8 X 14 EPILOGUE G. D. S.

[nathanfan1]

Guaranteed that this trip to LA won't be a special Caskett time, but let's hope that we get some SATISFYING answers about Castle's disappearance out of it.

Chime in on the discussion afterwards.

[motowncf]

Not sure how satisfying the answers were....or where they plan to take it from here.
I have to wonder if this is the story they had in mind all along, or if they are trying to course correct over all the fan discontent from the start of the season and tying all this together.

I didn't really get into the case of the week so much tonight...too much else to concentrate on. I really had no idea where they were going to go with Castle's missing time, and I was completely surprised by Hayley's involvement in that.

I did like that Castle solved the case by recognizing the studio exec's handwriting from notes on the Nikki Heat script. Not happy that they trashed the Nikki Heat movie.

And Lanie had a real story tonight! Quite happy with that.

[glo1196]

I'll probably be one of the few, but that was to me one of the worse episodes. The case was ok, really couldn't get into it. I just felt that they really are setting things up to continue the series without Stana, and that's not the Castle I fell in love with and want to watch. When he said, "I know who the killer is!" it really bothered me. That's a Caskett line. I also did not like that Castle was enjoying Haley kissing the other woman. Or that Haley said she was fond of him, that's why she has stayed around. I don't know maybe it's just me. There wasn't even a phone call to Beckett in this episode. That's completely out of character. Even in the Beckett centered episodes she thought of him. We knew she thought of him, included him. She didn't even exist in this episode. No one even mentioned her. If that's the way this goes, I'll finally throw in the towel. It's not the show I signed up for....this episode actually made me sad, and it's getting to the point that it's ok if I dvr and catch it later. 

[nathanfan1]

My husband and I both agreed that the writer of this episode - Alexi Hawley - was on speed at the time! Good grief there was a lot going on! We usually have the A story and somewhat of a small B story going on but this one had A, B and C and they were all popping. I definitely will need to watch it a couple more times to truly digest all of the plots. Because of that, my comments are going to be somewhat broad!

Loved seeing Lanie in several scenes! It's interesting that, even though she's dating someone else, she doesn't want Javi to know. There could end up being something between then yet. I do love seeing Ryan squirm and Javi sure can read him like a book. Gotta say that I'm glad Lanie got them back at the end.  

A major disappointment for me was that there was no setup for the trip involving Kate at all. It felt like a huge hole was left in the story for me. I'd have liked a scene between she and Castle before he left.

While I thought the headquarters for the GDS was a gorgeous location and I LOVE Gerald McRaney, I felt that whole premise of Castle being invited to compete for membership in the GDS was a little out there. How did they even know Castle was in LA? His invite was delivered the minute they arrived at the hotel. The murder case was, on one hand bizarre and gruesome, but on the other hand, that's where all of the comedy was mined. I couldn't tell if they were taking it seriously or not. I appreciated hearing something about the Heat Wave movie, even though it bombed and I question the decision to make a prop knife the murder weapon. Remember the scene in One Life To Lose where Martha and her old flame are rehearsing a murder scene? He has a knife at her neck when Castle and Beckett burst into the room and he drops it on the floor, showing them that it's rubber. I guess the case of the week felt more like a sideshow. I did love seeing Raleigh Studio used again. I have SUCH WONDERFUL MEMORIES of what happened right outside that gate!!!!!!!!!! I also loved the last scene at the GDS when Castle declines the seat at the table saying that he already works with the finest detective. Sweet.

That brings me to the story line about Castle's disappearance. With all of the other stuff going on, I was afraid we were only going to get a fragment of the story again, but things ramped up towards the end. Kudos for the way they revealed Haley's involvement. It was a great twist and I really couldn't tell if she was going to harm Alexis or not. In hindsight now, I can remember several times when Haley stated that the whole thing was best forgotten so it seems that there's been good consistency with her character and this backstory. Castle's video to himself was well done and at least he now knows why he asked for his memory to be erased, even though it turned out to be for naught. Oh what a tangled web we have now! My BIG question is will he return to NY and tell Kate everything. They promised no secrets so we'll see if that holds true.

