Spoilers, Speculation & All Things Media!

[madmaverick]

Deadline is not Star, so if they're saying it they must have reason to believe it's true.

 

Deadline is not Star but they appear to take anonymous tips so who knows.  It's just in my world, contracts really are highly confidential documents, so I'm always sceptical of any so called leaks, without any context of course.

 

I did notice that it was the same Deadline reporter who did that puffy PR piece for Stana after she re-signed last year where she said something about her negotiations weren't so dramatic and went quickly in the end.  I thought the Deadline piece was clearly a PR move from Stana's team and might even have been some form of damage control, which I thought a bit strange at the time, because I didn't think she needed any just because there was some clickbait articles over her negotiations.  I thought the drama in her negotiations was more generated within the fandom than in actuality, where I figured she was just haggling out final terms with the network and not unusual in the industry.  But then came the Deadline piece to 'set the record straight' from her side so who knows what really went down with the network the last time around and if any of that affected things this year.  Stana's with a pretty big agency with an experienced team so they should have known what they were doing this year and last.  This is just an observation, but I feel Stana and her team have taken a more proactive approach with her PR dating back to her wedding announcements so it'll be interesting to see whether any further PR moves lie ahead from her team.  I don't see how it benefits her to comment further on ABC, Nathan etc. though especially if you never know if you're going to be in business with the network again (and her movies may be ABC related, I'm not sure).  It'll also be interesting to see if Nathan will comment further but I don't think he will.   He seems to prefer the silent PR approach and he just can't win with some people anyway.  I see some people criticising his statement but I don't see what was so wrong with it.  It was complimentary and respectful towards Stana.  It's easy for people to forget that Nathan and others on the show still have bosses to answer to.

 

I feel like we are going to start getting a lot of negative stories about BOTH Nathan and Stana now that this is out, and I'm not really looking forward to it. 

Neither am I.  I just feel sad that both have been dragged into tabloid territory because they aren't those kinds of celebrities and they seem like nice people.  And just because something's on the internet, there are always going to be stupid people who take it as the whole and complete truth.

 

I've been checking comments on some of these articles, which was probably a really bad idea (and a way to have a very unproductive afternoon). But I've seen people posting comments about how they have inside knowledge and Stana is actually has some huge ego and is hated by everyone and that's why they didn't her back. Then there are posts from others that they have inside knowledge and Nathan has a huge ego and is disliked. Amazing how so many people who apparently have inside knowledge spend their time posting anonymously on TV sites.

Isn't it? ;)  In my opinion, the people with the biggest egos aren't either of the actors but the fans who are so egotistical they think they know everything there is to know about these people and their lives and state their very subjective opinions as facts.

 

Personally, I don't think any actor is perfect or all evil. And no one is universally liked or universally hated. They are people like all of us and have likable/unlikable traits. I always thought the cast/crew members who have spoken highly of them seemed genuine so I think they must be decent people and it sucks that they are getting sucked into the blame game, him vs her bullshit. I'm sure there are also people on Castle who dislike both of them, but I don't want that to become the focus of all this.

 

I just don't understand the constant need for there to be a villain.  Is it because people watch too much TV or got burned by Locksat? ;)  Sometimes the truth is more mundane than the soapy melodrama some fans peddle; sometimes it's harsh business not personal and that's the reality of working life.   It sucks and it's not fair but it happens.  And no one's perfect of course but I don't think strong women like Susan and Toks and others would speak the way they do about Nathan if he were truly a woman hating misogynist.  Like I said, I'm sure Stana and Nathan and everyone in the cast and crew thinks of their future careers because they want to keep being employed and value their good reputations.

[TWP]

I'll throw it out there. I'm interested in the reboot. I think they've already killed and buried the relationship. I no longer buy it and find scenes between them awkward and forced. I believe all of that early chemistry is gone, gone, gone.

100% agree. No chemistry whatsoever and more cringing than anything. I've felt this way for years. They are AWFUL together now.

Stana will get a great gig because of this terrible PR drama, so she's a winner. So I'll be interested in seeing what she does next.

As for Castle, well, I think the reboot has been brewing for awhile, and hopefully won't be as dumb as the breakup and Loksat mess. If nothing else I love popcorn.

The other winners? TVLine and it's ilk. Imagine the click bait they'll have.

Michael Weatherly chose to leave NCIS and, he already has a new pilot (Bull) with CBS playing a Dr. Phil character. He wasn't fired or forced out of NCIS. In fact, he has a development deal with CBS, for his production company.

ABC mentioned that they want a continued relationship with Stana too.

The ABC quote from various articles.

The network confirmed the departure and said in a statement: “Kate Beckett has been a beloved character on our hit series Castle for the past 8 years. We are grateful for Stana Katic’s talent and dedication to the series and we hope to continue our relationship."

Edited April 20, 2016 by TWP

[KaveDweller]

Deadline is not Star but they appear to take anonymous tips so who knows.  It's just in my world, contracts really are highly confidential documents, so I'm always sceptical of any so called leaks, without any context of course.

 

Yeah, I am skeptical about a lot of this, because everyone has an agenda in the story they are telling. Even journalists....or "journalists." But I figure some stuff that gets reported must be true. It's all just speculation at this point.

 

I just don't understand the constant need for there to be a villain.

