Past Seasons Talk: A Mystery Writer and NYC Detectives Solve Crimes

[maraleia]

A place to discuss particular episodes, arcs and moments from the show's past seasons. Please remember this isn't a complete catch-all topic -- check out the forum for character topics and other places for show-related talk.

[Grammaeryn]

Thanks to TNT broadcasting at least 3 episodes per night, I realized if you take a drink every time Javier begins a sentence with "Yo..." you'd be in a coma.

[Elysium1973]

So what are your favorites?

We can go by seasons or just top 10.

For me:

Sucker Punch

Knockdown

Knockout

Always

Murder He Wrote

Flowers for your Grave

The Mistress Always Spanks Twice

Still

Veritas

Tick Tick Tick/Boom

I was going to do a list of worst episodes, but I realized that list was way too long.

[turnitwayup]

I went by season so I picked my fav 5 eps but overall s2 as a whole is my fav

 

s1
Flowers For Your Grave
Nanny McDead
A Chill Run Through Her Veins
Always Buy Retail
Home is Where The Heart Stops

 

s2
Vampire Weekend
Sucker Punch
Tick Tick Tick/Boom
Wrapped in Death
Food To Die For

 

s3
Punked
Knockdown
Lucky Stiff
To Love and Die in LA
Knockout

 

s4
Demons
Cops and Robbers
Once Upon A Crime
Undead Again
Always

 

s5
Murder He Wrote
The Final Frontier
Reality Star Struck
The Lives of Others
Still

 

s6
Valkyrie
Number One Fan
The Good, the Bad & the Baby
Smells Like Teen Spirit
Veritas

Edited May 31, 2014 by turnitwayup

[GeorgieNY]

Elysium, I think your list mirrors mine almost exactly, I might add Demons and Cuffed.

:-)

[verdana]

I would go by season.

 

Season 1

Flowers For Your Grave

Nanny McDead (now annoyingly connected to the knowledge that Beckett had a "secret" husband when she made the comments in this one about never being married, thank you for that Marlowe) 

A Chill Goes Through Her Veins 

Always Buy Retail

Home is Where the Heart Stops

 

Season 2

Where the Bough Breaks 

Vampire Weekend

A Rose For Everafter 

Sucker Punch

Tick Tick Tick/Boom

 

Season 3

3XK

Nikki Heat

Poof You're Dead

Knockdown

The Final Nail 

To Lie and Die in LA 

Knockout 

 

Season 4

Cops & Robbers

Once Upon a Crime

Always (the first ten minutes and the last ten minutes) 

 

Season 5

After the Storm

Murder He Wrote

Still

The Lives of Others

 

Season 6

Valkyrie

No 1 Fan

Smells Like Teen Spirit

Veritas

 

What I've realised looking back is that S3 was way better than I thought at the time, despite the contrived roadblocks of Gina and Josh. Overall quality wise S1 had the most consistency, I would sit down and watch every episode quite happily and not skip any picking a favourite episode out of that season was tough I enjoyed them all. I hated S4 and that's reflected in the fact I had to think long and hard to find even two that I liked. Cops & Robbers was the stand out episode that season and S6 had only one stand out episode for me - No 1 Fan - both written by T Winter.  S5 and S6 have been very patchy and rather disappointing, I could find three or four episodes I liked but the rest I've instantly forgotten about and don't care to watch again.  I've found there was a huge drop off in quality after S3. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Brit Babe]

Season 1
Flowers for Your Grave
Nanny McDead
A Chill Goes Through Her Veins
Always Buy Retail
Home is Where the Heart Stops

 

Season 2
The Double Down
When the Bough Breaks
Vampire Weekend
A Rose for Everafter
Sucker Punch
A Deadly Game

 

Season 3
A Deadly Affair
He's Dead, She's Dead
3XK
The Final Nail
Knockdown
To Love and Die in L.A.
Knockout

 

Season 4
Rise
Cops & Robbers
The Blue Butterfly
Undead Again
Always

 

Season 5
Murder, He Wrote
Target
The Lives of Others
Still

 

Season 6
Valkyrie
That ’70s Show (recently saw the episode on it’s UK airing with others enjoyed it a lot more than I did watching it alone.)

[Jinn]

Season 1
Flowers for Your Grave
A Chill Goes Through Her Veins
Little Girl Lost

A Death in the Family

Season 2

Vampire Weekend
Sucker Punch
Tick, Tick, Tick../Boom

Fool Me Once...

