…Like the best actors, Fillion has a gift for adding depth to what could have been a superficial character, letting you sense a layer of pain and grit right underneath [R]ick’s flightiness without diminishing the “bad-boy charm,” as his new partner puts it, of his fun-loving playboy.

It helps, by the way, that the writers have placed [R]ick in a household with his daughter and his mother, each designed to ensure he comes across as more sympathetic than annoying.

His bright-but-not-bratty daughter (Molly Quinn) provides support, while his Broadway star mother (an entertainingly grand Susan Sullivan) brings him back to earth and lets us see why being a better parent is one of [R]ick’s drives.

As for Katic, she may overplay her character’s stern annoyance at first, but she loosens up in later episodes. Plus, she’s an incredibly beautiful woman, which helps hold your attention until the wittier side comes to the fore and may distract you from the fact that her co-workers have yet to emerge from the bland background.

The plots vary in quality: A future story involving a dead nanny is a little better than tonight’s opener; another involving a body in a rug is a little worse.

None of the episodes is likely to keep you up at night puzzling out the intricacies of the mystery, but they won’t bore you or insult your intelligence. Castle exists to exploNit the appeal of its stars and the amusing byplay between their characters, and it does that with admirable efficiency.

Full Review: www.usatoday.com/life/television