Or … is this the latest case of the writers playing Lucy to the Charlie of the viewers? Everything is really coming together for Castle and Beckett to make some kind of progress where their romantic relationship is concerned. There were even a couple of almost-there moments. When Beckett was talking about Josh, telling Castle that she wishes she had someone that would be there for her, you could see that he was about to jump in … right before being interrupted by the haz-mat guy.
I suspect we’ll see something similar as a result of the deep freeze. Almost, but not quite. But as part two winds down next week, with Josh seemingly being kicked to the curb, this is as close as we’ve come to seeing something between the two since the Gina debacle that crushed the finale last season. So, what’s your guess? Progress? Or Lucy? I am, sadly, voting Lucy. As with football, and major Canadian curling, never bet against a streak.
Speaking of Josh. … This was one more grand example of why I hate that story so much. I get that he and Beckett are supposed to be seriously involved; and they went to the trouble of getting Victor Webster to play him. So why does he get no screen time? Seriously. Hi, big important part of Beckett’s life — here’s your 12 seconds of air time. Now, begone! It’s bordering on silly at this point. But then, I never thought there was any there there anyway.
Getting to the case, I’m mostly a fan of what we have going here. The conspiracy angle of it is fun, and I’m a little fascinated by the possibilities of Fariq Yusef (Alon Abutbul). The clandestine meeting between Fariq and Castle was like one of Castle’s crazed conspiracy theories made real. I also like Fallon (Adrian Pasdar – Has everyone seen Profit?), mostly. His “kind of a douche” DHS agent is most interesting in how it plays against the rest of the team. Particularly good was the exchange before the interview with Nazihah Alhabi (Bahar Soomekh). “That’s a nice touch.” “What?” “The baby.” And Beckett’s reaction after the interview. It all comes off as rather creepy. My only real negative here is the scenes of Fallon barking orders to the department. It never really meshed with the creepy overpowering government douche that we saw in his one on one encounters.
It all has me very excited to see how it all comes together in “Countdown” next week. I’m very curious to see how the bomb plot plays out, and even more interested in seeing where this latest round of Castle/Beckett shenanigans is taking us. Are we finally nearing some sort of resolution, or has it all been another ‘setup’ that will ultimately serve to delay things again?
Clacked by Brett Love 
on Feb 22, 2011 @ 21:25 EST5EDT
Not that I’d want it to end, but it would be one hell of an ending if they just killed off the characters and we didn’t get anymore episodes.
See, again, I still have no problem with the pace of this relationship. As much as I complain about Bones and other shows, there IS something to be said about this phase of the relationship. What is bad is when it turns into a 6-7 season thing.
Castle and Beckett have only really been doing this thing for at most a season and a half.
Talk to me about Charlie Brown and Lucy when we’re on season 6 (Oh, wait, you did. That’s where I came up with the Charlie Brown and Lucy HIMYM post title :P )
*POST AUTHOR*
I agree that there is something to be said about this phase of the relationship. The problem is, the writers keep saying the same thing and hitting reset. Last season it all came together, with Beckett kicking the cylon to the curb, all set to have ‘the talk’ with Castle. But, oh no, here comes Gina out of left field. Then Gina gets dispatched, and Castle’s ready to have ‘the talk’. But wait, here’s Dr. Josh. Don’t blink, or you might miss him. So now Dr. Josh is getting the boot…
I don’t mind the time it has taken, or that they aren’t together. I just don’t appreciate the manufactured obstacles that are so clearly only there to delay them actually making any progress. I’ll give a little credit with Detective Cylon. At least there was an attempt to make him an actual character on the show with some real possibilities. But did you ever think for a second there was anything to Castle/Gina or Beckett/Josh?
At some point it starts to make the characters look stupid. They’ve spent two years both secretly pining over each other because neither of them can nut up and tell the other one how they actually feel. These are successful, professional, adults. But at this point, Alexis is more mature in dealing with relationships than Beckett or Castle.
