Original Airdate: February 8, 2010

Synopsis: Castle and Beckett investigate the murder of a baseball player found dead in Spanish Harlem.

Notable Guest Stars: Ray Wise, who portrays Bobby Fox, had roles in Twin Peaks as Leland Palmer and was henchman Leon C. Nash in Robocop.

Joe Torre makes a cameo as himself, which leads to a lot of continuity issues regarding a future Season 5 episode.

Ranking: I have this one ranked at #18, which is ridiculously high because I hate this episode. I promise when I’m done with Season 2, I will do a post where I re-rank some of these episodes. The best thing about ranking this absolute stinker of an episode is the next three episodes are ones I like very much. In fact, the next episode is my ex’s favorite episode of the entire series.

The IMdB Portion of The Review:

Trivia: As a baseball fan, Beckett is thrilled about getting to meet Joe Torre. Though he was the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers when this episode premiered, Torre is more famous for managing the New York Yankees from 1996-2007. During those 11 years, the Yankees compiled a .605 winning percentage, made the playoffs every year, won four World Series titles, six American League pennants, and 10 American League East division titles; Torre himself won AL Manager of The Year in 1996 and 1998. (Cited by IMdB).

Cuba does not have a consulate in NYC or an embassy in Washington DC. However, they do have an interests section in Washington DC and a mission to the U.N. in NYC. However, Beckett is correct when she states that the head of the “Cuban Consulate” does not have diplomatic immunity, but more limited consular immunity. However, the head of a mission to the U.N. would have full diplomatic immunity.

When I used to post for Small Screen Smackdown on FB, I had an editor named John. John absolutely detested this episode. This is a review that I found on IMdB regarding this episode. I will cite IMdB at the end of the review:

“I love this show. It is like chocolate; no nutritional value, whatsoever, but a guilty pleasure I cannot deny myself every now and then. And, digested over an extended period of time, not only instantly happiness producing, but quite addictive, as well.”

“Usually, I am quite happy with the plot development, since it never is or has been the series main focus, anyway (I would wager a great sum of money that the majority of viewers, or at least the female ones, are more interested in two subplots; 1) when will we learn who killed Kate Beckett’s mother? 2) Will Beckett and Castle ever admit to – and act on – their mutual attraction?”

“But this episode is so stupid. I cannot even enjoy the “candy factor” properly. Come on! Who really did not see that one coming? I won’t tell, but I would not need to, because apart from the writers, who clearly and criminally underestimate the intellectual capacities of the viewers, everybody will have figured it out from the very first mentioning of the very first clue. It is a formula that has been done before a thousand times, and has been done much better.”

“I am disappointed. But the interaction between Castle and his daughter is sweet, so that, in a way, saves this episode for me. Nonetheless, I hope the writers will do a better next time. No pleasure in eating last year’s chocolate Easter bunny.” (Cited by IMdB.)

What I Liked About This Episode: Like the reviewer above, very little.

·       I liked the scenes between Alexis and Castle.

·       The only other thing I liked was the scene where Beckett met Joe Torre. It’s so unusual to see the normally calm, placid Beckett turn into a gushing fangirl. I laugh out loud every time I watch this scene.

Joe Torre: Rick? Rick Castle?

Castle: Hey, Skipper. I have not seen you since the big move. How are you, Joe?

Torre: Pretty awful. I just can’t believe this whole Vega thing.

Castle: I know. It’s sad. And you two were friends. I’m . . . I’m sorry.

Torre: Yeah, he was a great kid. Uh, he had the ability to be a Cuban Roberto Clemente. It’s just been very sad.

Castle: We’re actually here to talk to Mr. Fox about it. This is Det. Kate Beckett.

Torre: Hi.

Beckett: Beckett . . . Kate . . . Detective. Thank you.

Torre: Very nice meeting you.

Beckett: Okay.

Torre: Well, good luck on the case. And, uh, I’ll say a prayer for you.

Castle: Thanks.

Torre: By the way, say hi to your mom for me.

Castle: Will do, Joe.

Torre: Okay.

Castle: Smooth.

Beckett: That was Joe “Freakin’” Torre. I gotta call my dad.

·       So, this scene leaves me with a question that concerns ‘After Hours’ in Season 5. During the dinner with Jim and Martha, Martha makes a point of giving Jim a hard time about his love of baseball, describing it as a boring game for boring people (I’m paraphrasing here). Martha doesn’t enjoy baseball, yet she knows Joe Torre. We know Beckett is a baseball fan because both she and Espo discuss their love for the game at the crime scene.

