ABC’s ‘Castle’ season 6, episode 23 review: Castle, Beckett, a wedding, and a cliffhanger
“Castle” has been building towards the Castle / Beckett wedding literally from the very beginning of the show, and on Monday night, that episode finally arrived.
However, the show really made you take a lot of time before getting to the big moment where the characters actually walked down the aisle. It took us on a wild-goose chase that caused Rick and Kate to be forced into dealing with her ex, who refused to sign marriage papers for her for a good part of the episode.
But, we don’t want to waste that much time with that; instead, let’s try to figure out who in the world was in that SUV at the end of the episode that caused all of our hopes and dreams for a great wedding to go down the tubes. Unfortunately, we feel the same way about this episode. The first part of it felt like the “Bones” wedding episode, which was complete fluff and a tiny wedding that should have been expanded. Then, they pulled the rug out from under us.
There was no real reason to have Castle put in a near-death situation here, even if we assume that someone like 3XK is probably involved and has a good reason to want to ruin things. It’s just not a great cliffhanger. Viewers wanted the payoff this week after all the hype, and this was a twist too far. Why couldn’t there have just been a happy finale that really gave us closure? Having Lanie and Esposito hold hands isn’t enough, and viewers would have watched season 7 without a cliffhanger.
The most frustrating part about the final minutes of this episode is that there is clearly no way that Castle is going to die. The show has his name in the title! This episode feels in the end like shock value being shoehorned in, and may be one of the biggest letdowns since the show was struggling to find its footing in the early going. Granted, we know that we’ll be just as excited as next season as ever, but this story felt like it was making a mountain out of a molehill just to ensure that it “shocked” us. Grade: C-.
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Photo: ABC
Elaine
May 18, 2014 @ 11:55 pm
I agree with those who found the writing/plotting lazy to the point of insult, as though a brainstorming session was transcibed and substituted for an actual script. Marlowe’s post episode comments were equally dissatisfactory, with weird justifications and inartful sidestepping. Whatever has gone wrong within the Castle cast/crew/showrunners world, a deep breath, some honest reassessment and some serious creative effort will be needed to make Season 7 worth anticipating.
Microgrey
May 17, 2014 @ 1:37 pm
I found the lack of a wedding somewhat anti-climactic, given the season long buildup to it, but for me that wasn’t the real problem with the episode. My issue was with the unimaginitive and cliche-riddled plot. I mean does anyone (aside from the writers of course) think that the FBI wouldn’t have done a background check and discovered she was married to a career felon who, among other things, impersonated an FBI agent? The plot was SO contrived it was silly. For Andrew Marlowe and Terry Miller to think the fans wouldn’t pick up on this detail is quite frankly…insulting to the dedicated fans out there. When the creator of the show can’t be bothered with the details, what does that mean for the show going forward?
paula
May 14, 2014 @ 8:12 pm
This show is going like the way of “Lost” … writers had an end to Lost but they got lost in the hype and thought that the show could go on forever. It’s always good to set an end date. Perhaps the writers for Castle don’t have an ending in their vision, and so they have nothing to “reach for” in terms of the larger character arc. The ending was cheap. I’ll tune in next season, but it will be a miracle if I stay around.
St4t
May 13, 2014 @ 9:34 pm
hated it hope it was 3XK WHICH THEY STILL HAVENT EVEN DEALT WITH YET.. i think episode 22 would have been perfect for a part 1 and the finale being a part 2.. personally this season was horrific.. FILLERS EVERY SINGLE EPISODE. NO STORYLINE except a weddding which has been the main plot for what? 3-4 seasons now? gimme a break i cant believe this show is still even on. im surprised considering there have been no good storylines since Episode 1 wen she joined that shady FBI gig. very disappointed i loved castle before this stuff became a soap opera. im begging them please make season 7 not a complete filler sesason like this one was. i hate how t.v. shows do this stuff. at least NCIS always has a backstory going through the entire season every season. castle is just weak dumb investigations.. i would have rathered beckett stay at FBI and ditch the dumb police force… ugh this show had such potential and they flushed it down the toilet giving us no conclusions or even HINTS at who might have drove castle off the road. pathetic attemp to keep viewers excited for next season. so disappointed…
rachel
May 13, 2014 @ 6:04 pm
I love Castle, but I did not like the season finale. I wanted to see a wedding. Also, we know Castle isn’t dead. Therefore, the cliffhanger was pointless. The bottom line is that there better be a wedding next season, especially if season seven is Castle’s last season.
