This is a member contributed article. Would you like to submit an article or episode review? Use our submission form to contribute.
———
Castle is the story of famous mystery novelist who tags along with the NYPD helping solve crimes while being inspired by the hot young detective to write his best selling novels… or is it? Has Richard Castle been relegated to little more than a prop in the ABC hit drama?
The show is of course named after his character and you will find the loveable rogue in almost every scene. The story is clearly told from Castle’s perspective but is it his story or is he merely a narrator for the tale of Beckett?
As the first season aired viewers sat back and watched as Castle’s character unfolded. It turned out he was a little less of the playboy he presented to the public and a lot more a caring father figure. We have seen Castle’s infatuation for Beckett develop into genuine love for her but from this point on it seems his character has stalled.
Viewers have been presented with very little back story or development where Castle is concerned and at times it feels he has become little more than a coffee-carrying, love-sick, one-liner-delivery-man… the comic relief standing in the background.
In the mean time we have had a slew of episodes dedicated entirely to Beckett, showing us where she is coming from, what motivates her, her struggles, her desires, her scofflaw rumored wild-side past and her desire to break through the walls she has built up around herself to allow herself to care about, and be cared about, without keeping “one foot out the door”.
Don’t misunderstand me, I love Beckett, I love what we have learned about her and I admire Stana Katic’s ability to bring the role to life in such a dynamic and enjoyable way but I want more than just Beckett.
It is time to bring the story back to Castle once in a while, there is no doubt Nathan Fillion has the acting chops to really shine in this role, we have seen it in his comic timing but how about something a little more substantial? When will we get a story about Castle? When will we find out what motivates him and what led him to become a mystery writer?
Let the writers get Nathan Fillion out of the shadows and let him show what he is capable of once in a while!
Join the forum discussion on this post 
About Esin
I don’t agree, we see everything about castle, his life, his family, while of beckett life we really saw just some episode, and even if stana is doing an outstanding performance is always nathan fillion that take the credit of di show. It’s time to see a little more of Beckett and of all other characters.
Excuse me? Nathan does NOT take credit away from anyone else, he is a generous person who’s always willing to praise others.
Hold up there, Admin and posters below…You’re getting too defensive and reading too much into their comment. As Molly Quinn said after the PCA’s, Nathan is the face of Castle. He is the titular character. I’m pretty certain that is all that the OP meant. Not that Nathan is hogging the spotlight or stealing all the credit..just that he is the face of Castle, and the show is from his character’s perspective.
Unfortunately, I don’t see how one could misunderstand what this poster (Marie) meant, she was pretty clear. I agree that it’s not a big deal, there are lots of different people with different tastes and different levels of maturity. But I think other posters have the right to respond accordingly. Seemed nobody was rude or anything
She said point blank that Nathan “takes the credit” there’s no misinterpreting that. There are a lot of Stana fans that have the same misguided attitude about Nathan, I see it ALL the time.
Dear Admin,
If that is what she meant she IS very incorrect in her assessment, and it is an upsetting statement. However, I don’t think bringing in a Stana fans vs. Nathan fans angle is appropriate or helpful. It just stirs up more drama over one person’s individual post.
The only reason I might question her intent is because the structure of her entire post seems to indicate a person whose first language isn’t English, making her overall meaning questionable. For instance, “To get” and “To take” are verbs easily mixed up in translation.
Again, I do think it’s good to point out that the statement as written is completely inaccurate. Nathan certainly is nothing like that.
Beckstle, while I agree that paying too much attention to this pseudo controvercy is counterproductive and my own post might’ve been a bit harsh, I would side with Admin and others here. I’ve seen too much of this BS in this fandom (and directed >mostly< one way, not both). And leaving it be, thinking "It's beneath me, smarter people know this is wrong anyway" only results in fandom newbies, casual fans and people who don't feel inclined to dig deeper actually taking it as a well-known fact (I've been a witness myself). And I suspect if Marie meant something else with her comment she would've responded to this thread long ago and said so.
Haha my god … I am new to Castle this season and I just started coming to this website a couple/few weeks ago, and I gotta say, finding out that there are fans out there who pit Nathan and Stana against each other is pretty disturbing to me. The thought of doing that with the two lead actors of one of my fave shows (especially when those two leads do NOT play enemies in the t.v. show) is not something that would have ever even crossed my MIND before I read this particular thread. All I can say is, if you don’t like one of the two lead characters or one of the two lead actors on this show, why the heck would you even WATCH the show to begin with?? One of the best parts of the show is watching Castle/Beckett’s relationship develop, so if you don’t like one of them then I don’t understand what you’d be getting out of this show. Unless you really only love the case of the week stuff and that’s it. Strange man … very … strange.
Anyway I’m gonna fall into the camp of advising people not to take Marie’s post real seriously. I’m guessing we’ve got one of the following things going on here:
1) Like Beckstle suggested, English is not her first language and she may not have meant her comments the way they came off.
2) Or, English IS her first language, but she’s a few cans short of a six pack, if you know what I mean.
Either way I think the logical conclusion is to not take the post seriously. That being said, I think the original response to this, “Nathan does NOT take credit away from anyone else, he is a generous person who’s always willing to praise others,” is all that needs to be said here. The rest of it I wish I had never seen because it makes me realize there are actually people out there who are playing a “Nathan vs. Stana” game. Yikes. :-\
I am not an english native speaker and as such I didn’t take her comment like all of you did. For me it looks like she meant that when talking about castle, people in general talk more about Nathan Fillion than Stana Katic. I could be wrong but that’s how I understood the comment, sometimes we don’t use the correct verb/word and the whole meaning changes without us noticing.
dr. Spook,
Notice I didn’t comment about either Admins original response, nor yours. In those you both stuck to criticizing the poster. While I thought there may have been a language issue I agreed that the point needed to made that the statement was not in anyway based in fact.