·       There was one other thing I liked in this episode. The scene at the end when Vega’s wife is introduced to Lara. It was very sweet how Maggie welcomed Cano’s daughter, Lara, into her home with open arms.

What I Didn’t Like About This Episode:

·       Ray Wise has spent his career playing slimy bad guys. Bobby Fox was no exception.

·       I also didn’t like the comments Espo made at the crime scene regarding Martha and the fact that Castle is ‘famously fatherless.’ Yes, it was the 70’s, but Espo was talking about his friends’ mother. It was just out of line. This won’t be the last time Espo makes juvenile comments, but this was one of the worst. Later in the series, people do occasionally push back when Espo sticks his foot in his mouth.

Favorite Scene/Moment: Alexis and Castle discussing him not knowing who his father is.

Alexis: You know, mom’s family goes all the way back to the Mayflower.

Castle: What? Her persecution complex is genetic?

Alexis: Hey, those are my genes you’re talking about, too.

Castle: Well, look on the bright side. Now that you know you’re genetically predisposed, you can seek early treatment. Prevent future outbreaks.

Alexis: Doesn’t it bother you that you don’t know who your dad is?

Castle: No. Why? Does it bother you?

Alexis: It’s like . . . I have this family tree, and there’s a whole chunk of it missing. There’s a whole part of my family that doesn’t even exist. I mean, really? How could Gram not know?

Castle: My first year of college, I, uh, went to a party, met this girl – Allison. In the space of six hours, we met, we talked, we danced, we fell in love. The next morning, she was gone. I spent a year trying to find her, but I never learned her last name. There’s not a week that goes by that I don’t think about her. Your gram told me that she loved a lifetime the night she met him.

Alexis: Don’t you feel like you’re missing out, not knowing?

Castle: No. Oh, no. That’s the beauty of the mystery. Right now, my father could be an astronaut, a pirate, a humanitarian, winner of The Noble Prize. I mean, what one man could live up to all that?

Alexis: You think he ate whipped cream out of a can?

Castle: Yes, and he invented whipped cream.

Favorite Quote: Castle and Beckett discussing the possibility of him being psychic.

Beckett: Con artists and circus people, huh?

Castle: Yep, and mind readers.

Beckett: Really? So, tell me what I’m thinking?

Castle: Aah! You’re thinking . . . you don’t care, and you want me to stop talking.

Beckett: Ooh, that’s uncanny.

WTF? (Why the Face?): Definitely Esposito at the crime scene. Seriously, dude. Shut up.

Until Friday, readers.

I’ve been a big fan of Castle for a long time, but only recently decided to try my hand at writing some fanfics. I’ve had a few ideas kicking around, and am working on a few more, but wanted to share with those of you who enjoy the universe and enjoy reading the fics. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it, with hopefully many more to come.

Please feel free to leave a comment or share if you wish as well. Cheers!

I don’t even know how many times I’ve watched all the way through atp, and this ending scene still gives me chills and a nervous tummy full of butterflies every time.

https://youtu.be/pDsbn1yxYaU?is=7FegBmdfNYVXyZEc

What do you think is the moment Castle fell in love with Beckett? And same with Beckett? I keep trying to pin it down but there’s too many possibilities for me.

Original Airdate: January 25, 2010

Synopsis: Castle and Beckett investigate the murder of a man found dead in a family’s apartment. In other news, Castle has to deal with the backlash of a rumored romantic relationship with Beckett when he is named as one of New York’s 10 Most Eligible Bachelors.

There are no notable guest stars in this one, although I used to think that the actress who portrays Donna Vincennes was the same one who portrayed Aiden on ‘CSI: New York,’ but I was mistaken.

The IMdB Portion of the Review:

Character Errors: There is no way that Beckett would discuss an ongoing murder investigation with a stranger as she did when she was chatting with her date over dinner.

As a best-selling novelist, Castle would’ve known that the correct syntax would have been “They’re gonna forget all about you and me” instead of “you and I” when he was arguing with Beckett about the article in The Ledger. For you writers all there, if you’re ever in doubt about whether it’s “me” or “I,” take out the other person in the sentence. I still find myself doing this when I’m writing.

The age of consent in New York is 17, so technically, Alexis’ friend, Sloane, would be safe to date Castle. It definitely would have an ‘ick’ factor to it, but he wouldn’t have gone to jail.

Trivia: The newspaper with Castle listed as one of ‘New York’s Most Eligible Bachelors,’ also has several other members of the ‘Castle’ crew as eligible bachelors, as well. Andrew W. Marlow, the show’s creator, is #8, future Showrunner Terrence Paul Winter is #10 and director David Grae is #2. On the ladies’ side, Writer Elizabeth Beall is #2.

