ABC’s hit show ‘Castle’ premiered the third episode of season five, “Secret’s Safe with Me,” on October 8, 2012 at 10PM EST. So far, the show’s ratings are doing well now that the titular Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) and his lovely muse Detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) have started a clandestine romantic relationship.

Mild spoilers ahead.

“Secret’s Safe with Me” centers around a young woman named Wendy Dupree (Tara Batesole) who wrote “LIE” in her own blood right before she died. This puzzles the team until they later realize that her death is linked to a storage container that is about to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Castle is able to deduce that she actually wrote the number 317 in her blood and they were merely looking at it upside down. Castle and Beckett head to the auction and after some mild hijinks, they buy the contents of the storage container hoping that it contains evidence that will solve the Wendy’s murder.

Meanwhile, Martha (Susan Sullivan), Castle’s mother, tells him she knows that he and Beckett are together and that he should tell his daughter Alexis (Molly Quinn) about the new relationship before she heads to college. However, Alexis seems short with Castle after he tells her and he worries that she is convinced Beckett has “taken her place.” It leaves him in an awkward position as he tries to soothe his daughter’s agitation only to learn that she is not jealous of Beckett but rather upset that she will no longer be living with him.

Unfortunately, after buying the storage room, Castle and Beckett are left with a huge amount of seemingly worthless junk to root through. However, eventually, they catch on to a theory that Wendy and her brother, Wendall Dupree (Alex Arleo), who was also suspiciously killed shortly before her, may have been looking for a priceless bracelet. Thus, it becomes a treasure hunt, much to Castle’s absolute glee, and a race to find the jewelry before the Wendy’s killer recovers it first.

“Secret’s Safe with Me” is nothing short of brilliant. By far, one of the most outstanding moments is the “handshake” between Castle and Beckett at the precinct. Since their relationship is still a secret, they cannot kiss in front of the other detectives so Castle suggests a handshake, but he describes the way he would kiss her if they were in private and she does the same. It is a steamy yet heartfelt scene that proves these two have a love between them that is legendary.

Furthermore, while Alexis’ fears about not being at home feel somewhat silly since she is only five miles away from her father, the scene is very sweetly capped off with nostalgia for Castle and Alexis. She asks him to check under the bed for monsters and he does. He also promises to come running if any monsters show up and it is one of the most adorable things to ever happen on the show. The relationship is well written and certainly well acted by Fillion and Quinn, who have both admitted that they share a similar relationship outside of the ‘Castle’ set.

Next week’s episode will take Castle and Beckett to the Hamptons for a romantic getaway that of course is interrupted by an untimely murder. Catch it next Monday, October 15, 2012 at 10PM EST on ABC.

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ABC’s hit show ‘Castle’ made waves Monday, August 27 by showcasing the very first promo with scenes from its upcoming fifth season. The scenes were accompanied by the rerun of season four episode “Headhunters” and sent Castle fans into a frenzy as they ready themselves for September 24^th, when “After the Storm” premieres.

Spoiler alert for the promo and the previous seasons of ‘Castle’ ahead.

For those who don’t know, ‘Castle’ is a crime dramedy about novelist Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) who shadows the gorgeous Detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) and uses her as the inspiration for his novels. At first, the two constantly butt heads as Castle is fun loving, flirtatious, and often irresponsible while Beckett takes her job very seriously.

Still, she discovered his knowledge of criminology and outside-the-box thinking made him a valuable asset to her investigations. As the seasons progressed, the ice around Beckett’s heart began to melt and they became more than just a writer and his muse. She considered him to be her partner, her confidant, and her most reliable friend.

At the end of the third season, while investigating her mother’s murder, Beckett got shot and Castle blurted out that he loved her as she lay bleeding in his arms. She passed out and was taken to a hospital. When she awoke, she told Castle she had no memory of the shooting or anything that happened afterward, but revealed to her therapist that she did hear Castle’s confession. Castle decides not to tell her again and buries his feelings so that they can remain friends and partners nonetheless.

However, this does not last because towards the end of season four, Beckett blurts out to a suspect that she remembered being shot and Castle overhears. Feeling angry and betrayed, Castle decides to start distancing himself from her to avoid getting hurt again, but then another suspect in the case of Beckett’s mother’s murder pops up and the two are thrown back together.