Season 3
Punked
3XK
Knockdown
Knockout

Season 4
Cops & Robbers
Always

Kill Shot

47 Seconds

Season 5

The Final Frontier
Murder, He Wrote
The Lives of Others

Reality Star Truck


Season 6
Veritas

Number One Fan

The Good, The Bad and the Baby

Disciple

[TWP]

Do you mean Castle Version 1.0 or Castle Version 2.0?

 

Castle Version 1.0 faves, whole first season.  Every single episode was entertaining and most of all SATISFYING.  After that, the show was hit and miss.

 

Castle Version 2.0 (post-Always), can't think of any real standouts in hindsight.  Don't even know many of the episode names anymore.  And NO, the Moonlighting curse isn't to blame.  The Marlowe curse IS to blame.  You can't do WTWT AFTER the couple gets together.   It doesn't work at all.  You also can't turn a smart man into a buffoon and make him a good love interest.

Edited June 1, 2014 by TVWithPity

[verdana]

Do you mean Castle Version 1.0 or Castle Version 2.0?

 

That's a good way of looking at the show, it does feel like there are two different versions of Castle. The show that aired up to S3 and the one after that. I remember most of the episodes prior to S4  and the guest stars but after that not so much. If I was forced to name a top ten all time Castle episodes I know that most of them would be made up of shows out of Castle 1.0. and in a way that's kind of sad considering now should be the best time ever for the couple and the fans. 

[Brit Babe]

Do you mean Castle Version 1.0 or Castle Version 2.0?

 

I would contest that version 2.0 happened post season 3. Season 4 is extremely hit and miss, in my opinion, once Castle admits to Kate that he loved her and we know that she remembers it; the cat is out the bag and something would have to give at some stage.

[verdana]

I really disliked S4, can't help it, as soon as Castle tells Kate he loves her and you know she knows then the clock is running and they just dragged it out with the stupid secrets and lies. They should have got them together right after Cops and Robbers but instead we had to wade through a whole load of so-so episodes and then the douchebag arc that seemed to go on forever. It made Castle look like a tool and Beckett a selfish cow and I couldn't stand that run of episodes, I've never watched them since and never will. If they hadn't got them together by Always I would have probably quit watching at that point, prior to Always my dislike of Beckett had grown so much I just wanted her to leave Castle alone to find happiness with someone else!  That's how bad it got.

 

Marlowe has a gift when he creates angst between these two of making me dislike them as characters for their often immature, stupid behaviour towards each other. He can't seem to write grown up drama where people have disagreements and fights but don't end up resembling mean kids in a playground. 

[Guest]

About mid-way Season 3, the mysteries even started falling apart for me. Like I felt there were too many illogical conclusions.

 

Season 1 episodes, I'll watch over multiple times even knowing who did it. My favorites from that season:

Flowers for Your Grave

Hedgefund Homeboys

A Death in the Family

Ghosts

Little Girl Lost

 

Season 2:

Double Down

Fool Me Once

One Man's Treasure

The Late Shaft

[Brit Babe]

I really disliked S4, can't help it, as soon as Castle tells Kate he loves her and you know she knows then the clock is running and they just dragged it out with the stupid secrets and lies. They should have got them together right after Cops and Robbers but instead we had to wade through a whole load of so-so episodes and then the douchebag arc that seemed to go on forever.

 

Cops and Robbers was a perfect launching point for them. Even if they had not got together romantically at that point, they could have started them on the journey towards each other to - hanging out with each other more etc.

Edited June 5, 2014 by Brit Babe

[turnitwayup]

 

Cops and Robbers was a perfect launching point for them. Even if they had not go together romantically at that point, they could have started them on the journey towards each other to - haning out with each other more etc.

 

 If Once Upon A Crime was set much earlier like right after Cops and Robbers, the closeness the 2 of them were getting with Martha's date comment and the hand holding at the end would've been even cuter.  Always and After The Storm could've been the s4 midseason 2 parter after Ryan's wedding. Then have them secretly date each other for the rest of s4 would be entertaining especially keep it from Ryan and Espo as they try to figure out was is going on between the 2 of them.

[Samantha84]

Marlowe handled them sneaking around bad, too. It should have been fun and sexy and yearning. Them trying to keep their hands off each other and act the same around everyone at work + Martha/Alexis could have kept the sexual tension in play for at least half of season 5. 