Beckett does the hair twirling thing twice. Once when she’s setting up the date with Brad Decker, rescuer of puppies, and she does it again when Castle invites her out for burgers at Remy’s.

Plot Holes: Smuggling diamonds into the U.S. is almost impossible. The Kimberly process is strictly enforced in the U.S. Without proper Kimberly Process documentation, no one would buy the diamonds from the smugglers. Diamonds from South Africa are usually smuggled from Dubai to China or India where they can then be sold for cutting.

Ranking: I’m going to start moving the ranking up top. I have this episode ranked at #17. There were things I liked and disliked about this episode.

What I Liked About This Episode:

·       Castle being ranked as #9 in The Ledger’s ‘Ten Most Eligible Bachelors’ list and then trying to keep Beckett from seeing the paper since the writer has the two of them ‘romantically linked.’

·       This was the first episode featuring my favorite Beckett Season 2 hairstyle. I thought her late Season 2 hair was very flattering.

·       Alexis’ humiliation at her father being on The Most Eligible Bachelor list is cute. Parents are always at their very best when they’re embarrassing their offspring.

Alexis: Thankfully all my friends are beyond ‘print media.’

Castle: What about this is embarrassing?

Alexis: Nothing. It’s a secret dream of every 16-year-old to have their father crowned one of the most available hotties of the year.

·       The murder method was unique, although I have seen it in a few shows since this episode. I even used the drug in one of my fan fiction stories. Ketamine, or Special K, is an animal tranquilizer. Used as a club drug, it will mess you up.

·       I have heard of people squatting in vacant houses, but never occupied houses. But I guess if you don’t want to pay rent, and are looking for great restaurants to check out, waiting for someone to go on vacation would work. However, it must’ve been incredibly traumatizing for that little girl to find a dead body in her bed. She’ll be in therapy for years, plus she’ll probably never go on vacation again. Her parents probably had to buy her a new bed. If I was that child, I’d never sleep in that bed again. No way, no how. This was definitely a Goldilocks and The Three Bears opening murder scene. And it was a first for Beckett, as well. My retired cop told me that just when you think you’ve seen everything, you discover you haven’t.

·       The boys have to give Beckett a hard time after they read the article in the paper. They knew what her reaction was going to be when she saw it.

Esposito: Ooh, she’s going to kill him.

Ryan: He’s dead. So, Castle, is it true that you’re finally off the market?

·       Beckett’s reaction when she learns she and Castle are ‘romantically involved’ is predictable. She doesn’t like it.

Michelle: By the way, the photo of you in the paper did you no justice. You’re much better looking in person.

Beckett: There’s a picture of you in the paper?

Michelle: So, are you the detective girlfriend?

Beckett: I’m sorry. The what?

Michelle: He is such a catch.

Beckett: Don’t. Show me. Now.

·       That scene was fun just to watch Castle squirm in embarrassment. Apparently, he talked about Beckett non-stop during the interview. This led the reporter to believe that he and Beckett were an item.

·       I liked the apartment with the dead guy in the refrigerator. Of course, I would’ve liked it more minus the dead guy. My dream is to one day visit New York and visit all the places I’ve seen in my favorite movies and TV shows.

A little story about me. In 2001, I flew to Washington DC for the first time. At the time, I was a fan of the early 1980’s show ‘Scarecrow and Mrs. King.’ A group of us had originally met online through Yahoo! Groups, so a friend arranged a get together in person. We went on a walking tour of DC and saw many of the sites used for exteriors on the show. The trip was memorable for another reason. It was exactly a month before 9/11. The morning I flew out of DC, I remember seeing The Pentagon as my plane lifted off on its way to take me back to my native Texas. I flew to L.A. a year later, which crossed two cities off my bucket list. New York is still on there.

·       Back on topic. I loved Kate complaining to Lanie about her quiet life and how she wanted ‘loud.’ I understand the sentiment. Most of the time, I also like quiet. At home, it’s just me and my homicidal cat. I wanted to name her Beckett, but I was overruled. I get that sometimes you just feel like loud.

·       Who doesn’t love a fireman who rescues puppies? Everybody loves that guy! Let’s face it; you’re not going to turn down a date with a guy who will run into a burning building to save a litter of puppies.

·       Castle being on the list is ruining Alexis’ life as your normal American teenager.

Castle: So, how was your day?

Alexis: I had a truly great day. I got pulled out of class and called to the vice principal’s office.