The pair learns that the cover up of the murder reaches higher up than they ever expected and Castle begs Beckett not to look into the case or she will be put in the cross-hairs again. Beckett refuses to back down so Castle walks out. Beckett goes after the killer but cannot beat him and almost dies. As a result, she realizes how much she needs Castle and goes to him after resigning from the force. The two consummate their relationship in the finale of the fourth season.

The promo picks up in the “morning after” with Castle and Beckett taking a moment to deal with the repercussions of sleeping together for the first time. Castle is relieved to find out that it wasn’t just a dream and both of them seem to be happy with how things are going. Still, there are more pressing matters at hand.

The killer Beckett was unable to apprehend in the season four finale is still on the loose and wants to take her out. The promo is rather short so there are only bits and pieces revealed about the larger plot in the works, but Castle fans are sure that the investigation will reach its explosive conclusion by the episode’s end.

The biggest reward of the footage is seeing Castle and Beckett together and being honest with each other. One of the largest hurdles of the show has been their unwillingness to admit that they are in love. It is a relief to see that the writers and creator Andrew W. Marlowe have no intention of cheating the fans by skipping over the “morning after” scene. For once, Castle and Beckett will have an adult conversation with each other and can move forward as a couple.

‘Castle’ returns with new episodes September 24, 2012 at 10pm EST on ABC. Don’t miss it.

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The third installment of the Derrick Storm short story trilogy starts right where readers left off in A Raging Storm. Former private investigator turned CIA recruit, Storm, has been out of sight since the failure of his last mission, which ended in death and disaster prior to the start of  A Brewing Storm.

This time, the Derrick Storm story has much more direction, resulting in a plot that isn’t slow moving at all (unlike the awkwardly slow buildup for the climax of the second book). There are conversations between Storm and other characters in this latest book, just as in the first two installments of the series, but they are blessedly brief: Derrick leaves London only to get sent overseas elsewhere.

Much of the novel is essentially one side trying to outdo the other. Between the CIA and the Russian President’s administration, there is a lot of ego to go around, more so when you factor in Derrick Storm’s skills and his current position as a small bug in a big web of lies and covert operations. Still, Storm knows what he’s doing. Recruited by Clara Strike for the CIA, he is a valuable and skilled operator who works outside the rules and without the agency red tape holding him back.

The story does tie into Storm’s past, as does the team that has been assembled to go after the Russian gold. Like a haunting shadowed ghost, there is a traitor in their midst. That could be more than Storm can handle; Who can he trust? The people he thinks have screwed him in the past or the people that he has just recently met?

There are moments in the story that line up a little too well, are too predictable or seem stretched too far within the realm of possibility. The dichotomy is strange considering it is usually one or the other, with a book usually being too easy to foreshadow or too impossible to believe plausible, not both as is the case with A Bloody Storm.

A small amount of fantasy exists in every authors mind, it adds to the creative flow, but in this case some events seem a tad scripted. There is a difference between a well-planned plot line and a storyline too pretty to be plausible. For example, Agent Showers happens to be conveniently located for rescue. Without spoiling the situation, it just seems too convenient.

April Showers is a complicated character, continually dealing with only half the information she needs. She eventually figures out just what the CIA and the Russians want, but becomes dead set on saving face. Torn between her sense of duty to her country and finding out who Storm really is, there isn’t an easy ride planned for Agent Showers. Too bad other parties involved are against her succeeding in any.

One of the new characters briefly introduced is Hasan Sadikov. He works for the Russians, he likes to read and he happens to torture people on a professional basis. His character rings true like church bells on Sunday. The qualities he posses are patience and skill and he tailors his methods to each individual person to achieve maximum information extraction. He isn’t crazy and he isn’t overly violent, which makes his brand of pin-point-precision torture even worse. Readers will imagine him to be dark eyed and dark haired with a grave voice. His methods involving a plastic bag and the threat of inhaling soda crackers to shred your lungs is cringe worthy, like nails on a chalkboard.

The action towards the end, though, seems too rushed. One moment Storm and his people are outside of a major city and the next they are in a building within it. This is all done without any indication of how they got there. The ending of the book could easily have gone sideways by mere yards in a fiery gory explosion. Still, fans will be happy to know that a dash of blissful ignorance will do the reader some good in this case so that they don’t consider too deeply, how the book would have ended in the real world.

