This week we are fully into the groove of the season with another inventive case that features more than a few suspects, while also taking a moment for a little peek into Beckett’s back story. Starting with that case, it was everything I like about a good Castle mystery, with just a little more. There was a host of potential killers all intermingled in a crazy little web. Mike Royce (Jason Beghe), Father Roe (Brian Krause), Clifford Stuckey (James Handy), and Random Pierce (Keith Robinson) all had their moments where they looked good for the murder.
Best of all, and in true Castle fashion, Gayle Carver (Sophina Brown) actually did it, and was the least suspect of them all. At least, according to the crowd in the live clack where nobody picked her. I was on Stuckey from jump street, seeing his forgetful old man act as a con right away. When Beckett got the call telling her that Royce had sprung Random, that just convinced me more. Royce was the distraction, before we come back to find that Stuckey was being leveraged out of the deal by the rest of the team.
Nuts. I had that leveraged out of the deal thing right, anyway. It all made for a fun case, and the big showdown ‘under the gun’ brought it all together perfectly. Especially that final little bit with Beckett and Royce. Royce was the little more I mentioned earlier. Even in the third season, there’s still a wee bit of mystery about Beckett’s past. It was good to get this short little glimpse. I’m sure we could have inferred a lot of that about how her start on the force went down, but it’s nice to put a face and a name with her training officer. I was also quite relieved that Royce ended up being dirty, just so the writers wouldn’t be able to have Beckett start dating him. I think I’m still a little gunshy from the Detective Demming shenanigans.
Castle’s latest adventure at home with Alexis was cute, if not the two of them at their best. I did appreciate how Beckett worked into that story, reveling in making Castle squirm at the possibilities of a wild phase. A nervous and frightened Castle makes for a lot of fun. Really though, given what we know of Alexis, I don’t see a lot of problems with a wild phase in the future. Another solid entry that has season three cruising along nicely.
Clacked by Brett Love 
on Oct 05, 2010 @ 08:30 EST5EDT
My favorite episode of this season.
The shenanigans were fun, it’s always good to see Jason Beghe, and I was convinced that the jewels were in the sharp shooting trophy the guy was killed with. (Under the gun, get it?) I like it when I can’t figure out who dunnit.
I also liked the back and forth that Beckett told Royce she had been in love with him, acted it like was just a story she made up to keep him on the line to Castle, Esposite and Ryan, and then we saw her face almost crying so that we knew the loving him part was really true. Season 3, and there is still stuff for Castle to learn about her.
I’m rather meh on Castle buying the Vespa so Alexis doesn’t have to. He was influenced by learning Beckett had to work all through high school to pay for her bike so he wasn’t going to buy one for Alexis for free but I wish he had made her work to earn one for herself too. Alexis is a good kid but he should try harder to keep her from getting too spoiled.