What I object to is fanning the flames of “fan war.” I’ve been watching this kind of stuff go on for a while now and BOTH sides are equally guilty of this kind of nonsense. I am a fan of CASTLE – the TV show. I knew nothing of either actor until this seeing this show and find them both amazing – on screen and off. (I’ve since become more acquainted with their other work.) Yet there has been a segment of people who seem determined to put the work of the actors at odds.
I understand that the author’s intent was to put forth the idea that the Beckett story arc has gotten too large and eclipsed the role of Castle’s character. He/she feels we need more information about Castle and would like to see that character have a more dramatic arc in the way that Beckett has. I personally disagreed with it in the sense that I haven’t had a problem with the how things have unfolded and felt that the next arc planned has already been said to be focused on Castle’s father. I can see the last two lines as being a bit inflammatory because most of the article focuses on wanting more of the CHARACTER of Castle being learned about and seen – which is a story issue – formation but then switches to refer to it being about Nathan being seen. That last minute switch creates an implication that Stana is overused, because which would probably annoy a major Stana fan.
LOL! Typing on phone and hadn’t finished writing when it posted. What I getting at was that it is possible to say or phrase something that might set off a small portion of fans, However, if you look at the replies, most posters who disagreed with the article ignore the mild implication and focus on the point. Everyone who commented on her post agreed that whether intentional or not, the idea of Nathan hogging the spotlight was ridiculous. By charging an entire group of fans with the opinion stated
by one person, you push the idea of Stana fans against Nathan fans. That’s like saying one bad cop makes an entire force corrupt.
Nathan always says how amazing the rest of the cast and crew are. He doesn’t take all the credit.
I am sorry, but your response is completely out of line or any logic for that matter. First, you are being rude and jealous. Second, you apparently assume that if Nathan got nominated and won PCA and Stana didn’t it means that he is a horrible greedy person who somehow made people vote for him by being an egomaniac and limelight hogger (obvious conclusion). Third, you apparently confuse the actor and the character, because you think that as you don’t like Nathan Fillion the person, his character (title character no less) should be practically written out of the show. Well, good luck with that!
K u guys need to calm down. I’m sure she didn’t mean it in the way u r all taking it. I see how it sounds like she is hating on Nathan but I’m sure that wasn’t an intentional thing. The show though is about Castle so there will be more of Nathan, remember that he isn’t the one writing the script so either way it is not his fault. Let’s keep the peace <3
Yeah, I would really like for the show to focus on Castle more and I know that A LOT of people feel the same (whom I know personally at least). I liked first 2 seasons much more and back then it was a Castle show, now it feels more like Beckett show to me. Sure I’m not very interested in their romantic relationship unlike the majority of fans, so may be that’s why I’m so particularly frustrated with the lack of character development in Castle. But now it feels more like he’s a supporting character and it really brings the show down imho. All that stuff around Beckett however skillfully played by Stana feels like more of the same tired cop show thing, not something new or different from some NCIS or stuff like that. And I don’t understand what Marie means about Nathan Fillion taking credit for the show, but I’m not really into this fandom gossip stuff so may be you have some different info. But I can’t imagine anything negative, Nathan has always been known as a stand up guy, classy as I’ve always heard and seen. You may think this cuz he’s more well known and popular, and the face of the show but it’s not his fault, that’s just how things are, not something to get worked up about.
Oh, and I can’t imagine how much MORE of Beckett we could see. Then we’ll need to get rid of all other characters to free some more time)) Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for character development for Beckett, just not at the expense of Castle. And I agree, other characters need to get more depth and b/g, especially Alexis and Martha who are pretty much drifting now.
I completely agree! We need to know more about Castle’s inner life and earlier history. Why did he become a mystery writer, indeed! Very good question. And (besides living with his zany mother) we know next to nothing about his childhood or youth. He’s pretty sketchily filled in, compared to Kate.
(Ignore the rude weird comments there about Nathan hogging the limelight…… for example, just look at his graciousness in that awards vid that came out yesterday.) (Plus he’s always saying great things about Stana.)
Just, give Castle more Castle!
I think this show is in an interesting position, I agree 100% that Castle’s tale has been shuffled aside in favor of Beckett’s story. That being said, this show is directed by what Castle is interested in, clearly his interest revolves around Beckett thefore her story and his unfolding of that story is a focal point for the show. Despite all of the attention paid to her past, her mother’s murder, her own demons we do need movement for the Castle character.
Aside from the suggestion that NF’s talents are going to waste we need to examine how a show survives on one storyline. From what I seen the crux of the show revolves around Beckett, part of the reason the writers are having such difficulty developing the relationship of Beckett & Castle is because there is no motivation to move away from the Beckett storyline. There is nothing else they have to develop. Until this crucial point is resolved I don’t think there can be movement that brings the two leads together.
In addition to the general lack of information we have about the Castle character we also have a problem in that recently the show is repetitive. I, for one, have found less to excite me in the story and characters. While there have been some outstanding moments in this season, I do not find that there have been outstanding episodes as there have in the past. Part of this is due to the intense focus on the Beckett character. One of the downsides with being so myopic in scope is that KB’s storyline is a dramatic thread, and leaves no room for comedic growth. This developement has changed the tone of the show and what was once a dramedy in the vein of Picket Fences or Moonlighting, has evolved into a drama more reminiscent of the X-Files or NYPD Blue.
The hard part is with ever growing compeition on Monday evenings Castle needs to distinguish itself from the pack of Drama’s; one way it acheved this was with its levity and tone. Now, I fear, that it is closing in on Grey’s Anatomy and SVU terrority. We have gritty shows, we have dark shows, we have shows with will-they wont-they tension, what we need is the escapist shows. The shows that are hopeful and engaging, light and laugh-filled.
The most surprising thing about this is a change could be very easily achieved. By re-focusing on Castle we refocus on the life that is straddeling two worlds: the bottomless well of comedy that is celebrity in the 21st century, and the comedic goldmine that is a single father in a house of women. Together these two threads would bring back the light to the show without alienating viewers, who want to see Castle’s story as much as Beckett wants too.
Hopefully the writers will read this, and hear our plea…
That’s an awesome post, oysteinsevag! I agree with everything you said. Just wanted to add 2 things that bugger me the most. First, that when Castle goes for drama it’s SUPER SERIOUS DRAMA FOLKS! Pay attention or else!