 

It's really sad and I don't get the him vs. her either. I feel like when someone posts a negative comment about Stana/Nathan, another person immediately responds with a bigger negative about the other. I don't mean on this board, I mean in the fandom in general. Like they can't just say they disagree about Stana being a bad actress (or whatever), they have to add in a worse statement about Nathan. And that goes both ways. It's all just really depressing.

[arcadia63]

I found these on Crazy days and nights. I know they aren't the most reliable ( I esp hope the first one isn't true), but I found it interesting that they had this way back in Sept.

 

May 11, 2009

It is kind of like a Three For Monday. We have a B-/C+ television and film actress who is currently a female lead on this network drama. It's a new show. Popular though. Anyway, her male co-star is extremely popular on this site, but he is also probably a B-/C+ mostly television actor. Apparently our actress has been acting like a diva on the show and our actor called her out on it. This is an actual quote. ” You are a f**king c**t. Who the hell do you think you are that you can treat people the way you do on set. The crew hates you the cast hates you and the producers hate you and this is no way to build any kind of career, so knock it off you f**king whore.” Oh, and both of our actors are foreign born.

#1 – Stana Katic
#2 – Nathan Fillion
#3 – Castle

 

September 29, 2015

One of the lead characters of this hit, long running ABC show is set to be killed off. Something has to be done to stop all the fighting and bickering on set between the two leads. One of them has to go. Which one will it be? Producers are hoping one of them will ask out of the show.

Nathan Fillion/Stania Kanic/Castle

[Sara2009]

Wasn't that first one disproven? I thought I remembered people mentioning that back during the days of TWOP.

[ParadoxLost]

Weatherly's exit was announced back in January and has been reported to have been his choice. Since he got the lead in a new show not much later, I wouldn't be surprised if that was (part of) the reason.

 

Yeah, not the same situation. All the BTS gossip has always been that the network loves him and signed him to a development deal years ago so he could lead a new show on the network.  I think the network engineered his exit as much as Weatherly did but because they figured they could parlay him into a second strong show and NCIS has Harmon and can go one without him.

 

With ABC, all the BTS gossip is negative and right or wrong, they decided to pick NF and didn't think that SK was worth the trouble of keeping on the network.  They can say they still want to work with her all they want but they didn't ask her back, didn't sign her to a development deal, or put her in a pilot.  They are blowing smoke about continuing the relationship.  Classic, 'its not you, its me' breakup.

 

And given that this has come out and that they are saying they didn't ask SK back, I don't think NF is still negotiating and I think the show is already renewed.  A network doesn't sign up for this kind of bad press if there is a chance they can say the show was cancelled and avoid it.  It feels to me like they expected an uproar and are trying to get it out early enough that it doesn't overshadow upfronts in a few weeks.

 

Dish Nation had a bit on this today. They were speculating that this is happening because NF and SK hate each other.  Nothing more than the usual gossip.

Edited April 20, 2016 by ParadoxLost

[McManda]

I hate that this is how it ends. That's what's most depressing to me. There's no way this can be salvaged at all. I wish they would have just ended it all and kept everything else - if there is anything else - buried. The most I hope for now is that however they choose to proceed with any season 9 and a MIA Beckett is that they don't kill her off.

 

I basically gave the advisory panel a "screw you, nothing about last night's episode or this situation is right or okay" rant, so ... we'll see. It made me feel like I did something productive, even though it's not true.

 

Arcadia63, are those guesses on who/what those items are talking about? I only ask because the timing of #1 is weird. May 2009 was the beginning of Castle, back when Stana and Nathan were pretty outwardly friendly. People mourn for the fun and flirty interviews and BTS stuff they used to do together back then so I'd have a really hard time believing that that would be them.

And as for #2, best case scenario now is that they end the show this season and air the finale ending that "leaves the characters in a good place" or whatever TPW and AH said of it. It would be an even bigger screw you to everyone if they killed Beckett off.

 

A random side note; I like the movie Titanic, except I don't often watch the whole thing. Most often I watch until the boat hits the iceberg because up until then it's a nice period love story. I imagine I'll do the same with Castle when I rewatch (because I still do love it despite this awful and tragic end). I'll stop after S7.

[metaphor]

Yeah, I think the Crazy Days and Nights BI #1 was eventually said to be about Joshua Jackson and Anna Torv, another onscreen couple from another show I loved that seemed to not get along IRL. But at least that show ended with the characters in a good place. Granted they only had to work with each other for 5 years.

 

I also really don't believe that #2 is about Castle. I don't think the writers would have known about this that early. And ABC renewed Stana's contract for a full season after S7 after all. 

 

I too hope they don't kill Beckett. At least I can walk away from this show with some degree of peace then. Just pretend that it ended. I wonder what the odds are for at least a semi-happy ending by May 16. I know some others are walking away now, just knowing that it will all end. They don't want their memories tainted by what happens to Beckett in the finale. 

 

I kind of appreciate Rob Hanning's voice in all this:

 

Just Me ‏@telopidoxfavor
@RobHanning Are we angry? Yes! Are we disappointed? You asked us to respect the process of this season and you've ruined #Caskett

 

Robert Hanning ‏@RobHanning 
Who has? Did the writers want SK to leave? Absolutely not. We are just as devastated as everyone else.

 

 

I believe that. As watered down as it has been this season, I still wouldn't want to try writing this show without its core. And however TPTB try to spin it, that is Caskett. 

Edited April 20, 2016 by metaphor

[Sara2009]

The first blind item was " revealed" to be about Stana and Nathan, but that doesn't mean it was true.

