Castle: Cool Boys

by Michael Seese

We watch Castle, in part, because we enjoy the leads and the interactions between them. But let's be honest. We've "known" them for 7+ years now. So they probably have become slightly less interesting to us. That's why it's great when the writers can introduce a memorable character to stir the pot.

I felt that way about "The Nose." And I would say the same for Detective Ethan Slaughter, who made a return in "Cool Boys." 

Part of his charm is, much like Mia The Nose, he doesn't CARE that people don't like him. But even more than her, Slaughter takes Castle out of his game.

Witness Castle's facial expressions -- aka the looks -- which ranged from surprise to fear to disgust to amazement to amusement. 

Plus, it's obvious to me that Slaughter is the man Castle envisions himself as being.

Suffice to say, this was a funny episode. The writer's gave Slaughter so many good lines. (Or, there were good lines about him.)

Martha: "Don't 'mama' me, darling."

Slaughter: "This whole thing's a little above my intellectual paygrade."

Slaughter: "We're like Butch and Sundance."
Castle: "You know they died, right?"

Castle: "Flowers are a nice thank you gift. A giant Rambo knife... That's psychotic."

Slaughter: "Criminal Good Will Hunting."

Slaughter: "I'm not role model material."
Castle: "He's really not."

Castle: "You know you can take out the SIM card, right? I've lost more phones in this line of work."

Quick aside: It would be fun to know exactly how many. Two others immediately come to mind.

Castle: "Yeah, I'm sorry. I'm trying to be scared. I just keep picturing you doing jazz hands."

Quick aside 2: That might be one of the funniest Castle lines EVER.

Louis: "You've got that kind of clout with the mayor?"
Slaughter: "Hell, no. But Castle does."

Speaking of Louis, I loved his rapid-fire explanation of how he found Slaughter by hacking his life.

And, though we didn't get "lividity," Lanie gave us a new great word: exsanguination.

Picky aside: Something both my wife and I noticed... In the opening scene, where Ryan, Esposito, the SWAT team are attacking, why didn't Ryan and Espo get helmets?

As I write (and post) this, I realize "The Last Seduction" already has erred. I'm going to make a bold prediction and say the video call where (ostensibly) an attorney asks about divorce is a complete red herring.

Castle: "Headhunters"

Once again, in under the wire...

What an amazing episode of "Castle." (I was going to say, "awesome," but I'm a grown man.) The writers really worked a tightrope, teetering between dark and light. You had Slaughter's rough-housing of suspects and informants, balanced by Esposito and Ryan seeking favors from Castle in exchange for their help. The final scene, with Castle and Alexis racing for the ice cream, let us end on an up beat.

First of all, give a ton of credit to Adam Baldwin for his portrayal of Detective Ethan Slaughter. He was intense. (Though at the end, when she confronted Vales, Beckett showed that she could be intense, too.) As over-the-top as Slaughter was, the character easily could have been a caricature. Credit Baldwin for not letting that happen. 

They gave him so many juicy lines:

- The aforementioned disparaging of "awesome."
- "I'm guessing 32s?" (Complemented by the camera panning up from the bullets to the medical examiner's...)
- "You got a skirt that says 'writer' on it, too?"
- "Real man land."

Two scenes stand out in my mind as being particularly engrossing and entertaining. First, Beckett's scene with "Counselor Worf" was great. Have you noticed that in her early therapy sessions, she sat and hugged herself, and now she paces and gestures? But the best was the entire scene in McCrawley's Bar when Castle:

1. Yells "NPYD" (yes, that's what he said) and then nearly get trampled.
2. Has his fight with Shea, all the while Slaughter is calmly holding Brian Reilly (the victim's father) at gunpoint and cracking peanuts.
3. Knocks out Shea with a beer bottle and, rather than make some sort of macho gesture, faints.
4. And (though it was not quite the same scene) struts into the precinct like he was a member of the Magnificent Seven.

Which leads us to "the looks."

- Beckett's disbelieving stare at Castle's triumphant entrance.
- The medical examiner's panicked "no" nod when Castle asked to ride along with Slaughter.
- Slaughter's glare when Castle offered him a cappuccino.

Though Slaughter would be too much as a regular, I certainly hope they bring him back for at least one curtain call.

What did you think?