This global conspiracy thing, assasisins, PTSD don’t work for this kind of show IMHO. It would’ve felt a lot more personal and poignant if Beckett’s mother case remained an accidental everyday murder case, and Beckett herself – that shy awkward cop who didn’t have a proper dress for a party. Now it all feels too much – Kate is a superhero with wild and glamorous past, conspiracy is everywhere and the show’s tone goes accordingly super dramatic whenever these themes are at the forefront.
And second thing is that Rick Castle gets inevitably sidelined whenever this dramatic stuff happens. He doesn’t really have a role in this, it’s not about him, and the writers don’t seem to know what to do with him. So he sorta loses even a second fiddle status and seems more like comic reliefe really. Sure, I care about Nathan wasting his talents in these circumstances but even more, as of right now, I care about the show losing its tone and initial purpose. As I (and oysteinsevag) said before it gets really difficult to distinguish it from other shows, and I never thought I’d eventually be watching NCIS or Grey’s Anatomy when I started to get into Castle.
It’s intial purpose? I think that would be the call if the creator. However, being that Beckett’s past and Castle’s curiousity about it came up in season one I’d say it’s fair to think that the conspiracy issue was always meant to be part of the story.
Still, I get that not everyone likes the show anymore and would prefer if it had stayed the same – more like a sitcom in it’s format. People do have different tastes and that is more than okay. Nevertheless, it’s the addition of more drama that has pushed the ratings up and given it far more buzz than it had earlier on. Truthfully the dramatic episodes do tend to get higher ratings. So the drama gives the show legs it wouldn’t have had otherwise.
The show’s comic touch, wacky sensibilities and long story arches make it quite different from other procedural dramas. It really is a dramedy. For all the talk of how serious the show has gotten
totally serious the majority of episodes still fall on the side of comedy. I do think more about Castle’s dad is coming up, and I’m looking forward to that arc and that focus, but I suspect it will also have serious tones to it, so even though the focus will shift to Castle I can’t help but wonder if it will still upset people.
I guess that will depend on if it’s amount of drama in the show that a person’s upset about, or if it’s just wanting the focus to be completely on Nathan’s character. Personally, Nathan is so generous of an actor, and has been in so many ensemble-like shows I think he might be surprised at the tone of some of the posts on this topic.
I don’t know if you mean me or some other poster, but I don’t think the tone of my post is offensive to anyone in any way. If it sounded this way to you, I’m sorry. And I repeat that Nathan’s or Stana’s career or status on the call shit is not my concern in this, I just really dig that Castle character and would like to see more of him. And I think it’s pretty reasonable him being the title character and all.
Frankly, I don’t get this mixing up of actors and characters (as somebody pointed out already), like the first poster did. “This actor bugs me IRL, I want his character gone” or “this character got really prominent/sidelined now, bet the actor is to praise/blame”. Of course it’s not the case and all these questions should be addressed to the writers and showrunners. And of course Nathan Fillion is well known as a very generous actor and probably doesn’t mind getting out of the spotlight from time to time (he might actually be happy to have some more free time).
But it doesn’t mean the character needs to continue underdeveloped and underused (to me) and I as a viewer have the right to prefer one thing or another. Concerning drama – as I said above, I’m not against it and I never wanted Castle to become a sitcom or stop all character progression. I just thought this choice of high-stakes global conspiracy angle wasn’t very fortunate and well thought out. Everyday common problems and troubles could work better as a dramatic choice for the show and it would better accomodate Castle’s trademark humor. For instance, I loved second season’s 2-parter about a common crime with high emotional stakes, but was meh about the last year one, with its larger than life overused conspiracy plot which sorta cheapened emotional side. Well, I dunno, it’s just my take on things. I’m not saying it’s right, I’m just one viewer of many. Hope I did get the tone right in this post and nobody is offended, just remember that I’m a guy and as a rule we are not as sensitive to this things, so apologies in advance))
For the record, the post wasn’t directed at you or a particular poster, and I agree that everyone has, and is entitled to their own opinion about the show’s content. I just found a general tone set by the slant of the original article, one which seems to imply that anything not directly related to the character of Castle shouldn’t be there. I wanted to have a counter opinion represented. My pointing out that Nathan has worked on many ensemble-like pieces was only to note that he might be surprised that viewers are upset with other characters being given focus. I also have liked having the longer arcs as opposed to the shorter, resolved in two or three episodes that is so typical for television.
It’s not a matter of right or wrong, but the opinion given by the poster is not the way all fans feel about
the show. I was heartened to see other posters becoming more willing to post differing opinions – I’m a fan of diversity.
I do miss watching Castle’s character develop like we saw in the first two years. I adore Beckett, but her backstory has become the driving force of the show and it’s called “Castle” not “Beckett” for a reason. Who was Castle’s father? He’s an investigative writer who discovered facts about Beckett’s mother’s death that she couldn’t find. Why can’t he look into his own past with the same determination? After all, we are talking about his daughter’s grandfather, also. I’d love to see the poker nights return, I miss those by-plays with some of the top fiction writers! They were fun!
Wow……….i enjoy watching Castle for what it is and all the actors and characters are on an even par in my book…. when I watch the episodes I am constantly picking up bits and pieces about what future episodes may bring to the table…..aka Castles dad!!! No matter what show movie you are watching there is always characters in the forground and then there’s the ones in the background doesnt mean that they are any less important . I dont have a PHD in anything but I do have a bit of an imagination and somethings in some episodes seem to me be an insight to another episode down the track…….I for one dont want the series to finish for a long time and if everything is revealed in a few seasons then “KAPOW”……. end of Castle.
I too am concerned about the direction the show has taken. The best episodes are those filled with light-hearted banter between Beckett and Castle. The worst episodes concern Beckett’s mother.
Both the lead actors are outstanding in their field, and I hope they get more recognition in the future. And the fans should keep their perspective, and not assign the roles to the actors in real life. From what I have heard both Stana and Nathan are great folks.