Edited April 20, 2016 by Sara2009

[ParadoxLost]

I too hope they don't kill Beckett. At least I can walk away from this show with some degree of peace then. Just pretend that it ended. I wonder what the odds are for at least a semi-happy ending by May 16. I know some others are walking away now, just knowing that it will all end. They don't want their memories tainted by what happens to Beckett in the finale. 

 

I think there is virtually no chance that they will have a semi-happy ending.  That isn't what they are doing.  They are setting up a new show and they won't change their mind about it soon enough to course correct a finale if they get cancelled (and as I said before, I think its renewed already but not announced because the PR situation precludes any other possibility).  They aren't going to give any viewer an ending that opens up the possibility of pretending it ended here and being semi-satisfied with the conclusion and using that as an additional reason not to watch next season.

 

Best we can hope for is that they kill Beckett outright with enough time to give Castle time to mourn the relationship a little to emphasize the importance of their relationship and his love for her.  Best case is they honor the relationship by milking the tragedy.

 

They have no choice but to time jump next season, so final minutes death or cliffhanger will give us nothing.  If Beckett goes into Witness Protection, it will  double down on the animosity they engendered when she broke up with Castle for her case.

[TWP]

Forgot this part: Michael Weatherly announced he wasn't going to sign soon after he had 2 counts of DUI. Link:

http://www.people.com/article/michael-weatherly-dui-arrest

My point is that reality doesn't always follow the PR speak. And a pilot is not a promise.

[McManda]

The first blind item was " revealed" to be about Stana and Nathan, but that doesn't mean it was true.

 

I mean, I just find it hard to believe that would be them at that point since they were presumable friendly in the beginning. I don't go on walks through Central Park and end up at Duran Duran concerts with people I generally don't get along with.

 

I think there is virtually no chance that they will have a semi-happy ending.  That isn't what they are doing.  They are setting up a new show and they won't change their mind about it soon enough to course correct a finale if they get cancelled (and as I said before, I think its renewed already but not announced because the PR situation precludes any other possibility).  They aren't going to give any viewer an ending that opens up the possibility of pretending it ended here and being semi-satisfied with the conclusion and using that as an additional reason not to watch next season.

 

According to Hawley, they filmed 2 endings for season 8, a series finale that "if we thought there was even a small chance we wouldn’t come back, we owed it to them to craft something” that offers closure." and a season finale that is "cliffhanger that we’re excited about, because we believe in Castle and we believe that ABC will hopefully, hopefully bring us back.”

 

He also said, “Obviously our hope is that we come back ‘all hands on deck’ for Season 9, but everybody needs to make deals,” and “There’s stuff up in the air, so we are trying to leave it in a very dynamic way which leaves open the possibility that maybe the show won’t come back in the same form next season — although, again, we really hope that it does.”

 

Which is why this whole this is so, so, so odd; that article was posted on TVLine April 16th (which was a Saturday). I guess it could be an old interview, but TVLine doesn't generally sit on stuff they know will get clicks - and Castle always gets them clicks, even for non-news. You're telling me that Hawley didn't know that there was 0% chance of Stana coming back (if it's true they didn't even entertain the idea of renegotiating and it wasn't her idea to leave? of if she was fed up to the point of never coming back? or if Nathan hated her so much that he forced her out?) when he made those statements? That all this went down in 2 days, or even a week?

 

Maybe he's just really good at PR.

 

None of anything we're heading makes any sense at all. So much conflicting information and we'll never know the real truth.

Edited April 20, 2016 by McManda

[Thak]

 

The first blind item was " revealed" to be about Stana and Nathan, but that doesn't mean it was true.

 

Not Stana and Nathan, and possibly no one else for that matter.  I remember two things about the first one at Crazy Days and Nights, first Terri Miller responded on twitter at the time with "not true" and second, a while later the guy that runs the site apparently admitted that he made most all his rumors up.

[ParadoxLost]

Forgot this part: Michael Weatherly announced he wasn't going to sign soon after he had 2 counts of DUI. Link:

http://www.people.com/article/michael-weatherly-dui-arrest

My point is that reality doesn't always follow the PR speak. And a pilot is not a promise.

 

But a development deal is a development deal and that was publically announced in 2014.

 

But, there is something not right with Castle BTS and with the network.  I have no idea who is at fault, nor do I care, or if its was fair that SK is the one leaving.  I know I would have rather this season not happened since they are clearly unable to work together. 

 

Its a shame that because of BTS drama or simply needing more time off that they couldn't maintain the show as it was.  I would have preferred they cancelled it instead of what they did this season.  As for next season. it will be better or worse.  If you aren't that invested in Caskett (and I'm not really that invested since he was stupidly kidnapped before the wedding) its possible that fixing whatever BTS stuff is happening might help.  Not very hopeful, but its possible.  I don't think anything would change if they both stayed.  They'll probably wish they cancelled it in the end.

Edited April 20, 2016 by ParadoxLost

[WendyCR72]

Perhaps the ending is already known. Wasn't it said by Susan Sullivan in a "hypothetical" way that maybe it would be best for C/B to go their separate ways?

 

Maybe she was giving a roundabout heads up. (There was a soap actress who used to do appearances with her on-screen love interest. And she would often use the "wouldn't it be funny if..." hypotheticals to say what could happen to the audience. Weeks to months later? Bam. Exact scenario. Actors know how to be cagey.)

 

Not necessarily saying this is the outcome, but it's a possibility.

