ABC’s ‘Castle’ season 8, episode 2 reaction: Does twist change Castle, Beckett forever?
We run the risk of starting this “Castle” article off like a broken record, but we really do believe that Rick and Kate are going to find a way to eventually make their relationship work. Was the twist at the end of this past episode heartbreaking and a little unnecessary? You could argue that it was, mostly because we feel like you could have still have Beckett secretly investigating what was going on while still being with her husband; also, these two people really should be well aware by now that they don’t need to hide things from each other. The whole “I’m trying to protect you” statement is something that does not fly as much for us as it did before we heard it used on approximately 200 other TV shows.
Yet, despite our qualms, we still have faith. For us, the fun of the show is seeing Stana Katic and Nathan Fillion share time together onscreen solving cases, and this is something that will be coming on next week’s new episode. You will see more of that trademark fun; it’s not like Terence Paul Winter and Alexi Hawley are unfamiliar with this show and what fans want. They’re going to be bringing some of that.
As a matter of fact, Winter said the following to TVLine about their intentions:
“In every single episode, they do end up working together. They end up building theory together. They have all those delightful put-togethers. The sparks between them are electric if not more than ever, and that’s one of the main reasons why we made this bold choice.”
We’ve heard for months that for them, this show is about preserving the love story of Rick and Kate. We’re going to continue to believe that, and what we do like is diving a little more into the psychology of Beckett as someone who has this inescapable obsession with justice to the point where it pushes away those around her. There is a certain darkness when you look at the character this way, how committed she is and even how little time she spends away from work.
Stay tuned, since we’ll have more on the direction of the season as we hear more. Also, you can sign up now in the event you want some further TV news on everything we cover, sent right over to you via our CarterMatt Newsletter. (Photo: ABC.)
Fish Mentor
October 3, 2015 @ 7:57 pm
I love this show and it isn’t just about the love story, but about good story telling of different events AND it is fiction. I think too many “fans” get to invested in what they perceive is reality. Why are so few of you realizing that the story here is Kate wanting to protect Rick and if it means removing herself from him keep him safe she is willing to do that. He will figure that out. Yes, she has this unrealistic drive for justice and what she will do to get it, but in the end it will bring the happy ending. I think the writers are doing their jobs quite well as are the show runners if it gets this many people riled up!
TF
October 3, 2015 @ 7:05 pm
Yep because that’s what happens to married couples when one looses their marbles and walks away for some reason that makes no sense, they continue to work together and laugh it up, I don’t know what AH or TPW were smoking but they did succeed in one thing, they made FBOFW a better episode than it was, Jim45 posts “The fan base is at the end of the road” well for me and many others, that road is now closed, AH can tear down a show quicker than Esposito yells Yo. This season is a farce, and an insult to the hard work of the last 7 years. ALL credibility is gone, and for what? Angst, or these two didn’t get to the chapter on how to write scripts for Happily Married couples yet, Lazy writing and with all of the doubles acting it could have been What’s My Line. Enjoy Paris SK, not your fault you got the crap they wrote to try to deliver
JM
October 1, 2015 @ 2:32 pm
Definitely watching to see where this is going. I may be alone, but I enjoyed both “XY” and “XX” and am excited for the rest of the season. C’mon people — be patient. Go along for the ride. I think Rick and Kate will emerge stronger than ever.
Gary Ducharme
October 2, 2015 @ 5:59 pm
I don’t get this whole ‘Be Patient’ line of thinking, which the new showrunners keep feeding us. The logic is dumbfounding.. “Listen, I know that for about 8 episodes, we’re going to create a dynamic that totally contradicts everything the show has been about for 7 seasons.. we’re going to essentially break up a couple that you watched come together over 7 years so that…. you can watch them get back together again.. and when they do.. oh boy! You’re just gonna love it then.. ” Well, thanks but no.
What made Castle great was: Excellent Police Procedural stories that were smartly written, with clever dialog, and two central characters that play off each other creating a fun and playful hour of TV. Yes, the occasional episode could hit on some really heavy topics, but through it all, the constant is Rick’s playful persuit of Becket, and Becket’s juxtoposed response of dissing him while still adoring him. Their dynamic evolved over time.. cat and mouse attraction, just missed opportunities, and yes, some long-simmering background stories that were conceived and executed over a many seasons.
