Richard Castle's (Nathan Fillion) ex-wife, Gina (Monet Mazur) introduces his new and last book, but we don't know she's his ex yet and that she's also his publisher too. Small world. Castle in the meantime is busy demonstrating his true character by signing autograph's on women's chests. He's ending the Derek Storm mysteries series his final book, Storm Fall. (Referring to the death of his famous character, earmarking the death for any literary career when that happens!) Though as he explains to his daughter, Alexis (Molly C Quinn) he's grown tired of him as he knows everything the character's thinking and he doesn't like that. (Pedantically, he would know what the character's thinking, he's writing him!) At least Castle doesn't live vicariously through his characters!
Meanwhile Det Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) investigates the murder of a woman covered in rose petals over her body and daisies over her eyes. She was Allison Tisdale, a social worker. Beckett comments that romance is dead for her every Saturday night. ME Lanie Parish (Tamala Jones) suggests she should try wearing a little lipstick. It'd make her more appealing, at least give her some character!! I.e letting her hair down, which is what Castle will tell her later, that she's never tried being spontaneous, she's stuffy. This CS seems familiar to Beckett. Castle tells Gina he's paid back his advance already for the book, funding the divorce. He appears to be suffering from writer's block. Accompanying him on his book launch is his mother, Martha (Susan Sullivan) who's the stereotypical matriarch looking for a man and likes to drink to excess. Castle even tries to get Alexis, his daughter, to have a drink as she's "an old soul;" and he wants to share a "wildly inappropriate" story with her, but he can't. She should have some of those from her teens too, to pass onto her children. He knows what would happen in every scene of his book, another reason for killing off Storm.
Cue Beckett here to question him about Allison's murder, now that was different, at least for him. Castle has a record, once he stole a police horse and rode it nude. The charges being dropped, as it pays to have fans in high places, such as the mayor. Beckett is laying down her law already, which will only cause him more intrigue as far as she's concerned, you see, he can read her like an open book! She also tells him about the murder of Fisk, a small claims lawyer. Castle funny comment in tow: states his "claims are on the large side." Fisk was murdered straight out of his other book, Hell Hath No Fury. He gets all sorts of fan letters all the time. The killer's tried to "contact the object of his obsession." I.e Castle (whose object of affection/obsession at said time is Beckett.) He plays poker with other writers and for him and to them, the ultimate "Red Badge of Courage" is to have a copycat. Murder usually makes sense to him, but he wonders why these books were chosen. Beckett lumbers Dets Juavier Esposito (Jon Huertas) and Kevin Ryan (Seamus Dever) with Castle's books for them to read and make the connection between the Vics. If Beckett claims to be such a fan why can't she work out the connection. No, it takes Castle to point that out to her later on, when he tells her that the Vics were differently dressed and staged than in his books.
Castle, being devious, gets her Captain Montgomery (Ruben Santiago-Hudson) to authorize his consulting with her on this case. She claims he's not here for justice but just for the story. Why them? He replies there's "always a story." Alluding to Beckett, she shouldn't be a detective as beautiful women opt for becoming lawyers. He profiles her. She became a cop because something in her past happened to someone she knows and whoever did it was never caught. As is always the case, to add some angst to the mix. Just as in The Mentalist it was Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) who was wronged and his family killed by his nemesis. Here it's reversed so Beckett is the one with the secret. Sketches from Castle's book scrawled onto a fan letter lead to the main suspect. Esposito comments Beckett is a control freak but she can't control Castle. Who calls the Mayor to ask him for a personal favor, jumping the queue to obtain a fingerprint analysis. Much to Beckett's chagrin yet again. She threatens Castle with a gun, something Lisbon (Robin Tunney) from the Mentalist would do.
The next DB posed is from the book, Death of a Prom Queen and Castle accompanying Beckett, charms Lanie, who happens to be another fan. Castle presumes to analyze the CS and the COD, as Patrick Jane does. The Vic was killed and posed after death, her dress was blue in his book and not yellow. The fingerprints from the earlier analysis match Kyle (Kurt David Anderson). Oh yeah this scene was really credible: Beckett breaking down the door with her high heels and not a scratch on them, were they made of steel?! At least Lisbon wears decent shoes. Ha.
