The Positively Positive

Molly C. Quinn in Castle, season 2, episode 10 “One Man’s Treasure”. Image from www.daemonstv.com

Every week I watch Castle and like it more and more. As I’ve said before, I was never that much into mysteries but this show has made a convert out of me. I have spoiler-phobia and one of the reasons is because I’m always upset when I can figure out the ending of a show (or movie, book, etc) before it’s over. It’s not nearly as much fun to watch something when you’ve already figured out who the bad guy/girl is.

This show keeps me on my toes. Truthfully I did peg Carlberg as the murderer the moment I saw him. Just something about the character set off all kinds of bells. But as the episode went on, I began to think I was wrong and that’s what I love about this show. Each week it seems that Beckett and Castle figure out whodunit, only to find out they’re on the wrong track and move on to someone else. This week I found myself going along with them and wondering who the murderer was until the last second. I even had a little laugh at myself when I saw that they had indeed gone back to the man I’d suspected in the first place.

I also really enjoyed the little backstory with Alexis working at the precinct as part of her Civics class. Yes of course, the moment she found the little picture book I’m sure we all predicted what would happen. Still, it was a very sweet little moment that made me tear up and once again allowed Molly C. Quinn to shine.

Overall another smart, funny story with a little bit of heart thrown in for good measure.

More Castle…..
Castle, season 2, episode 3 “Inventing The Girl”
Castle, season 2, episode 4 “Fool Me Once”
Castle, season 2, episode 5 “When The Bough Breaks”
Castle, season 2, episode 6 “Vampire Weekend”
Castle, season 2, episode 8 “Kill The Messenger”
Castle, season 2, episode 9 “Love Me Dead”

Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic in Castle, season 2, episode 9 “Love Me Dead”. Image from www.deamonstv.com

Throughout most of this episode, Castle does his best to be a “cool dad”. He finds out his daughter has a secret from him but fights all of his instincts and does not ask her about it. He does try and get it out of Beckett but honestly it didn’t seem like his heart was in it.

But even as he’s trying to be the cool dad, it turns out Castle is very much a “cool guy”. When the hooker with a heart of gold comes to his doorstep, beaten and upset, and he helps her out. When she offers thanks the only way she thinks a man will appreciate, he manages to turn her down without sounding clichéd ( no easy feat). He also comes off as totally cool.

In a really awesome twist, it’s the callgirl herself who turns out to be the bad guy (or girl in this case).

Castle does finally found out his daughter’s secret and sees that it’s nothing bad, though he gets a harsh dose of reality when she admits that she’s thinking of going to Oxford in a few years. The look on his face as he tries to digest that knowledge was prices.

Overall a story with a hooker with a heart of gold who’s gone bad, a cool dad and lots of twists and turns along the way.

More Castle…..
Castle, season 2, episode 3 “Inventing The Girl”
Castle, season 2, episode 4 “Fool Me Once”
Castle, season 2, episode 5 “When The Bough Breaks”
Castle, season 2, episode 6 “Vampire Weekend”
Castle, season 2, episode 8 “Kill The Messenger”

Stana Katic and Nathan Fillion in Castle, season 2, episode 8 “Kill The Messenger”. Image from www.daemonstv.com

I never liked mysteries as a kid, never read Nancy Drew, never watched mystery movies – none of that. So I had to wonder why it is that I am enjoying Castle so much. Then I realized that it’s that cast that I watch, not necessarily the mysteries that they solve. Take this group of people and plop them in a hospital, in a lawyer’s office, heck put them on a beach and I’d still want to watch.

From Castle and his family, to the group at the precinct, everyone in this cast is simply fun to watch. The more they interact, the more I like it.

Last night for instance I particularly enjoyed when Castle answered “not yet” and Beckett “not at all” when both were asked if they were involved. It reminded me so much of that other mystery solving duo so many years ago on a little show called Moonlighting. Yes, I’m aware the comparison has already been made, but I don’t care. Last night was the first time I saw it myself.

I also laughed my head off in an earlier scene where Castle was seated between detectives Esposito and Ryan as a bunch of cats crawled all over them and they sipped tea from pretty little cups.

But the best part about last night’s episode is that for one second it had me believing that a dotty old lady actually killed someone. Turned out it was her personal manservant but hey, I like surprises so I still enjoyed it.

Overall another great mystery tied up in the end with some good laughs and a touch of “will they/won’t they?” along the way.

More Castle…..

Castle, season 2, episode 3 “Inventing The Girl”

Castle, season 2, episode 4 “Fool Me Once”

Castle, season 2, episode 5 “When The Bough Breaks”

Castle, season 2, episode 6 “Vampire Weekend”

Nathan Fillion in Castle, season 2, episode 6 “Vampire Weekend”. Image from www.daemonstv.com

As a diehard Browncoat (a fan of the show Firely), last night’s episode started out with what will probably be the best scene ever for me on this show. Castle comes out in his costume and is asked by his daughter what he’s supposed to be. He replies a “space cowboy” to which she tells him there’s no such thing and didn’t he wear it five years ago? He says he likes it and she tells him to get over it already.

I was laughing so hard I could barely breathe, for we all know that Alexis’ comments were not directed at her father (even though Nathan did of course play the famous Captain Mal Reynolds on the show) so much as they were to us, the Browncoats.

Get over it? Nah! Never happen.

The rest of the episode was a typical murder mystery with lots of Halloween twists as they first discover the body of a “vampire” and then a “werewolf”. Along the way, pumpkins are carved, more costumes are worn and there is even some family drama as Alexis’ friend imbibes at a party. One of my favorite moments of the night came when Castle got to be the great dad that he is by picking them both up, no questions asked, and taking care of the girl before her parents arrived.

I waited in anticipation for the final scene, knowing we’d see some more cool outfits. Castle had on a great Edgar Allen Poe (one of my personal favorite authors) costume, but it was Beckett who stole the spotlight. Showing up in an overcoat, she begins to unbutton it as Castle eagerly awaits to see what’s underneath. What can only be described as a frog-like alien pops up and it wasn’t just he who jumped at the gag, it gave me a fright too.

Overall an awesome Halloween episode that allowed us Browncoats to have a little laugh at ourselves before moving on to loads more Halloween fun.

More Castle….

Castle, season 2, episode 3 “Inventing The Girl”

Castle, season 2, episode 4 “Fool Me Once”

Castle, season 2, episode 5 “When The Bough Breaks”

Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic in Castle, season 2, episode 4 “Fool Me Once…”. Image from www.daemonstv.com

This week’s episode of Castle has everyone investigating the death of a con man who may, or may not, have a heart of gold. He apparently tricks kids out of money, but then takes time out to write to each one of them while on a fake trip to the Antarctic. He is dating an heiress worth millions, but has signed a pre-nup giving up any claim to it.

This episode kept me guessing until the very end. Not only about who committed the murder, but also about the victim himself. Along the way, we got to see everyone on the give their opinions of cons and con men. It was no surprise that all the men liked con movies and admired some of the victim’s ploys.

It was interesting to see though, that as soon as Castle saw cons from the viewpoint of a father rather than a man, his whole idea of them changed. What was once funny and clever was now suspicious and possibly dangerous to his little girl. His over-protection, checking out Alexis’s violin teacher, may have been a bit over the top…okay a LOT over the top, but who can really blame him?

I also enjoyed the fact that throughout the entire episode, Beckett was pulling the biggest con of all. She lied to Castle about not reading his book, which we find out (and so does he) that she’s really addicted to it. She also told the whole team that she didn’t like con movies, but in the end loved them just as much as the guys did.

More Castle…

Castle, season 2, episode 3 “Inventing The Girl”