In the spy-on-spy world, trust is a key factor. It can lead women to fall for the wrong man; it can lead men to trust in the wrong leader and enemies to become friends in the end. If trust is the key to a successful mission, then all the gold in the world is worthless if a man or woman has a price. The search for a partner or people you can trust is often more perilous than expected.

That is the bottom line of the Derrick Storm trilogy. Even with a vague ending and a plot hole, there is space for the next possible installment of books. However, that same plot hole will make readers re-examine the book in finer detail to see if there was something they missed. In this case, do you trust the writer and know that he is messing with your head or do you trust your gut and just sit tight waiting for the next Derrick Storm novel? This is a fine if predictable ending for the trilogy so far, but hopefully there will be more Derrick Storm in the future.

Rating: 3.5/5 For a good read that finally picks up the pace but then rushes to finish. Parts of the book are predictable, but the writing is entertaining enough to keep the reader plugging along.

The article Short Fiction Review: Richard Castle’s ‘A Bloody Storm’ appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

On July 13, lucky fans at the 2012 San Diego Comic Con were able to enjoy the Nerd HQ panel, hosted by Zachery Levi (“Chuck” (2007), ‘Tangled’ (2010), starring geek god Nathan Fillion (“Firefly“ (2002), “Castle“ (2009) and fan favorite Adam Baldwin (“Firefly,” “Chuck”). The panel was also streamed live online to be enjoyed from coast to coast.

The format of the panel is similar to other ones at San Diego Comic Con. Fillion and Baldwin sat down and selected questions from audience members and answered them with plenty of jokes and interesting anecdotes. The fans’ questions ranged from personal to work-related and were delightfully diverse rather than simply focusing on the actors’ work on Joss Whedon’s “Firefly,” which incidentally had a reunion panel earlier that day. The highlights of the panel are below.

One fan asked Fillion and Baldwin what they considered to be the best lines from “Firefly” and ‘Serenity’ (2005), and if they could act them out. Baldwin did the infamous “we get paid” line from the pilot episode and then Fillion did Jayne’s line about his “very favorite gun” from “Our Mrs. Reynolds,” and then closed out the reenactment with the famous, “I’ll be in my bunk” quote that all fans know and love.

Another fan asked about what kind of pranks went on during the filming of ‘Serenity.’ Fillion was eager to tell them about how he copied some photos of a teenaged, goofy looking Alan Tudyk and then plastered the pictures all over the back of the bar scene in ‘Serenity’, which utterly confused Tudyk when he saw them and caused the crew to crack up when Tudyk confronted him.

Someone asked Fillion what his thoughts were on George R. R. Martin’s “Game of Thrones,” both the novels and the HBO series, and Fillion was excited to share how he got into it and demonstrated the many range of emotions he goes through while watching an episode. He noted that he is particularly fond of Tyrion Lannister.

A “Castle” fan asked if “Castle” season five would deal with Castle’s father, whom he does not know but was suggested to be involved with the CIA, and Fillion confirmed that it would be addressed later on in some capacity.

Fillion also pointed out a few “Castle” cast members he would like to see return like Adam Baldwin’s character, Ethan Slaughter, who appeared in season four, Michael Trucco’s character Det. Demming, who appeared in season two, and Fillion even said he’d love to see Zachary Levi join the cast in the future. Levi eagerly accepted the invitation.

Speaking of Levi, Fillion also said he has dreamt of being able to voice a character in a Disney/Pixar film, which amused Levi as he voiced the roguish thief Flynn Rider in Disney’s ‘Tangled.’

A young boy named Connor asked Fillion if he was excited about voicing Hal Jordan, aka the Green Lantern, in two DC Animated Original films, and the actor confirmed this by revealing how he wore his Green Lantern shirt in the recording booth each time he went in. He then started to say the oath, but then changed it into a hilarious little parody poem instead.

One of the “Firefly” fans asked where Fillion and Baldwin thought Mal and Inara would be five years after the events of ‘Serenity’ and both men agreed that by then, the pair would have consummated their relationship, but would not have settled down for a normal life.

The panel was topped off by a fan donating $1000 to charity in order to see Fillion and Baldwin give Zachary Levi a smooch each. Both men tossed down their own cash and planted big wet ones on Zachary, who sheepishly complied to the request, which set the room ablaze with laughter and applause. The panel could not have ended on a better note.

San Diego Comic Con 2012 is still underway so more news of the “Firefly” veterans will be coming in over the weekend. Stay tuned.