“The worst episodes concern Beckett’s mother.”
While I strongly disagree with that particular statement, I do understand the general feeling of liking the light-hearted episodes better than the serious ones. A “dramedy” like Castle is an extremely difficult thing to pull off, because the tone is constantly shifting or kind of walking that tightrope right in the middle. I just recently started watching Castle this season, but I’ve been a loyal Chuck watcher since the middle of season 2, and that show has a LOT of the same challenges, since it is also a dramedy with a very similar tone to Castle. Chuck did a great job balancing that sense of drama and danger and concern for the characters along with the comedy elements up through season 2, but then it kind of went off the rails in season 3 when it got too serious. And it while it got back to the light tone in season 4, it still never fully recovered to its previous quality. I”m still a loyal fan, but it’s just not what it used to be.
Since I’m new to Castle just this season, I had the luxury of catching up on the show by watching the entire first three seasons back to back all within a few weeks over the Christmas break timeframe.
Doing that has made it pretty clear to me that Castle season 4 has had a bit of a more serious tone than the earlier seasons … as well as the Castle and Beckett characters having really gotten scared off from the relationship question after Beckett’s shooting. That is definitely kind of a bummer, and I think the showrunners/writers are in a SUPER precarious situation right now, to attempt to pull this off without alienating the audience like what happened with Chuck.
I personally have REALLY enjoyed the serious elements of Castle because it makes me care more about the characters, but one thing I’ve found is that the serious elements played more smoothly up through season 3 than they have in some parts of season 4. One good example is “Kill Shot”: I was really glad they did that episode rather than having Beckett was just brush off being almost killed within 15 minutes of the season premiere, because that is totally unrealistic and it really annoyed me at the time (before I saw “Kill Shot”). But what I think they did WRONG with this episode was two things:
a) We saw absolutely NOTHING of Beckett’s PTSD between ep 1 and ep 9 of this season, and then suddenly in “Kill Shot”, it’s so severe that she’s practically unable to function at ALL. So the way it played was kind of odd, and not as smooth as it should have been.
b) Castle’s character was TOTALLY sidelined in that episode. I get that they were trying to show that Beckett was purposely pushing him away and I’m also really glad it gave Esposito some time to shine. However I just wish they could have allowed Castle to play a TEENY bit of a role in getting Beckett through that, rather than shoving him to the curb completely. But I also understand that there’s only so much you can shove into 42 or 43 minutes of time.
Anyway I guess my point with all this is that I DO like the dramatic elements to this show; in a sense they are my favorite part because that is what makes me CARE about the characters. However, there’s times when it has played a bit awkwardly this season and I do think Castle himself has been sidelined a bit, not just in “Kill Shot” but a tad bit in general as well. And I’m just reeaally really hoping that they can pull off this season without it going off the rails like Chuck season 3.
I’m still keeping my hopes up!
My first comment is about Kill Shot. Once Beckett dealt with the initial moments of PTSD she was able to push those symptoms down – Castle walked her through that. However, being put back in a situation EXACTLY like the one where she was shot, triggered a full-on episode. Marlowe did his homework on this. PTSD is sometime that gets triggered, activated. It’s not something that is always active.
What I loved about Castle’s role in this episode is that he saw what she needed to get better. He’s the one who knew she needed to talk to someone who had been through what she had and arranged for that to happen. I thought that was the most generous, unselfish act of love on his part. It also was far more of a realistic scenario. The best person to help someone through a trauma is usually someone who’s been through a similar situation – not a loved one or someone close to you. The fact that Castle backed off and DIDN’T try to be the one she talked to said alot more about his love and understanding of her than any kind of unreal conversation where he somehow knows just the right thing to say. Doing so, while romantic, would have rang false to me.
The reaction some had with Kill Shot reminds me of the issue some had with Kate’s scars. People thought there should have been a bigger chest wound visible, but factually that would have been inaccurate because A) there was no exit wound and a bullet goes in clean B) the heart surgery was shown as clearly being done through her side, not by cracking open her chest. Sure an ugly scar across her chest might have been more dramatic, but it also wouldn’t have fit the facts. I like that Castle tries to stay in the real zone on these things because I personally feel it makes the characters more genuine.
Secondly, I like what you said about watching season 3 straight through and the drama playing out smoothly. During season 3 the complaints about too much drama were also going on. Yet it turns out to be an amazing season story arc. Being that we are only halfway through four, I think waiting to see how all the pieces fit together makes more sense than trying to judge each piece and use those judgements to indict the whole show.
“Once Beckett dealt with the initial moments of PTSD she was able to push those symptoms down – Castle walked her through that. However, being put back in a situation EXACTLY like the one where she was shot, triggered a full-on episode.”
Yeah agreed and I know that’s why they played it out that way, and it totally does make sense to me. I still just wish we could have seen a LITTLE bit more of Beckett dealing with aftereffects up until that moment, though I think they did give us one bit of it in an earlier episode where she mentioned that she still has physical pain sometimes. So that was at least something to remind us that it was something she was still having to deal with and work through. I think maybe one other problem with Kill Shot was that the direction on that episode was a little strange … there were some odd moments like when she was in her apartment drinking and freaking out … that scene came off a bit more melodramatic and jarringly weird than it should have. I think that type of stuff might be adding to my feelings of “awkwardness” I mentioned in my earlier comment. Though it’s kinda funny that I’m even complaining because for the most part, I actually liked “Kill Shot”!
But I had seen some complaints about it from other folks though.
“He’s the one who knew she needed to talk to someone who had been through what she had and arranged for that to happen. I thought that was the most generous, unselfish act of love on his part. It also was far more of a realistic scenario.”
Agree with you on this too, and yes I definitely think that’s why the writers went this direction with it. I think with this one you’re more in a situation of a double-edged sword. You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Writing the episode the way they did pisses fans off because they don’t feel like Castle is involved enough. And if they wrote it so that CASTLE was the one helping her through everything, you’d have a different group of people complaining that ESPOSITO should have been the one to help her because of his experience.