[BellyLaughter]

I mean, I just find it hard to believe that would be them at that point since they were presumable friendly in the beginning. I don't go on walks through Central Park and end up at Duran Duran concerts with people I generally don't get along with.

According to Hawley, they filmed 2 endings for season 8, a series finale that "if we thought there was even a small chance we wouldn’t come back, we owed it to them to craft something” that offers closure." and a season finale that is "cliffhanger that we’re excited about, because we believe in Castle and we believe that ABC will hopefully, hopefully bring us back.”

He also said, “Obviously our hope is that we come back ‘all hands on deck’ for Season 9, but everybody needs to make deals,” and “There’s stuff up in the air, so we are trying to leave it in a very dynamic way which leaves open the possibility that maybe the show won’t come back in the same form next season — although, again, we really hope that it does.”

Which is why this whole this is so, so, so odd; that article was posted on TVLine April 16th (which was a Saturday). I guess it could be an old interview, but TVLine doesn't generally sit on stuff they know will get clicks - and Castle always gets them clicks, even for non-news. You're telling me that Hawley didn't know that there was 0% chance of Stana coming back (if it's true they didn't even entertain the idea of renegotiating and it wasn't her idea to leave? of if she was fed up to the point of never coming back? or if Nathan hated her so much that he forced her out?) when he made those statements? That all this went down in 2 days, or even a week?

Maybe he's just really good at PR.

None of anything we're heading makes any sense at all. So much conflicting information and we'll never know the real truth.

Yep -- I think there is so much more to this than what has been said in articles and interviews and frustratingly we will probably never have the whole story. I will say it must be a doosy if they are willingly prepared to implode (with nuclear proportions) the core of the show's story to squeeze out another shortened season! That's a massive risk and I for one would LOVE to know who Stana Katic wronged!!??!! This has nothing to do with budget.....

[MaryM47]

Matt Roush's response to a question about SK leaving:

 

Dignity went out the window a while back, given the way the producers have jerked these characters, and Castle's fans, around for so long. But this does seem like the last unnecessary straw to keep this franchise going by shattering its core. Why not just create a "Castle Presents" series, adapting the fictional Richard Castle's books as an anthology? The idea of watching even a shortened season of a diminished Castle seems unsatisfying on just about every level—though I remain a Nathan Fillion fan, it seems like the right time for everyone to move on.

 

[FlickerToAFlame]

Another crazy idea that makes as much sense as anything else: Tamala was let go and Stana (who already had one foot out the door) gave an ultimatum that if Tamala leaves, she does too. ABC sees their way out of a toxic casting situation and a way to save money so they let her go. Technically, this wouldn't be Stana's choice to leave. And the "budget" bullshit is just because the other thing makes ABC look even worse.

ETA: Surprised and also not that there's complete silence from Alexi and TPW. Think they're already fired for season 9?

Edited April 20, 2016 by FlickerToAFlame

[McManda]

a while later the guy that runs the site apparently admitted that he made most all his rumors up.

 

The Crazy Days and Nights drama is actually really interesting in a deranged way. Back in 2012 it was revealed that it's basically a blog run by a lawyer (who does probate law) and profiting off the general public's desire for drama. It's skeezy because he knows he can just skirt by, getting clicks and making money, staying just on the right side of anonymous and vague to avoid a defamation lawsuit. And clearly, he's right about the general public feeding on drama.

 

And the stars named as blind items and their teams don't generally respond for fear of making things worse. It's a case of "ignore it and hope it goes away".

 

 Perhaps the ending is already known. Wasn't it said by Susan Sullivan in a "hypothetical" way that maybe it would be best for C/B to go their separate ways?

 

As if I weren't angry or sad enough, if we spent a whole season of forced and faked separation for them to ultimately decide to break up (because of this BTS drama/Stana exit and that's how they "fix" it). Just another reason to kill the show while there's some semblance of dignity in the story.

 

Matt Roush's response to a question about SK leaving:

The idea of watching even a shortened season of a diminished Castle seems unsatisfying on just about every level—though I remain a Nathan Fillion fan, it seems like the right time for everyone to move on.

 

I think Matt Roush is a smart man (in this case) and speaks for an overwhelming chunk of people that watch(ed) the show. ABC done fucked up this situation something epic. I wonder if it'll end up as a case of "how not to deal with problems" for potential future execs/showrunners.

Edited April 20, 2016 by McManda

[WendyCR72]

With all of this, what stands out to me is the sad irony that, for all proclamations early on to the contrary, this show went straight to hell...just like Moonlighting. Yes, it was about bad writing and poor management, but the end result is still the same: A show that began with great promise that ended in a colossal train wreck fashion.

 

I guess the curse has merit, after all.

[BellyLaughter]

I would love to know how this all would have gone down had the information not been "leaked" way earlier than ABC had wanted

It's a colossal PR nightmare for ABC .... And probably well deserved....

Edited April 20, 2016 by BellyLaughter

[KaveDweller]

Perhaps the ending is already known. Wasn't it said by Susan Sullivan in a "hypothetical" way that maybe it would be best for C/B to go their separate ways?

 

I keep hearing about this interview of Susan's, but I have not actually read/heard it. Has anyone? I don't like speculating when I don't have the real source material

 

Which is why this whole this is so, so, so odd; that article was posted on TVLine April 16th (which was a Saturday). I guess it could be an old interview, but TVLine doesn't generally sit on stuff they know will get clicks - and Castle always gets them clicks, even for non-news. You're telling me that Hawley didn't know that there was 0% chance of Stana coming back (if it's true they didn't even entertain the idea of renegotiating and it wasn't her idea to leave? of if she was fed up to the point of never coming back? or if Nathan hated her so much that he forced her out?) when he made those statements? That all this went down in 2 days, or even a week?

