BellyLaughter

I wonder if the plan is to forge ahead regardless with their stories for the season or are they prepared to think on their feet if it all goes pear shaped?? Like Wendy said -- it's an old show and do they really have that much to lose now....either it works and carries on or it doesn't and ABC can just rationalise that an 8 year run from any show these days is a pretty good thing?!? I think they are less likely to adapt given the show's age but I could be wrong.

I think the Ryan baby is the show runners polite way of telling fans who are expecting a Caskett baby this season to "suck it!! -- we ain't doing 2 babies in one season"

I have hated all of the 2 parters with the exception of S2. I was especially disappointed with the S7 effort -- it Tried too hard and the whole face off thing was ridiculous.

Ho hum. *waiting patiently for spoilers that actually make me wanna watch* It's about 4 weeks until the season starts and I am not in the least bit excited! Remember the days when the hiatus dragged on and on.... That family pic is weird....either Nathan is yet to visit the hair and makeup trailer or Castle is really struggling with life sans Beckett!!

Ok fair enough - I guess he couldn't answer a question like that any other way without giving away too much about what's to come.

I read that answer he gave this weekend and in fairness to him comedy is and has always played a big part in the show but I think a lot of fans (myself included) would chose the love story as the real engine of this show - their love and their friendship is what has sucked a lot of us in and why we have stayed! Comedy has been one way to tell that story but it's not the only way -- something Nathan can be dismissive of because his personal preference is the 'fun' stuff! I love a laugh as much as the next person but the laughs are not really the thing that has driven this show for 7 seasons and I hope Nathan's just talking from his own tastes and not that of the writers. I hope AH and TPW actually mean it when they acknowledge the love story and what really drives the heart of this show! I want the comedy and the laughs but that alone isn't gonna cut it -- surely he knows that!

It will get tedious if it just ends up as Castle PI being a goose, fumbling with guns and having his iPhone ring at inopportune moments and the only interaction he has with Beckett is her rolling her eyes at his ridiculous antics when she accidentally crosses paths with him as he backhands his way into her case work....that's comedy gold!.....apparently.

What other reason is there to watch this show?? Bless anyone who thinks outside the square but the show IS Castle and Beckett *insert required action here* It's almost been unapologetic about it over the past 7 seasons and audiences for the most part have accepted it and loved it. So why the change? It's the million dollar question that we probably don't want the answer to! ;) It's sad but it is what it is and I just cling to the hope that they can actually make this work but removing the "engine" of the show was probably the stupidest thing they could chose to do so they are either complete sadists or they are acting under duress/demands that leave them no choice....either scenario leaves me quaking in my Castle boots about the future of this show!!

I don't think he's that kinky.....all he wanted was bubble baths for 2, snuggles and sex toys. How dare she fail him.....

Did I read it right - he basically put Jesus before his wife and kids in the original statement?? Tells me everything I need to know.

Don't get me wrong -- I do hope this is just refreshing the show and yep, lots can change in a year but I just had to play devils advocate. I hope my theory of doom is wrong but I won't be surprised if it isn't!!

I second that! I would even go so far as to hypothesise that Stana has already strongly indicated she won't be doing anymore seasons hence the lengths they are now going to in reshaping or rebooting the show to try to carry a Beckett-less version beyond S8. The only variable being will Castle fans embrace the changes to ensure the show actually sees a S9??

*sadface* Fingers crossed for 8x04

No hesitation.....end the show. I would rather bid goodbye to a show I still love than watch some Dr Frankenstein version of body doubles and CGI and twisted, contrived storytelling with lots of "phone calls"

Me too! I hope they won't be covering up that awesome hair with a 2 bit wig for Beckett!!

Oh my god -- the Josh comment LMAO! I actually went back to re-read that because I thought I had read it wrong the first time!! Mouth open - eyes wide! Yep, I had read it right! Hello hubris! The show runners best friend!

Speaking of show runner arrogance -- did anyone catch the interview the Kings (of The Good Wife fame) did with TVLine yesterday?? That was a doosey!! That's what we're up against folks!! Talk about condescending! Sorry for the OT.

I really don't know much about the advisory panels or how they work -- I really only know they exist and I assume the studio/network do refer to them to see how SLs are being received. Perhaps another poster here would be able to explain them in greater detail??

If they are preparing for a S9 without Beckett I think they are gonna have to come up with something a hell of a lot more imaginative than Castle solving crimes with his daughter!

Or still believe in the story they wanted the happy ending too?? I'm guessing ABC won't care too much if they don't....

I feel the same way....I really, really want to like it, I hope I do but honestly I'm yet to read any spoiler that has me anything but bummed about the future direction of this show.And if the advisory panel feedback truely is negative about choices they are making this season but they are forging ahead regardless that only inflates my concern.

And the new tech guy isn't in some way replacing Castle in the Beckett equation becoming a confidant to her?? Seems like a double standard to me...

Especially as he has been described as Beckett's 'confidant' Double standards....??

Susan nailed it!! Alexis should have been sent to Oxford in S5 and returned as a "fractional" regular (that's a term we're rolling with now, right??)

It does seem like Molly is some sort of protected species -- I mean, honestly, if they gauged fan reaction to that character for the last few seasons she should have been "retired" like Gates but now we have to endure episodes of her working with her Dad?!? I've pretty much fast forwarded my way through most of her scenes since S4 and I didn't even bother watching Snakes on a Plane last season -- am I alone in this?? Perhaps the feedback the studio/network/writers get from the advisory panels is really different to the general feeling amongst internet fans??