[verdana]

 If Once Upon A Crime was set much earlier like right after Cops and Robbers, the closeness the 2 of them were getting with Martha's date comment and the hand holding at the end would've been even cuter.  Always and After The Storm could've been the s4 midseason 2 parter after Ryan's wedding. Then have them secretly date each other for the rest of s4 would be entertaining especially keep it from Ryan and Espo as they try to figure out was is going on between the 2 of them.

That's would have been good and far more organic than the painful drawn out saga we did get that made both characters irritating towards the end. The douchebag arc was simply dragging things out and it showed because the season sagged badly at the final half. If characters suddenly stop speaking to each other for no real reason then it's contrived and that's what 47 seconds and the rest of those episodes were about. Two people deliberately not speaking to each other because if they had then the problem would have been resolved instantly and the writers couldn't have that happen. 

 

As for season 5 what was most disappointing was them failing to capitalise on the fact they were keeping it a secret from everyone like Samantha said. It was a golden opportunity to rack up the sexual tension and have some fun with it but they dropped the ball on that like so many things that season, instead it got used as a barrier to showing them as a genuine couple.  

Edited June 6, 2014 by verdana

[turnitwayup]

 

Two people deliberately not speaking to each other because if they had then the problem would have been resolved instantly and the writers couldn't have that happen.

 

Yes the ending of 47 seconds was so contrived even thought the case was kinda interesting. Castle should've confronted Beckett about what he heard in the observation room. Eps like The Blue Butterfly, An Embarrassment of Bitches, A Dance With Death and Undead Again with a small rewrites could've been placed anywhere in the 2nd half of the season. Dial M for Murder seemed like a retread of The Final Nail. Old hs friend vs current friend accused of murder and it really didn't move forward the Joanna Beckett storyline. It seem like filler to keep the secrets theme going. To top it off Castle gets accused of murder the next season in addition of Beckett's accusation in s6. So Judge Markaway, Martha or Alexis getting accuse of murder next? We don't really see much of Castle's world/history but the go to storyline seems to be accusation or suspicion of murder. No wonder we don't see his friends or hear about them anymore. His surprise birthday party seemed to consisted of the 12th and Martha's studio actors. Guess none of his friends before attaching himself to the 12th were not close enough friends to get an invite to his surprise party.

 

Even his writing career gets less and less screen time each season especially starting in s4. Production of the scenes got less and less. Used to have book parties and book readings with several extras. Now it's like not even 30 sec of book/comic signings and talk of book tours with barely any extras. It's really time to have another Nikki Heat book party with comic relief of having obsessed fans coming up to Beckett asking to sign the book too. Hey they can even have a catering staff drop dead at the party so that they have a cotw to solve. Or have Marvel decide they want produce a Derrick Storm movie from one of the graphic novels as season long B or C storyline. There are so many different ways to include his writing career into an episode yet they don't.

[verdana]

Even his writing career gets less and less screen time each season especially starting in s4. Production of the scenes got less and less. Used to have book parties and book readings with several extras. Now it's like not even 30 sec of book/comic signings and talk of book tours with barely any extras. It's really time to have another Nikki Heat book party with comic relief of having obsessed fans coming up to Beckett asking to sign the book too. Hey they can even have a catering staff drop dead at the party so that they have a cotw to solve. Or have Marvel decide they want produce a Derrick Storm movie from one of the graphic novels as season long B or C storyline. There are so many different ways to include his writing career into an episode yet they don't.

When someone asked Marlowe in S5 if we were going to see how his writing was being impacted by his relationship with Beckett, Marlowe said that watching writers write is boring and skirted around the topic. Now I can agree with that but surely as a professional writer he and his crack team can imagine all sorts of scenarios (like the ones you've suggested above) that could be used to focus once again on Castle's writing career whilst also including Kate in the story and providing some decent entertainment. But apparently they were "talking about it" at the time but clearly they're haven't been stretching themselves that much creatively if you and I can think of things and a year later they've still not got nothing.

 

Perhaps part of it is budgetary in that doing a party or function is going to be expensive but if it's toss up between explosions and car crashes and seeing Castle at a book launch with Beckett I know which I'd choose.  Also you get the tie in to the books etc so it's a win-win for them which is why it's inexplicable they don't focus more on his writing. His career should impact on Beckett in so many different subtle ways privately now they're a couple but it doesn't seem to really. 

