Castle: Valkyrie

By Michael Seese

No sign of the Fonz on water skis, I'm happy to report. I'll admit I feared that Castle's proposal to Beckett spelled the beginning of the end. But if "Valkyrie" is any indication, the show hasn't lost a step.

Usual disclaimer: SPOILERS!

 














The opening scene was wonderful, funny and touching. The dialog (and looks) careened between the two extremes.

Beckett: "Oh my god! Oh my god! You're proposing!" 
Castle: "OK, you're surprised."
Beckett: "Of course I'm surprised. I thought you were breaking up with me."
Castle: "By offering you a ring?"
...

Castle: "Not yes?"
Beckett: "No. Not not yes."
Castle: "You know how this works, right?"

But then Castle's gentle, "If that means when things get difficult we have to figure them out, then I'm wiling to figure them out. Assuming you're willing to figure this out with me."

Another great scene had to be "Mr. C's" introduction to Pi. (Prediction: the latter is a conman.)  Castle's face was precious, especially during the exchange:

Pi: "The whole spelling thing stifles creativity."
Castle: "The spelling thing?"

A great standalone line was Castle's comment that his cardboard cut-out is "best with rhetorical questions."

Noteworthy looks:

Ryan's face when Castle (over the phone) said, "You're swaddling that doll right now, aren't you?" And Beckett's closed-mouth "Yeah," when Castle asked, "Would you at least like to know what I found out?"

A few picky things...

The exercise at the beginning, where Beckett ostensibly gets shot? She's a decorated New York City police veteran. She's busted more bad guys than Dirty Harry. And yet, the feds feel compelled to have her complete urban training? In a real urban setting? (And, heck, even I said, "The blonde is with him." After all, it's not as though pretty blondes in blue print dresses randomly hang out in alleys.)

Also, whatever the toxin was, it killed Bronson (the ex-Marine) in a matter of minutes. So why does Castle has 24 hours? Yes, I assume the point was that Bronson had been exposed a day or two before, and he finally, coincidentally succumbed with Castle in the car; but Beckett mentioned only the level in Castle's blood, and not the time differential between the two men's exposure to it. As a writer, I'd say they should have tossed in a quick line referencing the latter.

And a comment I've made before...

Since the show is named "Castle," I'm going to go out on a limb and say they're not going to kill him off. (Plus, right now IMDB lists four more episodes.) So unless Richard Edgar Alexander Rogers Castle will appear only in a hospital bed, or heaven...

Will a valkyrie be taking Castle to Valhalla? Click to tweet.