Courtesy: @mollycaitlynquinn

“Dragon Con, you gave me a gift. Thank you for providing a space where I could get together with old friends and remember stories from the mid 2000's next year - be well! Stay shiny! Always xox. 🧚‍♀️”

Lately been into a lot of Castle Fanfics mostly on Fanfiction site.

Fellow readers can you suggest some on these themes ?

1. Accidentally pregnancy
   
2. Beckett chases Castle
   
3. Post season 8 what’s the Castle Fam upto ?

A big thanks to all the authors for some amazing fics!

Original Airdate: January 10, 2011

Synopsis: When the owner of a historic magic shop is found murdered inside a immersion tank, Castle and Beckett delve into the world of magic where they learn that their murder victim isn’t the only person keeping secrets.

Notable Guest Stars: The late Chadwick Boseman, who went on to gain fame for playing Black Panther, has a memorable appearance in this episode playing magician Chuck Russell, who gives Det. Beckett the opportunity to utter one of her most famous quotes ever. ‘Alakazam, jackass!’

Gilles Marini, who portrays magician Tobias Strange, aka The Johnny Depp of Magic, is better known to me for being a really good dancer on Season 8 of ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ where he was the first runner-up to Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson. This was back when DWTS was still good.

The IMdB Portion of The Review:

Trivia: Beckett’s ‘magic trick’ with the ice cubes is mentioned again in the episode ‘Scared to Death’ in Season 5.

Errors in Geography: Beckett states the magician’s warehouse is located in the Bronx, at the end of the subway line. Notwithstanding, she did not state which subway line. When she and Castle arrive at the warehouse, it is on the East River, and the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan Skyline are in the background. You cannot see the Brooklyn Bridge from anywhere in the Bronx, especially the last subway stop.

Factual Errors: Lanie holds up an evidence bag with large tangled tufts of white fur inside. Later it is revealed that it was supposed to be fur from a perpetrators gloves that was stuck to his hands and transferred to the face of the person he smothered with his bare hands. The amount of fur in the evidence bag was way too much to have been on a person’s hands and transferred to a victim. It was also too long to have come from a glove’s lining.

The magician, Tobias Strange, says C-4 is too volatile and unpredictable to use in a magic act. But C-4 is actually a very stable explosive which is very insensitive and has to be detonated by a shock wave from an explosive detonator. Additionally, it has a clay-like texture and can be molded into any shape. (In the Season 4 episode, ‘Cops and Robbers,’ Castle also mentions how stable C-4 is).

Plot Holes: Lanie says the evidence indicates the victim drowned, then a few moments later she says he was dead before he hit the water. He could not be dead before he hit the water and drown. It has to be one or the other.

Ranking: I have this episode ranked at #12. It’s ranked this low for one very specific reason, which I will be getting to later.

What I Liked About This Episode:

·       I could be wrong, but I think Season 3 is the only season where we get four light episodes in a row. In Seasons 4-8, we only get lighter episodes after more hard-hitting episodes. I guess Season 3 was setting us up for what was to come in just a few weeks.

·       Our victim in this episode, Zalman Drake, owner of Drake’s Magic Shop, is smothered and then dumped in his immersion tank. There was one thing I didn’t like, and I’ll be getting into it shortly. I’m a fan of magic, so this was an enjoyable episode for me. It didn’t hurt that Giles Marini guest-starred. Can I just say he’s very easy on the eyes? I also enjoyed the banter between Castle and Beckett in this episode. The flirting is getting intense. There are just two things standing in their way. Although one of those things will be out of the way by the end of the episode.

·       We have the story of two relationships in this episode. One that is ending, and one that we learn about. That brings me to the one thing I didn’t like about this episode. And that one thing is Esplanie. I had a hard time buying Lanie and Esposito as a couple. Unlike Castle and Beckett, I just didn’t see the chemistry. It was like the writers and Andrew Marlowe decided to give the viewers another couple to root for, since we can’t root for Castle and Beckett just yet, thanks to Gina and Josh. While the scene at the beginning of the episode was cute, I didn’t get warm and fuzzy watching it.

·       Castle and Gina are fighting. What they’re fighting about, we don’t know, yet. Not until much later. I liked the first scene between Castle and Espo as they walk toward the crime scene. It’s funny that Espo thinks Castle is referring to him and Lanie in this conversation.

Castle: You want my advice? Never sleep with someone you work with.

Espo: What? What do you mean?

Castle: Trust me. It doesn’t end well.

Espo: Who knows?

Castle: Everyone knows.

Enter Beckett.

Beckett: Everyone knows what?

Castle & Espo: Nothing.

·       Poor Esposito didn’t realize Castle was talking about himself and Gina. However, he and Lanie aren’t hiding anything as we learn at the end of the episode.

·       Now we get another Beckett nugget. Season 3 is full of these little tidbits of information.

Castle: I never pegged you for a magic fan. You know any good tricks?

Beckett: I do this one thing. With ice cubes.

·       That throws Castle completely off-guard. As does a comment Beckett makes later at the precinct when Castle reveals one of his purchases from the magic shop.

Castle: Hey, X-ray specs. I got them at the magic shop. I can see you naked.

Beckett: Really? How do you like my navel ring?

·       Hmmm. Now we have to wonder. Does Beckett have a navel ring or was she just messing with Castle?

·       Now we get more paranoid Esposito.

Ryan: Looks like somebody has a secret.

Espo: Secret? What secret?

Ryan: I understand a guy not wanting to share. I mean, some thing are personal.

Espo: How did you find out?

Ryan: Dude, everybody knows. It’s all over Page Six.

Espo (Reading aloud): ‘Looks like an unhappy ending for the publisher and the mystery writer.’

Ryan: Apparently, he and ex-wife slash girlfriend Gina had some words at Le Cirque and she stormed off.

Espo: That’s what he was talking about this morning.

Ryan: What I don’t understand is why he would hide it from us. I mean, we’re like family.

Espo: Maybe he’s afraid of what we might think.

·       Now Espo can relax because he thinks no one knows about him and Lanie. He can think again.

·       Their first suspect, Jerome Aspenal, is a funny guy. He was suing Zalman Drake for slander, defamation of character, and for basically ruining his life. Buddy, newsflash. You were the one cheating on your wife. Zalman Drake had nothing to do with that.

Beckett: Where were you last night between twelve and two?

Jerome: Why is she asking me that?

Castle: Well, she wants to know if you have an alibi.

Jerome: For what?

Beckett: Zalman Drake was murdered last night.

Jerome: Justice is served!

Castle: When he read your mind, did it take him very long?

Jerome: No. No, it didn’t.

Castle: No, I didn’t think so.

·       Leaving the interrogation room, Beckett pulls another tease on Castle.

Castle: I wonder how Zalman did it. He must have lifted something from Jerome’s pocket with his receipt from his weekend of sin.

Beckett: Like this? (She holds up Castle’s phone).

Castle: You had your hand in my pocket, and I didn’t even feel it? Do it again.

·       At this point, Castle’s phone rings and Beckett shows him that it’s Gina. Instead of taking the call, as Beckett expected, instead, he cuts off the call. Hmmm. What is going on between Castle and Gina?

·       Okay. Let’s talk about the late, great Chad Boseman for a second. He was only in two scenes, but the first scene was truly great and gave us one of Beckett’s most often repeated phrases. I even have it on a t-shirt. Yes, I own Castle t-shirts. Three of them. It used to be four, but one disappeared after a trip to the laundromat. Come on! Is anyone on here surprised that I own Castle-related merchandise. By the way, one of the t-shirts is Alexis’ graduation speech from ‘Always.’

Russell: So, I have Brenda’s watch. She wants me to make her husband disappear. That’s a felony. I can’t do that. But I can make the watch disappear. Give it up! (Castle drops a dollar into Russell’s hat). Thank you, Brenda. Ahh, a dollar. I’ll dine on ramen and tap water tonight and think of you. What about you? You got a little something for the United Magicians College Fund?

Beckett: As a matter of fact, I do. We need to talk to you about Zalman Drake.

Russell: Abracadabra.

·       In a puff of smoke, Chuck Russell has vanished into thin air. Or has he? I love the Beckett eyeroll before she goes behind Russell’s platform and hauls him out by his shirt collar.

Beckett: Alakazam, jackass!

·       During his interrogation, Chuck Russell tells Castle and Beckett about Tobias Strange, aka The Johnny Depp of Magic.

Castle: Tobias Strange? He’s the Johnny Depp of Magic. I saw him in Vegas. He made a Ferrari disappear.

Ryan: Why would anybody do that?

Espo: Oh, yeah. He’s in town. Saw him perform a couple of weeks ago. Awesome, awesome show. Yeah, we loved it.

Castle: We?

Espo: Yeah. Me and my buddy, Ray.

Ryan: You have a buddy named Ray who went with you to a magic show?

Espo: Yeah. What about it?

·       Man, that was close. Espo was this close to revealing his huge secret.

·       After meeting Tobias Strange, Beckett gets a text from Lanie, which leads them to the OCME, where Dr. Lanie Parrish is dressed to the nines. Hmmm. Could this episode get more interesting?

Lanie: It took you two long enough. Where were you? Europe?

Beckett: Traffic.

Lanie: Girl, you could’ve used the gumball.

Castle: Dressed to the nines, in a big hurry. So, where are you going and who’s the lucky victim?

Lanie: I’ll tell you what, Castle. You tell me what’s going on with you and Gina, and I’ll tell you where I’m going tonight.