So I think this is one of those situations where the fans just need to be patient and wait for Castle to get his “moments to shine” haha. But I also think that’s exactly why the writers are in such a precarious situation and balancing act right now … it’s just so tough to get through it without alienating large groups of fans.
“People thought there should have been a bigger chest wound visible, but factually that would have been inaccurate …”
LOL I was totally one of those people who was annoyed at her lack of chest scar! But that was before I saw Kill Shot … then I realized that the big scar was on her SIDE, not her chest. For some reason I could have sworn they cracked her chest in “Rise”, but then I went back and re-watched and saw they went through the side. That was only the second episode of Castle I’d ever seen so a lot of it was confusing to me at the time haaha. Re-watching it after having caught up on the past three seasons and Kill Shot made it make SO much more sense to me.
“During season 3 the complaints about too much drama were also going on. Yet it turns out to be an amazing season story arc.”
Haha wow that is funny; it’s always interesting to come in midway through as an “outsider” and form an opinion completely outside of any positive or negative opinions you’ve heard (since I had heard basically nothing), and THEN see what others were thinking while it was originally airing. It makes me realize that a decent part of why season 4 is playing out differently for me IS because I’m watching it live rather than back-to-back all at once. Watching it live adds about a MILLION layers of frustration because of the long periods of waiting in between episodes. Let’s say you have a “filler” episode one week were none of the major story arcs move forward much … when you watch it live, you get annoyed and frustrated because you waited a whole week (or more) for that and now you have to wait ANOTHER week or more. But when watching it on DVD or streaming, you just say, “Eh, that one wasn’t all that great but let’s just watch the next one, I’m sure it’ll be better,” and then it almost always is hahaha.
LOL! I learned my lesson in season three. They had that kiss, but then, while I could see more of a connection between them, Beckett was still with Josh, and they never mentioned the kiss. Their was the L.A. moment, the “One writer girl” moment, but no actual discussion. I was impatient. Then came Knockout and that fight between Beckett and Castle was AMAZING. Nathan and Stana knocked it out the park. I realized that there was A POINT to them not talking about it before. The not talking about created this huge tension that was then able to explode and really flesh out the issues between them. If I needed a reminder to trust Marlowe, a couple of weeks ago I got antsy and was like, is he gonna bring up this secret thing or not? The NEXT episode was Dial M For Mayor. LOL! So, now I am far more willing to see what Marlowe is
building. He always pays things off, and in a big way. Each episode is like a section of a puzzle where the audience doesn’t know what the final picture is supposed to look like. I’m trusting it’s gonna be AMAZING!
HA yeah I think I would have also been driven nuts by the fact that Castle and Beckett didn’t even discuss their kiss in season 3 if I had been waiting a week between every episode. And yeah oh my god that scene or several of those scenes in the L.A. ep too. But I was also on the edge of my seat during their argument in “Knockout” … and I was also happy that they acknowledged the “elephants in the room” there. I also loved the scene where Castle is telling his mom that he’s really worried about Beckett, and he’s kind of afraid to get the words out there about his true feelings for Beckett, and at some point during a major pause Martha goes, “Go on!!” … that really cracked me up cause she was playing the role of the entire audience there hahah. Like “DUDE just spit it out already we’ve been waiting three seasons now!!”
But yeah, to your point, thus far Andrew Marlowe has been good about making sure he ties up those majorly important loose ends when it counts, even if he makes us suffer several episodes before he gets there LOL. But that’s just how television works if you wanna keep the excitement going. That’s why I’m still feeling pretty confident at this point that the Joanna Beckett story arc will get to a place by the end of this season where Beckett can move past it and hopefully let her relationship with Castle go where it SHOULD be going haha … and then allow for other major story arcs like Castle’s mystery dad. Fingers crossed.
Interesting article, and I definitely see where you’re coming from. To be fair, as mentioned by oysteinsevag above, the story IS told from Castle’s point of view, and his main focus for his job right now is writing a character based on Beckett. So in a sense it is natural that a lot of the story would focus on her. BUT, at the same time, Castle has a home life and backstory too, and if the story is told from his p.o.v., we should also get some of that. We always see scenes of his apartment with his mom and Alexis, and that provides SOME insight into his character, but it doesn’t so much give backstory. We got some of that in the first couple seasons with showing his ex wives and all, but since then, there hasn’t been much.
I think from time to time while watching the show I’ve thought that it would be nice if Castle could reveal more of his earlier life experiences when talking to Beckett about her life … in the sense of, relating his experience to help give her advice or insight. We get this in the funny scenes with him and both Beckett and his mom/Alexis where he jokes about his wild past and ex wives and all, but we pretty much NEVER get it with the serious stuff. Right? Oh here’s a good example: There was a scene in season 1 or 2 where Beckett asks Castle why he became a mystery writer. He answers with this sad and creepy story about finding a body on the beach when he was a kid, and I was kind of into that story, and then suddenly he’s like, “PSYCH!! I’m just messing with you duh!!” And I was honestly kind of disappointed!! Lol, because he NEVER gives her a real answer to that question!! Does he, or is my memory just failing me?
So yeah, I do think you have a good point here. I think this particular season is focused on moving through and maybe even eventually somewhat PAST the storyline with Beckett’s mom, so it kinda makes sense that this season has been more intensely Beckett-focused. But I think the perfect next story to focus on after this is the mystery of Castle’s father. I think that would be a perfect way to solve this problem. I thought I read something recently that implied they might go this direction soon … hopefully I’m not just dreaming that up.
I for one have enjoyed the shift to more drama. They’re only so much of character cut-ups and oneliners a show can do before it just turns into a straight comedy. Not that I don’t like the comedy aspects, but the drama episodes are what give Castle it’s depth and color. If Beckett had no backstory, this would have gotten boring fast. I also think that more information on Castle will be forthcoming and weaved in to what’s going on now. I don’t see the story as being an either/or dynamic, but right now she’s the mystery he’s wanted to solve, and that’s what we’re seeing.
