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Originally posted by BlueSunKill:
This season of Castle seems to be taking a turn for the dark and dramatic....

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Dear Mr. Marlowe:

First, I want to thank you for the first 57 episodes of Castle.
I work in maintenance, second shift, usually seven days a week, and I have little free time.
So, I choose my entertainment VERY carefully. I came to Castle because I am a fan of Firefly and Nathan Fillion. I was delighted at how well the Richard Castle role fits Nathan Fillion and vice-versa. Everything I loved about Mal Reynolds is continued or magnified in Rick Castle. Stana Katic brings great depth to Kate Beckett through some of the most subtle character moments.

(Ex: The scene in the first episode were Castle says he can tell Beckett her “story”, she smugly tells him to go
ahead, and her smugness melting away as he does just that…)


As a fan, I enjoy the Firefly shout-outs scattered through Castle. Maybe it was just projection on my part, but I felt Jose Molina managed to instill some of the Firefly vibe in the character dynamic of (the show) Castle. The ensemble cast you assembled has created fictional characters I want to invite into my home and my life. My sons and I have just wallowed in the joy that is Castle.

The Castle website, http://castletv.net/about , says;
“Castle is inspired by shows like Rockford Files & Moonlighting that are lighthearted with romantic tension and unlike the dark procedurals prevalent today Castle invites the viewer to invest in the relationship of people having fun together and engaging in witty banter.”

Although that is a bit of a run on sentence, that about sums up my taste in entertainment; i.e., I look to upbeat people and tales that are grounded in reality, but not mired in the problems, tedium or tragedy of real life.

Which brings me to my second point. Episode 58, “Knockout”, was glaringly unlike the show that drew me in, even down to the way it was filmed. Little things, like even Castle’s “WRITER” bulletproof vest, seemed jarringly out of place in this dark episode. I’m potentially interested in the idea of introducing conflict into the precinct with a new Captain that doesn’t like or support Beckett and Castle. But the show wouldn’t have to climb out of a dark, atmospheric hole if, “the Brett Favre of the 12th Precinct”, had retired instead of being killed. Shoot, he could have still been the third cop; just in witness protection rather than bleeding out. Maybe I’m not in tune with the average viewer, but watching fictional characters work through grief isn’t my idea of entertainment. Beckett’s character was shaped by her mother’s death, but I don’t think I would have been attracted to a joyless show about her working through the loss.
I prefer to watch characters grow by overcoming challenges, NOT working through tragedy.

So, to my final point:
There is no Moonlighting Curse! There is only the curse of writers so insulated from positive reality that they can’t find drama, growth and humor in a mature, committed relationship. “Hollywood” is always about characters “hooking up”. But interesting, successful relationships are about two people figuring out how to follow the same path.

Maddie and David of Moonlighting were doomed because their banter stemmed from their bickering, which stemmed from their insurmountable differences. After they “hooked up”, there was nowhere meaningful to go. Then, the story REALLY screwed the pooch by having Maddie marry that other guy…what?! There’s the “Moonlighting Curse”. Moonlighting dropped the ball on the relationship, and then tried to recover by throwing the whole character dynamic out the window, all the while making the failed relationship the focus rather than the private investigating.

There is no need for Castle and Beckett to “hook up” and then burn out.
Castle and Beckett are far more complex characters than Maddie and David. Castle and Beckett are very similar in their core values and interests. Their bantering is rarely bickering because their differences come from those similar core interests and values being molded by different experiences. Mr. Marlowe, for me the entertainment would come from your characters establishing their relationship. Oh, and the mysteries they solve together.

Beckett stated long ago in the series that she wanted marriage to be a once and done. So I see her insisting on her and Castle getting to know each other better outside of work before committing. You know, “dating” as opposed to “hooking up”. A relationship would accelerate the character development curve where by Beckett is loosening up and Castle is becoming more in touch with the fact that for most folks, life is about consequences. I see story possibilities where Castle and Beckett begin to worry about the risks they face. Should they continue to put their lives on the line? Should Beckett shoot for a desk job and Castle stay home and write? How would Beckett handle fame and fortune? Or would Castle have to reign in the glam for a more mundane family life? How would Castle’s family react? Would Alexis relish the idea of Beckett joining their family while Martha, perhaps, feels a bit threatened?
Because solving the mysteries should stay the primary focus of the show, these relationship developmental plot points would be spread out over a full season or two. Unlike “hooking up” as the once and done consummation, developing a real relationship for the Castle and Beckett characters is a springboard to further development.

NOT having Castle and Beckett develop a relationship seems the bigger risk to me. Beckett has already “kicked Castle out” three times now. Yawn, as if…
Castle professed his love for Beckett. How lame if he retracts that pronouncement.

McMillan & Wife (September 17, 1971 to April 24, 1977) and Hart to Hart (1979 to 1984) built watch-able shows on characters in solid relationships. I have always viewed the Beckett/ Castle relationship as developing from like-minded pals into a serious, committed-to-each-other partnership. THAT is a story/ character arc I would like to see unfold. At the very least, I hope Castle can find the positive, upbeat tone it set in the first 57 episodes, again.
If episode 58 is the look of Castle’s future, for me, the joy will be gone. I hope Knockout will prove to be an anomaly rather than a game-changer.
Not sure this letter will have any influence, but like voting, I’ve done what I can.

Wishing you continued success,

Mike
pennausamike
My Firefly Collection at:
http://fireflydvd.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3541

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