But this ‘shake-up’ doesn’t work, You can’t get two people together, in particular married, and then suddenly have one walk out on the other, and just think that it the audience is going to buy a bunch of stories as being that same light-hearted playful fun that puts ‘spark’ in the chemistry. Even though both characters have larger-than-life aspects, what has resonated with fans is an essential realism in them, their reactions to situations and each other were always consistently believable.. but this.. this simply isn’t believable, not in real life, and not in the characters we’ve watched for 7 seasons. I have no desire to suffer through a month and a half of episodes which are contrived BS just to reach a point they claim will be worth it, because the problem is, if they think it’s acceptable to put out a month and a half of uncomfortable, unwatchable episodes to get to the payoff.. I don’t have a lot of confidence that the payoff they have concocted will be enjoyable.. In other words, why would I go along for the ride if I know the ride is going to be in a beat up old car with no A/C, springs pushing through the seats only to get to a place I don’t actually know is going to be worth it?
Jim45
September 30, 2015 @ 3:14 am
The fan base is at the end of the road. The next episode is critical. If Nathan and Stana are not on screen together (no-doubles) working in a humorous episode the bottom will fall out of the ratings. This is a make or break episode. Then the episode after that is just as critical.
Gary Ducharme
October 2, 2015 @ 6:08 pm
The problem is, even if they’re on screen together, how can it be believable? My wife walks out on me and says “maybe I’ll be back, and if I do come back, I hope you’ll still love me…” Yeah, I’m not going to be all plucky and charming and “Well, I’m just going to try and woo her, just like I did before..” I’m going to draw up divorce papers.. that’s what any guy will do. So if they’re somehow not acting married, but being all cutesy and fun around each other, it won’t feel real or authentic, it will feel forced and contrived. They’ve written themselves into an absolutely unbelievable and horrible box.
phealy1
October 3, 2015 @ 6:18 pm
That’s why your not Richard Castle. Kate is the woman of his dreams. Now they need to do is TRUST.
TF
October 3, 2015 @ 7:09 pm
Trust once broken is almost impossible to regain!! S2 Demming, S3 Josh, S4, Her Mothers Case, S5 went from you just you is all I want to some Job, Not blaming actors, but even fiction has to be Somewhat realistic and how can ANYONE trust KB as a wife, the next case comes and she is super cop and forgets she is married? Same old manufactured angst and this time I think they can’t recover
Scott Ingram
September 29, 2015 @ 8:50 pm
I’ve watched Castle since the beginning and I have to say, like many, that the story line so far is not for me. Beckett’s decision is totally bogus and contrived.
But what is much, much worse this season is the writing and, frankly, the acting. The dialogue is embarrassingly trite and none of the characters have any energy. There is nothing there for the long time viewer. Where is the fun? Where is the repartee? Can’t stand “grown-up” Alexis, and the new characters bring zilch so far. I still contend that Stana Katic is the most beautiful woman on television, but I can’t defend the course of the show. Poor work by all involved.
Gary Ducharme
October 2, 2015 @ 6:13 pm
Have to agree, particularly about grown-up Alexis. Talk about forcing her to somehow be relevant to the story.. would have been far better to just send her off to college.. you know.. like you do when you have a brilliant college age kid. Just because we watched her grow-up doesn’t mean we have to watch her as a grown up. And don’t even get me started on the new girl. Wow.. so she’s going to be what, our surrogate Beckett until this supposed reunion episode? She’s going to be there with Castle, being the hard-hitting actually knows what she’s doing sarcastic female while Rick bumbles and charms his way through things and she rolls her eyes at him? Oh Marlow, you must be grinding your teeth watching what they’ve done to your creation.
phealy1
October 3, 2015 @ 6:23 pm
Instead of critiquing, just enjoy the show OR don’t watch.
LSR
October 3, 2015 @ 9:03 pm
I’m not watching. The fun and repartee is gone…. if they have it it’ll just feel fake in the next ep. You don’t treat a spouse like that and have “fun” repartee. And as for critiquing as a fan of the show from season 1 I’ve got a right to say the plot link stinks and it’s just laziness on the new show runners part because all it’s doing is trying to take the show back to the earlier years where they weren’t together. You can’t go back — years ago Moonlighting proved it. If the characters don’t go forward with their history in mind it’s just crap and that’s pretty much what this is. So no — not watching and yes complaining because if it goes down in flames as I suspect it will hopefully the TPTB will learn something and not do such a contrived unoriginal plot again. ‘Course knowing TPTB they’ll do what they did with Moonlighting and blame it on getting them together in the first place rather than a distinct inability to actually write a good relationship between husbands and wives while still telling a story.
Charles Neale
September 29, 2015 @ 4:30 pm
I am not sure I think the twist was kind of contrived . I will watch maybe next week to see where they are headed. But if it takes more than 5 or 6 episodes to get them back together I am gone as a fan
Teri
September 29, 2015 @ 3:40 pm
It will be refreshing to see that Seasons 1-3 chemistry back again. Caskett at its finest. I am all in.