I can't remember if this was filmed the week that Stana went to Europe for Fashion Week or not. I knew the episode was mostly Castle, Alexis and Haley but I thought that at least we'd get an opening and a phone call or two between Castle and Kate. Her total absence was glaring for me. I'm satisfied with the new info on Castle's disappearance but they still have a heck of a lot of 'splaining to do to make this LokSat mess make sense. I hope it happens soon!

[fantasynovelreader]

Not sure what to make of it. On one hand, the answers to his missing two months proved more palatable than, what was given last year. Yet, as others have mentioned the lack of Caskett proved a bit jarring. 

[lindy]

Well....the only satisfying thing about this episode were the scenes with Lanie and the boys.  The murder was ok, the way they hyped this GDS was a bit of a let down.  Probably should've just kept it a Castle Missing time episode.  The Hayley twist was interesting, but her confession that she was fond of Rick was a bit uncomfortable. A show without Kate is just not as interesting!  Hayley working with Rick, giving him those exasperating looks is not the same when Kate does it.  I'm glad Rick did say he works with the best detective already and couldn't wait to get back to her!  Now, let's see if he tells Kate what he learned!

[kman]

We got some answers to some very serious questions tonight.....

First of all, I was glad to know that the Nikki Heat movie could and should have been a lot better had it not been for that buffoon of a  tag team serial killer. I am thinking that this studio runner was Hawley making fun of himself. Nice that he has a sense of humor.  Even nicer that he had no clue, even after the handcuffs were slipped on him. I guess that was Hawley's way saying he was sorry for misleading us so much. We now can be empathetic toward him because we have now walked in his shoes and looked at things from his point of view.

Lanie...Oh My God Girlfriend, where have you been hiding? And go on with your bad self by revealing that maybe you still have feelings for Javier. Look, I love Perlmutter, who doesn't? But his dry sense of ignorance can not match the alluring and, quite charming,   and brilliant Lanie Parish. I thought I was watching a Second City Skit when She found out about the "other" fetish, that....Oh Geez, Nasty I am sure. We can only imagine what the bed wetter told our good doctor. But the  "LOOK" , as she was waiting for Rysposito with the fire extinguisher, and then actually dowsing them with their just reward(Slap Stick at it's Finest!!!)..not once, but everytime they opened their mouths....PLEASE...I almost wet my pants!!!! LOLOLOLOL.....We need more of this...much more. I would like a case where both Lane and Perlmutter work together and can't agree on anything.....

Live from New York, it's the Ryan and Esposito Show!!!! Good Stuff.... Espo knows his partner and this Bromance just gets better with time.

Was it coincidence that neither Kate nor Vikram were not around? Probably uncovering a tape that Castle made in LA.

Now don't get mad folks, but my wife said that she liked the Castle Chronicles...without Kate. Look, Hayley says "It's CompliKated" and Castle says "I know who the killer is!" These are the "Satisfying" foreshadowings that may us lead us down the road to season 9 where Rick, Alexis and Hayley take over without Kate. I am just saying. PLease don't shoot the messenger.  All three look completely comfortable and Rick swore his undying Trust towards Haley and his lifetime of "Protection" to his daughter. Stana not being there was a huge mistake. But sometimes, the biggest mistakes turn out to be the best solutions.  I can't help but feel that this was a warning or a test.  Just don't get upset if this takes place. Something has to change on this show. And in my view, Stana not being there was inexcusable. It just didn't feel right....I wanted her in the Ferrari with Rick Driving in LA sipping cocktails with Gene Simmons. For something this important...Casket should have been together. Again...a major screw up by the show runners and ABC for letting this happen.

Did anyone care about the murder? I didn't .  But I did like the twist and they way they uncovered everything. Rick as always was crazy good. But Ryan and Espo and Lanie were top notch in New York. And Kate.....ah Kate....uhhhh...anyone seen Kate?

