, with Beckett being forced to confront a life-altering decision regarding
her future while Castle struggled with the thought of losing her just as they
had finally found true happiness together.
The episode itself was constructed much
like any other Castle episode, with an intriguing case at the center of
the story yet with the personal undertones comprising the true heart of the
hour. Early in the episode, we found Beckett in Washington, D.C., interviewing
for a prestigious position for the secret agency of the Attorney General. It
was clear early on that Beckett took this interview on a whim, perhaps just to
see if she was capable of being considered for such a grand opportunity, but
when Gates informed her that she was on the short list for the job and provided
her with words of encouragement and support, the reality of what this
opportunity would mean for her, both professionally and personally, began to
sink in. With that came the very painful decision that would have to be made at
some point; did she believe that her future was in New York with Castle or in
D.C. with her career? Or could she find a way to have both?
Thus, the stage was set for an emotional
rollercoaster throughout the remainder of the hour. In a beautiful scene
between Stana Katic and Tamala Jones, Beckett and Lanie had a heart-to-heart
about Beckett’s conflict, revealing a great deal about Beckett’s true fears as
she confided in her best friend that in having to make this decision, if it
came down to that, she would also have to confront the reality of whether or
not she could have a future with Castle. Despite her recent ponderings of that
nature, Beckett was content to just wait for the right time to have that
conversation. Yet this job offer would force them to confront that question
much sooner than expected and Beckett revealed that her true fear was truly
what Castle’s answer to that question may be.
Before that conversation could take place,
however, Castle stumbled upon Beckett’s plane ticket to D.C., realizing that
she had been keeping something from him, and the two quickly engaged in their
annual finale tradition of having a massive and emotional argument with
everything being exposed and both retreating to their corners after the
verbally-bloody battle. The scene was not only heartbreaking and stirring, it
was also truly one of the highlights of this stellar episode, with Stana Katic
and Nathan Fillion delivering all of the power and emotional depth that only
these two could convey in a scene like this. Despite the defensiveness, the
anger, and the sadness, one could find a sense of relief and hope in knowing
that with the truth being exposed from both sides of their argument, a
resolution was sure to follow.
That resolution would not come easy,
however, as Castle and Beckett both sought guidance from their parents first.
In two equally stunning scenes, Susan Sullivan and Scott Paulin turned in
wonderful performances as Martha and Jim attempted to steer their children
towards confronting their own feelings about their relationship and their
future, though both conversations seemed to point towards a heartbreaking
ending for television’s most compelling couple. Meanwhile, Esposito and Ryan
began to suspect that something was amiss between Castle and Beckett, with Jon
Huertas and Seamus Dever portraying these two so subtly yet brilliantly as they
became quite concerned about what was going on with their partners.
With all of the emotional scenes throughout
the episode, perhaps one of the most surprising of the bunch came towards the
end of the episode, a scene that is the catalyst for my sure-to-be-debated
opinion that Beckett did, in fact, make the decision to reject the job offer
when all was said and done. Beckett went toe-to-toe with the killer of the week
in one of the final scenes of the episode, with Stana Katic bringing forth
another annual tradition; an absolutely stunning, powerful, and gripping
performance. In what was such a simple yet beautifully-executed scene, Beckett
drew upon all of the emotion within her as she spoke of the interrogation room
being so much a part of her life and a home to her, using this personal angle
to convince the killer that after the countless criminals that she had broken
in that room over the years, he had had no hope of lying to her and getting
away with it. More importantly, though, she revealed where her heart truly
belonged. She had found her home and her future where she least expected it.
In the closing minutes, Castle and Beckett
met at a familiar set of swings as the two prepared to have the conversation
that would either make or break their relationship. While the emotion of the
hour and the direction of the conversation itself certainly presented the
possibility of a heartbreaking ending, the Castle team once again turned
the tables in brilliantly shocking fashion. Castle ominously told Beckett that
they both deserved more in their lives, a comment that Beckett agreed with, the
pain evident in her eyes as she assumed the worst from this conversation. But
then, just as it seemed he was preparing to say his goodbyes, Castle turned to
face her and got down on one knee. With a ring in his hand yet the fear of
rejection in his eyes, he asked Beckett to marry him, leaving her (and the
audience) stunned as the final scene of the season faded to black.
Thus, this stellar and memorable season
ended with one final twist and a plethora of emotions, along with what will
surely be a great deal to discuss over the long summer hiatus. Will Beckett
accept Castle’s proposal or will she question his motives for the sudden
decision? Did she take the job offer or did she turn it down? And what was with
the odd little “connection” between Esposito and the computer tech woman at the
precinct? As always, though, the biggest question of all over the next four
months will be… is it September yet?
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