 

You make a good point about the surprise birthday party he really is billy no mates now. That's why his huge guest list raised an eyebrow because his social circle has dwindled to such an extent I doubt he could find fifty people that he can count as friends. We never see them and rarely hear about them either.  

[KaveDweller]

Perhaps part of it is budgetary in that doing a party or function is going to be expensive but if it's toss up between explosions and car crashes and seeing Castle at a book launch with Beckett I know which I'd choose.  Also you get the tie in to the books etc so it's a win-win for them which is why it's inexplicable they don't focus more on his writing. His career should impact on Beckett in so many different subtle ways privately now they're a couple but it doesn't seem to really. 

 

Budge isn't really an excuse though, because they could have a scene at the loft where Castle and Beckett are talking about his writing, and it wouldn't cost any more than the other loft scenes.  Or have Castle be in the middle of writing when a murder call comes in, and he doesn't want to leave to go to the scene, and it annoys Beckett.  Plus then, they'd have an excuse for Castle to not be in a scene so they can give Nathan that 4-day work week.  Or give Castle writers block and Beckett tries to give him ideas.  Or offer to role play Nikki and Rook.  They could also show them leaving to go to a book party, but don't actually show the party.

I've said this before.....these ideas are not hard to come up with.

 

I didn't have an issue with the birthday party guests, because that was a party that Beckett planned, around the idea of a fake murder.  It makes sense that she wouldn't be calling celebrities that Castle knows to come, she probably wouldn't be comfortable with that.  She wanted it to be more intimate, I think.

Edited June 7, 2014 by KaveDweller

[verdana]

The writers block idea is a good one and I wish they would do something like because it's happened to him before of course and she came along so it would be very "organic" *(to quote a favourite Marlowe term) to go revisit that but this time she's already with him. For a writer it must be a traumatic thing to have to go through and it would be something character driven.

 

Yeah budget is a pretty lame excuse but that could be used as a possible reason by TPTB why may we don't see certain things but you're right there are so many different ways to create stories that don't cost big bucks and would be satisfying to watch. 

Edited June 7, 2014 by verdana

[TWP]

Yes, a buildup period in the relationship that started long before they actually got together ala Always would have made much more sense.  A stolen kiss or 2 that they regretted, or even a night together may have worked.   Yes, in Cops and Robbers, I was shocked that the other hostages weren't telling the couple to get a room already.    Getting them together before their "breakup" in Always would have made sense (and then have the same end scene resolution of the situation).

 

Now, they are practically married and we've never even seen them date.  I'm still hoping it's all a dream and that we get to start all over again with a new and improved Season 5.  Well, I guess someone is dreaming (me).

 

It all shows to me that foresight and discussion don't go into plot planning.  It's likely that Marlowe simply tells the writers what they will do and they do it without questioning it.  Anyone with half a brain would realize the error in their ways.  I give the writers a great deal of credit for being able to figure that out.  Marlowe, at his high level, not so much -- and it shows in his writing in eps like 6x23.   The situation seems really analogous to the corporate VP's making the decisions about the underlings without actually even knowing what the underlings do.

 

We have to figure out all of the "subtext" via fan fiction, I guess.

[Brit Babe]

Yes, a buildup period in the relationship that started long before they actually got together ala Always would have made much more sense.  A stolen kiss or 2 that they regretted, or even a night together may have worked.   Yes, in Cops and Robbers, I was shocked that the other hostages weren't telling the couple to get a room already.    Getting them together before their "breakup" in Always would have made sense (and then have the same end scene resolution of the situation).

 

Now, they are practically married and we've never even seen them date.

 

And this is problem, take for example Bones, before they got together you are always saw them spending time together or with gang outside of work regularly. But with Caskett, except for example I count on one hand we hardly saw them spend anytime together. The Old Haunt would have been a perfect remedy for this but it's one of the many things we hear about but never see.

[madmaverick]

So many simple, obvious things they could do to mix up the show and make it more interesting, more pleasing to fans, and less formulaic, but they just don't do them and there's really no good excuse!

 

I love the idea of Castle's writing career being explored more in any of the interesting ways suggested here, and previously.  They didn't really need to give him a spydaddy or a betrayal by another muse imo to keep the character interesting and relevant.  They really don't need to give him an OOC twist like with Beckett's crazy forgotten drunken marriage!  There's fertile, unexplored ground in his writer's world if only they chose to go there.  I want to watch a show about a writer and a detective.  If I just wanted to watch a show about cops without a writer, there's plenty of other shows to choose from. ;)

 

Read the "Home is Where the Heart Stops" script floating around on tumblr, and it's so obvious how the writing was so much better then.  That script included so many good, vital elements about the show that I love, and which they don't do anymore.  