I didn't see the Haley twist coming, I must admit, it surprised me. I liked the fact that Castle's dad got Haley to try and keep an eye on Rick. Which begs the question, did he get Rita to talk to Kate? Although not there on screen, we felt Papa Castle's influence. That was an old Marlowe trick and it worked tonight.  I think we all knew that Rick was involved with LokSat, we just didn't know how. I wonder if LokSat tried to kill him?  And now, after all this nonsense of "Fun" stupid ARCS, it begins to make quasi sense. Shades of season Four. So now, Rick was protecting Kate and Kate was protecting Rick. We need a scorecard to keep up.  It has to be "Smith"....oh please stop it!!!!

Why is Rick a Detective again? That to me is stupid. They took great effort to reinforce the fact that Castle was a Rick...opps...Rock Star Writer.
I liked Summer's character, but was it necessary? Maybe this unblocks the writer's block.

I love Alexis' development. She is growing. She is the brains of the outfit. She is just like her father only grown up. For one moment, I thought Hayley might take her out. It is nice that she has a big sister now. Wow, I always thought that would be Kate.  Kate? Kate Who?

I think it becomes clear, that the gaping wholes that the Show Runners created are narrowing a bit, but once again, this could drag on forever, especially the way Hawley has had total disregard for the "Reason" for Castle and the fans reactions and his stubborn insistsnce that his way is the best thing for the show. If they can tie this all together that's great, if not, you have a real mess on our hands. Rick must feel real bad, like this is all his fault, but I feel there has to be more to this. If anything, they should have just killed Rick and then this would have been over. But now we, at least see, that without Castle, you have now Beckett involvement. The two are going to have to work together and solve this puzzle using that amazing chemistry that they share. The question is.....WILL WE SEE IT IN THE SCRIPT?  They forget that this is a love story...two people who love each other, ran in fear from that love, then got drawn back to save each other, from each other, so that the world could be a better place. He did reference his Captain/Secret Agent wife as the "Best Detective". He told us who she really was. This reinforces the notion that they are the best crime fighting team and when they work together, they can't be beat. Maybe she will realize that speaking for the dead and, lately, the living people, is where she lives. The Senate still may be calling. But LokSat must fall first.  But let's all remember that he is a writer and she is his muse.

I loved this show.....it gave us a different perspective. It also showed us the great screen presence of Nathan Fillion. He is a legitimate star. make no mistake.  The same is true for Stana.  I think we got a glimpse in the promo for next episode that something is about to change between them.  I didn't feel this was the right time to split them up again after 3 strong shows...this one should have been shared between the two, like all the other times.  But now we have wait to see if Rick struggles with the morality of being honest, or keeping Kate protected by lying or keeping quiet. I fear Hayley may be the one to tell Beckett what the hell is going on. I hope not.

And I still feel Vikram is a creep and a double agent. Haley was brought in to help Rick, and Vickey was brought in to slow Kate down.

[Fjordmom]

Mar 8, 2016 3:19:20 GMT -5 kman said:

.....

Now don't get mad folks, but my wife said that she liked the Castle Chronicles...without Kate. Look, Hayley says "It's CompliKated" and Castle says "I know who the killer is!" These are the "Satisfying" foreshadowings that may us lead us down the road to season 9 where Rick, Alexis and Hayley take over without Kate. I am just saying. PLease don't shoot the messenger.  All three look completely comfortable and Rick swore his undying Trust towards Haley and his lifetime of "Protection" to his daughter. Stana not being there was a huge mistake. But sometimes, the biggest mistakes turn out to be the best solutions.  I can't help but feel that this was a warning or a test.  Just don't get upset if this takes place. Something has to change on this show. And in my view, Stana not being there was inexcusable. It just didn't feel right....I wanted her in the Ferrari with Rick Driving in LA sipping cocktails with Richard Simmons.

...

