7x04 - "Child's Play" Review

‘Castle’: We All Scream For Ice Cream

By Lisa Caputo

2014-10-21

Castle infiltrates a second-grade classroom to find a potential witness to a heinous crime while Alexis struggles to get past his disappearance.

Castle kicked off its seventh season with two intense and dramatic episodes revolving around Castle’s disappearance and followed that up with last week’s classically funny and flirty episode which became an instant fan-favourite. With the bar raised higher than ever and the first three episodes proving to be a very tough act to follow, it seemed almost inevitable that Monday’s latest installment could feel slightly underwhelming in comparison. Perhaps it was the lighthearted tone of the episode or the distance between Castle and Beckett as they worked separately to solve their case, or perhaps it was simply an unavoidable trap given the high expectations that the first three episodes had bestowed upon the rest of the season. Whatever the reason and despite some very compelling moments of its own, the season’s fourth episode seemed to fall into that trap.

Written by the uber-talented Rob Hanning and directed by the legendary Rob Bowman, both of whom are known more for their dramatic episodes on Castle than those of lighter fare, Monday’s “Child’s Play” found Castle and Beckett investigating the bizarre and brutal murder of an ice cream truck driver. With little to go on, the pair soon discovered a clue that would lead them to believe their only witness to the crime was a second-grade student from a local elementary school. While Beckett worked the case with Esposito and Ryan, Castle opted to spend some time in the classroom, attempting to coax their young witness into coming forward with their story.

While it is always important to establish that Castle and Beckett can work two different angles of a case and still come together to solve it in the end, it was somewhat difficult to watch this time around, especially given that the couple had just begun to get back into their usual routine following Castle’s disappearance. Of course, the two did share some great moments together and it was highly entertaining to see Beckett reveling in Castle’s attempts to take on a classroom full of rowdy children. Nonetheless, so much of what has always been captivating about their relationship has stemmed from the chemistry between Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic, so any time the two are separated on-screen for much of the hour, that episode is bound to feel slightly off.

Even still, Monday’s episode was not without its merits, of which there were still many. With an interesting and twisted case, a great number of scenes involving Castle’s attempts to win over the students and find their witness, and some very vital moments revolving around Alexis’ struggles to deal with her father’s disappearance, it was not only entertaining but it was also a compelling storyline and one that could open the door for what is to come later this season.

First, the guest cast in the episode was phenomenal, including the brilliant and compelling performance from Michael Hyatt as the second-grade teacher, Leslie Ruiz, who somewhat took on a Gates-type of role to Castle in the episode. Perhaps Castle has lost some of his former charms, unable to win “Mrs. Ruiz” at first and managing to get on her bad side early on, just as he did with Captain Gates. Of course, later on the episode, Leslie came to appreciate Castle’s softer side when she discovered that he cared for the children in her class just as much as she did, ultimately winning her over and earning both her approval and her help in whatever way she could provide it. The other shining star in the guest cast was Rachel Eggleston, who played the adorable Emily with an uncanny on-screen presence at such a young age that she gave Fillion a run for his money in each and every scene they shared.

While Castle and Beckett were not together for very long throughout the episode, Castle working his angle at the school while Beckett worked with Esposito and Ryan to follow whatever other leads they could find, the moments they did share were rather endearing. Both now back to their usual routine, more comfortable and in love than ever, it was wonderful to see the two sharing some rather domestic moments together throughout the episode. Also, fans may have caught the short yet telling sign that Beckett has made the loft her home now as well, walking Castle out on his way to school before going back to the loft to get ready for work herself.

Truly, though, the highlights of the episodes were the scenes where Castle was trying to earn the trust of the second-graders and figure out who the witness to their crime was. His early failures provided a great amount of comedy, especially seeing Castle’s confidence tested by a bunch of children, while his later ability to make inroads with some of the students, particularly the adorable Emily, shed some rather compelling light on what type of father Castle must have been to Alexis and what type of father he would surely be in the future to his and Beckett’s children as well.

The storyline also allowed Fillion to take center stage, showcasing the range of abilities that he possesses as an actor. In fact, his performance was quite remarkable in this episode, displaying the many various sides to his character with such pristine detail that he carried each scene he was in from start to finish. From the hilariously over-the-top childlike qualities that were allowed to roam free for a change, to the sweet and doting attention he gave to Emily during their tea party together, to the care that he showed in trying to discover the truth without being too forceful, to his brilliant ideas to try to get their young witness to come forward, Monday’s episode was certainly centered around the many layers to Castle himself. Being that this season has been touted as being about discovering more to the title character than we have ever known before, this episode was definitely a step in that direction, giving Fillion a chance to display the many sides of Castle all in one hour.

Speaking of which, we also witnessed Alexis’ odd way of handling her father’s recent disappearance, doting on him and protecting him the way any parent would do if it had been their child who went through an ordeal like that. While Alexis has typically been more the parent than the child in their relationship, last season brilliantly showed us that she is still just a young and vulnerable woman attempting to find her place in the real world. Monday’s episode displayed that vulnerability and that childlike fear within her once again, this time in relation to the fact that she had almost lost her father. Treating him much the same way that we have seen him treat her in the past, Alexis became too overbearing, too overprotective, and too terrified to let him go again. With Beckett prompting him to have a talk with his daughter, Castle did exactly that, putting Alexis’ mind at least somewhat at ease by addressing her concerns and promising her that he would not leave her again before embarking on a classic moment between father and daughter, this time with scooters instead of laser tag. Even with Molly Quinn all grown up, any scene between she and Nathan Fillion always feels like a true family moment, something that is a testament to the chemistry between these two stellar actors.

Of course, as with most Castle episodes, there seemed to be something rather ominous about Castle’s words to Alexis in that final scene, telling her that part of being an adult is understanding that you can not always protect the ones you love. Could this be more than just sound advice for his daughter? Could it be a shade of foreshadowing what may happen later on in the season? No matter what they may have to face throughout the season, one can be sure that Castle and Beckett will face it together.