 

It must have leaked, but then ABC decided to confirm/comment, and tell Stana to go ahead and comment. Otherwise they'd look like liars or that they were hiding something. Initially I was thinking they must have leaked it themselves, but thinking about it more it just doesn't make sense. And that was why the rest of the cast was "surprised".....not really about the outcome, but the way it came out. Or maybe they expected to hear that she had decided not to renew and were surprised at the claim that ABC didn't ask her back? There's something weird about the whole thing.

 

Yep -- I think there is so much more to this than what has been said in articles and interviews and frustratingly we will probably never have the whole story. I will say it must be a doosy if they are willingly prepared to implode (with nuclear proportions) the core of the show's story to squeeze out another shortened season! That's a massive risk and I for one would LOVE to know who Stana Katic wronged!!??!! This has nothing to do with budget.....

 

I really am curious about the BTS story. It is clearly an interesting one. I don't care exactly, who is at fault or whatever, but I'd still like to know. I admit that I tend to dislike finding out negative news about actors I like, but it ends up happening enough that it's easy to get over. But what I do absolutely care about is the characters. Anything could happen BTS and as long as the story ends well I will be happy. I mean, I am the optimistic one that lets a lot of writing issues go. But that's because I was sure I'd get a happy ending eventually. That's less easy for me to get over and I'm not ashamed to admit that.

 

I hope the leak the alternate ending they filmed. 

Edited April 20, 2016 by KaveDweller

[FlickerToAFlame]

@nancyleegrahn Why brilliant, classy, multi cultural woman @Stana_Katic is discarded 4 funny, irreverent, mischievous, sarcastic, sexy, boy? Asking4friend.

Wasn't she a guest star on Castle?

[metaphor]

I believe so. She also said:

 

@NancyLeeGrahn: Smh. @Stana_Katic fav actor I've worked with on episodic. Again, SMH. #castle https://t.co/LLHtOL1h9v

 

https://twitter.com/NancyLeeGrahn/status/722540979748646913

Edited April 20, 2016 by metaphor

[McManda]

And that was why the rest of the cast was "surprised".....not really about the outcome, but the way it came out.

 

I don't know, Jon's pretty outspoken on twitter (sometimes to the point where I think he's pushed a little too far or been a little too frank) and the fact that one of his comments about the whole thing was that he was upset to have find out about everything online suggests to me he was just a blindsided by the whole thing as the fans were. It doesn't sound like he was aware of any potential ousting or mutual separation. As far as I know, whatever drama may or may not exist between Stana and Nathan doesn't extend to Stana and the rest of the cast; she and Jon have always seemed to be on the friends side, even after people started speculating about fights between Stana and Nathan. In fact, didn't she go to his Mexican wedding a year and a half ago? Seems like he would have been able to glean the writing on the wall, so to speak, if there had been any.

 

Just another little point to the whole idea that something went seriously wrong somewhere.

 

@nancyleegrahn Why brilliant, classy, multi cultural woman @Stana_Katic is discarded 4 funny, irreverent, mischievous, sarcastic, sexy, boy? Asking4friend.

 

This is worded ... interestingly. She's standing with Stana, the actress, but I can't tell if the "funny, irreverent, mischievous, sarcastic, sexy boy" is supposed to be Castle or Nathan. Funny, mischievous, sarcastic, and sexy could be construed as okay traits, at least, but irreverent is definitely not a compliment. And all together it borders on pretty snarky. By all accounts Nathan is a pretty all around decent guy, so for her to be taking a shot at him ...

 

I don't know what to make of that. But hey, tone is hard on the internet.

Edited April 20, 2016 by McManda

[Sara2009]

Not Stana and Nathan, and possibly no one else for that matter. I remember two things about the first one at Crazy Days and Nights, first Terri Miller responded on twitter at the time with "not true" and second, a while later the guy that runs the site apparently admitted that he made most all his rumors up.

It WAS revealed to be them, though. I just looked it up. But like I said, that doesn't make it true

[McManda]

It WAS revealed to be them, though. I just looked it up. But like I said, that doesn't make it true

 

But then it was also revealed that the guy that posted the blind items for that site basically makes things up for clicks, so it's hard to believe anything he posts.

 

ABC is pretty quick to dismiss people for the same kind of behavior (case in point: Isaiah Washington in Grey's), and wasn't there a story about how Nathan went off on some guest star on Firefly at one point because the guest star used the same kind of language toward one of the women on set? I don't know, double standards don't seem like his thing but then again, I don't know the guy.

Edited April 20, 2016 by McManda

[WendyCR72]

I hope the leak the alternate ending they filmed.

 

Knowing ABC Studios, the endings would be put on the upcoming S8 DVD set. Probably the only way hardcore fans would even consider buying it. Just a theory. My cynical self says ABC Studios really doesn't care what shakes out here since its Netflix Marvel properties are going gangbusters and likely making them money. It sucks, but it's just a feeling I have.

[Sara2009]

But then it was also revealed that the guy that posted the blind items for that site basically makes things up for clicks, so it's hard to believe anything he posts.

.

Agreed. That's why even " revealed" blind items are considered gossip rather than proven facts.