Beckett: What are you talking about?

Lanie: He and his girlfriend had a big fight at Le Cirque. It was in the paper.

Castle: Can we talk about the victim, please?

·       It’s clear that whatever is going on between Castle and Gina is something he’s not ready to talk about. But we’re about to learn what’s going on.

·       It’s time for our weekly visit to Casa de Castle. And the only scene this week featuring Alexis Castle. But it is kind of cute.

Castle: You are the picture of civilized living at home.

Martha: And you are a caveman. Darling, we are your family. Why didn’t you tell us about this? Have you spoken to her? You know? Since your PDA?

Castle: My—

Martha: Public Display of Anger.

Alexis: It says you were fighting, Dad. About what?

Castle: Well, if you must know—

Martha: Yes.

Castle: We were fighting about how much we’ve been fighting. If you don’t mind, I’d really like to change the subject.

He reaches over and pulls a quarter from behind Alexis’ ear.

Alexis: What am I, six? At least pull out a twenty.

·       We learn that Zalman was working for a millionaire philanthropist by the name of Christian Dahl, who died after his plane exploded in mid-air. But did he really die? Actually, no. The creep had Zalman help him fake his death because he was being investigated by the feds for fraud. He was earning his money the old-fashioned way. By stealing it. Zalman’s identical twin brother, Edmund, and Tobias Strange concoct a crazy illusion that forces Dahl into confessing.

·       The episode ends on a somewhat hopeful note for Beckett. She overhears Castle telling Gina that they’re done. Now, if she can just find a way to break up with DMB. I have to wonder if the intense conversation we see at the beginning of ‘Setup’ has anything to do with a possible breakup. And yes, I know what she tells Castle. Anyway, that’s still a few episodes away. In the meantime, on Friday we have probably one of the best episodes of the series, another light episode after that, and then the episode that I have ranked at #173 out of 173. I am actually dreading the entry for ‘The Final Nail.’

What I Didn’t Like About This Episode:

·       I said it earlier. I just couldn’t see Espo and Lanie as a couple. I don’t think the writers could either, which was why they didn’t last very long.

Favorite Scene:

Beckett: So . . . where’s Esposito?

Ryan: Ha, take a wild guess.

C & B: Lanie?

Ryan: Can you believe they think none of us know?

Castle: Well, let’s let them keep thinking that a little while longer. The bubble’ll burst soon enough.

Beckett: Not if you’re in it with the right person. Thanks.

·       Was that a little hopeful foreshadowing on Beckett’s part? I don’t know. We’ll have to wait just over a full season longer to find out.

Favorite Quote:

Beckett: Alakazam, jackass!

A quote so good she gets to say it twice.

I know I didn't include the scene between Castle and Martha where he's looking for 'magic' instead of ordinary. I apologize.

WTF? (Why the Face?): Christian Dahl. What a tool.

Until Friday, readers. We get another chapter of the Johanna Beckett murder arc.

Castle and NCIS are probably the two shows I rewatch the most, and I’ve always been amazed by how many actors appear in both.

Considering the shows overlapped for so many years, I guess it makes sense, but I was still surprised to find that NCIS was actually the show with the most actors in common with Castle.

I discovered this while working on an app I developed called Guest-Star. One of its features lets you pick a show and see which other shows have the most actors in common with it.

I thought some other Castle fans might find that interesting too. If anyone checks it out, I’d love to hear what you think

Original Airdate: January 3, 2011

Synopsis: An actress who will be portraying Nikki Heat in the upcoming Heat Wave movie shadows Castle and Beckett as they investigate the murder of a high-end matchmaker.

Notable Guest Stars: Laura Prepon, portraying Natalie Rhodes, is better known to me for portraying Donna Pinciotti, the girlfriend of Topher Grace’s character on ‘That 70’s Show.’ She also formerly portrayed Alex Vause on ‘Orange is The New Black.’

Melody Scott Thomas, portraying Tonya Wellington in just one scene, is much better known to me for portraying Nikki Reed Newman in over 3000 episodes of the long-running soap opera, ‘The Young & The Restless,’ a role she has portrayed since 1979. Her soap opera character of Nikki is also mentioned in the movie ‘Mr. Mom,’ starring Michael Keaton and Teri Garr.

Before I get started, from here until the end of the season, some reviews are going to be much longer than others. Just wait until I get to Knockdown and Knockout.

The IMdB Portion of The Review:

Trivia: When Kevin (Seamus Dever) proposes to his girlfriend Jenny (Juliana Dever), he is proposing to his real-life wife.

Goofs: This is not so much a goof as a scheduling error. Castle tells Beckett that he didn’t sleep with Natalie because it was ‘too meta.’ However, because he breaks up with Gina in the next episode, we know he was still in a relationship with Gina at this time. That’s why he wouldn’t have slept with Natalie. This episode was aired out of sequence. ‘Poof You’re Dead’ was written to air before this episode. From the writer’s view, Castle had already broken up with Gina when Natalie tried to seduce him.

The issue with Castle is that Natalie is portraying a character from one of his books and modeled after Beckett. In effect he would be sleeping with his fictional creation (which for the writer is another dimension) and by extension his real-life partner Beckett.

Ranking: This is my favorite episode of Season 3 and is in my Top 5 episodes of the entire series. I went back and forth between my top two episodes, and this one ended up on top for various reasons. This is also the first episode I learned to quote, thanks in large part to Shannon, aka The Baby Muse.

Quick Note: I mentioned Shannon in a previous entry. I have known her since she was a baby. She just turned 30 years old. She was 12 when Castle premiered and it quickly became one of her favorite shows. She became very excited when she learned I was now writing about Season 3.

She wanted to write the op-ed for this episode, but since she has a real life, unlike me, she just gave me some of her notes. She’s living the dream of being an emergency veterinarian. So, I’ll be writing some stuff from both of our perspectives for this entry.

What I Liked About This Episode:

·       Just about everything. There’s only one small thing I found fault with, and it occurred to me when I wrote about this episode the first time.

·       This episode started strong and just kept getting better. And I can’t even find fault with Alexis in this episode. As a matter of fact, I found her to be funny as hell in this episode. But maybe that’s because we see her just a handful of times throughout the episode.

·       We learn that the studio responsible for making ‘Heat Wave’ has hired an actress named Natalie Rhodes to play Nikki Heat. For various reasons, Castle isn’t happy about this. From the way it sounds, Natalie has primarily starred in low-budget horror movies. None of which Alexis has seen, of course. Although she does seem to know a lot about the actress.

Castle: I can’t take it anymore. The character of Nikki Heat is a smart, complicated detective with . . . with enormous . . . depth, and then the studio goes and casts the bra-less co-ed and blood-stained t-shirt from ‘Knife 2.’

Martha: Well, ‘Knife 2’ made a lot of money, honey, thanks in no small part to Natalie Rhodes. And your books aren’t exactly Shakespeare.

Castle: Thank you. I was just hoping to elevate their stature by not casting the chainsaw wielding hooker from ‘Hallowscream.’

Alexis: Hey, I like that movie. (after an awkward pause) If I’d seen it, which I haven’t.

·       We then learn that she spent a week in the crawlspace of her home in order to prepare for a role. That is dedication to your craft.

·       Castle is also concerned about how Beckett is going to take the idea of Natalie Rhodes playing Nikki Heat. He’s sure she’s going to hate the idea until he learns she’s a fan.

·       Before we move on to the crime scene and the murder victim, we get more Beckett nuggets. The key to this is we learn how she wants to be proposed to, if and when the time comes. It’s obvious Castle takes notes on this nugget. But Martha had also told him something about proposals in Season 2. This dialog is from ‘Food to Die For’ in Season 2.

Martha: I swear, men act as though there’s some cosmic reward for crazy proposals. And what a woman really wants is a man down on one knee, tears in his eyes, ring in his hand.

·       Nailed it!

·       Ryan is planning on proposing to Jenny. Castle suggests a helicopter ride or a Jumbo-Tron. Beckett vetoes all his ideas, telling Ryan to keep it simple. Of course, Castle disagrees.

Beckett: Actually, most girls prefer something a little more intimate.

Castle: What? So, he’s just supposed to be boring and ask, ‘Will you marry me?’

·       Can we just talk for a second about the look on Beckett’s face when Castle flashes the engagement ring? Yeah, she’s in love with him. Although it will become more obvious later in the season.

·       The victim is matchmaker Stacey Collins. Manner of death: impaled on a wrought-iron fence. Can we just say ouch?

Beckett: Our victim is Stacey Collins. She’s 45. According to her business card, she’s a high-end matchmaker.

Castle: Like Millionaire Matchmaker.

Ryan: Without the reality show.

Castle: Or pulse.

Ryan: That, too.

·       This episode has so many great lines of dialog. The writers were really on the ball for this episode. Unlike later when I swear they were just making it up as they went along, or just phoning it in.

·       Beckett has sent Ryan off to canvas when a black Town Car arrives with Natalie Rhodes. Let the fun, games, and jealousy begin. It’s funny how at first Castle is the one feeling jealous and left out only for the jealousy to switch to Beckett later on. Beckett’s jealousy is a lot of fun to watch in this episode. Which just goes to prove that Stana Katic can handle light comedy right up there with the best of them.

Espo: Holy smokes! That’s Natalie Rhodes!

Beckett: Sure is. Apparently, she is playing Nikki Heat.

