They are partners, whether she likes it or not. Castle: The Complete First Season is the romantic, clever dramedy that is reminiscent of Moonlighting with romantic tension between Castle, a crime novelist and Detective Beckett as they work in a unique way to solve crimes and mysteries. One of the best shows to emerge midway through the 2008-2009 TV season, Castle has a cast and a sense of humor that set it apart from the normal police procedural. Nathan Fillion plays Rick Castle, a bestselling
Price:
Compelling, inspired. Fillion/Katic get five stars.,
Nathan Fillion is brilliant as ABC’s new world famous author-turned-pseudo-cop Richard Castle. Behind the veneer of an arrogant celebrity, who seems to have let dozens of best sellers and world acclaim go to his head, Castle is truly a kind-hearted man and a compassionate father. Besides writing, his favorite hobby seems to be irritating Kate Beckett (Stana Katic), the NYPD detective who was in charge of a investigating a string of copy-cat murders modeled after Castle’s own murder mystery books. Since he’s killed off the main character of his last series, Castle needs new inspiration for his next set of novels, and he finds his muse with the charming but difficult-to-crack detective. The chemistry between Fillion and Katic is astounding, leaving the audience with more to follow than just the murder cases. Unlike most criminal investigation shows, Castle has a heavy focus on humor and the strong development of its characters and their relationships. Not quite a drama and not quite a comedy, this primetime series has elements that appeal to any sensibility. The twisted murder storylines will keep you guessing for the full hour until the conclusion you never expected.
Bonus material for the DVD includes behind the scenes interviews with the stars, out takes, deleted scenes, and more. Strong first season. I’m greatly looking forward to watching this show thrive and burgeon into big-name status.
Was this review helpful to you?
|It’s not reinventing the wheel, but it’s almost perfect entertainment!,
CASTLE is one hell of an entertaining piece of light, fluffy cop television. It’s the perfect antidote to those who are wallowing in the dark sewers of cop shows like LAW AND ORDER SVU or CRIMINAL INTENT or the brilliant but extreme THE SHIELD. Creator Andrew Marlowe, perhaps best known as the screenwriter for AIR FORCE ONE, has created a very breezy and incredibly fun cop show that’s primary purpose is to counter the altogether too intense police procedurals that the public seems to inhale like cigarette smoke (you know it’s not good for you, but you can’t help it). He’s also added the perfect actor for a show like this: Nathan Fillion. Many people weren’t familiar with Fillion’s work until he became a cast member of the horrifically awful DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, but before that, he was a key player in what’s known as The Whedonverse, starring in the all-too shortlived FIREFLY and also guest-starring in the final season of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER. He was also featured in one of Whedon’s more recent and brilliant creations, DR. HORRIBLE’S SING-ALONG BLOG, where he wonderfully plays a shallow, over-confident superhero. He also appeared in another VERY shortlived Fox television show called DRIVE, which was cut down before it could reach its potential. He’s been featured in films like the FIREFLY sorta-sequel SERENITY, a wonderful indie splattergore comedy called SLITHER, and some unfortunate direct-to-DVD fare like WATER’S EDGE and WHITE NOISE 2: THE LIGHT. But as he proved with FIREFLY, he has more than enough talent and charisma to carry a show on his own if necessary (even though it wasn’t necessary with how great FIREFLY was).
And that’s very much the case with CASTLE. As mystery writer Richard Castle, this is his show. Despite some strong supporting performances by actors like Susan Sullivan, who plays his flamboyant, vibrant, and at times, annoying mother, and a sometimes over-her-head Stana Katic as his professional and personal foil, NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, this show and everything great about it is planted rightly and firmly on the charm and talent of Fillion.
The show is very much in the vein of a program like MOONLIGHTING, pitting the goofy yet irrestistably charming lothario against the by-the-book, stalwart, intelligent and sassy and undeniably sexy-but-sexless woman as the two of them get into one wild adventure after another. The thing about this show that gives it perhaps an even stronger catch than a show of this type should is that it has a specific “mythology” arc that will carry it for at least another season; namely the unsolved murder of Beckett’s mother, and Castle’s determination to solve it, even if it means that he will lose a friend and potential love interest in Beckett.
So I say bring on Season Two, and continue the tone that the show has given us, and don’t let it conform to what the “hitmakers” see trending with the too-upsetting cop shows. Keep it easy breezy. And hopefully the show will get the audience it deserves, and Fillion will get more of the opportunities he deserves.
Was this review helpful to you?
|