[McManda]

My cynical self says ABC Studios really doesn't care what shakes out here since its Netflix Marvel properties are going gangbusters and likely making them money. It sucks, but it's just a feeling I have.

 

Considering it took them three years to release the extended footage that they ended up cutting from the end of Always while telling fans that it existed ... I sadly agree.

[Thak]

 

That's a massive risk and I for one would LOVE to know who Stana Katic wronged!!??!! This has nothing to do with budget.....

 

You don't know she wronged anybody.  If we're going to go this route then I will bring up what one poster here said, I can't remember their name, they were the person who appeared to have inside info and then deleted all their posts, halwideman or something.  When discussing the treatment of Kate Beckett, one poster asked what Stana could of done to piss off the TPTB.  Halwideman? responded that if anyone in this cast would get poor treatment for their character it would be Nathan Fillion because although all actors can be assholes, he was the biggest one in this cast.  Some here thought this person was pretty legit.  So.....true, not true.

Edited April 20, 2016 by Thak

[BellyLaughter]

You don't know she wronged anybody. If we're going to go this route then I will bring up what one poster here said, I can't remember their name, they were the person who appeared to have inside info and then deleted all their posts, halwideman or something. When discussing the treatment of Kate Beckett, one poster asked what Stana could of done to piss off the TPTB. Halwideman? responded that if anyone in this cast would get poor treatment for their character it would be Nathan Fillion because although all actors can be assholes, he was the biggest one in this cast. Some here thought this person was pretty legit. So.....true, not true.

Didn't mean to suggest she did anything wrong just refuse to believe she was released merely on budget grounds.... Didn't really want to cast a blame net just hypothesising that there is clearly more to this story.

It's pretty clear who wields more Hollywood power - not saying I agree with it!!

ETA I'm actually hedging on the side of Stana actually chose to leave and this has turned into a big PR mess for ABC for reasons yet to be determined. Wires get crossed, timing is clearly bad but why ABC chose to announce it like they did has me stumped - like I said before this whole thing is so weird.

Where is Halwideman when you need s/he ;). I would love to hear their take on this. I have a feeling they knew this was coming from the time their profile and tweets disappeared.....

Edited April 20, 2016 by BellyLaughter

[Thak]

 

Didn't mean to suggest she did anything wrong just refuse to believe she was released merely on budget grounds.... Didn't really want to cast a blame net just hypothesising that there is clearly more to this story.

 

I agree, there is definitely more to this story.

[femmefan1946]

Why not just create a "Castle Presents" series, adapting the fictional Richard Castle's books as an anthology?

 

That would probably work better than a Castle PI series. Since Rick definitely sees himself as Rook, NF gets to be both presenter and lead, we keep the boys (although the acronym Roach has to go) and a different actress could be used for Nikki Heat when those stories are shown. And of course, NF also gets to be Derek Storm in those stories.

No need to deal with a dead/divorced/missing wife.

And no need for Alexis, who seems to annoy everyone no end.

[MsFlibbles]

Season 7 finale should have been the series finale. By then Beckett's mother's murder was solved and Bracken dealt with. And Castle's childhood boogeyman was proven real. And the speech at the end with all the main characters sitting around the table was a perfect ending.

We were left with a couple of loose ends to let our imagination give them the happy ending we wanted them to have. Like Kate becoming senator and mother of three. And Castle writing serious literature.

[verdana]

Maybe he's just really good at PR.

 

Hawley (and Winter) have been awful at the PR game based on what I've read, both come over as delusional most of the time and annoying, they look completely lost as showrunners and now they're definitely fucked.  

 

Tamala Jones Reacts To Her 'Castle' Exit - video

 

[turnitwayup]

So Tamala knew that she was let go on Friday, but wasn't expecting the news to come out before the season ended. No wonder she's ok with everything since she felt Lanie as a recurring role more than series regular and she got 8 seasons. http://www.accesshollywood.com/videos/tamala-jones-reacts-to-her-castle-exit/ I wonder why she wasn't looking for guest roles the days she wasn't filming or let her know last december so she could've gone for pilot season. She had to notice her screen time has reduced so much over the last few seasons that it was like one scene per ep when she was on. Guessing Molly is the actor that's gonna be sent to represent Castle to the various ABC functions now on if the show continues cause it seemed like Tamala was always the one there .

Edited April 20, 2016 by turnitwayup

[metaphor]

I keep hearing about this interview of Susan's, but I have not actually read/heard it. Has anyone? I don't like speculating when I don't have the real source material

 

I haven't listened to it myself, just read about what she said, but if you're at all interested, the podcast can be streamed here: http://comicbookcentral.net/episode-121-susan-sullivan/

 

Castle talk, per those who have listened, starts at around 43 minutes.

 

I don't know, Jon's pretty outspoken on twitter (sometimes to the point where I think he's pushed a little too far or been a little too frank) and the fact that one of his comments about the whole thing was that he was upset to have find out about everything online suggests to me he was just a blindsided by the whole thing as the fans were. It doesn't sound like he was aware of any potential ousting or mutual separation. As far as I know, whatever drama may or may not exist between Stana and Nathan doesn't extend to Stana and the rest of the cast; she and Jon have always seemed to be on the friends side, even after people started speculating about fights between Stana and Nathan. In fact, didn't she go to his Mexican wedding a year and a half ago? Seems like he would have been able to glean the writing on the wall, so to speak, if there had been any.