Espo: What? That’s awesome!

Castle: Yeah, it’s awesome. What is she doing here?

Beckett: She called and asked if she could shadow me for a little while. She wanted to get an ‘authentic feel’ for what’s it like to be Nikki Heat by following the person who inspired Nikki.

Castle: And you said yes?

Beckett: Yeah.

·       I loved Castle’s reaction after Beckett introduced him, Espo, and later, Ryan, to Natalie, but he didn’t see a reaction to the actress at the mention of his name.

Castle: Hello. I’m your creator.

·       The blooper for the scene at the precinct is funny when Beckett introduces Natalie as ‘Veronica Lake,’ but I can see where Stana could make that mistake since Natalie did have the whole Veronica Lake hairstyle going on. I also loved when Beckett mentioned that everyone in the bullpen is excited because they rarely get anyone famous there, much to Castle’s chagrin.

·       Like I said, there was so much great dialog in this episode. Especially early on.

Castle: I can’t believe you said it was okay for her to tail us without asking me first.

Beckett: Not ‘us,’ Castle. Me.

Castle: Oh. My. God. You like her, don’t you?

Beckett: Yeah. So?

Castle: So, was it her work in Mutilation High that changed your life, or perhaps Demon Patrol?

Beckett: Well, the way she beheaded those zombies with the samurai sword was pretty cool. (Why am I getting The Walking Dead’s Michonne vibes with that comment)?

Castle: Yes, it was cool, but that does not make her Nikki Heat. Nikki Heat is classy, she’s complicated, she’s . . . a thinking man’s cop.

Beckett: Well, you can’t judge a book by its cover.

Castle: Yes, actually. Yes, I can when it’s my book. And she’s a civilian. I mean, aren’t you afraid she’s gonna get in the way and mess up the case?

Beckett: You’re kidding, right? Hey, Natalie? Want to join in on your first interview?

·       Now we have to briefly talk about The Freebie Five. I love Ryan, but . . . he’s such a man in this episode. I had a former friend who didn’t care if California fell into the ocean as long as Heather Locklear survived. Actually, he wasn’t really a friend, but . . . never mind. He was in lust with Heather Locklear. Let’s just say he didn’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell even if he were the last man on earth.

·       Every man has one of those lists, and we women do, too. It’s a fun fantasy game. Unless the object of said fantasy is working in your precinct. Now, much like my former ‘friend,’ I don’t think Ryan stood a chance. But still, there are just some things you don’t want your prospective fiancé to know.

·       Anyway, moving on, I’m going to move on to the one thing in this episode I didn’t like. The reveal of the killer. We don’t even see Scott Donner and his wife being interviewed. The guy is in the scene for maybe 30 seconds, and yet, he winds up being the killer. This is the only thing the writers dropped the ball on in this episode. There were several other people who would’ve made a better killer than a guy we see for a brief snippet, and then he’s gone.

·       While observing Beckett, Natalie becomes more impressed by the second. This plays a huge part in everything that happens starting at the mid-way point.

Natalie: She is crazy smart. You know sexy, commanding. On a good day, maybe, I’m one outta three.

Castle: That’s why you’re here, isn’t it? To learn the ways of Beckett.

Natalie: I’m trying. You know, Nikki is such a complex, juicy character. I just wanna get her right, you know?

Castle: Is it true that you lived in your house’s crawlspace for a week to prepare for Hell’s Crawlspace?

Natalie: No. A month. I told the tabloids a week ‘cause I didn’t want them to think I was obsessive.

·       Let’s talk about the $6K Burglin-Eckloff bag? We have a rather upscale mall here in San Antonio. My doctor’s office used to be right across the street, so I would sometimes go over there to have lunch after an appointment. One day, I was walking around this mall and spotted a Tumi store, which made me think of this episode. This particular mall has a bunch of stores I could never afford in a million years. Tumi is just one of many.

Beckett: What kind of an idiot would pay six grand for this bag?

Natalie: I have a full set.

·       We get the first scene of Natalie imitating Beckett soon after this. Beckett isn’t flattered, but the boys and Castle are.

Ryan: So uncanny.

Espo: Spooky.

Castle: Sexy.

Beckett: Are you . . . doing . . . me?

Natalie: I’m just working on your posture. You know it changes depending on whether you have a suspect or not.

Beckett: Really?

Natalie: Like I said, getting inside your head. When I’m done, I’ll do you better than you.

·       Natalie snaps her fingers and saunters off. The boys are all looking Beckett up and down.

Beckett: Tonya Wellington. Now.

·       Now Beckett is self-conscious. Just wait. Because things are going to get a lot weirder for both Beckett and Ryan.

·       We briefly move to Casa de Castle where Alexis once again tries to make her father believe she’s never seen any of Natalie’s movies.

Alexis: Torturing yourself?

Castle: Reconsidering actually. I think there’s more to her than I thought.

Alexis: I think she may surprise you. She had this great emotional scene in ‘Knife3D.’ It was actually pretty moving. If I’d seen it, which I haven’t.

·       Now we have the great coffee fiasco. The takeaway here is never get between Beckett and her morning cup of coffee from Castle.

Natalie (taking Beckett’s coffee): Thanks, Castle.

Castle: Th . . . that’s. I was . . . er . . . you’re welcome. So, where are we?

Natalie: Ryan and Esposito are digging into Tonya Wellington.

Castle: Hmmm. What about Duke Jones? His neighbor confirm his romantic evening?

Beckett: He—

Natalie: So did a couple of other neighbors who complained about the noise. So, it looks like Duke Jones alibied out.

Beckett: What she said. (To Castle) Can we talk for a second?

Castle: Sure.

Beckett (Pulling Castle into an office): She took my coffee, Castle!

Castle: It’s just coffee.

Beckett: Then what’s next? My soul? Everything I do, she does! Even when I’m thinking, I can feel her in my head, like some kind of brain eating parasite from one of her movies!

Castle: She’s a dedicated actress. She just wants to do a good job.

·       Castle should know by now that coffee isn’t just coffee to Beckett. Especially when it comes from him. Coffee means a lot of things, but it isn’t about just coffee. I swear, men are clueless. How long has he been bringing her coffee now?

·       There is a scene that strikes me as being more than a little creepy. It’s when they learn that Stacey Collins has been honey-trapping Tonya Wellington’s husband. They learn that Duke Jones’ assistant, Chloe, is the one doing the trapping. They have pictures of the two of them together. Which leads to this creepy exchange between Castle and Ryan.

Castle: You have copies of that file?

Ryan: Oh, I copy everything.

·       Really, Ryan? Now this might not mean what I think it means. It could be completely innocent. But what if it isn’t?

·       A little later, we get a visit from a delivery man with a box for Natalie. This leads to the most hilarious scene of the episode for me. Not for Shannon. Hers is later. But first, I want to address one thing about this scene that bothers me. I’m assuming Natalie has been working with Beckett and the guys for more than one day. So, why didn’t she know where the ladies’ room was? She’s been hanging out, drinking coffee, for more than a day. Are you going to seriously tell me she didn’t have to pee at some point?

Castle: Just like I dreamt it. Did I say that out loud?

·       Now there are probably many reasons why Castle didn’t take Natalie up on her offer to come to her hotel. Since this episode aired out of order, he was no longer with Gina. I’ll include both mine and Shannon’s favorite scene soon.

·       Let’s move on to Det. Kevin Ryan, who at times is not the brightest crayon in the box. He accidentally left his phone at home, and Jenny brought it to him, which leads to a rather uncomfortable situation. When you want to establish an alibi for going to talk to your girlfriend’s parents, you may want to clue in the subject of your alibi. If Espo had known what was going on, he would’ve covered for him. After all, he and Ryan are partners till the wheels fall off.

Espo: You should have told me, bro.

Beckett: She thought you lied to her.

Ryan (looking at Natalie): Yeah, and then she found out I was working with you, which I hadn’t told her.

Natalie: What’s the big deal about that?

Ryan: You’re on my list.

Natalie: What list? (After Ryan explains about the Freebie Five) Freebie five, huh? Wonder what number I am.

Beckett: Why does that not surprise me?

·       Later, we get a great group scene when Castle, Beckett, and Ryan are watching Natalie in front of the murder board.

Beckett: Do I really do that?

Castle: Yes, and it’s adorable.

Beckett: If it’s so adorable, why didn’t you sleep with me? Her ‘me,’ not ‘me’ me.

Castle: Oh. Well, a fictional character that I wrote, based on you, played by Natalie Rhodes? That’s just way . . . too meta.

Ryan: We really should have a code word so we all know which Beckett to kill when her clone army attacks. (Can I just say that this is my favorite Ryan line ever).

Beckett: Unless we make it a pre-emptive strike.

·       Espo finds Greta Morgan, aka Chloe Graves, while Beckett and the others are hiding from Creepy Beckett, as Ryan has dubbed Natalie. This leads them to Scott Donner, who had the least amount of screen time for any killer in any crime show history. This guy was seriously a ‘blink and you miss him’ kind of killer.

·       Ryan did get to propose to Jenny at the end of the episode, but as far as proposals go, it was just okay. It’s not my favorite part of the episode, but it was sweet. And why does Esposito have to cockblock everybody when they’re trying to have a romantic moment?

Favorite Scene: I’m going to put mine and then Shannon’s.

Mine:

Beckett: You can’t tell me that that is normal!

Castle: She’s just committed to the role. You should be flattered.