I absolutely agree with you about the manufactured obstacles. Hate ‘em. I also think that the show took a hit in ratings the first half of this season when both Castle and Beckett were in other relationships and there was no fun flirting between them.
Marlowe said in an interview in TV Guide that the network execs were afraid of the Moonlighting Curse (which is always mistaken for ‘the show dies when you put the couple together’ when Moonlighting died because the writing was so bad trying to keep them apart and because the leads hated each other) so maybe ABC was the cause of the mess at the end of last season.
We’ll know in the next few months. If Marlowe produces yet another manufactured roadblock, I may throw in the towel.
They’ve spent two years both secretly pining over each other because neither of them can nut up and tell the other one how they actually feel.
I have to disagree with you here. I don’t think Castle thought beyond dining and bedding Beckett until Det. Cylon showed up and with Castle’s blessing offered Beckett a real relationship and then Castle realized what he was losing. On Beckett’s part, she liked Castle but she thought that he was short-term material, as she said in Food To Die For, “they come in, they upset the apple cart. Of course he makes you feel alive, but eventually, you know he’s just gonna let you down. So why risk it?” And when Castle showed up reunited with Gina after he’d never said a single good word about her (that really was a manufactured move), it confirmed every doubt Beckett ever had about dating Castle. For her, this season was about realizing that he’s not the shallow relationship guy she thought he was.
Alexis is mature but dating is easier when you’re 17. There isn’t the emotional baggage.
For me, the real question is where Marlowe is going to take it from here. I hope into honest emotion and not manufactured obstacles.
I agree. As viewers, we saw the building of the feelings Castle and Beckett had for each other, but for them this has only been going on less than a year (season). I see their relationship on the show as following a normal, real life progression.
I don’t think see the road blocks as manufactured though. I think they have been well written. Castle didn’t get together with Gina because of Gina. He got with Gina because she was there, easy, and most importantly familiar. He was disappointed with what happened with Beckett and rebelled against it. Well within his character.
Beckett was with Det Cylon (love that!) and they actually made a good couple. I kinda liked them together. Dr. Josh was her rebound guy. There, but not really there. Again, perfectly natural relationship.
It is unfortunate that people are now impatient to get the leads romantically together. The ride is worth it. Let the relationships build naturally and enjoy it.
*POST AUTHOR*
I would stop far short of calling the relationship perfectly natural, for the simple fact that it requires the characters to do ridiculous things. Just this week for example, look at the meaningful conversation in the quarantine tent. Where was that conversation heading? What was Castle about to say? It sure seemed that the natural progression was some sort of discussion about how he feels. But then they’re interrupted by haz-mat guy. And magically, they both forget it ever happened. Five minutes later, in the car headed back to the station, they don’t pick it back up.
It’s not being impatient to get the leads romantically together. For instance, I’m in no hurry to get Lisbon and Jane together, because the writers have never even hinted at that. But here, they started angling toward some sort of Castle/Beckett pairing from jump street. We can disagree about when which feelings became what (and Kate K, as always, makes a great point in that regard), but it was clear from the premiere that there was something between them. I’m just saying tell the story, without making up ways to not tell the story yet.
I hear you, but I don’t mind one or two obstacles … I think it makes for decent drama.
When you’re talking about 7 seasons of it, then it is a different story.
I’m still on board with how Castle is doing it, especially when you compare to Bones, or HIMYM (albeit differently), or Josh/Donna on TWW, and on and on and on.
*POST AUTHOR*
The better comparison at this point is probably Chuck. I consider Josh and Gina Castle’s Lou and Hannah.
Fair point. But to me, the length that was spent putting the two of them together was spot on.
It shouldn’t happen immediately … Peter and Olivia are another good example. Season One, very little movement. Season Two, slow build. Season Three obstacles. Season Four Go time (You know, hopefully).
I was going to mention Chuck. But, Chuck is a season ahead of Castle. Chuck and Sarah got together last season. So, if Castle is following the same path, they would get together this season.
Interesting idea to compare the two relationships because in many ways they are similar. Chuck to Beckett and Sarah to Castle.