by Anita Mae Draper
*** SPOILER ALERT ***
*** This post contains everything you wanted to know
about the final episode of this season's Castle. ***
I love watching the TV show
Castle and I anticipated the season finale for weeks because I knew it would be a cliffhanger. When the time finally came, I was left frustrated and discouraged. Although the finale took the relationship of Rick Castle and Kate Beckett to the next level, I felt the last few minutes were rushed and left nothing to imagination.
I think one of the reasons is because I know what happens to TV shows that are successful mainly because of the attraction, chemistry, sexual tension - call it what you will - between the two main characters. Some of my all-time favourite shows shared this in common with
Castle
- Moonlighting (1985-1989) with Cybill Shepherd (Maddie) and Bruce Willis (David):
She’s a glamorous ex-model, while he’s your typical sleeveless under-shirted, wise guy detective. Together, they run a private detective agency. Their trademark scenes are when they both talk at once –getting louder by the second - and end abruptly at exactly the same moment. The show had a 5 year run with Maddie and David getting together at the end of the 3
rd year. Year 4 tries to keep up the conflict, but fails miserably and Year 5 is downright boring. (
Full episode list)
-
Scarecrow and Mrs. King (1983-1987) with Kate Jackson (Amanda) and Bruce Boxleitner (Lee):
A divorced housewife is given a package by an agent being pursued by bad guys. Her attempt to follow his directions not only gets the package delivered, but rescues him in the process and introduces her to the Agency and a new life as an agent, kept secret from her boys and mom who live with her. Although Amanda and Scarecrew dated others along the way, their relationship is fed by having the two go undercover as man and wife in several episodes – parts they play so well that it’s a natural progression to fall in love by the end of the 3
rd season. Although they keep their marriage secret to protect her family, the episodes stall since the sizzle is gone.
In real life during the final season, Kate Jackson was undergoing treatment for breast cancer and supposedly this is why the show lagged. I’m not so sure. She’s always been a professional. I suspect part of it was because the excitement was gone since Amanda and Scarecrow's relationship had lost its element of suspense. (
Full episode list)
Scarecrow and Mrs. King is available free for
Amazon Prime members.
-
Remington Steele (1982-1987) with Stephanie Zimbalist (Laura Holt) and Pierce Brosnan(Remington Steele):
Frustrated by prejudice against a female private investigator, an agency owner invents a mysterious man as her boss. When the need arises to prove he’s real, she hires a polished, suave Brit to play the part without knowing he’s really a thief. The show’s trademark was the use of the word, Steele in every title. ie
License to Steele, Hearts of Steele, Steele at Your Service, Altared Steele, etc.
And yes, Laura and Remington’s developing relationship was slow, not coming to fruition until the final episode of the final season. So why have I included it here? Because in my mind, the series ended when they got together.
Remington Steele also needs to be credited because according to
Wikipedia, “It pioneered the slowly evolving "will they or won't they" relationship arc that is now common to television drama of all genres.”
Another interesting tidbit in
Wikipedia states, “A 2011 episode of the television detective show
Castle, "
Eye of the Beholder", made multiple references to
Remington Steele, including an appearance by James Read. A review stated that the episode "felt like an homage" to
Remington Steele.”
-
Castle (2009-renewed for a 5
th season) starring Nathan Fillion (Rick Castle) and Stana Katic (Kate Beckett): This series sizzled from the start. Part of that has to do with Castle being an urbane ladies’ man reminiscent of Remington Steele without the accent. And Kate had Castle pegged from the start. She wasn’t about to join the long line of women he’d loved and set aside. Yet a look here, a secret smile there, and we knew these two would get together some day. Their connection is the cement which holds the show together. A very good show with more plot twists than I’ve even seen or read before. Nothing happens as expected and altogether, the show is pure magic.
Before I go on, I'll post the video of the
final episode of this season's Castle. It's 15 mins long, but if you haven't watched it, this is a treat because it's pure Kate and Castle - all their moments of the show. If you are offended by sensuality, I'd advise you to skip the video.
So why am I frustrated? Because the creators of the show have taken the chance of ruining it for a mere 2 mins of air time. That’s how long the steamy, sensual scene lasted. That includes the part where he opens her blouse and sees the scar where the bullet nearly killed her a year earlier. Two minutes. And then they walk off camera holding hands. No, we don't see where they went, but they intimated what was going to happen.
Did we have to see those final steps?
Am I the only one who would have liked the show to end with them holding hands and staring into each other’s eyes, thereby leaving us to wonder – all summer long – what happened after the cameras were turned off?
After 4 years of waiting for them to get together, I felt this episode should have been more them and less police work. That would have given time for a better build-up to the end. Granted, Castle stared at his phone awhile before turning off her call, but then he turns on his SmartBoard with the investigation files and clears it within seconds. A slight hesitation and it’s wiped clean. Two minutes later, the show - the season - is over. And I felt like a deflated balloon. The mystery has been resolved.
One show that deviated from a similar path of destruction was
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (1993-1998) with Jane Seymour (Dr. Quinn) and Joe Lando (Byron Sully):
I think what sets this apart is that the series started with the emphasis on the story of a female doctor in 1867 Colorado with barely a nod at Sully. As the weeks pass, he plays a more prominent role and we feel their attraction. But their courtship, wedding, and family life is more of an extension of her medical practice. Although Sully is a main character, and the show will survive without him if need be. It would fail without her. So is this the way to keep these shows on the air? Centre it around one main character instead of two sizzlers?
Would
Castle have more of a chance of succeeding after this momentous event if he were the main character and Beckett his sidekick? Let's face it, the show is named after him... does that imply Beckett is dispensible? Would they find another female detective to rattle Rick's role if ratings lagged?
As of May 10th, Castle has been renewed for a 5th season.
What about you? Were you satisfied with the Castle season finale? Do you think they can maintain the excitement? What do you want to see happening? Can you think of any other TV shows that ended soon after the characters admitted their feelings and got together?
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Anita Mae Draper is retired from the Canadian Armed Forces and lives on the prairie of southeast Saskatchewan, Canada with her hubby of 30 plus years and 2 of their 4 kids. She writes stories set on the prairies of Saskatchewan, North Dakota, Montana and Wyoming. Anita Mae has semi-finaled in the Historical Romance category of the ACFW's 2011 Genesis contest and finaled in the Inspirational category of the 2011 Daphne du Maurier, the 2011 Fool for Love, the 2011 Duel on the Delta and 2009 Linda Howard Award of Excellence contests. Anita Mae is represented by Mary Keeley of Books and Such Literary Agency. You can find Anita at http://www.anitamaedraper.com/