Rick Montross
May 13, 2014 @ 3:26 pm
Once again my wife had it right — she said about 5
episodes ago that the wedding would not happen. Just like the beginning
this past year when Kate was a Federal Agent for 3 episodes, Castle
will be either a kidnap victim or recovering in a hospital (at death’s
door), etc. for 3 episodes before a real wedding that may actually
happen.
Since they have all signed up for 24 (or 23) new
episodes, my guess he’ll pull through. I don’t think it was Bracken –
think 3XK. But, like you, I really object to Marlowe cliffhangering
again. The wedding, with all the characters contributing little side
stuff would have been a great ending with “How will they do as a married
couple” being the carryover to next year.
Anyway, as the song goes: “See you in September”
P.S. Here is my idea for Marlowe: Halfway through next season, Kate decides she wants more. She and Castle leave the NYPD and open their own PI company “Castle, Inc” and then take Espo and Ryan as their 2 principal investigators. This lets the writers atart again with totally different story lines.
CastleFan
May 13, 2014 @ 2:54 pm
With two actors as talented as Stana Katic & Nathan Fillion you would think the writers could have devised something original, instead they wasted a great opportunity.
Harvey
May 13, 2014 @ 8:02 am
Loved the episode! Castle was becoming boring actually. At the end of Season 5, it was just not thrilling at all, and then the main villain is gone too! Who would care about the next season, yes everyone would come, but less would care. And they can’t just always make the Caskett story go forward, at the end of season 2, Beckett almost confesses her feelings, at the end of Season 3, Castle says I love you, at the end of season 4, they get together, at the end of season 5, Castle proposes! Now at last Castle comes to crime more, bigger cliffhanger. You say it wasn’t necessary, I say it was completely necessary for the show to not be dragged later when the wedding is done! I mean the show is about Caskett, after marriage, how long the show can really run without anyone feeling it dragged. Right now wedding might be dragged, yeah, but nobody, or at least not a Castle lover, should feel that the whole show is being dragged, but after marriage, it would be a drag.
Medfra44
May 13, 2014 @ 6:29 am
My wife and I are avid Castle fans; however, after watching tonight’s finale, we were both shocked by the utter stupidity of what looked like a bad version of the Perils of Pauline. I agree with the other posts in that there was absolutely NO REASON for the scavenger hunt!
If you people REALLY THINK THAT TONIGHT WAS THE “CLIFF HANGER” THAT WILL BRING PEOPLE BACK IN SEPTEMBER, THEN YOU ARE SADLY MISTAKEN.
Why didn’t your writers rise above the cheap theatrics and just let Castle and Kate have their story book wedding? You people are way to full of your selves if you think tonight’s finale was good stage craft! Really disappointing.
Harvey
May 13, 2014 @ 8:04 am
Because then the whole show would have been dragged, I mean, the wedding is done, Bracken, the biggest villain gone, less anticipation for the next season. Now the wedding might be dragged, but not the show.
pauleliza
May 13, 2014 @ 7:58 pm
Well said!!!
jules
May 13, 2014 @ 3:38 am
I love Castle, but after this pathetic episode I no longer care about Castle or Beckett or if they ever get married or if there is a season 7. They are horrible as a couple together but I hoped at least we would get a few minutes of a beautiful wedding. Instead it was pure trash. This show is no dead. There is no reason to watch any more. The fans are totally disrespected.
Harvey
May 13, 2014 @ 8:04 am
Beautiful wedding! lol! Are you kidding me! The show is about how they overcome obstacles, it’s about crimes, it’s about suspense, not to show the viewers a beautiful wedding!
Not Blind
May 13, 2014 @ 3:32 am
This is worse than reality TV
Majma
May 13, 2014 @ 3:19 am
As a Castle fan, I feel totally manipulated and disgusted. This was a very poor way to draw viewers back to watch the Season 7 premiere in September. Since many of the Castle background extras tweeted beach scenes last month, I assume that the wedding has been already filmed. So disappointed in Terri Edda Miller and Andrew Marlowe’s script. A total let down.
Harvey
May 13, 2014 @ 8:06 am
As a Castle fan, who loves the real theme of the show, which is suspense and thriller with comedy and romance, I loved the ending. A wedding would be like an end, then it would just be dragged.