Image Courtesy of  Gage Skidmore

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Picking up from where the 1st past of the book leaves off,’ A Raging Storm’ progresses out of the initial stages of setting up the plot. Leaving behind the plots and side plots of the first book, ‘A Raging Storm’ transitions to the real meat of a story filled with betrayal, rogue operatives and broken friendships. This second part of three in total, ‘A Raging Storm’ see’s the unlikely duo of Derrick Storm and FBI Agent April Showers pairing up again to uncover the mystery killer behind the assassination cliffhanger from the first book ‘A Brewing Storm’.

As mentioned before, Richard Castle is a fictional man on a TV Drama played by Nathan Fillion, who writes about a fictional man named Derrick Storm. There is a smattering of Castle TV show references within, including more mention of Clara Strike and other Richard Castle type personality inserts. Fans of the Castle series will recognize Derrick Storm/Richard Castle’s vocal quips in his smart-alecky replies to people in this book.

Also in the Richard Castle fashion of creating names they aren’t the most original though they are certainly memorable. With names like Derrick Storm and April Showers, these are characters and others sound great rolling off the tongue and onto the page.

An international man of mystery he is not, Derrick Storm is still a man haunted by his past. In everything he does, he is shaped by his past. Longing to go home but unable to since the C.I.A have pulled him onto this case, he knows he is both pawn and insurance policy for the success of the mission. If he fails, the U.S government forgets his cover name, Steven Mason, ever existed.

If he succeeds, he gets to go home back to his quiet life in Montana. More than ever his trust to paranoia ratio is skewed in favor of a deep paranoia and rightly so. Storm’s personality unfolds more in this short fiction, maintaining that classic Richard Castle type wit while also adding in authentic details for literature within this genre.

The other main character is of course the lovely April Showers whom Storm finds attractive but treats in a mostly condescending manner. Smarter than she may appear, she’s not all looks as she sets about outsmarting friend and foe alike. She isn’t at all taken by Storm’s charming persona and knows how to handle herself. The first book had Storm working behind her back but as ‘A Raging Storm’ progresses, the two must work together to solve the case and save each other’s lives. This part of the character progression between the two is expected and feels mostly natural with both characters getting along despite Shower’s animosity for Storm’s recklessness.

Weather pun’s aside, the only bad part of this section of the short fiction series is that the set up for the latter half of the book takes too long. The back story for the real motive behind the kidnapping and murder of a Senators son and the subsequent assassination of that U.S Senator is explained well.

Yet fans hoping for a quick thrill ride at the start of the book will be mistaken as the informational part takes too long. It is true that Storm’s character is an exacting and untrusting paranoid man so it makes sense that his character feels the need to figure everything out himself without outside influence but the reader may feel this takes up too many valuable pages of writing.

On the other hand, without that information, the entire latter half of ‘A Raging Storm’ makes no sense at all. The Russian back story involving the Gold found in several photos is absolutely necessary but boring information that isn’t very engaging at all during that part of the book. Once bodies are in motion again, the thriller aspect thankfully picks up once more. This is one section that steps outside the normal rollercoaster high and low moment of a story arc and just falls flat, leaving readers with an itch to school ahead past all the talking. It is a good build up but lacks any real tension or emphasis on time.

However, there are still important facts and figures listed inside, such as the motive for the assassinations as well as the fact that there are as yet to be revealed outside operatives who are conveniently just as ‘dead’ as Derrick Storm. This motivation, to the tune of Sixty Billion dollars, is enough to reshape the political landscape of the world and it is this fear that drives the story forward.

There is a heavy russian rivalry between long time brothers in arms Ivan Petrov and Georgi Lebedev waging war against President Barkovsky of Russia with the possibility of a third faction emerging. Throughout all of this, the C.I.A has its fingers all over this political plot, set on aiding Petrov so that Petrov can use his influence and new found wealth as a Russian oligarch to politically push Barkovsky out of office.

Stuck in the middle of this rising catastrophe are our intrepid hero and heroine. Caught in a web of the thriller variety, Derrick Storm and April Showers make a good showing in ‘A Raging Storm’ but the characters fall a little flat. The next and last arc of the story should hopefully help to fully resolve any issues during the dramatic cliffhanger for the second book. While not as dramatic as the assassination of a U.S Senator from book one, the second book still ends in a suitable climax of the story. Fans will have to wait just a little longer for this Derrick Storm short fiction to resolve itself in ‘A Bloody Storm’ due out this August.