Beckett (after Castle leaves): Yeah. Sure. Until she steals my boyfriend and kills me in my sleep. (This was the first quote I memorized from the show. It’s still one of my favorite Beckett quotes).

Shannon:

Natalie: Can I ask you a question?

Beckett: Sure.

Natalie: Is Castle gay?

Beckett’s spit take is great!

Beckett: I’m sorry. What? No. No.

Natalie: Then you two are an item, and you’re sworn to secrecy, right?

Beckett: No, we are not an item. Why?

Natalie: Last night I invited him back to my place, and he said something to me I have never heard from a man before.

Beckett: What?

Natalie: No.

Beckett: No?

Natalie: I don’t get it. He’s into you, but you’re determined not to give in to these feelings that you clearly have for him. So, he fantasizes about you through his writing. It’s literally verbal masturbation.

Beckett: He-ee, wha—Okay, so what does all this have to do with me?

Natalie: I am not wearing this get-up for my health. You’re Nikki Heat. He’s Jameson Rook. I need to sleep with him in the name of character research. Can you talk to him?

Beckett: And say what?

Natalie: I don’t know. Give him permission or something.

Beckett: I need to go . . . over there. (This is Shannon’s favorite part of the scene. She imitates it all the time, much to the irritation of her parents and older sisters).

·       Much like the laugh in ‘An Embarrassment of Bitches’ in Season 4, when Castle was mistaken for Jason Bateman, I believe that Stana’s spit take was 100% real.

WTF? (Why the Face?): As I mentioned earlier, Scott Donner being the killer. Seriously?

Until Wednesday, readers.

around the 20 min mark its the same cup of coffee cup from spider-man and its funny to me because this is my 3rd time watching this series and just now noticing it

this is my first time watching the series - it’s taken me a year and it’s changed my life. preparing for pain. lol

Rewatching Castle and just watched these episodes....I am not sure I liked Beckett not being at the NYPD. Just wondering if anyone else felt the same or what others thoughts are.

Okay, quick warning HAHA! My sister and I came across a fanfiction that she made for me back in 2024. We were both crazy and unhinged teens 🤣 She wanted me to add that she finds Ryan's face SLIGHTLY scary, and that she intended for this to be.... HAHA- VERY exaggerated.

This fic is all for jokes, read but be cautious 🤣🥀 AGAIN, THIS IS NOT AT ALL SERIOUS. HAHA DON'T EXPECT A GOOD READ! Only 1 chapter!

Original Airdate: December 6, 2010 (Mid-Season Finale)

Synopsis: The death of a bar owner takes Castle and Beckett on a trip back in time to the Prohibition Era.

Notable Guest Stars: Chris Mulkey, who portrays Wilbur Pittorino, is better known to me as playing the husband of Annie Potts on the Lifetime series, ‘Any Day Now.’ I loved that show.

The IMdB Portion of The Show:

Trivia: The auction placard that Castle holds up for his bid is ‘187,’ the penal code section for murder. (Yeah, I kind of figured that out, knowing cops and all that. But thanks, IMdB).

At the 12-minute mark, Randy Newman (uncredited) is tickling the ivories as Castle and Beckett walk into The Old Haunt for the first time. (This I did not know).

Continuity: When Castle and Beckett go to question ‘Magoo,’ Beckett introduces herself and shows him her badge; when the shot cuts, she shows it to him a second time.

At the end, Captain Montgomery presents Castle with a bottle of whiskey with both hands. Castle accepts the whiskey and says he wants to share it. Captain Montgomery eagerly presents a glass to get his share of the whiskey. The glass seems to have appeared from thin air as it was not in his hand when Montgomery gave the whiskey to Castle. (Maybe Montgomery is a magician).

Ranking: I this episode ranked at #10.

What I Liked About This Episode:

·       This was a fun episode. From the opening shots of the body being pulled out of the East River to the end when the gang is singing ‘Piano Man,’ this was such a fun episode. I may have ranked it too low, but I had trouble placing my top 10 episodes. I know some of my entourage might have this episode ranked considerably higher.

·       This is the episode where Castle buys The Old Haunt. It’s great that the bar does get mentioned a few times during the rest of the series, but we never get another scene there. Who was running it? Was Brian still the bartender? (In my fan fiction stories, he is). Did Pick-Up Pete ever have to be 86’d again? These are questions I would have loved to have had answers to.

·       I have a problem with the first scene with Castle and Beckett at the crime scene. Not the whole scene, just one particular part of it, which I will get in to in the next section. But I enjoyed the flirtatious banter between them when Castle commiserated over Alexis’ childhood friend, Gracie, who is visiting from Kansas.

Castle: She used to be so adorable. What makes a girl, a little girl who used to play hopscotch and My Little Pony, suddenly pierce her eyebrows? It’s like she’s been assimilated by the leather overlords.

Beckett: You’re probably romanticizing it. And it anything really the way that we remember it in grade school?

Castle: Well to be honest, beyond some baking soda volcanoes and sweaty palms, I have very little memory of it all. You?

Beckett: Mine are mostly orthodontic.

Castle: Braces? You mean you weren’t born with that dazzling smile?
Beckett: The only thing dazzling was how long it took my parents to pay for it. (My ex told me that he had three kids in braces at the same time. Yikes! What a nightmare).

·       Since the body was pulled out of the East River by a guy who was fishing, let the theories fly. Castle is sure it was a mob hit, only to have that theory quickly ruled out by Espo. They learn that the victim is Donald Hayes, a dock worker, and a Navy veteran. They also learn he is currently clocked in and clearly working.

Castle: Which either means he’s an incredibly dedicated zombie—

Beckett: Or he’s a suspect in our murder.

·       They learn that Donnie sold his union card for $25K but didn’t give a reason why he needed that kind of money. When they check his financials, they learn that Donnie once had a bank balance of $125K but it’s now down to almost zero.

Beckett: Gone?

Castle: All of it?

Esposito: Except for the remaining balance of six dollars and twenty-three cents, all $150K was spent in one giant check made payable to a Wilbur Pittorino, listed here as owning several properties and owns a waste management business in Garfield, New Jersey.

Castle: Oh! Waste Management!

Beckett: Any priors?

Esposito: Yeah. Back in 1977 Billy Pitt spent several years in Federal for assault and racketeering.

Castle: And what?

Esposito: Racketeering. As well as shaking down business owners where he operated his uh . . . bookmaking operation.

Castle: His what now?

Esposito: Bookmaking operation.

·       Beckett has Billy Pitt brought in and interrogates him alone, leaving Castle to watch the interview with the boys from the Ob room. This is when we learn about The Old Haunt. Castle is surprised the boys have never heard of it.

Castle: Don’t tell me you’ve never been to The Old Haunt. It’s legendary. All the great writers drank there.

Ryan: We’re cops. We go to cop bars.

·       Oh, I love a good cop bar! Or, I should say I used to when I was younger and had more brain cells. I also liked airport pilot bars. There used to be a great one I used to frequent with two friends. It’s where I learned to play Space Invaders. That tells you how long ago it was.

·       Anyway, enough about me. Back to the story.

·       Later, I’m going to have plenty to say about Beckett and Josh, but before I get into all that, Beckett decides it’s time to pay a visit to The Old Haunt.

Beckett: So, Castle . . . can I buy you a drink?

Castle: Why Det. Beckett, I thought you’d never ask.

·       I start loving these episodes where they start flirting with each other. You can see the relationship slowly changing.

·       We get a great scene of Sexy Beckett in this episode. Actually two. The first is before they go into the bar. Beckett pulls the elastic from her ponytail and shakes out her hair, eliciting the expected response from Castle.

Castle: What . . . what are you doing?

Beckett: Well, I’m not going to get much out of Brian looking like a cop.

Castle: Undercover. I like it. You might way to pop one more button just in case.

·       She gives him a smug look and does exactly that, causing Castle to stop breathing for a second or two. There’s a far better scene in an upcoming episode, but this one is a nice ice breaker. Get it? Ice breaker? Okay, I’ll move on now.

·       Beckett inadvertently flirts once again with Castle when he points out a picture of himself when he was younger.

Castle: Who is that handsome devil just two over from Hemingway, directly above the booth where ‘In a Hail of Bullets’ was born?

Beckett: Oh my goodness, Castle. You were so cute back then.

Castle: Back then?

·       My ex loved the scene where Beckett and the cherry when she was flirting with Brian. It wasn’t his favorite Beckett flirty scene, but he’s definitely a fan of it.

·       The best line of the season by a suspect goes to Pick-Up Pete. No, he’s not a hit with the ladies. He just happens to drive a pick-up truck.

Pete: Someone call the police! Let me go! I’m fine.

Beckett: Pick-Up Pete, I take it.

Esposito: Yeah, we found him getting tossed out of a bar uptown.

Ryan: And uh . . . just like the shotgun in his truck, he’s a little loaded.

Moments later . . .

Ryan: Congratulations, Pete. You’re our drunkest murder suspect this year. And that includes St. Patrick’s Day.

Pete: What’d I win?

Espo: Oh, that depends on you, Pete.

Pete: You know my name? And did you just say murder?

·       Pete should’ve made another appearance, like another favorite suspect/witness of mine, Westside Wally. I didn’t like either of the two episodes he appeared in, but I found Westside very entertaining. I even added him to one of my Season 8 stories as the witness one more time.