 

Namely the below; a refresher:

- Castle & Alexis (could be Castle & Beckett, or any other character for a change) doing something fun, something Castlesque together. In this case, it was fencing and pretending to be Robin Hood/Sheriff of Nottingham.

- Beckett-flavoured murder with the victim found stuffed in a safe but that's the extent of the gimmick. 

- Emotional connection with the victim's family; daughter lost a mother like Beckett.

- Beckett's intelligence impresses and arouses Castle, but back then it didn't come across like she knew everything, knew more than Castle.  We find out that Beckett reads the New York Review of Books (not the NYT book review, mind you! heh), and that's both hot and impressive to Castle.  That was an interesting layer of the Beckett onion unpeeled.  Back then, they could spar intellectually and spark sexually, and came off as equals who both gave as good as they got.  Where did that go?  And I miss them talking about books and literature and writer/reader stuff.

- Fun banter including the whole team; the cops list out all the names they call their suspects.

- Sizzling sexual chemistry between Castle and Beckett when she's teaching him how to hold a gun (or so she thinks).  All done with just the right touches and body language, and no kissing or clothing removal if AM isn't a fan of that. ;)  Where did that heat go?!

- Castle successfully playing Beckett and being better than her at something (for once).

- Nice family scene with Castle, Alexis and Martha.

- Castle's "I know a guy" from writer research is brought up and we actually see him meet up with his ex jewel thief contact.

- Castle uses his occupation as a writer to get information from a person of interest.

- A person of interest knows of Castle as a famous writer and flirts with him.  In fact, quite a few people know of Castle in this episode as they go into his world of high society, with the mayor etc. and he is presented as an eligible bachelor "The White Whale", and Beckett is presented as a fish out of water.  Why don't we go into Castle's social life anymore?  They're officially out and engaged, and we should get to see them socially together, at least once!  See what they are like together, how they are perceived etc.

- Back when Beckett didn't have a good dress in her closet!  Who could foresee that her designer closet would quickly put Castle's to shame? ;)  I still find it hard to reconcile this but mileage varies obviously.  Castle's gift of this dress was more exciting than his gift of earrings on V-day.  Just sayin' I still need to see the self-proclaimed gift ninja live up to his reputation. ;)

- Beckett and Lanie had some actual girlfriend interaction. 

- We get to see Castle in a tux and Beckett in a dress, all dressed up and dancing together.  We never see this again, not even in the wedding episode.

- Castle being childlike but not annoying or buffoonish by playing detective in Beckett's car, with themesong to boot.  

- Comedy in the episode was done well and Castle was not written as an idiot or a buffoon.

-"Go ahead, I need the practice," was just about the right level of badass Beckett.

- And it ended with a scene of Castle, Alexis, Martha and Beckett all talking together!  Who knew this would be so rare after they got together? ;)

 

Excuse the long list, but I was reading the script and just thinking "wow, loved that/they never do this anymore :(".   Remember when Castle was good, indeed.  Have the writers watched this episode lately?  The elements I listed above don't necessarily require a huge budget and aren't rocket science.  They just need to be written!!

Edited June 9, 2014 by madmaverick

[BkWurm1]

So randomly came upon a rerun of Castle and I'm not much of a critic of the show - its frequently not perfect but I'm always pleased with the tone and feel and the characters if not the mysteries,  but there happened to be one particular episode that I thought was just mean and awful - but I have to say that on rewatching, it's hilarious. 

 

The one I'm talking about is from season 5 episode 19, "The Lives of Other People"  when everyone faked a Rear Window murder for a wheelchair bound Castle to observe through binoculars. 

 

First time around I was horrified and really irritated that the show would retcon the earlier parts of the episode but I think I judged too harshly.  On rewatch, it seems clear now that everyone was in on it, making certain that Castle was looking out the window at just the right time, laughing at him get in trouble with Gates, worrying if they'd gone a little to far.  I would still have been pissed had I been in his position but seeing as he's who he is, I can buy he'd be not only fine but really impressed. 

 

Still, what a burn. 

[Nadine]

Late to the party.

