Castle: PhDead

by Michael Seese

OK, so it wasn't what I thought it would be. At the end of "XX," I thought Beckett was going underground, and in my review opined about "Caskett On The Run." Instead, she was just moving out of the apartment in order to protect Castle & family.

And in an obvious effort to lighten the tone from the previous two installments, "PhDead" was a really funny episode. I loved the subtle humor in the imagery of the dozen or so arrows stuck in the door frame, as Castle practiced his archery. 

We also FINALLY got "lividity" from Lanie. Of course, the first two shows this season didn't have "found" bodies, so there wasn't the opportunity.

I nearly ran out of room writing down the lines.

Great concept: The CDRK, aka, the Castle Depression Rescue Kit which, per Alexis, contained "video games, Sumatra coffee beans, enhanced Blu-Rays of the original Twilight Zone, and this..."
Martha: "9 Woof Woof?"
Alexis: "Puppies at your doorstep in 30 minutes or less."

Castle: "I can't recall if I saw things other than a body with a gruesome wound."

Scott Powell: "You didn't really think you could Jump Street the prime suspect, did you? Your partner is growing ear hairs right before my eyes."

(I had to cite the IMDB entry for the show, since it was MUCH better than the movie.)

Castle: "You, in the printed non-ironic tee, beside the too-friendly blonde."
 
Alexis: "I'm getting fitted for an iron lung in the morning."

In the bondage room...
(Castle's look)
Alexis: "What? I read 50 Shades, and so did Peter."
Castle: "I'd say this is less 50 Shades, and more Fatal Attraction."

Castle (over the walkie-talkie): "In your face, Frankenstein."
(Beckett's look.)
Ryan: "We can explain."
Beckett: "I ask one thing of you guys."

Quick aside: Maybe things have changed since I went to college, but Halloween didn't last a month back then.

Frankenstein: "You're pretty hot for a cop."
Beckett: "I have a gun."

Castle: "You're indoors and it's dark. Take off the sunglasses. You look stupid."

Castle: "When you say it in that tone, I sound like a bad parent."

A few nitpicks (with a SPOILER) thrown in:

- Regarding Beckett, Castle was being a baby. (Much like a few seasons back, when Beckett decided to move to DC, and he thought it would be the end of them.) I get the whole "we're a team" thing. But she's not talking about separating; she's talking about protecting,

- Castle was far too easily rattled by Scott Powell. Richard Castle is a multi-millionaire, best-selling author who has faced death many times, and he lets a 20-year-old punk dress him down? I DON'T THINK SO.

- Likewise, the initial prison scene had a few issues. Let's see, Castle and Alexis find a prison in the middle of Midtown, staffed by obviously young people. One takes his wallet and phone and shoves him into a cell. And Castle lets him? And the "guard" didn't think, "You sure don't look like a student." Not too mention, Professor Lillstrom was video monitoring it all; she didn't see it?

- You mean to tell me that Emily, an emotionally broken 110-pound girl, threw a man onto the tree branch with enough force to impale him? Uh-huh.

Still, the above were not so egregious as to tank the whole episode.

What did you think about "PhDead?"

Castle: Montreal

by Michael Seese

Sorry for the late post; our TV was out of commission last week. But I FIXED IT! Enough boasting.

Richard Castle is back, and I don't mean only from Canada. (The birthplace of Nathan Fillion, in case you didn't know.) No, he's back from his two-month mystery hiatus, back to solving crimes, and back to himself, now that he has a partial explanation of what happened. (Or does he... Personally, I think my theory still is in the running.)

As you might suspect from the previous paragraph, SPOILERS will be everywhere. Proceed at your own risk.

I thought "Montreal"was a pretty good episode. The mystery behind the murder seemed to get stranger and stranger as it went on. But I found the resolution to be plausible, as was the explanation as to why the victim could not go to the police.

(Oh, and true to Castle form, the victim's wife noted that "these last few weeks he had been having a hard time.")

Meanwhile, Castle was freelancing, trying to solve his own crime.

In fact, I thought the "split" near the end -- two minutes of Beckett and the boys on the case, two minutes of Castle in Canada -- was very effective.

And lots of humor. Some great lines:

Castle: "To find a needle in a haystack, do we not first need a haystack?"

Castle: "A tactical smooch is just one weapon in my arsenal."

Quick aside: That "tactical smooch" was out of character and, IMHO, one sign that my theory may be right.

Castle: "You picked up a man at grief counseling?"

Castle: "Tell me again how you got my phone number."
Crazy Guy: "I work for the phone company."
Castle: "Of course you do."

Castle: "Natalie went all Glenn Close on him."

Castle: "Need I remind you I'm a grown man. I don't need to ask your permission. That being said, please, please, please can I go?"

And the looks...

Captain Gate's complete surprise at the "tactical smooch."

And was it just me, or did the bank manager seem a little guilty when Castle asked, "Do I look familiar?"

Funny aside: When Beckett confronted the warehouse manager, "Mac," he bolted. In real life, would someone who (ostensibly) is not a career criminal do that? I mean, the cops know who you are, and probably where you live. Unless you have cash in the Cayman Islands, and a suitcase with your passport in your car, really, do you think you're going to get away?

Picky aside: I thought it strange that when castle returned to Montreal alone, and entered the (apparently) abandoned building where he recorded the goodbye messages, the faux Henry Jenkins just happened to be there waiting for him. That guy needs a life. Of his own, that is. I'm just sayin'.

With any luck, we'll get to "Clear & Present Danger" (which looks hilarious, BTW) tonight or tomorrow.

Let's hear your thoughts on "Montreal."