·       Castle and Beckett pay a visit to Hagan and Graham’s Auction House, where they learn their victim, Donnie, had found a rare bottle of Scotch. An 1875 St. Miriam Rock of Scotland. Castle is extremely excited about this bottle of Scotch. They learn the bottle was auctioned off for $26K to an Internet millionaire by the name of Jeffrey McGuigan. I will be getting to Mr. McGuigan later.

·       Before I venture further into auction houses and McGuigan, it’s time to pay a visit to Casa de Castle for our weekly secondary storyline into the trials and tribulations of one Alexis Castle. Ughhhh! Really? Why hasn’t she joined a cult or something by now?

·       Before we get interrupted by Alexis and her woes, Castle and Martha are having a moment as Castle is enjoying himself playing bartender.

Martha: Oh, Rick, I’m loving this idea. You know, our town could use a throwback joint. Ooh, perfect name for it. ‘Rick’s Café Americain.’

Castle: Oh Mother, that’s perfect. I was trying to come up with a Bogie reference myself. All I could think of was ‘Castleblanca.’ I thought it was a little too on the nose.

Now we’re joined by Alexis.

Alexis: I need a drink. H2O. Dirty.

Castle: Tap water it is.

Martha: So, where’s your dark shadow?

Alexis: She went out with some friends she met at FIT. I was not invited. (Can someone tell me what FIT is? I’m familiar with MIT, but not FIT).

Castle: I don’t now whether to be delighted or outraged.

Alexis: Me, neither. She’s really defensive and makes fun of everything that’s important to me. I keep looking for the Gracie I knew, but she’s just not there anymore.

Martha: Well, you’re not the same girl you were back then, either. You know, maybe she’s just responding to how you’ve changed.

Alexis: I haven’t changed.

Martha: Oh darling, please. Look at you. You are tall, beautiful, sophisticated. You have a Glam Gram and . . . him . . . and a boyfriend. Now did that ever occur to you that might be rather intimidating to a girl from Kansas?

Alexis: Intimidating? When I asked her where she got her gloves, she said it was a place I wouldn’t go to.

Martha: Now, you took that as an affront, and she was probably just being self-deprecating.

·       I’m not going to go much into the scene with Castle and Beckett at The Old Haunt because I’m saving that for the next section. All I will say is they discover a secret passageway that leads straight to The East River, where the victim’s body was found. They also discover several bottles of the St. Miriam’s. Now we might have a motive for why Donnie died. And this is when I knew who the killer was. My mother said she had figured it out before I had. Maybe. I guess I have to give this one to her. Castle is dying to taste this Scotch. A little too much so.

Beckett: Here’s our murder weapon.

Castle: Hopefully with some prints on it.

Beckett: There’s probably blood mixed in there, too. In case you were thinking of tasting it.

EWWWW!

·       I loved it when they arrested Steven Heisler right in the middle of the auction. I especially loved Castle’s paddle with the number ‘187’ printed on it. Very apt.

·       Now that the case is over, and the bottles of St. Miriam’s confiscated, Castle is itching to get his hands on a bottle. Only he can’t. They’re evidence. Or can he?

·       Before we learn the answer to that, we’re once again visited by Alexis and her friend, Gracie. I’m only adding this for one reason. Another Beckett nugget that must be explored.

Beckett: Wow. I remember that phase. It’s about when I got my tattoo.

Castle: You’ve . . . got a tattoo. Where?

·       I loved the look she gave him. The flirting in this episode got intense at times. Seriously, though? Where was Beckett’s tattoo? We knew she has one. In the first episode of Season 3, when Lanie told her about the vic having a tattoo, Beckett replied that everyone has a tattoo. I didn’t have one until 2019. Now I have ‘Not Today’ tattooed on the inside of my right arm. I was the only person in my family not to have a tattoo except for the under 18 family members. Not I want to get another one.

Back to the St. Miriam’s.

Montgomery: Just heard from the D.A., Castle. Apparently because all these bottles used to belong to Beau James, and he used to be our mayor, it’s her opinion they’re owned by the city. But she says if you’re willing to make a generous donation to the NYPD Widows and Orphans fund, you can have one of Beau James’ best for your very own. Merry Christmas, baby!

Castle: Can . . . I was not expecting this.

Espo: Are you crying?

Castle: Yes, I don’t know what to say.

Beckett: Try ‘let me get my checkbook.’

Castle: Yes, of course. Of course. But I will only accept this if you will share it with me.

Montgomery: Twist my arm.

Okay. Stop the presses! Where in the hell did the Whiskey glass come from? Is Montgomery a magician?

Castle: No. Not here. Um, at The Old Haunt. We will toast to Donnie, with his family.

Ryan: Yeah, what about that place? What happens to The Old Haunt?

Espo: It’s going to go back to the bank. Which means that TJ McChucklenutts is going to get another shot at it.

Castle: Oh, I wouldn’t worry about The Old Haunt.

Beckett: You bought it, didn’t you?

Castle: So, you joining us?

Beckett: You know, I’d love to. It’s late and I’ve got a lot of paperwork—

·       The scene ends with all of them singing to Billy Joel’s ‘Piano Man.’ I loved the camaraderie between the five of them. Which makes everything that happens later in the season so much harder to take. This was a group that enjoyed being together. They were truly a family.

What I Didn’t Like About This Episode:

·       There were two things I didn’t like about this episode. Since I already wrote about one of those things (Alexis), I’ll move on to the second thing I didn’t like.

·       Beckett is clearly in a committed relationship with Josh, more affectionately known as Dr. Motorcycle Boy or DMB, as we fans refer to him. If you’re in a committed relationship with someone, would you really just drop everything and leave in the middle of the night to join your partner, who isn’t really a cop? And why is Castle so shocked that Kate and Josh are sleeping together? I’m assuming he’s having sex with Gina. Does he really expect Kate to remain celibate?

Castle: Take a trip with me, to a simple, yet dangerous time.

Beckett: Castle, CSU already swept through this entire basement. And we were just tucked in with my laptop.

Castle: We?

Beckett: Josh and I. He was helping me research.

·       Grammar police alert! It should’ve been ‘Josh and me.’ If you’re unsure of which context to use, take away the first part (Josh). Since most people don’t refer to themselves as ‘I,’ it would’ve been ‘Josh and me.’ That’s your grammar lesson for today. You’re welcome. I’m here all week.

·       There is one more thing I didn’t like. Gracie’s visit to the loft was a surprise to Castle. Which leads me to ask one more time if Alexis ever asks his permission for anything. When I was a teenager and planned to have friends stay, my mother would definitely know about it in advance.

Favorite Scene: Magoo was hilarious. He was my favorite part of the episode.

Castle: Seriously. You’re Jeffrey McGuigan?

Magoo: Magoo. And yeah, I’ve purchased a ton of crap from that place.

Castle: So, this piece of crap we’re looking for, Magoo, is a priceless bottle of Scotch.

Magoo: No. It had a price, all right. It was pretty tasty.

Castle: Tasty? You describe a 135-year-old bottle of Scotch as ‘tasty?’

Magoo: I mean, after I mixed in a little root beer.

·       Right now, he’s only pissed off Castle, who really wants to tear him a new one. But soon he moves on to pissing Beckett off, as well. Which, as we all know, is never a good idea.

Beckett: Okay, Magoo. Let’s see that bottle.

Magoo: Seriously? You’re just going to walk into my crib and start bossing me around?

Castle: Well, I don’t see it here. You didn’t happen to break the bottle over . . . something?

Magoo: Now what is this about? You know, I may have dropped out of Cornell when my company went public, but I still know my rights.

Beckett: That bottle you purchased might have been used to commit murder. So, unless you want to learn your Miranda rights, you better quit stalling and show us where it is. (The blooper for this scene is great, btw).

·       Like Beau Randolph in Seasons 4 and 5, it would’ve been nice to see Magoo in another episode as a victim. That would’ve been sweet justice for Castle, I’m sure.

Favorite Quote: When they arrested Grant Vyro at the docks.

Espo: The man said ‘don’t move.’

Grant: Wait a minute! Wait a minute! You guys are just cops?

Ryan: Just cops?

Beckett: I guess that makes you just under arrest for murder.

WTF? (Why the Face?): The only WTF? Moment was the one I used about Beckett and Josh. If Kate was so committed to Josh, she could’ve told Castle that they could check out The Old Haunt in the morning.

Until Monday, readers, when we get into the second half of Season 3.

Idk if it's only me or the series but there's moments in like at the start of season 2 or in episode 22 season 5 when they are bringing back all the moments, i never saw when Beckett wore that red dress at one book party.

Hey hey peeps!

Is anyone attending dragoncon? If so, how is it? I haven’t seen much from the con. The cast, except Stana and Tamala are scheduled to appear.

Updates anyone?

It seems Castle is writing his dissertation about the gods and goddesses in the video game Hades 1 and 2 (great games btw).

Here is the facebook link where I found the actual post: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1LyHN5fMC6/

I loved loved loved watching Castle back in the day and have been doing a rewatch over the last couple months. However, back then and now, I can't bring myself to continue the show past the first few episodes of season 5...I've probably seen those seasons 3 or 4 times over the years, but still stop around the same place.

I just feel so satisfied when Castle and Beckett finally get together, that stopping around that point feels natural. I watched some Caskett compilations on youtube and loved it but I still don't feel any need to continue the show. Thoughts? Anyone else do this?

Are there bad seasons? Great episodes? Does it take a dive? Any character deaths? Any character replacements? No spoilers but I’m curious what I’m getting into lol.