As for the idea that Nathan takes the all credit or whatever – of course he doesn’t. He’s a very generous actor and person by all accounts. I think what the original poster might have meant is that the media perception was originally more focused on Nathan Fillion. This of course, made total sense as Nathan is the more
well known of the two leads – especially in the beginning. The stuff about Beckett has given Stana Katic more visiblity but I hardly see it as having pushed Nathan to the sidelines.
Marlowe has always said there is more to the story of Castle and Beckett than the two of them getting together. What I’ve enjoyed about the show is that it’s scope continues to get wider. There are MANY mysteries that are left to be answered, about Castle,
Beckett, heck Lanie and Eposito have interesting backgrounds. Letting the characters grow and reveal different aspects of their backgrounds for me ensures that the show will never get boring. I don’t feel like the show has lost it’s Castle moments of comedy,
rather that more has been added to the mix.
I agree that the show should start to focus more on Castle, and yes he is the title character but there are other people in the show too. I have heard this a lot. “Where’s Castle?” “Why is the show focussing more on everyone else?” “There is more on Esplanie than Caskett, what’s up with that?” The people that think like that I have a feeling would also be saying “Why don’t we get to know more on everyone else?” if the show just focussed on Castle. We are at a point now where we have learned enough about Castle to start learning more about the rest of the cast. It’s what develops the show! You can’t go on forever with just one character! This is the story of Castle, and who he is. Well now who he is, is a man who works with the NYPD to solve murders and has these new cop friends and is in love with one of his best friends.
I too believe that we should start learning more about Castle. Looking back on what we know already though, we know a lot! We have met his ex-wives, we met the one that got away, we are always learning something new about Alexis and Martha and we know that as this relationship with the NYPD continues he matures. We know a lot about Castle. Yes there are the big questions like why he started writing and why he is interested in the macabre but we will find that out in time. It gives us something to look forward to and makes him unpredictable. Another big question is who is Castle’s dad? And guess what? We will be finding that out soon.
I would like to know more about Castle, but I also want to know more about Lanie. I want to see Lanie and Beckett’s relationship again! I enjoy getting to know the other characters because the show is not just about one man. I also wouldn’t mind knowing more on Gates, and Ryan, Esposito, and of course Beckett! I do think there should be more Castle because at the beginning all the episodes revolved around him, but that’s why I also think that it’s time to start bringing everyone else out.
They are all talented actors and deserve a chance to shine. I think that now the writers are just trying to create more of a known universe, create 3D characters who have substance. They have created the show so now they are fine-tuning it. I believe that later on in this season we will start seeing more of Castle. For me? I am savouring each minute of this fantastic show. I am watching each episode like it’s the last and appreciate all the hard work that goes into it. Sure there are times when I don’t agree with their choices (like the whole 2 minute wedding thing) but I understand why they had to make them. I am thankful for this show, and thankful that we have such a fantastic cast, crew, writers and staff who can take this show to greater heights each and every week.
The concern for any program in its 4th year is how do we make it a 5th year and harder still, how do we make it a 6th & 7th year provided that the actors, writers, producers & networks are all on the same page.
I am none of the above nor have I worked at a network.
The problem here for the writer is that they have to please a plethora of people. The actors want interesting characters to play. Episodes that will stretch their acting chops. Producers want story lines that will please the public and thus in turn please the networks.
This is a tightrope that many dare not travel for the path is tricky at best..
We as viewers acknowledge that not every episode will float our boat but what we hope is that they will take us on a journey.
It is a journey of a man who has found something bigger than he is. He has found his soulmate and he didn’t know it at first but as the shows continue, he is drawn ever closer to this realization. His muse has had her own journey with him and his change has brought about change in her. Each are challenging the others preconceptions on all matters and it is fun to watch this process.
I think we have to be a little bit more patient with the rollout here. Yes… we started alot with Castle and his shinanigans and then it moved to the more serious Beckett line.
But if you sit back and think about it, it is not possible to have a Castle trying to find or meeting his dad all the while Beckett is still hung up about getting to the bottom of her mom’s death.
So in as much as people would like to see more, there has to be a sharing.
The search for Beckett’s mom killer has been a thread since the end of S1 and will continue.
I think that introducing Castle’s Dad – the search or reveal of him – needs to be ramped up.
What we don’t need to see is it popping up out of nowhere and so, an introduction to what’s coming down the pipe would be nice.
I agree that Castle has at times been less than a second fiddle in some episodes, I have seen him taking a larger role of late. Previously you would see Beckett taking 90% of the interogation with Castle putting in a smart comment or two. I felt it was too overly weighted on that character but folks when I read the other posts, it was as if there was blame being put in the people behind the characters when let’s be real here, it’s the writers that put the words to page.
Sometimes in our rush to get to the end point, we ignore some of the lovely scenery along the way. Not every episode points to that end point in a blantant way but it is the journey.
I know Andrew Marlow & Co know where they want to go and I sure know that they know where we want the characters to go as well. My only concern is if the plan is for a certain time span that the networks don’t comply. When that happens, we will be seeing shows moving so fast our heads will be spinning and if that’s the case, this bulletin board will be no more.
So, be patient. Hope that ABC will promote this show more as with any business, if you do not advertise you can’t expect customers. I picked up on this show at the end of Season 2 and have been singing its praises to my friends, family, co-workers and clients… yes, I’ve gotten a couple of clients watching it as well. So I know that even in Season 4, you can have new viewers and gain market share which at the end of the day is the most important thing for the networks because they will have the final word.
I’m hoping that the word is a Season 5 renewal for 24 episodes…. #fingers crossed.
My 2 cents..
I do think it’s called Castle for a reason, it’s Castle’s life. But to know and understand more about everything that’s going on with his love interest and muse, we do have to look more into Beckett’s life for a while.
We’ve done that now so I do hope we will go back to learn more about Castle’s life and his mother and daughter as they are a huge part of his life as well.