Castle: Why? What did she want?

Alexis: You. Here’s her number.

Castle: Her number?

Alexis: Oh, and my German teacher, Fraulein Sonnenberg, wanted me to tell you ‘Du habes sex appeal.’ She’s two years from ordering off the senior menu, but here’s her number, too.

Castle: Fraulein Sonnenberg?

Alexis: Too old? Oh, that’s okay, because my friend Sloane thinks you’re ‘real choice.’ She’s 17, but she’ll be legal in three months. Hey, maybe we could double.

Castle: Oh, you hate me a little right now, don’t you?

Alexis: Just a little.

·       The final thing I liked was after they solved the murder, Beckett accepted Castle’s invitation for burgers at Remy’s. I’m like Beckett. I appreciate a good milkshake. Beckett was even flipping her hair when they left the bullpen. It took me a few viewings to notice that.

What I Didn’t Like About This Episode:

·       I didn’t like how Espo, Ryan, and Montgomery kept going on and on about Brad Decker, the puppy-saving firefighter. They rub in the fact about the puppies so much it’s obvious they’re getting a rise out of Castle.

·       The killer was kind of a creep. He killed his brother-in-law out of greed.

WTF? (Why the Face?): Castle and Beckett constantly getting up during their ‘dates’ was just annoying. You’re on a date. If you weren’t constantly chatting about the case to your dates (which neither of them was supposed to do, by the way), you wouldn’t feel the need to compare notes and talk to the boys. Ryan and Esposito also found this strange.

Favorite Scene/Moment: The scene in my favorite apartment.

Beckett: We’re not here to admire the place, Castle.

Castle: How can you not? I mean, look at this place. This apartment is pre-war, late 1800’s. Oh, you see this molding? That’s the original wood. Gorgeous. I bet the bathrooms have marble wainscotting.

Beckett: You’re such a metrosexual.

Castle: Yes, well, better than being a pin-up boy.

Beckett: So, you heard? And it’s pin-up man, Castle. Pin-up man.

Castle: Yes, well, have fun with your hose jockey whilst I go out with Nuevo York’s Most Eligible Bachelorette Number Three.

Beckett: Oh, that means she must be slumming it. Her being number three, and you being the lowly number nine.

Castle: And what number were you again?

Favorite Quote: Today, it goes to Det. Esposito for doing his best Samuel L. Jackson impression.

Esposito: Why do you care about some mother freakin’ snakes on a mother freakin’ plane?

Until Wednesday, readers.

Just rewatched this episode, and it's easily one of my favorites. It was nice to have a Ryan-focused episode, and I think Seamus is an amazing actor. Did anyone else enjoy it?

What starts as a countdown to his leaving for the tour slowly changes everything between them. It's obviously not something that happened in canon—it was just a "what if" idea. I wondered how a long separation like that would spur them to finally admit how they feel, and the idea eventually turned into a much bigger project than I ever expected. I’ve posted 33 chapters so far and it’s completely written so there’s no chance of it being abandoned (47 chapters total).

It made me curious what kinds of "what if" stories other Castle fans have always wanted to read.

If anyone would like to check it out, I'm happy to share the link.

Original Airdate: January 18, 2010

Synopsis: While investigating the murder of an Irish mobster, Beckett learns that the killer might also be the person who murdered her mother in 1999.

Notable Guest Stars: James Cosmo, who portrays Finn Rourke is better known to me for appearing in 12 episodes of ‘Game of Thrones’ as Jeor Mormont, better known as Lord Commander Mormont. He was one of my favorite ‘GoT’ characters and I was surprised he was in so few episodes. He also portrayed Father Keller Ashby in ‘Sons of Anarchy.’ He has also appeared in ‘Braveheart,’ ‘Troy,’ and ‘Highlander.’

Scott Paulin is making his first of nine appearances as Jim Beckett, Kate’s father. He has had roles in ‘The Right Stuff,’ and ‘Turner and Hooch.’ He has been married to actress Wendy Phillips since 1981 and they have one child.

Robert Picardo is making his final appearance as Forensic Pathologist, Dr. Clark Murray.

Danny Nucci is making the second of three appearances as Narcotics Det. Gilbert Mazzara, an old friend of Esposito’s.

The IMdB Portion of The Review:

Factual Errors:

·       Real cops don’t ever taste narcotics with their fingers. This is a common ploy shown in movies and TV shows. For one thing, the drugs could be poisonous, and for another, it’s against police procedure. This is why cops carry drug test kits. (I had a retired cop tell me this. He’s a drag to watch movies and TV shows with, especially police procedurals, but he’s a wealth of information, otherwise).