I love reading your takes....but asking that I not get upset about "the road to season 9..." --- Just NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
Something does have to change on this show, and for me it's either getting back to its roots, or me finally moving on...with MUCH sadness...I'm frankly not interested in a show without Stana.

The scene with Hayley-Alexis-Rick bonding was just too sticky sweet for me...I still do not trust Hayley and the Alexis-Hayley bonding/"mentoring" axis still grates on me.

Not sure how they could have fit Kate into the storyline if indeed she and Rick were still carrying on with their separation charade for the "public"...maybe the writers thought they should stick to canon???!!!!!! 

[kman]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO....

Sorry Fjordmom...I think I struck a nerve...LOL I like others feel like they are doing rewrites on the fly...and there fore are not quite hitting the mark.

[nathanfan1]

I loved the set used for the GDS headquarters and this morning I saw a tweet from Summer Glau revealing that it was the same set used in The Final Frontier. I adored that episode, though many didn't. That set was where Kate and Castle went to find the maker of the laser gun that was the murder weapon. Fun fact!

[angie1379]

nathanfan1, and kman, I am right there with you. I can't say I've ever been so overwhelmed and underwhelmed at the same time. There was so much going on, that I lost track of what I was supposed to be invested in. I was not impressed by the whole concept of the GDS and using an actual murder as a try-out. And yes, I know Castle has circumvented traditional channels for his own purposes before, but not for something as superficial as rushing for a detective fraternity. And in the end, that case was unimpressive. The studio executive as a serial killer was not really believable to me, especially as the supposed alpha of the team.

I was also put off by how seduced Castle was by the GDS, and how that pretty much left Alexis as the only person interested in looking into his disappearance. For a guy who was ready to take off for Korea a few days earlier on nothing more than a flash of memory, he sure forgot why he was in LA.

I also felt Kate's absence was quite glaring. And not just her physical absence, but the lack of any explanation, as well as no indication that Castle was at all in contact with her. This was a big trip for him, and "separated" or not, Kate is just as invested in getting these answers, if for no other reason than because she knows how important it is for Castle.

As for Haley's connection to Castle's missing time, I was floored. I had not considered that and did not see it coming. But I do believe the sincerity of her character, and in fact, like her even more now. It must have been weird having to act like she'd never met him this whole time. And what she said about Alexis was truly touching. I know a lot of people would like to see that kind of relationship between Alexis and Kate, but given everything Alexis has witnessed between her dad and Kate over the years, I can understand why their relationship is a bit different.

The more I write and think about it, the more I realize that what put me off the most was the fact that something as important as connecting Locksat and Castle's missing time deserved more weight than what this episode carried. When I think of all the episodes that furthered the various conspiracies of the series -- Sucker Punch, Knockdown, In The Belly of the Beast, Rise, Driven, Sleeper -- they have all been very heavy, serious episodes. But here we have an episode with a rather significant purpose and reveal, and it's wrapped up in cotton candy and is completely missing the other central, lead character. I just can't reconcile Kate's utter absence during something so important, especially for the second time this season.

So all in all, I'm intrigued by the deepening conspiracy even as I'm apprehensive about what it means moving forward. Castle damn well better come clean. But maybe this is the writers' way of showing that Beckett is not the only one who can lie. But Castle has been down this road before with Mr. Smith, after Kate was shot, and I think he learned his lesson. At least I hope so. But damn, erasing your memory is no easy task, and if Castle went that far, then he's going to be hard pressed not to bury it again because he knows Kate will never give up.

One final thing: So for several weeks, Castle was wondering around LA, celebrity-sighting capital of the world, and no one recognized him? Not one paparazzo, fellow celebrity, or police offer who knew he was missing? Hmmm ....

Okay, that's all for now. I'll probably watch it again, but honestly, without Kate, everything falls a little flat, doesn't it?

[dyingtime]

Not sure what to make of this show anymore. This episode was disappointing. Not only was Beckett not seen, she wasnt mentioned until the closing. Barely. Hayley has only confirmed my dislike of her, and I dont buy her "I've grown fond of you and I adore Alexis" bit.