Favourite episodes are Cops & Robbers and Nikki Heat.

Great list madmaverick!

Edited July 10, 2014 by Nadine

[verdana]

And this is problem, take for example Bones, before they got together you are always saw them spending time together or with gang outside of work regularly. But with Caskett, except for example I count on one hand we hardly saw them spend anytime together. The Old Haunt would have been a perfect remedy for this but it's one of the many things we hear about but never see.

I know we shouldn't mention that other show but it's true they handled their relationship prior to the hook up much more organically in that you saw them socialising outside work like co-workers would do. I never got the impression Castle and Beckett spoke to each other after they left the precinct or spent any time socialising as a group with Espo and Ryan etc. It would have been nice if we could have got glimpses of that.

 

And yes to mad maverick's wonderful list, brings back memories of what they used to do so well, yeah may be the writers do need to sit down and watch some old episodes to remember how sparky, fresh and sheer entertaining the writing was back then.   

[femmefan1946]

If anyone wants a refresher, transcripts for most of the earlier seasons are here;

http://dustjackets.wikifoundry.com/page/1x01+-+Flowers+For+Your+Grave

[topanga]

 

Do you mean Castle Version 1.0 or Castle Version 2.0?

 

Thanks to TNT and my TiVo, I'm constantly watching old and new episodes and comparing the two. What I liked most about the Castle of the 1st 4 seasons was his wit, his intelligence, and the way he would present outlandish theories for a crime that were sensational but kinda made sense. He was confident, a little arrogant, but always a fundamentally kind person. The Castle we've seen in the past 2 seasons isn't as funny or confident or creative. And we rarely see him writing or even talking much about his writing. He's kind of a bumbling fuddy-duddy who follows Kate around. And while he helps with cases, he isn't snarky about it anymore.

 

The Beckett of the 1st two seasons was this bad-ass cop who was also vulnerable, a little lonely, and always sympathetic. Something happened when she lightened her hair and got extensions in Season 3. All of a sudden, she was 100% confident and was never vulnerable (except for her PTSD in season 4, which quickly resolved).

 

I don't think the shows' changes in later seasons represented the Moonlighting curse. I think the writers are writing Castle and Beckett differently as individual characters, and I don't think the changes are positive. And the writers seem to have lost sight of  even the secondary characters. Ryan is the only character that I've continue to see grow and change (in a positive way) over the course of the show. Everyone else: Javi, Laney, the Captain, Martha, and even Alexis have become stale. It seems like the writers are running out of ideas of what to do with the characters.

[Elysium1973]

I'm watching season 3. Law and Murder. It's not a standout episode, but it's still far and away better than anything we've seen in the last three years. NF still looked pretty damned fine. The spark and chemistry was still there. And most importantly, I miss Montgomery! Why the hell did AWM take him away again? I wasn't watching then. Was there a reason?

There's this little moment at the end where Beckett invites Castle to Forbidden Planet. It was absolutely adorable. What the fuck happened to my show????

Edited August 15, 2014 by Elysium1973

[McManda]

And most importantly, I miss Montgomery! Why the hell did AWM take him away again? I wasn't watching then. Was there a reason?

 

Nothing salacious, I don't think. I think it was just a creative decision that Marlowe made. I'm pretty sure there was no bad blood between RSH and anyone else.

 

But I do know RSH was living (and still does, I think?) in NYC and commuting back and forth to LA for filming, so that might have been part of it.

[topanga]

 

Nothing salacious, I don't think. I think it was just a creative decision that Marlowe made. I'm pretty sure there was no bad blood between RSH and anyone else.

 

But I do know RSH was living (and still does, I think?) in NYC and commuting back and forth to LA for filming, so that might have been part of it.

I read an interview where he (or someone else) mentioned that he wanted to continue doing theatre, but the Castle filming schedule wouldn't allow for it. Of course, that could be an excuse, much like the people who get fired from their jobs but say they resigned because "I want to spend more time with my family."

[GeorgieNY]

Yes! She never had dates, except her FBI ex and until Demming came along.  

[KaveDweller]

Yes! She never had dates, except her FBI ex and until Demming came along.

 

I always got the impression she hadn't really dated anyone after the FBI guy left, until Castle showed up.  She didn't date him, but I think his presence got her to want that in her life.