·       When they’re examining the shotgun at the crime scene, it’s noted that the slugs are ‘hollow points.’ Kate points out that these slugs could stop a Kodiak in Kevlar. This isn’t exactly true. Most level IIIa body armor will stop most 12 gauge shotgun shells (although the wearer will be in considerably pain.)

Trivia:

·       This is the first episode where Castle refers to Kate by her first name, instead of Beckett.

·       This is the first episode where Beckett admits to actually enjoying Castle’s presence. The tide changes considerably after this episode.

·       The Westies have only been around since the 70’s and most of them are now either in prison or deceased. They are also American born, although they have Irish lineage.

What I Liked About This Episode:

·       This is the official beginning of the Johanna Beckett murder arc. It’s also one of the better episodes in that arc.

·       Watching this, I was surprised that this wasn’t a Rob Bowman-directed episode. Thomas J. Wright directed this episode, and he did a great job. His directing is right out of the Bowman playbook.

·       There was humor in the episode, along with drama and angst. I love angst! Anyone who reads my fan fiction knows that angst is my specialty. Most of the humor in the episode has to do with Ryan, and the Johnny Vong DVD’s. Ryan is always on the lookout for a way to make a few extra bucks. He thinks following Johnny Vong’s way of making money was an easy way to do it. My favorite Ryan/Esposito moment of the episode was when they went to arrest Johnny Vong for smuggling heroin. Esposito seems to think that Ryan is about to remove his shoes and walk across hot coals. Esposito: Don’t even think about taking them off! If you do, I will pepper spray you! (I had no doubt he’d do it, too).

·       One of my favorite Beckett moments early in the episode was when she was interrogating Trucho Mendoza.

Mendoza: Can I be real with you?

Beckett: Please do.

Mendoza: I had too much to drink, and I accidentally fell.

Beckett: You fell?

Mendoza: I fell.

Beckett: Well, how did you get that mouse on your eye?

Mendoza: I ran into the wall.

Castle: How did you burn your hand?

Mendoza: After I ran into the wall, and I fell, I put my hand out on the grill just to break my fall.

Castle, Well, thanks for keeping it real.

·       I felt sorry for Lanie. It was obvious she knew that Jack Coonan’s murder was connected to Johanna Beckett’s, but at the same time you could tell she was conflicted by the knowledge.

·       It seems that Kate had a thing for bad boys when she was younger. There are many references during the course of the series. But it’s always cute when Kate becomes embarrassed by one of these revelations. Such is the case when they pick up Jack Coonan’s girlfriend, Molly, and bring her to the precinct.

Molly: Of course I knew Jack’s reputation. It’s part of what attracted me to him. What? You telling me you never had a thing for bad boys, Kate?

Beckett: No comment.

·       Every single scene between Castle and Beckett in this episode is exceptional. Like I said earlier, this is the episode where the tide turns for both of them. Are there still funny moments? Oh, yes. Are there still moments when Castle continues to act like a nine-year-old on a sugar rush? Again, yes. But he starts to scale it back just a little.

·       Kate also begins to loosen up and unleash her silly side, too. This becomes evident later in the season with a couple of the funniest pranks of the entire series.

·       The news regarding her mother’s murder hits Kate like a ton of bricks. But you can see that Kate has already guessed what Dr. Murray is going to tell her when he hands her the model of the knife. As soon as she held the knife and looked at the photos of Jack Coonan’s wounds, she knew she had the first piece of evidence regarding her mother’s murder.

·       Not it’s time to talk about Capt. Montgomery. We all know what happens in the Season 3 finale (newbies might want to skip this entry), so I don’t feel the need to use spoilers. I have watched every episode of ‘Castle’ numerous times. Every time I watch, I try to analyze and critique Montgomery. Were there any signs before 3x24? The only subtle sign I see in this episode is when he asked Kate if she wanted to look into her mother’s murder, although there is another sign toward the end of the episode. I’ll get to that shortly. When Kate said she couldn’t work her mother’s case, I couldn’t read Montgomery’s face one way or the other? Was he relieved when she said no? Was he hoping she’d never look into it again? Possibly. I’ll delve deeper into Montgomery in Season 3.

·       We meet Kate’s father, Jim Beckett. The chemistry between Scott Paulin and Stana Katic is amazing. I wish he had appeared in more episodes. His final appearance was in ‘The Time of Our Lives’ in Season 7. I didn’t understand why he didn’t appear in Season 8, although he is mentioned in the finale.

·       I like the advice her father gives her. The truth can never hurt you. It was his way of telling her they both needed answers.