Rating: 4/5 for good writing that reflects the tie-in authors personality well but can do with some improvements in pace and character design.

Image Courtesy of   Richard Castle

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ABC’s hit show Castle is not only dominating the Monday night airwaves—it is also conquering bookshelves all over the nation with the third Nikki Heat novel, Heat Rises. For those who do not know, the Heat novels that Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) based on the gorgeous Detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) are tie-ins to the show. The books are credited to the fictional Richard Castle, but in real life they are written by a mysterious member of the Castle crew who has yet to be revealed. Rises is an intriguing, danger-laced romp through the world of crooked cops, dangerous ex-military men, and corrupt political figures.

Heat Rises was originally released September 20th of last year but was recently released in paperback. It is preceded by Heat Wave and Naked Heat, and will be followed by Frozen Heat, which has been slated for later this year.

The story is centered on homicide Detective Nikki Heat and an investigative journalist named Jameson Rook. The novel focuses around a murder that entangles Heat, Rook, and her co-workers, Detectives Raley, Ochoa, Hinesburg, and Captain Montrose, with many unexpected twists and turns. There are many similarities to the show—a tongue-in-cheek joke for the characters on Castle as well as the loyal Castle fans—but since Rises is a novel, it can take certain liberties with its content. For instance, curse words and sex scenes are permitted as well as in-depth moments between the characters, such as conversations about their day-to-day lives or extended looks into their pasts. It also allows the mystery to unravel at a slower pace since the plot is not limited to 42-minutes like an episode. These elements work to the novel’s benefit as it creates a wealth of tense, action-packed moments as well as funny, heartwarming ones, whether it’s Heat chasing down criminals or kicking back in her apartment with Rook.

Heat Rises picks up with Nikki Heat investigating the supposed suicide of Father Graf, a priest, found dead in a New York bondage club. The bizarre marks on his skin and the strange place his body is found leads Heat deep into the underbelly of New York, where she speaks to all kinds of people, from other clergymen to people who frequent the bondage circuit, to solve the case. Heat is also up for the position of lieutenant in her precinct, which adds pressure from her superiors as well as her co-workers.

Meanwhile, Rook has been on assignment in another country taking down a drug lord, and leaving Nikki feeling a bit lonely, as they had been dating before he left. However, to her shock, she finds out he has been in New York for a couple of weeks when the paparazzi photographs him coming out of a swanky party with his ex-girlfriend. Furious, Nikki pushes aside her anger and continues pursuing the case without trying to contact him to find out why he didn’t call her when he returned to the states.

However, as Nikki examines the events leading up to Father Graf’s death, Captain Montrose steers her away from certain aspects of the case, which frustrates her. She attributes this change in his behavior to the recent death of his wife and the investigation Internal Affairs has put him through, but she learns that Captain Montrose may actually be a suspect in Father Graf’s murder. The case gets heated as she is forced to choose between following the orders of her commander, who had previously been her friend and mentor, and discovering the truth about Father Graf’s murder, whether it deals with her Captain or not.

Later, Rook finally shows up at Nikki’s place and explains himself. She reluctantly accepts his apology and the two reconcile. He no longer rides along with her as he did in the previous novels because she feels it is too dangerous, but he does stick around to help her piece together the odd elements of Father Graf’s death.

The writing style used in Heat Rises is astounding. It has all the best parts of a classic crime noir story, but it keeps everything modern with hilarious one-liners and plenty of fun pop culture references, including a shout out to Nathan Fillion for his role as Captain Malcolm Reynolds in Joss Whedon’s Firefly. There is also a shout out to Stana Katic for her role in the James Bond film Quantum of Solace.

The characters are all vividly depicted and easy to picture both as their fictional selves and as representatives of the Castle characters. Many of their traits are taken directly from the show, but they also have their own hang ups that make them different, which is the entire appeal of reading the Nikki Heat series.

The mystery itself is a pulse-pounding enigma for most of the novel, and there are several dramatic moments that rival the show. It is far from predictable, but some seasoned fans may know where the plot is leading because of their knowledge of the show.

The only thing that detracts from the quality of the novel is the length. It is easier to keep track of suspects on Castle because we are given both faces and names, but in the novel, it is harder for the names of suspects to stick in the mind.