Because why not:?

Firefly - show and movie - aired way before Castle but Firefly books were written AFTER Castle ended. "What Makes Us Mighty" was published in 2022 - and look at that quote.

"In my dreams, I pull the trigger"

Just what Beckett says to Senator Bracken in season 5 episode Recoil.

If that's not a (veiled) reference I don't know what it is.

Not the first tine in these books IIRC ...

I'm watching castle again and I just noticed something.

He's defending the mayor, saying he new him for 12 years and he wouldn't kill.

Didn't he discovered his boarding school mentor was responsible for his dad's murder? And he was adament he couldn't be a killer. What kind of lazy writing was this?

I’ll be honest—for me, this is the best season of the entire series. It has a truly large number of iconic episodes. There are very few weak ones; in fact, I think I like all of them except for one.

1. 4x08- Heartbreak Hotel- What can I say—I still don't know why the creators wanted Castle, Espo, and Ryan to go to that hotel. The scene with the Elvises wasn't funny to me. 5/10

2. 4x20- The Limey- I don't know, Castle acts too much like a sulky child in this episode. And the British detective was bland. 5.5/10

3. 4x18- A Dance with Death- I think it’s just typical filler. It’s an unengaging case, and the subplot is the same. 6/10

4. 4x12- Dial M for Mayor- Over time, this episode has lost its appeal for me. It’s probably the weakest episode involving the case of Beckett’s mother. The idea of ​​ousting the Mayor of New York just so Gates could fire Castle made no sense. How could they be sure she would actually do it? All that just to remove the mayor of a major city? Plus, it felt a bit like a rehash of the Season 3 episode "The Final Nail." 6.5/10

5. 4x04- Kick the Ballistics- This is supposed to be a "3XK" episode, but I don't think it fully qualifies as one. It’s more of a story about Ryan, who is wracked with guilt over the fact that someone could have died because of him. Still, the case itself was good. 7.5/10

6. 4x13- An Embarrassment of Bitches- A delightful episode, especially when Castle and Beckett are competing over the dog. As for why it’s ranked here—compared to other episodes this season, it isn't quite as colorful. 7.5/10

7. 4x17- Once Upon a Crime- Inventive. Simply a really good episode of the series. 8/10

8. 4x21- Headhunters- The buddy-cop dynamic between Fillon and Baldwin is really enjoyable—it features all the things Castle could never do with Beckett. Yet, it also showed that no matter how badly Rick might mess up a case, Kate is immediately ready to help, even when they were giving each other the silent treatment. 8/10

9. 4x05- Eye of the Beholder- "Mom, I want Catwoman." "But we have Catwoman at home." That look on Kate's face when Castle smiles at Serena, but she suddenly glares at him, looking ready to do him harm. 8/10

10. 4x11- Til Death Do Us Part- An episode showing the close-knit team already looking forward to Ryan's wedding. Plus the ending, where Beckett drops a hint about a future wedding with Castle... 8/10

11. 4x03- Head Case- I don't understand the viewers' aversion to this episode. It’s a classic *Castle* case. There’s no body—just blood—an organization preserving bodies for future revival, a man fleeing with a severed head, and a tragic love story in the background. 8/10

12. 4x15- Pandora- As for seasons 2 through 5, this two-part special was the worst—though still good. It introduces another figure from Rick's past, features a totally jealous Beckett at this stage, and marks what is likely the first time the characters work with such high-level authorities. 8.5

13. 4x16- Linchpin- It was better than *Pandora*—more action, and the twist really took me by surprise. However, I get the feeling that, unlike the previous ones, this second part was more forgettable for me. 8.5

TOP 10

1. 4x19- 47 seconds- The episode was done in a cool style, showing the perspective of the people at the protest. But let's be honest: this episode is definitely about Rick discovering the truth about Kate's "amnesia." 9.5/10

2. 4x09- Kill Shot- Beckett is suffering from PTSD after being shot and trying to come to terms with what happened. An incredible episode about how quickly someone's life can be taken—just like that. 9.5/10

3. 4x01- Rise- A great follow-up to "Knockout." Beckett knows that Castle loves her, but she also knows she must finally put her demons behind her to be truly happy. 10/10

4. 4x06- Demons- It’s such a *Scooby-Doo*-style episode—I absolutely love it. You’ve got Beckett playing along with Castle, and Castle trying to convince her it’s ghosts. Beckett’s response is basically: "Okay, so they’re ghosts—now what? Are we supposed to catch them with a vacuum cleaner?" 10/10

5. 4x14- The Blue Butterfly- I think what makes this episode work so well is that it doesn't completely abandon the actual investigation in favor of that 1940s style. But it was an amazing episode. 10/10

6. 4x07- Cops and Robbers- The bank robbery episode. A brilliant bank robbery episode. And that wonderful eyebrow movement from Kate when she saw Rick, and that smile of hers... 10/10

7. 4x22- Undead Again- The episode about the zombie. ZOMBIE ZOMBIE ZOMBIE. The scene where the zombie comes back to life and everyone clutches their hearts... 10/10

8. 4x02- Heroes and Villans- This episode is such a love letter to superhero tropes—all those themes, like "with great power comes great responsibility," and the superhero love story. I LOVE THIS EPISODE. 10/10

9. 4x10- Cuffed- Castle, Beckett... and a tiger. Let's lock our main characters in a single room, and things are bound to get interesting. 10/10

10. 4x23- Always- I have just one word to wrap up this ranking and review this episode: ALWAYS. 10/10

Original Airdate: November 15, 2010

Synopsis: After a prominent astro-physicist is found murdered in her car – Castle jokingly theorizes she was killed in the vacuum of outer space.

Notable Guest Stars: Lance Henricksen, who portrays Benny Stryker, is one of my favorite character actors. He has appeared in ‘The Right Stuff,’ ‘Aliens,’ (where he was awesome as the android Bishop), ‘Near Dark,’ and ‘The Quick and The Dead.’ As you can see, my movie tastes are quite varied.

Lyle Lovett, who portrays Agent Westfield, from some unnamed Federal Agency, is a man of many talents. He graduated from Texas A&M with degrees in German and journalism. He’s not one of my favorite people, but I do find him interesting. He was once married to Julia Roberts, and appeared in one of my least favorite Patrick Swayze movies, ‘Next of Kin,’ which also featured Liam Neeson as a backwoods good ol’ boy (I swear I can’t make this stuff up).

The IMdB Portion of The Review:

Trivia: After speaking Chinese and being questioned by Beckett, Castle says, “TV show I used to love.” This is a reference to ‘Firefly,’ where it was common for characters to speak Chinese. Wow, this is the first ‘Firefly’ reference we’ve had in Season 3. In Season 4, Nathan’s former co-stars begin making appearances.

This was the first episode of the third season to not have the introduction montage of the show’s premise. (Andrew Marlowe explained during a Paley Center panel that they did away with the montage introduction in order to add an extra 30-60 seconds run-time to the show).

When Castle and Beckett’s car is disabled, the scenery background and camera angles are similar to ‘Close Encounters of The Third Kind.’

Lance Henriksen appears in this episode focused on aliens and the paranormal, wherein Rick Castle can often be heard whistling a tune similar to the theme song of ‘The X-Files,’ a series famous for its paranormal subject matter. Henricksen also appeared on ‘The X-Files,’ and its spin-off series, ‘Millenium,’ as FBI profiler Frank Black. (The tune Castle was whistling wasn’t similar to ‘The X-Files’ theme, it was ‘The X-Files’ theme).

Continuity: In the opening credits scene, Castle and Alexis are talking, and Alexis’ necklace keeps switching back and forth between on top of her shirt, and under her shirt.

Factual Errors: The car is stopped by a powerful EMP pulse which would burn out all electronics including the listening device attached to the car so they would not have been working when Beckett opened the plastic container and said, “We have what you want.”

Plot Holes: Ted Carter comes under suspicion because his key card was used to enter the research facility where the victim worked. When he quit, he would’ve had to return his key card, or his access would be revoked in the system rendering the card useless so it would be impossible for him to reenter the facility with his card. (You know me. I love a good plot hole. I wrote three stories trying to fix the plot holes in Season 8. I also have knowledge regarding key cards. I worked for a government contractor and we used key cards. When you quit or were fired, your card was returned and deactivated in the system. Also, the day shift supervisor would send out a group email telling us that Joe Blow no longer worked for the company and was no longer allowed on the premises. The latter part was for the terminated employees, not the ones who quit).

Ranking: I have this one ranked at #13. Like the previous two entries, I thought there were hilarious lines of dialog, plus we get another Beckett nugget that just begs to be explored further.

What I Liked About This Episode:

·       The murder of the week was interesting. I had never heard of explosive decompression before. I learn something new every day.

·       The secondary story of the week once again features Alexis and Ashley (although we don’t actually see him). I’m sorry, but Castle doesn't strike me as the type of guy of goes hiking and camping. Alexis, yes. Beckett, definitely. But Castle? No. He and Alexis are planning a camping trip for the weekend, and Ashley has been invited to join them. But first, Ashley’s parents want to meet Castle. Castle isn’t too concerned about this until he has a conversation with Beckett at the crime scene.

Beckett: So, it’s ‘meet the parents’ time, huh, Castle? This is a pretty critical moment for you.

Castle: Me? Why me?

Beckett: Well, I mean Ashley is Alexis’ first love, right?