 

Just another little point to the whole idea that something went seriously wrong somewhere.

 

Yep, Jon ran a fan contest in which the winner won lunch with him at Clutch, and he went ahead and brought Stana and Seamus with him as a surprise. I believe this happened sometime last month. So they do hang out outside of work.

 

I'm actually more surprised at how quiet Seamus has been, since I've found him to be even more outspoken than Jon re: work conditions, but maybe he is thinking about his own negotiations and doesn't want to rock the boat.

 

Quite curious about why Hawley and Winter haven't said anything. Rob Hanning is addressing tweets, so it's not like the writers aren't allowed to talk. And despite some vagueness in ABC's official statement, Nathan's tweet pretty much confirms that the departure is a done deal. 

Edited April 20, 2016 by metaphor

[Zaffy]

I dunno what may have happened between the two leads, but the way they deal with Katic's exit it is a PR disaster and quite unfair for the actress. 

For  me the show was about those two. I do not care about the rest of the characters really, especially Castle's family that I find ultra-annoying.
So a season of Castle with Alexis having even more screen time it is a big no-no for me. 

I didn't even watch last episode. 

 

It is really sad they didn't manage to have good seasons after Castle and Beckett finally became a couple. It was really good at the beginning and made me laugh at the "Moonlighting" curse. Anyway, it was an entertaining show (except the drama episodes which were BAAAD) and I will miss it;s good old days.
 

[Julia]

This is an actual quote. ” You are a f**king c**t. Who the hell do you think you are that you can treat people the way you do on set. The crew hates you the cast hates you and the producers hate you and this is no way to build any kind of career, so knock it off you f**king whore.

 

Well, he seems nice.

Edited April 20, 2016 by Julia

[readster]

With all of this, what stands out to me is the sad irony that, for all proclamations early on to the contrary, this show went straight to hell...just like Moonlighting. Yes, it was about bad writing and poor management, but the end result is still the same: A show that began with great promise that ended in a colossal train wreck fashion.

 

I guess the curse has merit, after all.

I have hated the entire "Moonlighting Curse" excuse for years. It was born out of too many factors and the other fact the writers did not know how to write a couple even though majority of them were married. I also hate it when show runners use that as an excuse. AS-P over in Gilmore Girls, I know several early writers on ER and Friends used the excuse many times. The editorial offices at Marvel with Spider-Man and even DC Comics have constantly said writing married couples is so hard that they try to "undo" marriages with strange time warps, deals with demons ect. Yet, they are all perfectly married with kids, but feel that general audiences ca't relate to them. Since before Marlowe left, they expressed how hard it was to write Kasket as a couple because they didn't know how. How I met your Mother did this too. Here is my general opinion, and I also say this as a published writer. If you can't look into your own experiences or really think you are cut out to write TV or movies, then you can sure as hell find a way to write couples married and deal with drama that comes with it. Trust me, I have been married almost 7 years, kids too and guess what, life isn't over the minute you are married. Real problems come about that you have no idea will occur. Yet, the entire powers at Castle have constantly said: "It's just too hard to write them as married, we give up!" "Waaaaa! Break them up!" 

  You know what? Either go back to school and learn how to write, or don't work on shows that have couples as main characters or allude to those pairings. Grow up!

[madmaverick]

I don't know about a Moonlighting curse, but looking back at the development of Caskett over the years, if I'm being honest, it's the WT/WT journey that I found the most interesting and compelling.  Of course it was satisfying to see them finally get together and be a couple and get married and all that, but to me, the writers rarely wrote interesting stories for them after they were a couple.  They didn't take on everyday issues in anything but a super superficial way, they didn't know how to build in stakes except in the most melodramatic, absurd, off putting way that make you dislike the characters.  To me, the show was already on a creative decline after S3 and it was already annoying how they were stretching out the WT/WT in S4 with the characters artificially reduced to non communication, so maybe the tepid, boring, at times terribly poor writing of their couplehood in S5-8 was just an extension of the decline.  At one time I'd hoped that getting them together would result in some sort of creative rejuvenation but it clearly didn't happen under Marlowe or the others that followed.  They didn't know how to carry on the Caskett love story in an interesting way.  I blame writing deficiencies most of all, but perhaps there's something to be said for the journey being more interesting than the destination as well.  The couples I've really shipped have been ones that weren't together in the beginning rather than ones who are happy and together at the outset even though I like them well enough too, but maybe that's a matter of personal taste and dependent on the all important writing as well.

 

The thing is, there are no guarantees in life or even in fictional life.  TV shows are all subject to the cruel whims of networks and personal choices from writers and actors.  Characters (and actors) people love depart time and again, and love stories don't always get their happy endings even when we expect them to.  Or shows simply don't end in a satisfying way that meets expectations.  I don't watch GA or TVD or other such shows with a big fandom but I understand that there too ships didn't get the happy ending.  But the show goes on, careers go on, and that's how it is.

[madmaverick]

Well, he seems nice.

Got to love how something that was already disproven as false by a writer on the show and posted by a bogus website out to scam people gets repeated ad nauseam years later as if there's even the slightest bit factual or truthful to any of it.  Unfair and irresponsible.  Sensible adults should know better than to propagate this sort of thing but there's plenty in the fandom who seem incapable of being sensible.  I don't think they would care for it if they were the subject of insidious rumors that could simply be made up out of thin air but then takes on a life of its own.  Actors get a lot of perks but I would hate having to put up with this shit.  