Overall, Heat Rises raises the stakes and does not disappoint by the end. There is no better way to beat the heat this summer.

Grade: 5/5

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As media tie-in’s go, ‘A Brewing Storm’, is a huge success for Richard Castle and ABC’s show Castle. This e-book novella is the first of three, set to be published by Hyperion. In so many ways, this work accurately mirrors the fictional life of Richard Castle, a character created by a team for the TV show ‘Castle’. 

Derrick Storm is the principal character created by Castle, portrayed by Nathan Fillion, who’s character is a mystery thriller writer.  It is a tricky job to write a fictional short, about Derrick Storm, from the perspective of a fictional mystery author. Castle, in actuality a team of writers from ABC, writes about people who aren’t real but draws on “real life experiences” created within the TV show. 

Derrick Storm is an earlier character of Richard Castle’s creation, most likely based on himself. Similarly the character of Nikki Heat is based on the ‘Castle’ character of Detective Beckett, the current muse and partner of Richard Castle. In the program Stana Katic plays Detective Beckett. Derrick Storm is therefore not only the precursor to Nikki Heat but also a gauge for Richard Castle’s writing skills. It will be interesting to find out if ABC, and its writers, change the writing style at all in the next short stories that are due to come out soon.

This book gives readers a brief flash into the mind of Richard Castle. Shorter than a full length novel, this action thriller is a quick and addictive read as Derrick Storm follows his instincts and goes back into deep cover operations after four years of hiding. Found and brought to the U.S. Capitol against his wishes and better judgement, Storm is embroiled in a scheme against senators, money men, greedy loved ones, and the nagging feeling that all is not what it seems.

How this showcases Castle’s train of thought requires a deeper look beneath the surface. The character of Clara Strike will be a huge hit with fans that saw the episode where her CIA character appeared. Clara Strike is based on ‘Castle’ character Sophia Turner, an ex-flame of Castle’s that he reunites with briefly on a case in the TV show.

This impacts the telling of the story in a unique way, since readers who have seen this specific episode, are drawn further into the story making it seem more real for them. In ‘A Brewing Storm’, Clara isn’t a featured character and yet her presence is like a ghost during the start of the story. Her character peppers the beginning of the story with a flashback of a different Derrick Storm. That Derrick Storm, the one who had loved fast and hard, loved deeply and foolishly, is no longer the guy readers find themselves reading about in ‘A Brewing Storm’.

Instead, this Derrick Storm, a true reflection of the maturation of the character, is not cocky and arrogant. This Derrick Storm, after four years of peace and solitude, wants to go back to his quiet life and not be found again. Castle’s character, as designed by ABC, shines through as he superimposes his thoughts over those of Storms’s, showing a detailed mind and a keen instinct that helps him solve crimes and stay alive.

Furthermore, ‘A Brewing Storm’ shows Castle before he created Nikki Heat and Jameson Rook.  This is a fictional short that should not disappoint fans that are clamoring for some Castle action after the ending of the most recent season of the television show. Those fans that have been wondering how Derrick Storm is on paper, but haven’t read into the comic book, have another chance to really learn about the man behind Derrick Storm.

In the end, though this book is intended to be a precursor for the Nikki Heat series, it is very much influenced by the events of season four of Castle. This Derrick Storm is, perhaps a little too mature and jaded for an earlier fun and fancy free Storm persona but still fits in with the current storyline and characterization. Storm is still creative, still illusive, and still every bit as resourceful as Castle is in life, brilliantly making connections that others miss or dismiss.

The next E-book, due out in July, promises to continue the exciting cliffhanger where ‘A Brewing Storm’ leaves off. Fans are no doubt upset, as they impatiently wait for the story to continue but rest assured that the next installment, and the following third part, show excellent promise.

Score: 4/5 Great Work- A Must Read for Fans. 

The article Richard Castle’s “A Brewing Storm” Fictional Short Review appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

ABC’s hit show ‘Castle’ (2009) premiered the season four finale, “Always,” May 7, 2012 at 10:00pm EST. How did it hold up? Let’s just say Castle fans everywhere will have something to keep them company as they wait for season five.

Spoiler alert for the entire series, and the finale, below. You have been warned.