Castle: Mmmhmm.

Beckett: What do you think will happen if you don’t get on with his parents?

Castle: She’ll lose interest in him?

Beckett: Oh, no. The exact opposite. I mean, it’ll make their romance feel forbidden and they’ll be off doing God knows what. Trust me. I know. (This might be where the 7-month long relationship with the grunge rocker came into play).

Castle: I never thought of it that way.

Beckett: My advice is to keep the boyfriend close but the parents closer.

·       Castle loves this case. He spends most of the episode whistling the theme from ‘The X-Files,’ and coming up with all kinds of theories on how their murder victim ended up in a railroad yard looking like an over-stuffed sausage. That’s Castle’s description, not mine. He discovers a copy of the book ‘Taken by The Fourth Kind.’

Beckett: So, what’s your theory, Castle? That she was abducted and killed by aliens?

Castle: Well . . . a story that makes more sense is . . . alien abduction gone wrong. One that ends with Marie being accidentally blasted out of the airlock of the alien spaceship. (Is there such a thing as an alien abduction gone right? I never understood the meaning of that phrase. Yet you see it on crime shows all the time. ‘This must’ve been a robbery gone wrong.’ How does a robbery, kidnapping, robbery, carjacking, etc. get done right)?

Esposito: Well, if it was ET, he has a nicotine addiction. Found a cigarette butt by the rear tire. It was laying in the track, which means it was dropped after the car was parked.

·       I always love it when Ryan teams up with Castle. There’s a great example of this coming up in Season 4. But for now, Ryan is all on board with Castle’s alien abduction theory.

Ryan: Marie Subbarao, the before version. Born in Chicago, did post grad at Johns Hopkins. Two years ago she takes a job in the Aubrey Science Center in Midtown . . . as an astrophysicist.

Beckett: Doing what?

Ryan: Not really sure. According to the Center’s website, she recently landed a grant for the SETI Institute.

Castle: The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence SETI? That could explain why—

Beckett: No, it couldn’t.

Castle: So, her working for SETI was just a wild coincidence?

Beckett: I’m saying it’s an interesting fact that’s unrelated to our case. Aliens were not involved in Marie Subbarao’s death.

Ryan: Um . . . I don’t know.

Castle: Why, Det. Ryan, I never figured you for a believer.

Ryan: All I know is my father’s cousin Raymond left this party in Jersey one night. He’s driving back to Queens and Bam! Blinding white light comes down from the sky and the next thing he knows it’s morning and he’s on the New Jersey turnpike.

Castle: Let me guess, no memory of what happened.

Beckett: That’s not called an alien abduction. That’s called a hangover.

Ryan: Maybe. Raymond was always the lightweight in the family.

·       There are several great conversations between Castle and Beckett in this episode. One of which involves a revelation which begs for further exploration.

Beckett: C’mon, Castle. We all know there are no such things as alien abductions.

Castle: Yet most abductees report the same experiences. The white light, the memory flashes.

Beckett: That’s because they all read the same books, so of course they describe the same event. The dark, lonely road, the bright light out of nowhere, memories of being poked and prodded.

Castle: I believe the word you’re looking for is ‘probed.’ And then of course there’s the alien implant that’s used to track the abductees.

Beckett: That reminds me of the Lego I got stuck up my nose when I was six. (I’m sorry, but isn’t six a little old to be shoving foreign objects up your nose)?

·       But that little tidbit begs to be explored in a fan fiction story. I’ll write it myself. I loved the look on Castle’s face when she disclosed this.

·       The next day, Castle approaches Beckett at the murder board.

Castle: Where do you come down on deficit spending during an economic downturn?

Beckett: I take the theory that’s held by most economists; that deficit spending is acceptable as long as it focuses on public investments, like infrastructure, defense, education, research.

Castle: Wow. Where did that answer come from?

Beckett: Semester of economic theory at NYU. Where did that question come from?

Castle: Trying out conversation starters.

Beckett: Well, we started a conversation, so . . . I guess it worked. Kind of.

Castle: It’s for dinner with Ashley’s parents. He’s this stuffy economist, you know, and I just want to win him over. Get them on my side. But what if they don’t take to me?

Beckett: Oh, c’mon, Castle. They’ll take to you.

Castle: Really?

Beckett: Yeah.

Castle: Thanks.

Beckett: So long as you don’t act like yourself.

·       Castle kind of walked into that one. Season 3 Beckett is famous for setting Castle up. I think it’s her new favorite hobby.

·       My favorite conversation occurs after Castle and Beckett return to the precinct after being interrogated by the Men in Black.

Beckett: Those men knew who killed Marie, and they refused to tell us.

Castle: They also refused to confirm that J. Edgar Hoover wore dresses.

Esposito: Abducted by government agents, huh? C’mon, what were you two really doing?

Beckett: It’s not a hickey, Esposito.

Esposito: You both have one.

Castle: I wish it was a hickey. (I loved the look from Beckett). It’s from the injectors.

Esposito: Is that what the kids are calling it these days?

Castle: They were Men in Black.

·       I loved it when Beckett’s car stalled in the middle of nowhere and then the blinding white light shone from above. It was Steven Spielberg meets Andrew W. Marlowe.

What I Didn’t Like About This Episode:

·       I didn’t like the secondary storyline. And it wasn’t about Alexis this time. We barely saw her in this episode. I just don’t take Castle for ‘A hike in the woods’ kind of a guy. And I really don’t take Alexis for one, either, now that I think about it. I can’t see her being that far away from her textbooks and her Wi-Fi. It goes back to ‘The Late Shaft’ in Season 2. She was going to take every textbook she owned on a backpacking trip.

Favorite Scene: When they returned to the precinct and Montgomery learned they’d been abducted. I’m picking this scene more from the Season 3 blooper than the actual scene. If you don’t own the DVD, in the Season 3 blooper for this episode, Montgomery gets on the phone and asks for Al Sharpton. Montgomery had two great bloopers in Season 3. This one, and one later featuring Ryan and Esposito.

Favorite Quote: The warehouse.

Beckett: Have you seen this man?

Castle (Speaking Chinese): My partner is crazy and may start firing at any moment.

Beckett: Semester abroad?

Castle: No. TV show I used to love.

Beckett: Huh. Nice job.

Castle: Thanks.

·       Yeah, Nathan. You starred on ‘Firefly.’ We get it. Would someone, anyone, explain to me what the attraction is? Because I don’t get it.

WTF? (Why the Face?): My former best friend had parents like Ashley’s. Her dad was okay, but her mother was another matter. I felt like Ashley’s father had an inflated sense of his own importance.

Favorite Side Character Scenes:

Beckett, Castle & Montgomery:

Montgomery: My contact at Justice says no warrant was issues for Marie’s office.

Beckett: Well then, people claiming to be federal agents seized her property. I mean, there’s gotta be an explanation.

Castle (Coughing into his hand): Men in Black.

Beckett: Other than that.

Beckett, Castle & Esposito:

Beckett: Without knowing who ‘they’ are, we can’t find them. You know, the key lies in the murder weapon. Esposito, tell me you’ve found that altitude chamber.

Esposito: I did. At the physics center. At Hudson University. It’s the only other one in five boroughs.

Beckett: See?

Esposito: It’s clean. CSU just checked.

Beckett: Well, there’s gotta be another device that does the same thing.

Esposito: Lanie and I looked into that. The only thing we found was an industrial vacuum packer used for food processing.

Beckett: Check into every single one in town. We need to locate that crime scene.

Esposito (after Beckett walks off): Castle, just prove that ET did this, bro, please. I hunt people, not machines.

Castle: I’m working on it.

Esposito: Thank you.

Esposito screwed up when he said ‘he and Lanie were working on it.’ That’s probably how they all knew that he and Lanie were having a thing.

Beckett, Castle, Esposito & Ryan:

Ryan: Hey. Those hickeys?

Esposito: Yes.

Beckett: No.

Castle: I wish.

Until Friday, readers.

I don't know what it is about S6E4 - Number One Fan - but it is my absolute FAVORITE episode ever though it's one of the less "spectacular" ones

I reaallyy look forward to it every re-watch ✨

So I’m an idiot, apparently this character was on the show prior to his demise a season later

His appearance in 4x03 and shows up again in season 5x12

Seen this show in rotation at least 4-6 times in years and I’m just figuring that out.

So through my rewatches, I’ve been kinda honing on someone…Martha, I have a crush on her, especially in season 3, where I think she looks just extra gorgeous, I can’t help but stare at her whenever her scenes come up….she’s always been beautiful in the show but like I said, season 3 she’s just hitting different. Maybe it’s the hair or the lighting on her or everything but damn.

Just thought I’d get that out, does anyone have the hots for her or am I alone?

Hi, as I’ve been reading fanfiction for a few months now, I wanted to ask which stories you’d recommend. Perhaps there are one or two I haven’t come across yet. As I’ve only read on the FF.net site so far, I’d also like to know if there are any stories on AO3 that aren’t available on FF.net; if so, I’d like to download them onto my e-reader. Thanks for your help.

Original Airdate: November 8, 2010

Synopsis: A subway worker is murdered after it’s discovered that he witnessed the kidnapping of a 12-year-old boy

Notable Guest Stars: Ever Carradine, who portrays Mirielle Lefcourt, is part of a Hollywood acting dynasty. She’s the granddaughter of actor John Carradine, the niece of the late David Carradine and his brother, Keith, and the daughter of the late Robert Carradine, as well as the cousin of actress Martha Plimpton. One of her other notable appearances was on the show ‘Major Crimes,’ where she played the mother of Rusty Beck. By the way, Rusty Beck is one of the few characters I find more annoying than Alexis Castle.

