A twisted mystery with a host of suspects is nothing new for a Castle episode. It’s practically the formula for the series. “3XK” certainly followed the formula, but it also took it to a whole new level. This was easily my favorite Castle mystery yet. And the reason for that was just how good the fake out was done.
They really worked hard to sell Marcus Gates (Lee Tergesen) as the triple killer. From the shot in the opening, before Linda Russo’s murder, to the too cool way he toyed with Beckett’s interrogation. Those were not the reactions of an innocent man. They even found his print at the scene, and caught him attacking a girl with exactly the right rope. The evidence was so overwhelming that it was tempting at every turn to assume there must be something else.
What sold me on Gates though, was the faked video footage of his alibi. No face in the picture, and the knowledge that he worked at a prop house. There must have been an accomplice. I was way ahead on that one, so when that was revealed, it just had to be Gates. Damn the conventions of the Castle fake out.
Alas, I was once again defeated by the Castle writers. And those defeats are of the most pleasing kind. A mystery that engaging, even when you’re wrong, is such a fun ride. The twist that Jerry (Michael Mosley) was pulling all the strings, and Gates went along to get McCardle (Brian Klugman) his operation, was fantastic. Right down to Castle figuring the whole thing out at the last minute, and the little exchange where he and Jerry analyzed each other.
I also liked that Jerry got away. For now. It’s good to occasionally have the good guys take one on the chin, and it’s probably a wake up call that Castle needed. He can be a bit cavalier while traveling in what is a very dangerous world. It’s also good to have that lingering one-that-got-away to bring back later as a payoff for long time viewers.
All things considered, an outstanding episode. The clues pointing at Gates, bringing McCardle back into it, and finally revealing Jerry as the triple killer all played out so very well. Best episode of the season.
Clacked by Brett Love 
on Oct 26, 2010 @ 08:13 EST5EDT
except that it wasn’t really a fake out. Sure, he wasn’t the triple killer, but he still killed those two women and he still faked his alibi. He also would have killed a third if he wasn’t interrupted.
He was guilty, just not of ALL the murders he confessed to.
This whole episode was totally ridiculous. First they jump into a story I can’t get any feeling for because who cares who the oh so mysterious Triple Killer is, then the overly exaggerated talking through the whole episode full of pathos and “we need to get him”, after that the meeting in prison where the name of the “girlfriend” is mentioned in full – I mean come on who calls his GIRLFRIEND by her full name in passing? If he’d meant to name her they could’ve made a point out of naming her with her adress. Everything was crammed and rushed and yet they have time for Castle standing there delivering his also pathos ridden speeches on the other side of the two sided mirror outside of the interrogation room, again with the Captain talking as if the world is going to end. Names a flying around and you really don’t get a sense of what’s what. But that’s kinda ok by me since this is supposed to be about a novel writer and novels are complicated and if I were really into that kind of novels then all the pathos and exaggeration might’ve been ok if it weren’t for the fact that the triple killer’s actor wasn’t so bland or better: he didn’t get enough time on screen to deliver any sense of threat or ingenious killer-personality. Remember John Lithgow on Dexter? Well this killer here was like a rub-on tattoo from a cerial box compared to a multicolored back-tattoo.
And then with the “did I forget to mention that he also sometimes works with partners? But different partners all the time” – Yes well no you didn’t mention but oooh now thank to you bla bla bla. And then Castle puts it all together on their way back to the guy. First question: why is Castle going there at all? Second Question: why does he put it together in front of A FREAKING KILLER OF A HALF A DOZEN WOMEN??? and then the rent-a-cop pulls his gun like a child and gets knocked out cold with one hit, not to mention the KILLER OF HALF A DOZEN WOMEN doesn’t right away shoot Castle.
GAWD!
The only way this all would be acceptable is if this were a 50 Cent novel on cheap paper from the train station. It’s garbage and it was written as garbage.
So bad.
I felt insulted the whole way through. This show has been so much better in the first two seasons and this here… phoning it in isn’t even close to describing it. The writers are so god damn lazy and the acting is so bland. Man.
“As punishment – now he’s going to kill again only because I couldn’t stop him”
What?
I mean seriously?
Could it get any more idiotic?
He’s a freaking mystery novel writer. Graaaaa *pulls his hair out*
I liked it. I thought it might be the best episode of the season.
We got to see Montgomery affected by the case he couldn’t solve, Beckett unable to break someone in the interview, an ending I didn’t guess, and a set-up for an on-going arc for the season.
We also got a deepening of the Castle/Beckett connection (as opposed to relationship) and the ending scene showing why even if Gina and Josh are around causing the C/B flirtyness to be toned down, the core friendship is building.