[McManda]

To be fair, we don't know much about her dating life before the show anyway. Demming was just her last long term relationship and then there was no one between him and Demming (except failed-date Brad, I suppose), and even then Demming wasn't long term. And then Josh. And now Castle.

 

Seems to me like Beckett doesn't do (didn't do?) casual dating, despite her claims she always had one foot out the door in her past relationships.

[KaveDweller]

Seems to me like Beckett doesn't do (didn't do?) casual dating, despite her claims she always had one foot out the door in her past relationships.

 

I don't think casual dating and one foot out the door are the same thing though.  I think she would try to have real relationships, but that they failed because she was subconsciously keeping her foot out the door.  Until Castle, of course.

 

To be fair, we don't know much about her dating life before the show anyway. Demming was just her last long term relationship and then there was no one between him and Demming (except failed-date Brad, I suppose)

 

You mean no one was between Will and Demming right? Do we know how long before the show started Will left?

[McManda]

You mean no one was between Will and Demming right?

 

Yes, yes I did. It's late and obviously I'm having trouble typing. Oops!

 

Do we know how long before the show started Will left?

 

I don't think so. Beckett says they were together for six months, and by the time he's working the kidnapping case with them he'd been back in NYC "a few months". But there's not really an indication of how long he spent in Boston. I'd imagine not a whole lot of time, considering one of Beckett's concerns was that with the FBI he'd be transferred around a lot.

[KaveDweller]

Well the marriage thing was before her mom died.  She seemed to have a healthy dating life when she was a teenager.

[amensisterfriend]

Now that we're in the sixth season, what would you name as your 5-10 favorite episodes of the series so far? Are there any that either improved or fell from grace after repeated viewings and with the passage of time?! 

[WendyCR72]

Now that we're in the sixth season, what would you name as your 5-10 favorite episodes of the series so far? Are there any that either improved or fell from grace after repeated viewings and with the passage of time?! 

 

Actually, this is the show's 7th season! Just sayin'!

[amensisterfriend]

Ha---sorry, math was never my strong point. 

[verdana]

Whittling them down to between five to ten all time favourite episodes out of the entire series is really tough. Although I've got more favourites in s3, the first season had such a fantastic balance between interesting, quirky cases and Caskett interaction. Everything felt so fresh and vibrant between them back then, almost every episode new things were being revealed about their characters and watching them reach an understanding about what made the other tick and seeing the respect and faith between them slowly grow along with their chemistry was a joy. We're almost half way through S7 and only one episode holds up to scrutiny as being the business and that was 7.03 but it wouldn't get close to making my ultimate top ten.

Season 1

Flowers For Your Grave

Home is Where the Heart Stops

A Chill Goes a Through Her Veins

Season 2

When the Bough Breaks

Sucker Punch

Season 3

3XK

Nikki Heat

Knockdown

The Final Nail

Season 4

Cops & Robbers

What I've realised doing this list again is that back in the early seasons I cared about the cases much more and wasn't so obsessed about Caskett, despite shipping them as a couple since the start. I loved watching the two of them obviously interact but it wasn't the be all and end all of everything. But now I measure the success of an episode on how much decent non awkward Caskett interaction I get and the cases rarely register because they're not well written or interesting enough to keep me invested/diverted. Castle and Beckett are the only draw, it's certainly not the cases.

Edited December 20, 2014 by verdana

[verdana]

Previous favourite episodes that have fallen from grace:

The Lives of Others. I had issues with it at the time but glossed over them but the more I watch and consider what is going on the more offputting I find it.

To have someone pretend they are being attacked possibly even murdered as a ruse/prank to a loved one, sorry but I can't get my head around that being funny on any level whatsoever. Who would honestly do that in real life? I also don't like that Castle is made to think he's going crazy by everyone for kicks. I know these characters exist most of the time in an emotional vacuum but I can't fathom a woman whose mom was brutally murdered, who has been shot and almost bled out in front of the man she loves figure this was a great idea.

Castle's angry first reaction when the ruse is uncovered was exactly the right one to have. I don't believe the character would have thought it an amazing practical joke after all that he's experienced emotionally over the years following Beckett around. There is also a bit in the middle when Castle has this really nasty little snit with Kate and tells her to go away which was also unpleasant and felt cold and mean on his part. I realise that I was so desperate at that point to see some signs they could behave like any normal loving couple that I pushed my negative feelings about the episode to one side.