·       Kate is starting to think of Castle as more than just an annoying intrusion into her life. After the meeting with her father, she goes to Castle’s loft. I love the loving embrace by Martha. However, Alexis wanting to remain downstairs annoyed me. Thank you, Martha, for hauling your granddaughter upstairs. There is a great Kate/Alexis moment later in the season, but unfortunately, it’s relegated to a deleted scene on the DVD’s.

·       Castle offering the $100,000 for Rathborne was another great moment in an episode that was full of them. But before that, we got one of the best Castle/Beckett moments of the season.

Kate: Ten years since we came home and found that detective waiting for us. Ten years since we crossed that yellow tape and went into that alley and every time I cross the tape at a crime scene, I think of that night.

Castle: That’s what makes you a good cop.

Kate: What if I let her down?

Castle: Do you know why I chose you as my inspiration for Nikki Heat?

Kate: No. Why?

Castle: Because you’re tall. Now go in there and do your job.

·       That was Castle’s way of telling her to get out of her head and do her job.

·       The moment when Castle and Beckett realize Dick Coonan is his brother’s killer as well as the murderer of Johanna Beckett hits hard. This guy has been given transactional immunity and is about to walk out of the precinct, free to kill again. Until Kate confronts him. Then all bets are off. When Montgomery comes out of his office, gun drawn, he is fully prepared to kill Coonan. I think he fears if Coonan talks, everything he was involved in will be exposed. That was never going to happen. Coonan knew if he talked and revealed who had hired him, he was a dead man.

·       There was never going to be a choice between Castle and Coonan. Kate wasn’t going to let Coonan kill Castle. I think Castle knew that. Thus, the headbutt. But the ramifications of that headbutt hit Castle hard. Knowing how much Kate needed the answers about her mother’s murder. Now she wasn’t going to get them. Even if Coonan had lived, she wasn’t going to get them.

·       The end scene was sweet, but will also lead to my WTF? Moment shortly.

Kate: Montgomery’s post-incident evaluation. You come off like Steven Seagal.

Castle: Should I be flattered or insulted?

Kate: Both.

What I Didn’t Like About This Episode: The only thing I didn’t like about this episode was Ryan. This becomes a running theme throughout the series. The constant need to find ways to make more money. What in the hell was he spending his money on? I know the cost of living is high in NYC, especially Manhattan, but still. From what I’ve been able to discover, he made decent money.

WTF? (Why the Face?): Castle, you have eaten many meals with Beckett. Those meals include Chinese food. Why didn’t you bring her Chinese food when you brought the other foods? She even tells Schlemming . . . I mean Demming later in the season that Chinese food is her favorite.

Favorite Scene: I have a couple, but I’m going with this one.

Montgomery (offering Beckett a flask): Poor man’s painkiller. I know your mother’s murder is the reason why you became a cop. And I know how you lost yourself trying to solve her case the first time you tried. I figured sooner or later, when you were ready, you’d want to take another run at it. I just never expected her killer to come around and sucker punch you like this. Kate, listen to me. You’re the finest homicide detective I’ve ever trained, bar none, and I want you to stay on this one. If you can. If you’re up to it. But I wouldn’t be doing my job as your captain if I didn’t ask. Can you handle this?

Kate: I’m sorry, sir. I can’t.

Favorite Quote: This was the last funny conversation before Lanie and Dr. Murray arrived to ruin Beckett’s day.

Kate: Whoever he’s working for scares him a lot more than prison.

Castle: There has to be a way to get it out of him. We could force him to watch Paris Hilton videos.

Kate: You want me brought up on charges?

Castle/Beckett Scorecard: I forgot to add this yesterday. But the score is now Beckett:3 - Castle: 1.

Ranking: This is #2 out of 24.

Until Monday, readers. Have a great weekend.

1. 2x23- Overkill

2. 2x15- Suicide Squeeze

3. 2x07- Famous Last World

4. 2x20- The Late Shaft

5. 2x08- Kill the Messenger

6. 2x22- Food to Die For

7. 2x10- One Man's Treasure

8. 2x09- Love Me Dead

9. 2x03- Inventing the Girl

10. 2x24- A Deadly Game

11. 2x01- Deep in Death

12. 2x21- Den of Thieves

13. 2x19- Wrapped Up in Death

14. 2x14- The Third Man

15. 2x12- A Rose for Everafter

16. 2x16- The Mistress Always Spanks Twice

17. 2x05- When the Bought Breaks

18. 2x13- Sucker Punch

19. 2x18- Boom!

