CASTLE

Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama | TV Series (2009–2016)

After a serial killer imitates the plots of his novels, successful mystery novelist Richard “Rick” Castle receives permission from the Mayor of New York City to tag along with an NYPD homicide investigation team for research purposes.

Gotta love Castle. Nathan Fillion is such a cutie, and his partner in anti-crime, Stana Katic, is the master of the blank look that says so much. Together they are funny, poignant, mysterious, and sexy.

I’m late to the Castle game, having only seen a smattering of shows before I began binge-watching from the beginning on DVD. Apparently the recent season 8 was the final season. I don’t know why it’s being canceled or why some of the stars didn’t want to go on: maybe the story has run its course; maybe people’s tastes have changed; maybe it went downhill – I don’t know. I’m only up to Season 3 but have enjoyed every minute of its edgy, cozy, quirky, and comfortably predictable stories.

Castle’s daughter (Molly C. Quinn) and mother (Susan Sullivan) are both gems, and the detectives (Jon Huertas and Seamus Dever) play off each other excellently. The sets are richly detailed, as is the writing. As a Firefly fan, I’ve caught a few references to the canceled-too-soon sci-fi cult classic. As a writer, I’ve noted some true verbiage of writing technique. These background elements raise Castle from a run-of-the-mill cop show to a clever, polished piece of entertainment.

Of course, I, like every writer, want to be Castle: rich and famous, living a life of ease. And it goes without saying that we all want that bullet proof vest that says Writer instead of Police.