The life of Alexis has never been dropped. We pretty much alwsys know what’s going on with her. In fact, we get quite a bit about Castle’s home life, and that’s been pretty consistent. I think when they start up more about Castle’s father we’ll learn more about Martha and her backstory. Of course, doing so could cause the same kind of issue being discussed now. As one poster has pointed out, there’s just no pleasing everyone.
I have to agree with Anne, the writers do a fantastic job on this series as they juggle keeping the audience, network and actors happy, an all important task do we can enjoy many vore seasons of Castle.
From where I sit the Castle character is far more open than any other on the show as Rick tends to speak his mind before he filters what is coming out of his mouth. As a result in my opinion we have a much clearer idea of Castle’s motivations, thoughts etc. Castle also has family interactions to broaden our understanding of his character.
On the other hand as Castle himself says Beckett is a mystery much of the time, a closed book as it were. I am thoroughly enjoying accompanying Castle on his journey of discovery into what makes Kate who she is and watching his love for her slowly break down the walls she has built to protect herself.
I for one, am looking forward to seeing where Andrew Marlowe and his talented team take us in the later half of season 4.
I like the balance between the characters overall, though I will agree that the writers have had a rough time resetting the balance this season. What I miss is Castle the writer. I liked the way he had another career/life that kept getting in the way. For the last while he has essentially been following Beckett around (the poker players used to have things to say about that, and I miss them too). He’s lost some of his independent power of action, which may be one of the underlying currents in some of the comments above.
Absolutely agree!
Sometimes I wish Rick could be a little more ‘dangerous’. like he was in the begininnig some times, but how would you do that on a weekly basis and still keep it realistic (or semi-). You can’t have Castle become a cop or a super agent.
But I think it should be possible to have even mature Castle be a bit more pro-active as a writer. After all, that is not just his job (which he wouldn’t need to pursue on a daily basis, cause he’s loaded) but also his passion and the framing device, or central conceit, of this series.
One more observation in closing: I have found that having to wait at least a week for a single new installment of a series can negatively impact ones perception of that show. Because even if you remember broadly what is going on you still get a fragmented view of what is a complex, dynamic thing. Rewatching an entire series in one go can significantly change your initial impressions for the better because you get the different aspects that the show can’t address all at the same time in much more coherent a package. I guess what I’m trying to say is simply don’t throw out the child with the bath water.
I think that we still haven’t seen much of Beckett or Castle: Just Johanna’s murder. Now, we all know it’s a huge part of Beckett’s character, but outside from that, we know little about her ACTUAL self. With Castle, we see his home life, but we don’t know anything of his past. I think we see more of Beckett’s past and little present, and with Castle, we see present and little past. They are equal. Eventually, when we know everything about their pasts and presents, that is when Castle and Beckett will probably get together. I love the way the show is going. Also, I’ve heard rumors that we might be getting a taste of Castle’s daddy mystery this season. People, just have patience.
“Now, we all know it’s a huge part of Beckett’s character, but outside from that, we know little about her ACTUAL self. With Castle, we see his home life, but we don’t know anything of his past. I think we see more of Beckett’s past and little present, and with Castle, we see present and little past.”
That’s a good point! Though I really hope they don’t make us wait until they’ve fully shown ALL that stuff before they get them together, otherwise we’ll all be 85 years old by the time we get there.
Thanks, and I agree with that part. Maybe not until EVERYTHING is shared, but the two main staples: Johanna’s murder and Castle’s dad. Now, they don’t have to be fully solved: just addressed. I don’t see Castle getting with Beckett until he’s told her about this shadowy figure who’s “helping” her. Hopefully, they will get together end of this season or somewhere in the next. (That’s the fangirl inside talking!)
Speak my mind, huh? Okay you asked for it. Remember that.
There must be a reason for the show’s close focus on Beckett. I have full faith in these writers. They do nothing without a good reason.
If you think about the anatomy of a romantic relationship, two people meet and there is interest but each person’s life is their own. As a couple gets closer and spends more time together, they share more of their lives.
We know Castle is in love with Beckett, one of the toughest parts of being in love is watching someone who is a huge part of your existence be hurt, mistreated or watch them wrestling with personal demons. Let’s face it there are struggles each person must get through essentially on their own. There are loved ones to listen and to guide them but other than that these people have to it themselves. He has had to stand by and let Kate pull herself through the muck. He can’t do it for her. The drama is an attempt to convey those struggles and also to give us a clearer picture of how closely their lives are meshing even before the “romance” actually starts.
I also miss the poker games. A return to them will give Castle a wider social circle without him dating other women and risking the chance he is hoping to have with Beckett. There will be room for a lot of fun when Cannell’s seat becomes available to welcome a new player.
i think that the way they can develop that is by having an episode or a part that shows how CAstle feels aout his unknown father, and maybe finding out who that might be
At the 2011 Comic Con in San Diego, it was revealed that there’s an entire arc in development about Castle’s dad. They were taking suggestions about who would play him. I think maybe some of my bafflement comes from being up on spoilers. When I read things about how we need more information on Castle’s father, I’m like, “but we’re going to GET that, just let Marlowe get there.” The WORST thing a show can do is just throw a story together. Castle is a show that has one the best, if not THE best, records of continuity of character development and storylines on network television. That’s not just my opinion, it’s been commented on by many
reviewers – TV guide in particular comes to mind. I Think part of what goes on with Castle is that although it has the formatting of a procedural drama, it really isn’t episodic in it’s content. Solutions to arcs don’t happen in an episode or two, only to whatever the crime-of-the-week happens to be. I am DYING to know what the deal is with Castle’s Dad, but I trust that Marlowe has a particular story about that to tell, one that fits in with everything that we’ve seen before it, not just rendomly thrown in for effect. Again, maybe if I didn’t know it was planned I’d be more upset, but I am not a member of the spoiler-
At the 2011 Comic Con in San Diego, it was revealed that there’s an entire arc in development about Castle’s dad. They were taking suggestions about who would play him. I think maybe some of my bafflement comes from being up on spoilers. When I read things about how we need more information on Castle’s father, I’m like, “but we’re going to GET that, just let Marlowe get there.” The WORST thing a show can do is just throw a story together. Castle is a show that has one the best, if not THE best, records of continuity of character development and storylines on network television. That’s not just my opinion, it’s been commented on by many
reviewers – TV guide in particular comes to mind. I Think part of what goes on with Castle is that although it has the formatting of a procedural drama, it really isn’t episodic in it’s content. Solutions to arcs don’t happen in an episode or two, only to whatever the crime-of-the-week happens to be. I am DYING to know what the deal is with Castle’s Dad, but I trust that Marlowe has a particular story about that to tell, one that fits in with everything that we’ve seen before it, not just rendomly thrown in for effect. Again, maybe if I didn’t know it was planned I’d be more upset, but I am not a member of the spoiler-free club.