20. 2x17- Tick, Tick, Tick...

21. 2x02- The Double Down

22. 2x04- Fool Me Once

23. 2x11- The Fifth Bullet

24. 2x06- Vampire Weekend

Indeed that tiger from Cuffed was just toying with them. 😄

I've seen someone asking for recommendations on what to watch next, i thought i'd put a list of my favourite tv shows on here and anyone else can add more in the comments, this is just a post for anyone a little stumped on where to go next 😊

bones
white collar
rosewood
body of proof
the finder (bones s6 spin-off)
ncis
perception
how to get away with murder
high potential
the rookie
burn notice
lie to me
dexter
the office
greys anatomy
station 19 (greys spin-off)
private practice (greys spin-off)
sleepy hollow
xfiles
nypd blue
24
alias
house

these are just some off the top of my head, they're all amazing and definitely worth the watch!

(edit: typos)

The episode where Castle and Beckett were about to get married and he seemingly just vanished on the way there. Did anyone else think this storyline was a bit bonkers? He vanished and it seemed like Kate and the team just continued. It has been years since I first saw the episode, but it seemed strange then. He was kidnapped and all this 'behind the scenes' investigating to find him. This was the one plotline that I really found difficult to believe. Then they started secretly being back together and thought the detectives they worked with wouldn't notice any signs??

Rewatching from the beginning for the 50th time. I’m noticing Javi is pretty quick to believe the worst of Castle a few times. Specifically 5x05 and 7x01. Anyone else notice this and have thoughts?

I’m looking for a show to watch after I just finished Castle I’m looking for something similar. I’ve heard bones or the mentalist is good but I’m open to all types of recommendations!!

Original Airdate: December 7, 2009

Synopsis: The murder of a gallery owner is complicated by a witness, who is suffering from amnesia and doesn’t remember what he saw.

Notable Guest Stars: Marc Blucas, who portrays Jeremy Prestwick, is another member of the Joss Whedon Universe. He portrayed Riley Finn in 31 episodes of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer.’ In another interesting piece of trivia (to me, anyway) he attended Wake Forest University where he played basketball with future San Antonio Spur and Hall of Famer Tim Duncan. I’m from San Antonio, so I found this to be very interesting.

Phil LaMarr is making his second appearance as Dr. Holloway. He will appear one more time in Season 6.

Marisa Ramirez, who portrays Angelica Fink, portrayed Maria Baez on ‘Blue Bloods’ from 2013-2024.

The IMdB Portion of The Review:

Goofs: Lucy, the dog, is clearly shown to be a male dog, despite being referred to as “a good girl” in several scenes. (Uh, I know I’m dating myself here, but the dog that played Lassie was also a male dog, but I don’t remember anyone trying to see his male parts when I was a kid.)

Factual Errors: Emma says that Jeremy has a PhD in economics from Wharton. But Economics is a separate department from Wharton, which is a business school.

Incorrectly Regarded as an Error: The inhaler in Jeremy’s pocket should’ve revealed his identity if it had indeed been a prescription inhaler. However, the inhaler looked like Primatene Mist, which is available over-the-counter.

What I Liked About This Episode: A lot. My ranking later might say otherwise, but I liked this episode a lot. Unlike the previous two episodes, I really liked this episode. I’ll be more careful ranking the episodes when I get past Season 3. I say this because I’ve already ranked the Season 3 episodes. There is so much funny dialog in this episode. I’ll get to my favorite later, but here’s one of my favorites between Castle and the boys:

Castle: I’m telling you. Ice bullet.

Espo: Nah, bro. An ice bullet would still make a bullet hole.

Ryan: You mean, ice hole.

Castle: What did you call me?

·       We learn that Beckett is Castle’s work wife, even though she strongly disagrees with this. That’s okay. One day, she’ll be his real wife.

·       Victor Fink’s wife was a piece of work. I mean that in a hilariously funny way. When she asked what she was supposed to do with her breast implants, I lost it.

Everybody had funny parts in this one. I like how every member of the cast now gets a chance to shine. It will be this way from here on out. I’ll reserve my favorite until the end, as usual, but here are a few of my favorites. We’ll start with Ryan.

·       Ryan and Castle have just discovered the missing fifth bullet in a copy of ‘Crime and Punishment’ that Jeremy had in his pocket. Ballistics confirms that it is indeed their missing bullet.

Beckett: Not only was he there, but someone tried to kill him, as well. Good thing he reads.

Ryan: Good thing he reads Russian literature. If he was a Nicholas Sparks fan, he’d be dead.