For the new folks, here’s the basic breakdown of the premise for ‘Castle.’ Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) is a handsome multimillionaire crime novelist who grew bored with his character, Derrick Storm, and killed him off so he could start fresh. Soon afterward, Castle meets Detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) of the NYPD’s 12^th Precinct.

She comes to him with a case where a killer is staging his murders in the fashion that characters are killed off in the Derrick Storm novel series. Intrigued by the case, and Beckett’s incredible gorgeousness, Castle weasels his way into her world as a consultant, which he accomplishes because he is friends with the Mayor.

Beckett finds him annoying but soon discovers that his extensive experience in criminology and his off-the-wall but insightful theories are useful and he decides to stick around for more cases. He then bases his next set of novels on Det. Beckett, coining her fictional character Nikki Heat.

Over the course of the four seasons, Castle and Beckett have steadily grown closer. In season one, she sees him as a nuisance but eventually realizes he can actually be helpful. In season two, Beckett starts to accept Castle’s presence in her life and doesn’t mind flirting with him as much as he flirts with her.

In season three, the two have started to bond over the unsolved case of her mother’s murder as well as realizing that there is more to their relationship than a partnership or friendship. In season four, they have to come to terms with a secret each of them is hiding from each other before it rips them apart forever.

In tonight’s finale, “Always,” an ex-thief is found dead in an alley. As they investigate, Beckett and her team, including Det. Kevin Ryan (Seamus Dever) and Det. Javier Esposito (Jon Huertas), find out the thief had just robbed the home of the late Captain Roy Montgomery (Ruben Santiago-Hudson) and stole all his files.

This leads them to suspect that the thief knew about the circumstances before Captain Montgomery’s tragic death, in which he revealed he was involved in the murder case of Beckett’s mother and died protecting Beckett from the people who want her dead. This leads Beckett back to investigating her mother’s murder, much to Castle’s distress as he reluctantly cut a deal with a man who knew about the men trying to kill her. In short, if Beckett stays off the case, she stays alive.

Finally, Castle confronts Beckett and tries to convince her not to pursue the case because the men who killed her mother and Capt. Montgomery will come after her again.

He reveals that he cut a deal for her life and confesses that he did it out of love for her, but Beckett stubbornly refuses to let it go. Castle walks out and she continues investigating without him. Detectives Ryan and Esposito manage to track down the killer’s location and Ryan pleads with Beckett to bring back up but she and Esposito insist they can handle it without calling in their superior.

Distressed, Ryan calls Castle but he doesn’t pick up the phone. Beckett and Esposito track down the killer, but he knocks Esposito out and makes a run for it with Beckett in pursuit. This leads a brutal fight on the rooftop. The killer overpowers Beckett and leaves her dangling off the side of a building. At the last minute, Det. Ryan and a team show up to rescue her.

Det. Ryan had been forced to inform their superior, Captain Victoria Gates (Penny Johnson Jerald), of Beckett’s action and she immediately suspends Beckett and Esposito. Beckett resigns from the force and realizes that Castle is more important to her than her mother’s case. She goes to his place and tells him how she feels and the two at long last consummate their relationship.

For Castle fans, this is truly a monumental episode. Every seed that had been planted in previous seasons comes to fruition with this finale. The emotional weight of Castle and Beckett’s relationship is examined, explored, and strengthened by the trials the two of them deal with over the course of the episode.

It is easy to see that the writers took their time deciding how to design the finale in a way that kept the tension between all of the characters and resolved four years’ worth of sexual chemistry. The show’s creator, Andrew W. Marlowe, has long debated the so-called “Moonlighting Curse”, aka the failure of a show after two characters with sexual tension finally sleep together, and this episode proves that he does not fear for Castle’s success now that Beckett and Castle have come to terms with their feelings for one another.

The writing is superb, as always with this show, but Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic honestly deserve a standing ovation for their parts in this finale. Fillion does a magnificent job of being outraged at Kate’s stubborn refusal to save her own life while still conveying just how much he loves her. Likewise, Katic’s passionate portrayal of Kate Beckett truly shines just as brightly as she fights for her life and reevaluates what is important to her.

‘Castle’ is one of the highest rated and widely watched shows on ABC and is expected to be renewed and premiere season five in mid-September of 2012. Be there.