Inside they find a shrine to Castle and a gun, as well as the suspect himself. Castle says Kyle sufferers from ADD and Alison was his social worker. Beckett deems it an open and shut case. At his poker game, Castle discusses the death of Storm in his books with James Patterson and Stephen J Cannell, who think he's mad to have killed off Storm. Castle discusses this latest case with them as a possible plotline for a book. The suspect needs someone in his corner, to find out the truth and that would happen to be Castle. He gives Beckett an autographed advanced copy of his new book. Hey even the music in places is similar to The Mentalist. A rouse on his part to take her file on the case, allowing her to arrest him. He tells her the rose petals on Allison's body weren't the same as he used in the book, thus Kyle is innocent. Castle's had plenty of father figures and ponders over murders that don't make sense. He believes they're looking for one murderer whose intended target was only one of the Vics. Making it appear as though they're actually looking for a serial killer.
His mother mentions the Mouse Trap. I was thinking more along the lines of The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie. The killer knew his intended Vic well and so it was Allison. Castle and Beckett figure that out at the same time using very different methods of deduction. Castle notices Jonathan Tisdale (Keir Dullea) is dying and his son, Harrison (Brian Avers) inherits all of Allison's share now too. His motive: he was broke and he wouldn't want Allison's share being given away by her to charity. He wanted it all, but that wasn't the only reason for the killing as Castle later says. Why do killers always retain evidence after the fact. Beckett's a detective, so why's she asking Castle why he thinks Tisdale's dying.
Allison saw the best in people as Harrison tells them, so she didn't see the worst in him. There's the connection to Kyle, that Allison wanted Harrison to give him a job at his company. Harrison has his alibi ready, his passport for the time of her murder as well as for the other two Vics as well. They realize Harrison has a fake passport, using the real one to leave and enter, but using the fake one to get back in without anyone knowing. Needing a warrant to search his apartment, Castle knows the Judge too. Beckett just loves her cuffs, she has Castle in cuffs twice this episode alone. Obviously he's getting out of those. As if she would really give him a weapon. "Cuff me once, shame on you, cuff me twice, shame on me." Everyone loves that saying.
Harrison takes Castle hostage and tells them their father only cared about Allison which was the other reason he wanted to kill her, so their father would suffer before he died, as Castle suspected there was more than money behind it. Castle wasn't worried since the safety was on the gun the entire time, something she being a detective, should have noticed. Castle gets the green light from the mayor to shadow Beckett for a character in his new book, called Nikki Heat. The dynamic works better when the female character doesn't try to be domineering, feign hating the male and having to compete overly forcefully to be accepted.
Hot on the heels of shows like Remington Steele which was a great show for the '80's; another show in "love to hate them/love them really" mould. With this show, I admit I'm biased, it's Mentalist deja vu all over again. The roles are reversed, Castle has a family - daughter, mother, ex-wife. It's Beckett with the troubled past. He's a writer so with his sharp, analytical mind, he can make the same determinations and analysis that Patrick does. Castle is also egotistical and arrogant, traits also possessed by Patrick Jane. But alas they're not Lisbon and Jane. Clearly ABC was looking for a show to rival CBS Mentalist. The reason I mentioned The ABC Murders is the plot in this was similar to this ending, but with a twist: a brother murders his brother for greed, wanting his money and property, so he kills other people, casting suspicion away from himself as being his brother's killer. He makes it seem his brother was the Vic of a serial killer.
Though Nathan Fillion excels as Castle, Beckett and Stana Katic's portrayal of her still leaves a lot to be desired and she hasn't immediately grown on me, like Lisbon/Robin Tunney. Beckett's a little too abrupt in the "I can compete in the big leagues with the men" mentality. He's called in as a police consultant, as was Patrick Jane and Castle hangs around to garner inspiration for his new book and character. The lead actor, Nathan being the saving grace for this show and I shamelessly admit he made me watch the rest of it. Funnily enough in the UK trailer shown on five, mention was made of Murder She Wrote, but Jessica Fletcher Castle is not, was also added just to clarify the distinction.It's an opportunity for people to watch the show who didn't have access to satellite/cable, or subscription TV when it's aired there.
Common elements relied upon: "the will they/won't they" dynamic. Judging from the Pilot it's a 'probably they won't' scenario, since Beckett's eyes have been opened to what her fave author is really like. A womanizer, who comes across as uncaring about the Vics, at least to her. Being in awe of his books and work before she met him in person. Where this show comes into its own is when Castle thinks about the particular crime and concludes what really happened; who did it etc. The one thing they have in common, aside from crime - is the "why" - what drives people to commit murder, which is also the basis for solving said crime.
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