A voodoo ritual is invoked. Castle (Nathan Fillion) engages in a romp with his first ex-wife Meredith (Darby Stanchfield) and to think just last week, he told Beckett (Stana Katic) he couldn't find the right girl to marry, from this we see why. He's not really into the whole love and marriage scene! She throws a spanner in the 'no-strings attached sex with the ex', by saying she's moving back to New York, much to Castle's chagrin, since women are only there for one thing for him. Okay I'm being harsh I know, never mind.
The DB from the earlier voodoo ritual is found by a homeless man states Esposito (Jon Heurtas) and Castle has to publicly announce he's had sex with his first ex-wife, which is a "special brand of hell..." and something akin to a guilty pleasure of having a deep fried Twinkie. He tells them to look for a pouch in his mouth, identifying a ritual killing. Beckett just says it's a ritual killing and then asks Castle how he knows it's voodoo. Is there no end to her questioning the obvious. No really I know I say this every episode, but she isn't really a good detective when it comes down to it.
Ryan (Seamus Dever) mentions voodoo being native to Africa, he reads too; as Castle mentions the bowl of blood ceremony and the pouch are an offering. He wrote about it in his sixth novel, Unholy Storm. He doesn't recognize the symbol on the charm, which was in the pouch from the DB's mouth. If they find out why it was there then they'll find the killer.
Castle has done research on voodoo and reads from his book, which does include some factual stuff. Not coincidence but the extract he reads is about a naked woman! He has another source. Claiming Meredith is a million times more annoying than he is, that's true, so is Beckett a million times more annoying, ha. She took Alexis (Molly Quinn) to lunch when she was 9 in Paris. But the sex with crazy people is unbelievable. Beckett: "How shallow are you?" Castle: "Very." Hey with his reply, my comment wasn't so harsh after all.
His research is Michelle, (Nicky Micheaux) who describes the symbols as opening the crossroads into the spiritual world. The charms are an offering to a voodoo saint called upon to find something missing. She spent time in Nigeria and practices. Beckett is very closed minded and again judgemental when she frowns upon her doing this occult practice. Michelle: "Occult is in the eye of the beholder." Beckett turns her nose up at the cow's foot stew also. Castle; "technically cow is beef." Voodoo is a peaceful ritual. The man was killed because he had something the killer wants.
Ryan calls about another DB, Darcy Cho, a lawyer. There's that surname 'Cho' again, re The Mentalist and was also used again in a season 2 episode. She has the same stab wounds and Castle comments she was staged the same way. Also another charm and chicken blood in the bowl, says Esposito. Funnily enough Lanie (Tamala Jones) was missing this episode and not a mention of her as far as the DBs were concerned. Castle explains there was a charm in her mouth so the killer didn't find what he was looking for. Ryan mentions that was written in chapter 10, that's how he knows. Beckett needs to find how the Vics were connected. Meredith takes Alexis out of school for shopping, she can tell her teacher her mother's a liar of she wants to get out of it.
Ryan questions Jill Button (Laura Simms) Darcy's best friend, she doesn't know the first Vic. Darcy's firm also did Immigration work. Captain Montgomery: (Reuben Santiago-Hudson) "First victim gets killed in a religious ritual, then history repeats itself with his lawyer the very same day." Castle and his witty comment about, "there's a lawyer joke there somewhere, I just can't think of it." Esposito identifies the DB as Jamal from the INS database, his visa's expired. he kept in touch with a boy and he has his phone number, which will give them a billing address. Castle and Beckett find it difficult to climb 6 stories, need some exercise and not the sort Castle had in the opening either! Castle comments slum housing isn't a better start for them and Beckett thinks it's an improvement on what some of them had. Inside, Castle notices red flannel and candles inside a bag (again not very observant Beckett, as I previously observed.)
Azi ( Aldis Hodge) denies the killings since the things aren't his, but were Charles Oni's (Dohn Norwood) he owns their housing, they work for him. Jamal had a stall in Canal Street. Oni thinks they took something of his and made Azi show him how to conduct the ritual. Oni goes under the alias of Robert Burnett and Castle says Azi hasn't heard of Darcy so they still don't know what the Vics had in common, until Meredith arrives on the scene, I should say the Deep-fried Twinkie, and gives them a clue. (Again it's always someone connected with Castle who comes up with the clues, loosely connected to Castle, in her case.)
When she points out the SJP (Sarah Jessica Parker) handbag. Calling Beckett the "new muse." Meredith was Castle's inspiration once, "Right, Kitten." Embarrassing him in front of everyone. Didn't think he'd be that thin skinned. Castle: "I had a dream once - only I was naked and less embarrassed." Now we know it's the little things that get him embarrassed, not something like being naked. Well we could've guessed that. The bag is a fake and knock-offs are sold on Canal Street. Beckett figures Oni's stall connects the two Vics.
