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Castle: Reality Star Struck

“Don’t let anyone stop you from getting what you want!”

Gina Torres is in the house! Mal and Zoe reunited! This episode just has to be amazing, bringing back fond memories of another of the great working partnerships in television history. It will be filled with Firefly references and we will get to spend time watching Fillion and Torres on the screen together again. Alas, that was not meant to be, but at least the episode was a step up from the past few.

The case itself fell into all the recent Castle traps. Taking off on a television series (or two) in our reality, we endured one “twist” after another until we finally got to the real killer. Once again, the killer was someone who had almost zero screen time before the great confession. I figured out who it was simply by watching who was not being discussed at length or being shown. That is a bad sign.

ABC had hyped the fact that Gina Torres was guest starring so much, I thought she would have a much larger part to play than she did. In fact, Penelope and Castle are on screen together for about thirty seconds. A great deal was made about how unreal this “reality” show was, as if this were going to be news to anyone watching. Finally, the writers have become really lazy about placing clues. Any woman who is in fashion, especially one who is starring in a television series, would not leave a nail broken for a full day. I actually rolled my eyes at that scene.

What saved this episode from being simply dreadful were the personal interactions, all of which made me smile and some of which made me laugh out loud. It’s been a while since we’ve seen Castle at home with his redheads and it was fun. As always, Martha was the highlight. Wouldn’t she have been simply marvelous as real housewife?

Gates’ and Castle’s interactions are always interesting to watch. There is something about Castle that really disturbs the captain and she does her best to keep him at arm’s length. In spite of this, however, every once in a while they find something over which to bond and this week it was the television show. They even join forces to get Beckett to shout, scream and throw a table all to get Bob to talk. Their completely in unison “What?!?” when Bob reveals the truth had me howling.

I am more convinced than ever that Gates knows about Caskett. Her giving them the homework assignment of watching episodes of the show felt like an attempt on her part to get them in the same room together for the evening. When she finds the earrings and the note, the look on her face is one of realization or maybe even confirmation. It is most definitely not shock that Castle is giving her a gift. The scene where she shouts at Castle and hands him back the earrings seemed overdone to me, as though she were acting or mocking him. For some reason, she is choosing to keep the knowledge of their relationship to herself.

Both the boys have lovely Valentine’s Day plans. Ryan has the night off from being Jenny’s rooster and Esposito and Lanie have a date at a swanky French restaurant. I cheered when I saw who Espo’s date was. These two are a simply amazing couple. More, please!

The personal interaction we all care the most about is Caskett and we got a great scene between the two of them this week. While Castle’s earrings were gorgeous, Beckett wins the prize as the gift ninja. Personal and romantic, the empty drawer was perfect and it was great to see Beckett take the next step in their relationship. The look on Castle’s face tells us everything we need to know about how he feels, both about the gift and the woman giving it. I ended the episode with a huge grin on my face.

This was a schizophrenic episode. The case was horrible, giving it a two would be generous, but the personal stuff was great. Overall, I give this one a three out four expensive knives in the back.

Tidbits:

-- I watched the show twice and the only Firefly reference I could find is, admittedly, a bit of a stretch. At one point, Beckett says to Castle, “So you can badger me about what I’m getting you for Valentine’s Day?” There must be more. What did I miss?

-- For a show that takes place in New York, the writers and camera operators really don’t know the city all that well. 78th and Lex is considered the Upper East Side and is primarily residential. February in New York is the height of winter; I defy anyone to find a tree with a leaf on it.

-- I agree with Castle; Madagascar is an adorable film. I was turned on to it by my five-year-old nephew who has seen it so many times he can perform whole scenes.

-- ABC last week ordered another episode for this season, bringing the total to 24 instead of the usual 22. This means that this season will have the same number of episodes as both seasons two and three and one more than four. This is a good sign for those looking for renewal omens.

Soundbites:

Ryan: “I feel like a rooster in a henhouse. Except for, there’s only one hen -- a very bossy hen.”
Later, again rushing into the precinct, Ryan: “Sorry! I had to run home and…”
Castle: “Cock-a-doodle-doo?”
Esposito, laughs and bumps fists with Castle. Beckett rolls her eyes and fixes Ryan’s sweater. The boys are teasing like brothers; Beckett is taking care like a sister.

Castle: “So, it’s a reality show, just without the reality.”
Monroe: “I like to think of it as heightened reality. Reality-Ish.”

Martha: “Boy, I wish I’d had these reality shows in my day. No script, overacting, screaming at everybody. What a gig.”

Alexis: “Oh my God, Dad. You’re still watching?”
Castle: “I can’t feel my butt.”

Beckett: “Penelope?”
Castle: “And Bob? You two are back toge…? Spoiler alert!”

ChrisB is a freelance writer who spends more time than she ought in front of a television screen or with a book in her hand.

5 comments:

  1. It's a shame they couldn't have done more with Gina Torres. Considering how Beckett moved the case forward by imitating Mrs. Foster, they could have had an earlier scene with Penelope having a temper tantrum at Castle.

    ReplyDelete
  2. N. Filion's face when he sees for the first time G. Torres on the TV : PRICELESS !

    Quoting you : "That is a bad sign." TOTALLY in agreement. Quoting you a second time : "More, please!" Ditto ! Lanie looked spectacular in that dress. And these 2 match perfectly. (the main couple as well, of course)

    "I love French !" "Je sais, mon petit chouchou !" LMAO


    On another note, let's sing now.

    I like to move it, move it !

    ReplyDelete
  3. I also wish we'd had more Zoe and Mal time. Such a waste. I didn't see a single Firefly ref either! The scene where Penelope confronts Hannah in a clothing store reminded me a bit of the store where Anna and Sydney beat the crap out of each other in Alias ("She can have the blouse.") but that was it.

    I just ADORED Gates and Castle this week. So cute. I loved their "What?!" and their theory swapping in the elevator. Adorbz.

    Now this is the Castle I know and love.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh! And I am also frequently annoyed at the obvious LA-ness of their exterior scenes. I noticed on the bus bench where the body was found that someone did remember to put up an NYC map, but everything was so new and clean and proppy. Sometimes I wonder if they're even trying;

    ReplyDelete
  5. Only Firefly reference that I noticed was when, at the bus bench, Lanie's gloves are blue, as a reference to "hands of blue", but that's still a stretch.
    I was disappointed that there wasn't more, too. Otherwise, I'm still excited to see where they're going with the overall storyline.

    ReplyDelete

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