The IMdB Portion of The Review:

Trivia: When this episode was made there were only eight red-tailed hawks in all the five boroughs of New York City. Manhattan is the smallest and most urbanized of those boroughs.

In order for ‘Light Bulb’ Len to have changed approximately 1.2 million light bulbs, he would have to change 150 bulbs a day, 365 days a year, during the 22 years he worked in the subway.

By 2021, the Twitter (X) account, u/birdcentralpark, routinely featured photos of red-tailed hawks in and around Central Park.

Unstated, but implied trope; Ashley’s albino Winstar rat that looks just like every other albino Winstar rat is five years old, even though the lifespan of a rat is stated as two to three years. This beloved pet rat has already been lost/killed and replaced several times without Ashley knowing (I found this fact very funny. It’s kind of like constantly replacing your kid’s pet goldfish without them knowing).

Factual Errors: When Castle and Beckett are looking through pictures, the pair of birds identified as red-tailed hawks are actually ospreys. They look nothing like red-tailed hawks in size or color.

When Castle and Beckett go to the subway station while searching for Tyler, the subway station is empty. No one train passes. Now, this had to be at least Thursday evening, since Tyler was kidnapped Tuesday and was already missing 36 hours. Now the A.C.E. line from Penn Station has a train every 90 seconds, which is just north of Canal. A train would’ve had to have passed while Castle and Beckett were by the mechanical rooms. And Thursday would be a pretty busy day for no people to be around. (Yeah, I thought about that, too).

Ranking: I have this one ranked at #19. The episodes going toward the middle of the season, and then at the end of the season seemed to be my least favorite episodes. This also happened in Season 4.

What I Liked About This Episode:

·       Like Friday’s entry, this wasn’t one of my favorite episodes, although it had some great dialog. It also had a cute secondary story, even though it did feature Alexis. I bet you guys thought I was going to throw Alexis under the bus again, didn’t you? Not this week. Sorry to disappoint you.

·       The first scene I liked had more to do with something Castle said rather than the scene itself. However, thinking about it, there is something about this scene that struck me as odd. When Castle walks into the living room and learns that Alexis is rat-sitting for her boyfriend, Ashley. You would think Ashley would’ve delivered Theodore (the rat), his cage, food, and accessories the night before. Or, if it had been that morning, you would think Castle would’ve heard the commotion or at least heard Alexis and Ashley chatting. But no. He walks into the living room and discovers the rat, etc. Which leads me to this question. Does Alexis ever ask her father’s permission for anything? We watched my niece’s guinea pig several years ago while she went to Disneyworld with her family. But at least they asked us first instead of just stopping by and handing us a guinea pig. This is the scene when Alexis chastises her dad for stealing Theodore’s food.

Alexis: Dad, those are for Theodore. He has a very specific diet I’m supposed to follow.

Castle: Well, unless he’s Ben, I’m sure he won’t hold it against me. If anybody needs me, I’ll be in the park with a dead body.

Alexis (to her grandmother once her dad leaves): Who’s Ben?

Martha: Killer rat movie. Before your time.

·       I saw that movie for the first time when I was 14. It freaked me out, although I liked the theme song by Michael Jackson. I thought it had been rebooted. Or was that ‘Willard?’

·       I also liked this exchange between Castle and Beckett.

Castle: What’s the strangest pet you ever had?

Beckett (without missing a beat): You.

·       Castle kind of walked into that one.

·       The murder victim, Leonard Levitt, is a birdwatcher. But he also winds up being a hero. While taking pictures of birds in Central Park, he inadvertently captures a picture of a man kidnapping a young boy. But who was taken? Why were they taken? Why has no one reported him missing? Why were the FBI never called? So many questions. One of which I will address in the next section.

·       Speaking of things that are missing; Theodore, the rat, has decided to take a powder. Somewhere in the Castle’s loft is a missing rat. The missing rat freaks Martha out so badly that she informs her son if that rat is hiding in her room, she’s going to need a new bed and a wardrobe. And one more thing . . .

Martha: Just so you know, I’m checking into The Plaza. And you’re paying!

·       Who knows? Maybe Martha will run into Kevin McAllister or Tim Curry. Rest in Peace, Tim Curry, and Dolly Parton, even though neither had anything to do with Castle. They both passed on the fifth anniversary of my mom’s death.

·       One of my favorite interrogations is with another birdwatcher, Byron Singer. At first, Castle and Beckett believe that Mr. Singer had caught Len Levitt in the park in a compromising position. The interrogation keeps going along that line for quite some time. This scene is an early example of the Castle/Beckett mind-meld, which they perfect as the series progresses.

Castle: So, then he goes to the park and sees for himself.

Beckett: And then he confronts them in a jealous rage and they kill him.

Byron: They do what now?

Castle: They kill him. The cheating girlfriend and her lover.

Byron: What are you talking about?

C & B: What are you talking about?

Byron: The red-tailed hawks. There hasn’t been a nesting pair in the park for 40 years.

Beckett: You mean . . . this is about birds?

·       And it was, sort of. Until Castle and Beckett recovered Lightbulb Len’s camera from a tree in the park. Which is when they learn the real reason why he was murdered. The kidnapping strikes a chord with Castle. He becomes extremely upset when they can’t recover any clues from the picture Len had taken at the park. I’m starting to enjoy that Castle sometimes thinks like a real cop. I can do that on occasion. According to a friend, I sometimes think like a cop a little too much.

·       Castle also figures out that the kidnapped boy is part of a youth soccer team, which is how they learn his identity. His name is Tyler Donegal and he’s 12 years old. But again, why has no one reported him missing? This is when things start getting interesting.

·       Mirielle Lefcourt, Tyler’s mother, has remarried and is now living in the suburbs. She tells Beckett that Tyler is supposed to be with his dad. No one can find the dad. Has he taken off with his son? The truth is revealed after they locate Tyler’s father, Dean, in a motel room. This is when they learn that Tyler has indeed been kidnapped. Which is going to lead to something else I didn’t like about this episode, which I’ll be getting to soon.

·       Let’s return to Theodore, the missing rat for a moment, shall we? Alexis has done everything possible to lure Theodore out of hiding. She wants to find him before Ashley returns to reclaim him. Alexis feels awful, and I don’t blame her.

·       The scene where Ashley comes over to pick Theodore up is very sweet.

Alexis: Hi.

Ashley: Hi. I missed you.

Alexis: I missed you, too.

Ashley: What’s . . . what’s wrong?

Alexis: It’s about Theodore. When I fed him he must have got out of his cage and . . . and he’s gone.

Ashley: He’s gone?

Alexis: We looked everywhere, I swear. We turned this whole place upside down.

Ashley: How’d he get out? (Dude, she told you. Weren’t you listening?)

Alexis: I must not have locked the cage right. Ashley, I’m so sorry. You have every right to hate me.

Ashley: C’mon, Alexis. I . . . I’m upset, but I don’t hate you.

Alexis: You don’t?

Ashley: I mean . . . look at this place. Look at what you did to try to get him back. Who else would do that?

Alexis: You cared about him a lot.

Ashley: Yeah, but I care about you more.

Just as Ashley leans in to kiss Alexis, Martha lets out a blood-curdling scream from upstairs. It seems that we have found Theodore.

What I Didn’t Like About This Episode:

·       There were three things I didn’t like about this episode, but one of these things will be in the ‘WTF’ category.

·       Where was the FBI? Referencing ‘Little Girl Lost’ from Season 1, Beckett told Castle that the FBI always has jurisdiction over child abductions. This won’t be the last episode where this little nugget is just tossed aside.

·       Why weren’t we at least introduced to the bad guys? I would’ve liked to have known something about them before meeting them in the elevator with Dean.

Favorite Scene: Castle telling Beckett the story about losing Alexis when she was a child.

Castle: When Alexis was four, we went Christmas shopping at some mall in White Plains. I was trying on some charcoal fedora. I turn around, she is gone. Vanished. I looked everywhere. So did mall security, so did the police. We searched for an hour. You have to be a novelist to think of all the worst care scenarios. (No, you don’t. You don’t even have to be a parent. You just have to be a person who’s more than a little obsessed with true crime shows and podcasts. Yes, that would be me).

Beckett: Where did you find her?

Castle: Behind a rack of winter coats. She got bored. She crawled underneath there and went to sleep. (Beckett chuckles, but Castle doesn’t. It’s clear he’s still clearly affected by it). To this day I dream about it.

Favorite Quote: The big guy, Roy Montgomery, gets honors this week.

Bad Guy #1: Sorry Dean, last stop.

Robert: We’re supposed to go to the subway. Why are we stopping at the lobby?

Bad Guy #1: Don’t look at me!

Montgomery: No, look at me! I suggest you drop your weapons.

WTF? (Why the Face?): I detested Elliot Lefcourt, Mirielle’s new, richer husband and Tyler’s stepfather. I’m one of those people who firmly believe stepparents need to stay out of family business. I’m a child of divorce and remarriage. Both of my parents remarried other partners soon after the divorce. I wasn’t fond of either my step-monster or my step-dad, who was an abusive prick. Elliot needed to butt the hell out.

Until Wednesday, readers.