[Sara2009]

There's also the fact that even some of the " true" stuff is greatly exaggerated.

[schnauzergirl]

After watching Tamala's video, all I can say is she is a class act and I wish her only great things.  I always thought she was under-used.  Wonder if we'll have Perlmutter all the time now, which would be OK because I like him, too.

[westwingfan]

Well the June Comicon in Germany that Fillion, Seamus and Jon are attending could be an interesting Q&A . If Fillion was attending on his own I would expect he could have kept things to his first love but presumably there is going to be some sort of Castle thing and Stana has a lot of European fans so some of the questions might be more awkward than usual as many will be aware by then of the outcome of the finale, and presumably ABC will have announced their plans for a S9 by then too.

 

I believe Penny is attending the CastleFanFest, which will be happening at the same time, accompanied by Toks and Vikram, so Toks might have a harder time than she imagined.

 

There seems to be a growing conviction that Beckett is killed off in the finale, possibly taking a bullet by jumping in front of Castle to save him, so maybe Castle has invented a new genre and instead of being in the "Dramedy" category it will now be referred to as a "Tragemedy"

When I saw that BTS pic from the finale it made me think of the ending to Butch Cassidy and I envisioned Hawley's cliff hanger to be the pair of them breaking cover to confront the bad guys with all guns blazing and then the frame freezes but the sound continues and we hear a fusillade of shots as the screen fades to black.  I thought we wouldn't actually see Beckett breathe her last so that Hawley had a hook to tempt people, who otherwise might not if they knew Beckett was definitely dead, to tune in to the S9 premier. If Beckett's end is because she sacrifices herself to save Castle I'm not sure what that ought to do to the poor guy's emotional state after seeing the Yin to his Yang die in that way, but I won't be tuning in to see how he's recovered for the fun fest season that I'm sure lies in store, after all Fillion said the show is all about the comedy.

Edited April 20, 2016 by westwingfan

[oberon55]

The thing is, there are no guarantees in life or even in fictional life.  TV shows are all subject to the cruel whims of networks and personal choices from writers and actors.  Characters (and actors) people love depart time and again, and love stories don't always get their happy endings even when we expect them to.  Or shows simply don't end in a satisfying way that meets expectations.  I don't watch GA or TVD or other such shows with a big fandom but I understand that there too ships didn't get the happy ending.  But the show goes on, careers go on, and that's how it is.

This is completely true. But at the same time I watch TV for escape. I watch all kinds of shows & have different expectations depending on the show. When I watch gritty shows like Breaking Bad or Game of Thrones I'm going in knowing there is not going to be rainbows & puppies. When I choose to watch light comedic shows like Castle or The Big Bang Theory it's because I want a feel good experience not tragedy. It seems disingenuous & frankly chickenshit to rope the audience in by giving them that for 7 years & then pull the rug out from under them at the very end so the show can hobble along for one more pathetic abbreviated season. Castle should be a required course at film school. They could name it "How to fuck up a good thing".

[schnauzergirl]

ABC is not having a good week: First, Stana and Tamala and then it was announced yesterday that Michael Strahan (spelling?) is leaving Kelly & Michael in September to be on Good Morning America full time.  Today Kelly didn't show up because nobody at the network gave her a heads-up.  Seems to me somebody needs to call a PR meeting and lay out just how to do this kind of thing.

[AntiBeeSpray]

I have hated the entire "Moonlighting Curse" excuse for years. It was born out of too many factors and the other fact the writers did not know how to write a couple even though majority of them were married. I also hate it when show runners use that as an excuse. AS-P over in Gilmore Girls, I know several early writers on ER and Friends used the excuse many times. The editorial offices at Marvel with Spider-Man and even DC Comics have constantly said writing married couples is so hard that they try to "undo" marriages with strange time warps, deals with demons ect. Yet, they are all perfectly married with kids, but feel that general audiences ca't relate to them. Since before Marlowe left, they expressed how hard it was to write Kasket as a couple because they didn't know how. How I met your Mother did this too. Here is my general opinion, and I also say this as a published writer. If you can't look into your own experiences or really think you are cut out to write TV or movies, then you can sure as hell find a way to write couples married and deal with drama that comes with it. Trust me, I have been married almost 7 years, kids too and guess what, life isn't over the minute you are married. Real problems come about that you have no idea will occur. Yet, the entire powers at Castle have constantly said: "It's just too hard to write them as married, we give up!" "Waaaaa! Break them up!" 

  You know what? Either go back to school and learn how to write, or don't work on shows that have couples as main characters or allude to those pairings. Grow up!

 

Word, word, word. This can be applied to so many shows today. They figure that they need to break up/separate/divorce just to bring back their precious 'drama'. Well sorry boys, that's just weak. There's drama in a relationship as well, if you know how to write it.

[WendyCR72]

In theory, maybe you're all right. It is lazy. But...

 

Look at the ratings for the show at the beginning of the season. Offliners likely didn't know about the upcoming split, and the premiere was still low. Some is natural age. However, S7 also had no cliffhanger.

 

I get there is the school of thought that 'ships can have their own drama. But it seems, like it or not, the "average" viewer does need the jolt. For all of the talk of cliffhangers and drama as a copout (and I don't necessarily disagree), I have seen the reverse, where any show is settled/happy, and people opine at how "boring" and "dull" the show has become.

 

Half a dozen of one, six of the other.

 

Sometimes, there really is no pleasing some.