Nadine

All the stuff posted from TV Guide, TV Line in regards to the finale all came from the same Roundtable interview hence the same quotes, etc. So was conducted before all the negotiation stuff came out.

Can't remember if this was mentioned, but forgot to mention it before that I only remembered now due to seeing gif sets. That Beckett reading the book at the beginning - I'm guessing that was her trying to study for her Captain's exam before work.

I did like Chad's comment. Hehe. https://twitter.com/chadgcreasey/status/591450097851895808

Thanks for the explanation halwideman! The other one who has a producing credit (Supervising Producer same as the Creaseys) is Jim Adler. So if all three stay around they'd be the obvious choices to move up another notch in the producing credits.

Thanks halwideman, I forgot the Exec part there for story editor for TPW. He was in that position at the beginning of the show's run well (2010-11), Story Editor (2009-10) and then moved to the Producing categories 2011-12 onwards. Just checked Hanning was showrunner on Hope & Faith and Courting Alex (also creator of the latter). But I am all for fresh blood if it means keeping the cast intact and fresh storylines, etc. ETA: whoops turnitwayup answered the above already.

For showrunner - if they're going from within I'd take Hanning or TPW (Hanning because he's had a year even though it was cancelled after that - as a showrunner in the past, and TPW was the Story Editor on Castle before handing that over to Amanda Johns this year). If they were recruiting from outside, I'd take either the Revenge showrunner or somehow entice Will Beall to return (highly unlikely that would happen).

I was thinking a DS spin-off that they could use the crap from this episode for it. So he was actually doing research for the DS book and not actually being yanked away from his wedding. But then again I've only watched this episode once since I can't be bothered sitting through it again. So my thoughts are definitely not with clarity of any sort.

Well if they did want to do a spin-off they wouldn't have to film a pilot they could just use this episode. Heh.

Looks like Stana made People's Most Beautiful List. https://twitter.com/ETCanada/status/591050036743516161

Just watched the episode. Damn this was not good. Well the loft interactions were okay and the Beckett/Martha scene but Thailand, Al-Queda and all that jazz. Nope. For me, it's a shame that people will focus on this crapfest by Amann, when he gave us some really good episodes over his run on Castle. It's as if the AWM and co went alright I'm writing the finale you can write this one then.

It'll be interesting to see if he's in the episode - because every other cast member definitely pops up in it. And it's a black tie event so someone's either getting an award or it's the benefit (since going by the BTS shots, there's the combination of writers and precinct, etc).

I haven't seen it yet, I won't for a few hours, but from the sounds of it, it makes sense why it got shafted outside of Sweeps.

Thanks halwideman - that was basically what I was wondering in terms of pilot / first season (if cancelled, etc). So answered it nicely! Back to Castle talk. I mentioned before that the strands I think that are going to be left over for Season 8 for Beckett will be promotion in NYPD, politics and pregnancy (three Ps) and for Castle it would be the move to serious literature (now that he'll have some answers about why he became a mystery writer in the finale). I think the latter with Castle can work regardless if the Beckett character is in Season 8 or not.

This isn't Castle related but related to the pilot part above. If someone gets cast in a pilot but then they get recast and it gets picked up (kind of like Seamus replacing the actor in the original pilot). Do the actors only get the money for the pilot or is there some kind of clause because they were recast, etc. Sounds better in my sleep-deprived head. Thanks for all the info halwideman - very interested in it because it's the area I'm actually doing my Masters in at the moment (well part of it), etc.

Of course they could just solve the whole damn problem and make the 13 episodes of the two months he was missing. That would solve having to renegotiate any of the other cast member contracts. Heh.

The only plausible one for me would be #3 - even though I said I'd take anything than bopping Beckett off, #2 wouldn't sit well with me either.

At least from Marlowe's interview it looks like what we thought they're not going down the traditional cliffhanger route, which makes sense in this situation. I can see Beckett's cliffhanger being professional vs. personal (NYPD, politics, family or something else), while Castle's cliffhanger could potentially be now that he's resolved why he became a mystery writer, what next? Will this be when he moves into the serious writing that the time traveller made mention to.

Thanks for clarifying it Wendy. I'll be good and move the second part over there now!

Well of course the ideal situation is a Beckett being there, but if she's not, I'm preparing myself for the above. Whether I'd watch it though is another story. Well that's what I keep telling myself and so I don't start over-analysing it. Hehe.

They had planned the finale but they wouldn't have gone the route David R did in Season 7... Aka Lorelai not sleeping with Christopher straight away etc. But guess we will find out more at the festival later on when they have the mini-reunion, etc. But anyway I digress, I'm quite zen about WTF will happen in a Season 8. Pretty much can accept anything except for bopping off Beckett. Hehe.

I'm thinking whatever the cliffhanger is it's more a professional one for Beckett in terms of what option she takes (since that goes with the crossroads part), plus keeps the door open in case SK doesn't reup on her contract.

Sorry to hear about people taking the information halwideman. Thanks again for everything you've given us, much appreciated and hope you still stick around!

Sadly with AWM I wouldn't put it past him to do it after last season's finale.

Hey halwideman nice to see you around. And 100% in agreement with this. In terms of showrunner Hanning's done showrunning before (granted for one season) - ideal situation would be him and TPW. That was one thing that I thought was interesting that TPW was made EP in the second half of the season. So total guess on my behalf, that he must have at least renegotiated his own contract around that time.

Given that Beckett used all up all her holiday / vacation leave in Driven no surprise she isn't on the plane.