Hey all! I don't post regularly but I do read the posts pretty often.

I do agree that you can love the show and still be objective in analyzing it. Honestly, I thought the first part was pretty slow and that scene with her dad could be a bit longer. But I am satisfied with how it all ended, especially the last conversation between Beckett and Castle. I like how he's clearly learned from his earlier mistake and knew when to apologize for what he saw as "overstepping" even when she didn't see it as such this time around. I especially love how she's finally opening up to him and let him see her vulnerable side. Could it be a result of Kyra's presence last week, or was she just too shaken up with finding out about her mother's killer which left her so emotionally drained that she doesn't want to bother putting up her walls and pretend that she's unaffected?

As for the song, I like itsmyworld's interpretation on the lyrics for the most part. I'd differ a bit on the "Help me see myself…" stanza. In the beginning of season 2, Beckett told Castle that she didn't want to go down that hole again while finding her mother's killer, losing herself in the process. In using that song for that scene, I think they (TPTB)were trying to convey that she's now openly asking Castle to help her get through it all, from finding the killer and who hired him, to the emotional aftermath. I think for her to tell him to stay until the end in her words, not just in the song, is a huge step for their relationship.

I think after finding out that he does go for "real," she's now more open to the idea, or at least she can admit to herself that she is attracted to him in more ways than one.

I can't wait for next week! I have never been more excited for Mondays to come until "Castle" came along.

Sorry for the double post (how come the quote and reply function doesn't work?). I think when Martha called her "kiddo," at the time, she's probably looking at Beckett as a young girl, much like Alexis, who lost her mother too early. I like how she always makes her feel welcome at their home. It may technically be Castle's home, but she always seems to receive her with open arms, at least compared with Meredith. I'm curious as to what she thought of Kyra.

Did anyone notice how Alexis didn't have a line at all in this episode? She was there, but I guess her expression conveys enough that she doesn't really know what to say.

That is why I found it amusing. I totally got the reference.

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Quoting someone, no idea who…

The famous final scene was,again in my humble opinion,poorly done and totally out of character for the episode and the series overall.

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There are milestones in the development of Caskett where we can look back and see it marks a change in tone of the relationship. Season 1 was largely love/hate. Obviouly, Castle looking into Johanna's murder was a milestone. Castle really started minding his p's & q's better in season two, behaving himself a lot more, and much less of a loose cannon.

The next milestone I noticed was in When the Bough Breaks, at the Heat Wave launch. It was the episode where Beckett realized he's not that annoying, and she actually kind of likes having him around. (Not that she would have ever told him that, as we saw in the final scene.) It's the first episode where the attraction really bubbles up to the surface. "You are extraordinary." I wonder if he'd had any idea how he was affecting her at that moment. They're friends, but Beckett isn't taking him seriously romantically at all, and she won't let him "in."

A Rose For Ever After and Sucker Punch are both milestone episodes. They mark a change in:

1. How Beckett sees Castle and

2. the depth of their friendship.

Going back to the quote above, It would have been out of character for the relationship they had 3 episodes ago with "The 5th Bullet." But not with the recent above changes. We are going to really enjoy watching them explore this new depth to their friendship.

The final song was a great choice, very poignant and raw. But if you look at the meaning of the song, well obviously it wasn't written for this Castle episode. I kind of wonder if it's more about Beckett and her mom than Beckett and Castle. Or maybe a little of both. Regardless, I found this site which has a pretty good analysis of the song's lyrics: http://community.pearljam.com/…..p;t=111173

If this were the season finale I'd be disgusted. I really want to see Nathan "get the girl!" So anything less than walking off into the sunset with the other half of a great romance is going to leave me unhappy.

His love interest in Firefly was my favorite part, and I never got anything close to satisfaction on that, not even in the movie. :angry: (I yelled at the TV, "You've got to be kidding me!" when I realized the way they were ending it.) Waitress and Slither, when the curtain dropped and the lights came up he didn't get the girl there either! : Even in Dr. Horrible/PG Porn, when the it was over, he was alone!

There's a few other movies I've yet to find, but it sounds like Trucker is more of the same in that respect. :

Lady Brenlis:

If this were the season finale I'd be disgusted. I really want to see Nathan "get the girl!" So anything less than walking off into the sunset with the other half of a great romance is going to leave me unhappy.

His love interest in Firefly was my favorite part, and I never got anything close to satisfaction on that, not even in the movie. Angry (I yelled at the TV, "You've got to be kidding me!" when I realized the way they were ending it.) Waitress and Slither, when the curtain dropped and the lights came up he didn't get the girl there either! Crazy Even in Dr. Horrible/PG Porn, when the it was over, he was alone!

There's a few other movies I've yet to find, but it sounds like Trucker is more of the same in that respect. Doh

Sounds like you only care about Nathan getting the girl, not about Castle and Beckett. This romance between Castle and Beckett isn't about Castle "getting the girl." It's about Beckett opening herself up and Castle growing up and them moving forward as a couple. If Castle simply "got the girl" all the work into who these people are would be lost.

And as far as being disgusted, wow… Seriously? Here you have Beckett admitting to Castle that she likes him and you're disgusted? She just killed her mother's killer, TO SAVE CASTLE! That's a lot to go through and you wanted more then admittance of feelings? I think I might be disgusted with that.