DJariya

By djariya at 2011-09-19

Synopsis:



Episode 22 of 23

FYI, next Monday is the season finale.

DJariya

Bump for anyone who watched tonight.

Cellar Door

Fun episode. As Ryan mentioned, it's good to see Castle and Beckett hitting it off again.

Looks like Alexis is staying in town for college, so we'll still be seeing her on occasion.

The previews for the finale look like it will be a doozy.

B.A.

Most amusing ep in some time.

DeputyDave

I know getting them together will ruin the show (as it always does) but I can't help wanting it like a giddy school girl.

outlander78

No it won't. Lots of shows have succeeded with couples in the lead. Playing will they / won't they for a fifth season would also ruin the show, as this approach has already been drawn out as far as it can be (too far, really).

DeputyDave

How many shows survived after the two lead characters, who shared unfulfilled sexual tension for multiple seasons, got together?

outlander78

You defined it too tightly, and I don't agree with your assessment. People don't watch Castle for a single relationship. If they did, the fans would be long gone.

Excluding the first episode and the last 1-3 episodes each season, Castle gets its drama from the story, not the tension between the leads. True, most episodes end with a bit about Castle and Beckett, but the good stuff has always been the fun of the ensemble cast.

Castle can be more like Scrubs or How I Met Your Mother - both successful shows. Scrubs had the leads get together and break up each season, and people kept coming back, even after they married. HIMYM had tension and resolution with Ted and Robin, who then broke up, without killing the show.

Based on the comments here and elsewhere, I don't think I'm alone in watching the show for the fun it provides, and wish that it would either drop or resolve this tension, which has stopped being compelling and started being tedious.

outlander78

I can think of lots of shows where the leads are a couple, that have lasted for years. Numerous sitcoms and a few mystery shows have done this. They get their humour from jokes about relationships, which can be a gold mine.

Do people really tune in for angst, or do they want humour from a show like Castle? Dark episodes are good for variety, but I don't think Castle's main appeal is leaving your sad and tense when the episode ends.

DeputyDave

Sure there are shows with couples, even shows where character's got together. I can't think of any shows where the leads go together after esablishing the "will they, or won't they" sexual tension and still worked or lasted. I can think of several that failed soon after, though. Moonlighting and Who's the Boss are two off the top of my head.

davidh777

The show is in its fourth season, so even if they do get together and it doesn't end up working, it's not like the show was going to run 20 years without it. I'm among the crowd that is tired of the teasing and wants to see some progress. Who knows, maybe it'll set a new standard for something that actually ends up as a success.

Agreed that the chemistry of the whole cast is what makes the show click.

DJariya

^^^ I can think of a few that the show didn't fall apart after a "hookup"

Bones: Booth and Brennan just had a kid...still on and just renewed

CSI: Grissom and Sara...characters are married, but Grissom is no longer on the show, but made a few cameos. The show is going into a 13th season.

Grey's Anatomy....Derek and Meredith. They did the whole will they or won't they for several seasons. Now the characters are married now and the show is still doing well.

Chuck: Chuck and Sarah hooked up in season 3 and the show still lasted 2 more seasons with them as a couple.

Fringe: Peter and Olivia had the sexual tension for about 2 seasons. They hooked up towards the end of season 2 and are still a couple. The show got renewed for a 5th season.

DeputyDave

Well, I don't watch any of those shows (other than the first season and a half of Fringe) so it shows what I know. I guess I was following conventional wisdom.

MikahC

It'd be easier to call it "conventional" if it were at least based on shows from this millennium. Moonlighting and Who's The Boss? Moonlighting had one fo the biggest falls ever for a show ("it" show, then "turd" show). Many people blamed it on David and Maddie getting together, but that was the least of the show's problems. That show was born under a bad sign.

Superman07

Good episode! Definitely one of he most fun we've had in a while.

Frannie from Greek!

Fillion was chewing it up this week. I loved Castle's high five coming out of the office.

Next week looks great. I can't believe we're already at the end of the season. I feel like they just started the season.

outlander78

Yeah, I wish Castle was new 52 weeks a year. Okay, 50, I'll give them the Christmas/New Year's run off.

This was a good episode. Less angst, more fun. The high five was great. My favourite bit was Castle admitting he doesn't believe his own crazy theories, he's just bugging Beckett.

mraw

I think Psych has done a good job with Shawn and Jules' relationship, because the writers keep it in the background for the most part. Sometimes I forget that they are dating.

I also agree that the chemistry of the cast is great, and even though she's a supporting player, I feel like something's missing when Lanie isn't the M.E. and that other guy is there (like last night).

Superman07

Yes, I usually find the male ME is red flag that the ep won't automatically be fantastic. I would say this week was more of an exception to that though.

davidh777

Totally