And now we have Castle blaming himself for the death of Beckett's AG team from two years ago. 

TW and AH have, what, eight episodes left? It seems doubtful that they can put the drain plug back in to save the show. Sad, I was big fan. Now I watch this after it has aired. It is not compelling enough to watch during its inital broadcast.

[kman]

Mar 8, 2016 12:52:52 GMT -5 angie1379 said:

nathanfan1, and kman, I am right there with you. I can't say I've ever been so overwhelmed and underwhelmed at the same time. There was so much going on, that I lost track of what I was supposed to be invested in. I was not impressed by the whole concept of the GDS and using an actual murder as a try-out. And yes, I know Castle has circumvented traditional channels for his own purposes before, but not for something as superficial as rushing for a detective fraternity. And in the end, that case was unimpressive. The studio executive as a serial killer was not really believable to me, especially as the supposed alpha of the team.

I was also put off by how seduced Castle was by the GDS, and how that pretty much left Alexis as the only person interested in looking into his disappearance. For a guy who was ready to take off for Korea a few days earlier on nothing more than a flash of memory, he sure forgot why he was in LA.

I also felt Kate's absence was quite glaring. And not just her physical absence, but the lack of any explanation, as well as no indication that Castle was at all in contact with her. This was a big trip for him, and "separated" or not, Kate is just as invested in getting these answers, if for no other reason than because she knows how important it is for Castle.

As for Haley's connection to Castle's missing time, I was floored. I had not considered that and did not see it coming. But I do believe the sincerity of her character, and in fact, like her even more now. It must have been weird having to act like she'd never met him this whole time. And what she said about Alexis was truly touching. I know a lot of people would like to see that kind of relationship between Alexis and Kate, but given everything Alexis has witnessed between her dad and Kate over the years, I can understand why their relationship is a bit different.

The more I write and think about it, the more I realize that what put me off the most was the fact that something as important as connecting Locksat and Castle's missing time deserved more weight than what this episode carried. When I think of all the episodes that furthered the various conspiracies of the series -- Sucker Punch, Knockdown, In The Belly of the Beast, Rise, Driven, Sleeper -- they have all been very heavy, serious episodes. But here we have an episode with a rather significant purpose and reveal, and it's wrapped up in cotton candy and is completely missing the other central, lead character. I just can't reconcile Kate's utter absence during something so important, especially for the second time this season.

So all in all, I'm intrigued by the deepening conspiracy even as I'm apprehensive about what it means moving forward. Castle damn well better come clean. But maybe this is the writers' way of showing that Beckett is not the only one who can lie. But Castle has been down this road before with Mr. Smith, after Kate was shot, and I think he learned his lesson. At least I hope so. But damn, erasing your memory is no easy task, and if Castle went that far, then he's going to be hard pressed not to bury it again because he knows Kate will never give up.

One final thing: So for several weeks, Castle was wondering around LA, celebrity-sighting capital of the world, and no one recognized him? Not one paparazzo, fellow celebrity, or police offer who knew he was missing? Hmmm ....

Okay, that's all for now. I'll probably watch it again, but honestly, without Kate, everything falls a little flat, doesn't it?

Wow !!! Well said Angie....I agree with every word! Well done !

[csttraveler018]

Glo: I totally agree with your view of last nights episode. The only part I liked was the last couple of minutes when the reveal came. I absolutely hated that Kate was not in the episode at all. I kept thinking if this is a preview of what they are thinking about doing if Castle is renewed, I am out. As others have stated, this is a love story and when half of that couple is not in the episode I thought the episode felt flat.

[castlefan8]

Didnt watch, PVRed but its already erased without viewing. After reading the comments various places and watching afew UTube scenes, Im glad i missed it. I cant stand watching Hayley and Castle trapse all over LA and the fact that (i hear) there was no mention of Kate...just no!!! This was written by the showrunner. Doesnt bode well for Caskett