Everyone's throwing around 'Kitten' and 'Deep-Fried Twinkie'! especially Beckett. Castle points out to Martha (Susan Sullivan) that he nearly had to repeat the Fifth Grade when she was looking out for him. She was working and trying to be a mother. Meredith being here is having an effect on all of them. He uses a piece of string for his papers and she suggests he should get a cork board. Castle thinks he could get Meredith arrested in New York, he knows people now. She asks why he married her, cos maybe Meredith reminded him of Martha.
Esposito and Ryan talk handbags and Castle asks if "you ladies picking out something pretty for yourselves." Inside the store the bags gave been cut up and there's another symbol on the floor, again one Castle has seen before, the symbol for death and Oni has been 'marked for death.' He then spots cameras across the road, well the TV in the window and Beckett thinks he's being stupid. She has failed to observe once more. He's having a breakthrough and modestly retorts, "I really am ruggedly handsome aren't I?" (!) He's interested in hearing what people get up to in the window of the store, especially as it involves yet another naked woman.
Beckett asks the owner, Oscar ( Michael Benyaer) if he could describe the man who bought the camera in the window to a sketch artist. Duh what does she think is in the store! Then she asks why he took the camera and the recordings. Thank you Castle for answering he was looking for someone just like they were looking for him! Hey he doesn't put his hand up anymore to ask questions or make a point.
Oni is stopped at JFK under the name of Robert Burnett, he wants protection in return for his info, think he meant the spiritual kind of protection. Baylor (Robert Okumu) killed them. Oni is a counterfeiter and he kept the appears in the bag, needed for Baylor's brother. They weren't papers, it was a passport. Castle gets his own flak jacket/vest made up for himself with the words 'Writer' on the front and back, so he doesn't get shot. But Beckett stops him from going in with them. Like he'll listen. His phone rings inside the building. It's Meredith pretending to be Alexis. She's found a perfect place for herself and she wants him to co-sign the loan. They're divorced and he's not going to pay. Baylor drives past him in an SUV, which Castle can't describe or recall the number plate. It's hard being a witness, though he's observant, what happened now, he was distracted. Ryan asks him the colour of his shirt, well that's easy, it's almost always some shade of blue.
Inside the building they find red flannel and yoga leaflets. Castle: "...just because he's a cold blooded killer, doesn't mean you don't take care of yourself." They always give him a line about being a cold blooded killer, or a killer. Beckett finds the camera and Castle notices a woman with a yoga mat buying a handbag. Beckett now says that's why Baylor bought the camera, er thought that was already said! Her coffee mug gives the location to a yoga class held near Canal Street and directs them towards Diana (Debbie Campbell). Castle is into yoga or just women who are into yoga as he mentions a yoga position, or was that more hands-on research! Beckett calls him 'Kitten' again for the fourth time, wearing a bit thin now.
Beckett finds a passport in the bag, see no papers and Baylor arrives for a shoot out, she's not a very good shooter either, Castle has to come to her aid with popping the cork bottle so it sounds like a bullet enabling her to take a shot at him. He's written this scene a hundred times. As well as taking a photo with his phone to show her Baylor's location. Beckett: "What is it with you and phones." They come in handy. Also allowing him to drink from the bottle and then a glass. This was his first gun battle and Beckett calls it his last. He probably saved her life, so she owes him whatever he wants "and you know exactly what I want don't you - don't you ever call me Kitten." No it wasn't what she was thinking and she did seem a little perturbed that's what he came up with! She was thinking more of a proposition and not of the marriage variety either.
Alexis loves her mother but doesn't like having her around. Castle got Meredith a role in an Indy movie, obvious from the start he was going to find a way to get rid of her, but no part for Martha. It was an investment opportunity. Alexis is relieved since raising one parent is enough for her.
Aside from yet more insights into Castle's character where women are concerned, especially his ex, just to show us the sort of women he goes for, flaky much; and the one liners, not much happening in this episode. The storyline could have been taken in a different direction, with some scary moments, but not the case, appears it's cos everyone reads a lot and know all about voodoo to a certain extent; whereas Beckett just doesn't believe it's a plausible religion.
In season 1 episode Red Rum of The Mentalist, a football star is found in a ritualistic pose attributed to black magic and also a sacrifice. Lisbon (Robin Tunney) doesn't believe black magic exists. Patrick (Simon Baker) however enjoys the occult experience, but not everyone does, like Cho (Tim Kang) who is clearly uneasy. In Castle, everyone took the voodoo in their stride, as though they're common occurrences - aside from Beckett, naturally, who took Michelle's beliefs with a pinch of salt, so a little like Lisbon in that respect, but that's as far as the similarities go between the two.
The title is a take on the old adage, "always buy wholesale."
Let's see lawyer jokes: lawyers don't need voodoo cos they specialize in their own patented brand of black magic. The only ritual lawyers know is making money.
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