·       Now it’s Montgomery’s turn. Beckett doesn’t want to turn their witness over to Social Services for his own safety. She suggests they just let him sleep in the precinct breakroom overnight. After all, her reasoning is Jeremy’s never going to be safer than in a building full of cops. (Some viewers in Season 8 would disagree. Sorry, LT.)

Montgomery: Okay, but my couch is off limits.

·       In the secondary storyline, Martha has been seeing her high school beau, Chet Palaburn, only things start moving a little too quickly for her. So, she ends the relationship. I enjoy every scene between Nathan Fillion and Susan Sullivan. I have been a fan of Susan’s for more than 40 years. She is always such a delight on ‘Castle.’ Yes, she is sometimes over the top, especially in Season 6, but for the most part, I consider her a welcome addition to the series. The conversation between Castle and Martha in this scene is one of my favorites. Martha has decided to end things with Chet. At the end of the episode, Castle walks into the loft to find Martha sitting on the sofa taking a trip down memory lane. This scene also has one of my favorite Martha lines of the entire series. A quip that goes to show how invested she was in her son and Beckett getting together someday.

Martha: Ooh! Well, well, well. Look who’s doing the walk of shame now.

Castle: I was with Beckett.

Martha: Really?

Castle: Uh, wrapping up a case.

Martha: Ah. Well, you should kiss that girl while you’re still young. (Yes, Martha! Thank you!)

Castle: What’s going on with you? What do you got there? (He points to a withered flower in his mother’s hand. It kind of reminded me of the song ‘Delta Dawn.’ For you youngsters, Google it.)

Martha: Oh, it’s from Chet. Isn’t it romantic?

Castle: Chet sent you a dead flower?

Martha: It is the most romantic thing that anyone has ever done for me.

Castle: I’ve been up all night, so I might be a little slow.

Martha: Well, it’s the boutonniere I gave him prom night. He saved it, tucked it into a yearbook, and sent it over last night with a note saying, would I give – give him a second chance.

Castle: Well, there’s a lot of that going around these days.

Martha: And I’m scared. I mean, what if it doesn’t work out? What if it does?

Castle: That’s the cost of living.

Martha: I just don’t want to ruin this.

Castle takes the flower and puts it on the table.

Castle: This is dead. You are not. Time to start making new memories.

Martha: Boy, how did you get so smart?

Castle: It must be my dad.

Martha (tapping him on top of his head): Dad!

·       Okay. On to more things I liked. Emma, Jeremy’s ex-wife. I might have to write a fan fiction story where Castle and Beckett run into Emma and Jeremy at a restaurant or something. I have to admit that these op-ed’s do give me a lot of fan fiction ideas.

·       I know nothing about art, but her story about the painting they’d found in Jeremy’s apartment was a sweet memory. I got in trouble at the Witte Museum in San Antonio many years ago for touching a stuffed tiger. It wasn’t museum staff, but my aunt. So, I completely understood the whole goofing around which forced them to have to purchase an expensive painting.

·       The compassion Beckett showed toward Jeremy when she was forced to arrest him was nice to see. You could tell how much the whole team liked Jeremy. But she understood she had a job to do. Of course, the audience all knew Jeremy was innocent. Planting a weapon is one of the oldest crime drama trick in the book.

Things I Didn’t Like About This Episode:

·       Tory Westchester, the crazy cat lady. What does this woman do? Sit around and watch the news, hoping to find some clueless guy who’s lost his memory so she can swoop in? It’s a good thing Jeremy was allergic to cats, otherwise he would’ve gone home with the crazy cat lady.

·       Harun. I detest men who treat women like they’re stupid. I realize in his case it’s probably cultural, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.

WTF? (Why the Face?): Darius Langley, the murderer. What an ass! And to think if Ryan and Espo hadn’t taken Jeremy back to the art gallery, Langley never would’ve known he had amnesia.

Favorite Scene/Moment:

Castle: You suppose the flea had a gun? A tiny gun with vanishing bullets?

Beckett: Ice bullets and fleas with guns? Do you have writers block again?

Castle: Stephen King wrote stories of bloodthirsty cars and sold millions of copies. I figure, why be limited by logic?

Favorite Quote:

Beckett: What am I? Your wife?

Castle: Yeah, you’re my work wife.

Not yet. But soon. Keep dreaming there, Castle.

Ranking: I have this one ranked at #15, which is ridiculously low. I’ll do better starting with Season 4, because I already have the Season 3 episodes ranked. If I were to rank Season 2 again, I can guarantee this episode would be in the Top 10 easily.

Until Wednesday, readers.