I also have felt this season to be somewhat fragmented but as another poster pointed out, it much easier to follow the thread of this story by watching a full season in a short period of time. I watched seasons 1, 2, & 3 within week and fell in love with the show. I’ve recommended it to friends who don’t get it because they have no history of the characters and their relationship to each other.
I have missed some particular things so far this season.
1. Is Castle working on a new book – what has become of Rick, the author, who is person with a real job (purpose)?
2. As mentioned in earlier posts, where are Castle’s writing friends? The card games were fun and offered great insights in solving that week’s mystery. I loved having real writers play themselves.
3. Where are Castle’s more poignant scenes? The best one this season was in cops and robbers when the gun was held at his throat. Also thought this episode allowed Castle to play the real hero and not just a lovesick puppy following around after Beckett.
Speaking of the Cops and Robbers episode, I thought both Nathan and Stana gave terrific performances. The dialogue was great, yet minimal, and both actors relayed feelings through sheer body language. I do feel this episode offered a terrific opportunity for more physical expression of their feelings – at the very least a hug after the explosion. In Season 3, when Castle disarms the bomb at the last second, there was the ‘hug’ which was certainly normal. In this episode, the bomb actually explodes – Beckett appears to think Castle has been killed and Castle knows he barely escaped being blown to bits or at least shot. Their relationship is much deeper than it has been in the past, yet they lose the moment totally by Martha’s interruption. I think the writers (whom I greatly admire) sell the fans short by believing that any sign of a ‘real’ relationship between Castle and Beckett would spoil the sexual tension. Today’s fans are smart enough to know that they don’t want to be strung along waiting for something that will never take place. They also know that the tension becomes unbelievable if not fed a little by physical demonstration.
Castle does need a more encompassed role this season. All the actors are great in what they bring to their characters but for this fan, it is Nathan Fillion’s innate charm and natural acting ability that keeps viewers loyal to the show. We fans need a more in-depth look into the life of Rick Castle and Nathan needs more opportunity to deliver that to us.
I like the honesty of your post. It’s straightforward and to the point – you want more Nathan. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. I too think Nathan is delicious, but I would disagree with the idea that ALL fans are loyal to the show because of him. Personally, because I came to Castle with no ties to any of the actors, I can’t say I’m loyal to the show because of any particular one. I suppose my loyalty comes because I love the writing and intricate structuring that goes into it. Don’t get me wrong, I can’t imagine the show working without Nathan or Stana. I honestly don’t think different actors could pull it off, but the bottom line for me in terms of loyalty is probably that I have a lot of trust in Marlowe. Everytime I’ve doubted he’s managed to come through.
The poker games were pulled back alot after the death of one of the mystery writers, which seems understandable and respectful to me. After seeing Dial M for Mayor it seems pretty clear that Castle’s role is going to be more drama-heavy in the second half. I see the pieces being put in place for his componet in the Beckett mysteries to be ramped up, but it had to be BUILT first, while also trying to keep the “lighter” episodes up, and set up \ate’s mental shift so that she could actual be in a mental space to open up to a romantic relationship. Other shows may have tramatic events happen and then throw the characters in bed together without thought, but Castle is a well-written show.
I’ve mentioned that the arc about Castle’s dad is already been said to be in the works by the writers. My inclination is to let Marlowe tell his story. There are only so many pieces of it that can be told in 47 minute blocks once a week. As the pieces do aalways seem to come and fit together into a fabulous picture, I’m sure that at the end of the arc there will be a great balance of Rick and Kate, drama and comedy,
I like the honesty of your post. It’s straightforward and to the point – you want more Nathan. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. I too think Nathan is delicious, but I would disagree with the idea that ALL fans are loyal to the show because of him. Personally, because I came to Castle with no ties to any of the actors, I can’t say I’m loyal to the show because of any particular one. I suppose my loyalty comes because I love the writing and intricate structuring that goes into it. Don’t get me wrong, I can’t imagine the show working without Nathan or Stana. I honestly don’t think different actors could pull it off, but the bottom line for me in terms of loyalty is probably that I have a lot of trust in Marlowe. Everytime I’ve doubted he’s managed to come through.
The poker games were pulled back alot after the death of one of the mystery writers, which seems understandable and respectful to me. After seeing Dial M for Mayor it seems pretty clear that Castle’s role is going to be more drama-heavy in the second half. I see the pieces being put in place for his componet in the Beckett mysteries to be ramped up, but it had to be BUILT first, while also trying to keep the “lighter” episodes up, and set up \ate’s mental shift so that she could actual be in a mental space to open up to a romantic relationship. Other shows may have tramatic events happen and then throw the characters in bed together without thought, but Castle is a well-written show.
I’ve mentioned that the arc about Castle’s dad is already been said to be in the works by the writers. My inclination is to let Marlowe tell his story. There are only so many pieces of it that can be told in 47 minute blocks once a week. As the pieces do aalways seem to come and fit together into a fabulous picture, I’m sure that at the end of the arc there will be a great balance of Castle and Beckett, drama and comedy, mystery and romance. The WHY things were structured the way we’ve seen will become clear as we go along, because with Marlowe, the payoff always shows up.
wow the castle beckett wars. this is a murder mystery show. i injoy the the cases trying to figure who did an why. i realy dont care who kisses who. or who is sleeping with who. this is amystery show not a soap opera. we all know what happened to soap operas.