This episode was a departure from what Castle usually delivers us, and although it was a lot of fun, I’m glad it’s not something that they do every week. Some of what I love about Castle suffered because of the soap opera homage even though we did get other fun stuff to keep us entertained.
Castle quoting the cliched soap opera plots was hilarious, and what made it funnier was Beckett making fun of the evil weather machine. Oh, that Mikkos Cassadine — it was a real plot on General Hospital back in the ’80s, I believe, in the height of the Luke and Laura days. Yes, I know this from firsthand experience. I also watched Marlena get possessed by the devil on Days of Our Lives. I love that the Castle writers acknowledged that nothing is outside the realm of possibility when it comes to soap operas — things like crazy fans, fake birth mothers, squabbling co-stars and even Beckett as a Temptation Lane fan all strengthened the soap opera theme.
Bringing in the lot of soap opera actors as guest stars was also a fun choice — Corbin Bernsen (Young and the Restless), Rebecca Budig and Cameron Mathison (All My Children), Jane Seymour (Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman … a bit of a stretch as a soap, but at least she’s taking a break from making those testicle necklaces), David Eigenberg (Sex and the City … also a stretch) and an extra-fun fact is that Nathan Fillion himself was a regular on One Live to Live.
My favorite part of the episode was when Esposito finally acknowledged — out loud! — the blatant chemistry between Castle and Beckett: “Do you two practice this when we’re not around?” They finish each others’ sentences, for crying out loud! The only thing that ruined this was Dr. Josh calling in the middle of another lovely Castle-Beckett moment. Puh-leez. And no awkwardness or even a mention of the closeness during the last episode. I do have hope that the writers will do right by us loyal fans, though.
Where this episode of Castle suffered most, though, was the actual mystery. I’ll admit that I almost always know the culprit on The Mentalist, but Castle often surprises me. This episode, though, I just knew it was Mac … um, I mean the assistant who had a name that wasn’t Mac, but Tina Majorino will always be Veronica Mars‘ Mac to me. Maybe I just watched too many soap operas in my younger days, and this mystery was designed to fit into the stereotype … I’m not sure. But there weren’t the classic Castle plot twists that I’ve grown accustomed to.
All in all, a super-fun episode, but I’ll be happy to return to a meatier mystery and a little more love to the secondary characters in the next episode … and maybe some progress on the Castle-Beckett front. I can hope.
Clacked by Debbie McDuffee
on Mar 21, 2011 @ 23:00 EST5EDT
I really enjoyed this episode of Castle, back from the seriousness of the 2-parter. I enjoyed all the guest stars because I think the writers were playing with the audience since the guest star is usually the killer right? So they dump us a bunch of them, haha.
Who is Red John’s cohort in the CBI?
Corbin Bernsen was also on General Hospital for a brief while, totally wasted as Carly’s father.
This episode shows why I love Castle even when the shippiness doesn’t work out. The lines about rabid fans and shippers were so funny in a good way because Beckett and Castle, not to mention Lanie and Esposito, are addicts too. The character interactions and the mysteries are good enough that I don’t have to pin my hopes on the ship. (I’ve been badly burned before when I watched for a ship going one way and then the show did a switch on me.)
I suspected Mac from the beginning, but I so totally hoped it wasn’t her because I <3 Mac. I wish she could get a regular role on another show!