The article ‘Castle’ Season Four Finale Gives Fans What They Want appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Fans of ‘Firefly’ (2002), rejoice! ABC recently announced that Adam Baldwin will be guest starring in an upcoming episode of ‘Castle’ (2009), starring Nathan Fillion as the titular Castle. The even better news is that Baldwin will allegedly be playing a roughneck cop named Ethan Slaughter, who teaches Castle the darker side of being in the police, which may be a callback to his famous role as Jayne Cobb on Joss Whedon’s ‘Firefly.’

For those who may not be in the loop, ‘Castle’ is a procedural cop dramedy about a handsome, charming, successful novelist named Richard Castle, who grows bored with his bestselling novels and kills off his main character. Incidentally, a murderer starts staging homicide victims in the manner that they are killed in his books, and Detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) comes looking to Castle for answers.

Castle is instantly smitten with her and decides to base his next set of novels on her, creating the character Nikki Heat. His friendship with the New York City mayor allows him access to tag along with the gorgeous, but no-nonsense, Detective Beckett. As they solve the case, he becomes increasingly more interested in her romantically, and the job shadowing becomes more permanent. Here is a brief recap of the series so far.

Spoiler Alert!

In season one, Beckett and Castle constantly butt heads because he is open and flirtatious, while she is reserved and takes her job seriously. However, as time progresses, Beckett gets less defensive around him when she realizes his extensive knowledge of criminology and his ability to weave theories is actually useful.

Things start to go more smoothly until Castle digs into Beckett’s personal life and finds out that her mother was brutally murdered in an unsolved case, which is what drove Beckett to become a detective. He starts trying to solve the case himself, angering Beckett and causing her to not want him around.

In season two, Castle works his way back into Beckett’s good graces after apologizing for invading her privacy, and the two begin anew. Beckett becomes much more open to flirting with Castle on occasion while still keeping their relationship on a friendship and partnership level. The tension stretches as Beckett becomes romantically involved with another detective at her precinct, and Castle feels scorned.

At the end of the season, Castle decides to head to the Hamptons to write his next novel, and Beckett realizes her feelings for him, but just before she can tell him, he gets back with his ex-wife and leaves Beckett heartbroken over the summer.

In season three, Castle has yet to contact Beckett about shadowing her again, and the two bump into each other at the most unlikely scene: a murder, with Castle as the main suspect. Beckett is still angry and frustrated that he left and hooked up with his ex-wife and wants nothing to do with Castle, but after he apologizes and helps her solve the murder, she takes him back.

It is in this season that the most character development occurs between the dynamic crime-solving duo. Beckett is much more comfortable with letting Castle in on her personal life and her dark background, and Castle becomes much more mature and helpful than in previous seasons.

They share an intense kiss while working a case related to her mother’s death and seem to be getting closer to being a couple. However, Beckett gets shot at the end of the season by a shadowy organization who does not want her and Castle looking into her mother’s murder. Castle confesses his love to her just before she passes out, bleeding in his arms.

In season four, the currently airing season, Beckett recovers from the gunshot with the help of Castle and her friends at the precinct. She claims to have amnesia from the event, thus putting Castle in an awkward place about his confession of love, but in actuality, she does remember.

Beckett states that she cannot truly be in love with someone until her mother’s murder is solved, and Castle reluctantly agrees to stay with her and work through it one step at a time. The two have pretty much become a couple in denial ever since—growing jealous when someone flirts with their partner, going out on lunch dates, inviting each other over for dinner, spending time with their families, and holding hands on several occasions.

Adam Baldwin, who recently starred in ABC’s ‘Chuck’ (2007), will slip right into the action-packed season four with no problem as he has excellent chemistry with Nathan Fillion, both on-screen and off-screen. The cast members of ‘Firefly’ are all still good friends and stay in contact with each other both in real life and on Twitter.

Baldwin played Jayne Cobb, the aggressive, tough, but not too bright muscle, on Joss Whedon’s magnum opus ‘Firefly,’ while Fillion played the harsh, but ultimately caring, Captain Malcolm Reynolds. The two characters often butted heads because Jayne was not a fan of how the captain ran things, but knew he would be outmatched if he ever challenged his authority (see: “Ariel”). Unfortunately, the show was cancelled before the dynamic could be further explored, but the relationship between the two shows the talents of both actors.

Baldwin’s guest appearance is set for later this spring. ‘Firefly’ fans hope it will not be the last cameo of the Serenity crew on ‘Castle’ and patiently wait to see if someone else will get the chance to reunite with their captain.

Image Courtesy of  Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

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