Always, another MilMar co production that has fallen by the wayside on repeated viewing. In truth I only liked the last five minutes for obvious reasons and the very beginning when he sweetly asks her out on a date but in between they presented the version of Beckett that I dislike the most - selfish, self absorbed, stubborn, foolish and reckless - I still can't decide if they wanted me to sympathize or be incredibly fed up with her. If it was annoyance they succeeded in spades. I still can't get over some fans anger at his 'betrayal' that he didn't go crawling back but instead chose to erase her file and carry on with his life with his family. Jesus can we please let the guy retain a bit of self respect and dignity when it comes to this woman who has told him to get lost, she's off to fight her one woman war. Given I only like barely ten minutes of that episode and fast forward through the rest of it in increasing irritation off the list it comes. The only downside to dismissing it, is that Always contains possibly the best piece of acting from Fillion during their row in her apartment which was truly heart wrenching, they were both great in fact but it's not enough to save it.

Looking down the list of episodes on wiki made me realise how long it's been since I thoroughly enjoyed an episode written by either Marlowe or Miller, their writing feels really off to me for some reason and it's been that way for ages. Other writers do a better job.

Edited December 20, 2014 by verdana

[verdana]

Once Upon A Crime. I enjoy this one more and more on each re-watch. It just about made my list last season by season but now it's a definite keeper. It fell victim initially to my sheer frustration and boredom at the time with this couple going nowhere. I liked it but I saw the episode as further filler to pad out the season in preparation for the angst filled run in so didn't give it may be as much credit as it deserved but looking back it had some funny/sweet Caskett moments, good use of Martha and Alexis (aaahhhh those were the days), Beckett with the family and the case went back to the quirky ones which is a Castle speciality.

[pepper]

I was watching an early episode (we have lots of reruns nowadays) where they're investigating the on-camera killing of a fake arctic explorer. In that episode Castle says his CIA source is that creepy spy guy who appears and disappears at will and confirmed that the victim was just a con-man. I thought it interesting that it made the whole Sophia story line a retcon and I don't remember that being mentioned at the time. 

[McManda]

Is that a retcon, though? I mean, couldn't he feasibly have more than one CIA source, especially when Sophia turns up she mentions that it's been over 10 years since they've seen each other. Plus, she also mentions that the reason they worked together was he wanted an up-close look at a female CIA agent (for Clara Strike inspiration), so we don't really know how he weaseled his way into that. She implied it was his dad's doing, but that was never confirmed.

 

Anyway, I always kind of read it as she disappeared (for whatever reasons) and he kept the number(s) of others in the department, because that seems like something he'd do.

[KaveDweller]

Is that a retcon, though? I mean, couldn't he feasibly have more than one CIA source, especially when Sophia turns up she mentions that it's been over 10 years since they've seen each other.

 

I don't think it's a retcon, but that  it's definitely something they didn't plan for back in S1.  I think there's a difference, a retcon is when they actually contradict what they previously said.  But adding new information that we just hadn't heard before is something that they have to do when a show lasts 7 seasons.   If they had said Sophia was the only chance he'd gotten, that would be retcon.   And if they do what some people were speculating about last summer about Castle being an agent it the past that would be an even bigger retcon.

[GeorgieNY]

Out of nowhere, but I am finding it interesting how little interest I have in watching any season 6 episodes as they air in TNT. Usually I love the block of Castle to keep me occupied while I am at the gym or cooking dinner, but as they show season 6, I find myself desperately searching for something else to have on in the background!

[S55]

Out of nowhere, but I am finding it interesting how little interest I have in watching any season 6 episodes as they air in TNT. Usually I love the block of Castle to keep me occupied while I am at the gym or cooking dinner, but as they show season 6, I find myself desperately searching for something else to have on in the background!

 

I haven't rewatched season 6 much either; I'll usually watch Friends and Seinfeld reruns on TBS when Castle is airing on TNT. In fact, aside from listening to the commentaries on TGTBATB and Deep Cover, I haven't rewatched anything on my DVDs.  

[GeorgieNY]

I haven't rewatched season 6 much either; I'll usually watch Friends and Seinfeld reruns on TBS when Castle is airing on TNT. In fact, aside from listening to the commentaries on TGTBATB and Deep Cover, I haven't rewatched anything on my DVDs.

I'd actually love to hear the commentaries, but I don't want to buy the DVDs! Only season that I haven't wanted to purchase. I think the only EP I woild re- watch is Veritas. But then I'd also remember the disaster that follows it.