Castle

The pilot episode for ABC's new crime show "Castle" left me wanting more, much more in fact, and that is exactly what a good pilot should do. The relationship formed between the two leads is unquestionably one of the best and is, so far, most endearing. It is impossible to not like them.

I'll start with Nathan Fillion(of "Firefly" fame). Nathan plays Richard 'Rick' Castle. His charm and wit and spot-on comedic delivery make him alone the reason to tune in each week. Move over David Boreanaz 'cause Nathan has got you beat in the plucky-comedic-male-sidekick-to-tough-and-serious-female-cop role. Nathan comes off as the friend we all want and treasure. Having followed Nathan's career rather closely I am glad to see him in this role. It fits his nature and you can tell he knows it too just by watching him. It's in his postures and mannerisms and facial expressions. I believe he said in an interview that he is "72%" this character and that sounds about right. He is comfortable in this role. Similar to how he was comfortable when playing Malcom Reynolds in "Firefly"(which, by the way, is the greatest show of all time...period).

Then there is Stana Katic, who plays Detective Kate Beckett, and God is she gorgeous and enticing. No wonder Nathan's character can't get enough of her. Stana manages to instill in the portrayal of her character enough grit and fortitude to be mysterious and alluring, while retaining a good amount of the audiences confidence in her ability to be a bad-ass. On the other side, though, she is beautiful and her lightly-flirtatious nature does not detract from the other part of her character but rather enriches it making her feel real rather than just a cliché tough female cop(because TV is full of them right now).

What it comes down to, ladies and gentlemen, is chemistry and these two have it. They are a joy to watch even when they are not in scenes together and that is what will keep viewers tuning in each week. This show has great promise.

Before I go I will note that it was nice to see real authors on the show(I will not reveal who). It adds another layer to Castle's character and makes for an amusing poker scene. I hope the producers arrange for more cameos of this nature.

Done.

I wish IMDb had a decimal system because this show isn't an 8. From what I saw in the Pilot it is a solid 8.5 at the very least. Tho the pilot was fairly predictable when it comes to crime shows that aren't CSI or Law and Order (i.e. one character is a fan of the other. Half way through everything is wrapped up a little too neatly etcetera), it was still an enjoyable romp.

Kate Beckett is a beautiful, hard nosed cop that should be working for a private law firm and Nick Castle is an arrogant, but devoted author and father.

Stana Katic (awesome name) is beautiful, but not so much that you wonder why she is a cop and not some goddess on an Italian beach like so many actresses tend to be. She plays her part very well, and the scene she has with Fillon when he, as Castle is peeling away her layers is amazing. She barely gives anything away until the very last moment, but with her facial expressions you know it's coming making her character all the more wonderful.

Nathan Fillion is wonderful as the successful, charismatic, and egocentric Pop mystery writer who seems to be not a drunk (unlike Hank Moody, played wonderfully by David Duchovney in Californication) and is a loving, attentive father apparently who also has an intriguing backstory with his publisher/ex-wife which I hope is a back story they continue to develop throughout the series.

This really was a fun series. I know new shows have a very short lifespan, but this is one I hope has a decent shelf life. Watching just the pilot I see the potential for great stories, for great ad-libs and i do want to see the happy ending where the jaded, divorced writer and the hard nosed cop with a history work to deconstruct each episodes mystery, and each other. And as would be when the characters have bared all they can, they either finally get into bed together, or they get married:)

Castle is still one of my favorite police procedural shows today and God knows there are plenty to choose from. It has a perfect blend of comedy, action and drama! It's just a flat out fun show! Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic are both perfect as Richard Castle and Kate Beckett!

I fully enjoyed the pilot episode of Castle. Nathan and Stana have great chemistry, with him providing a ton of comedy as the crime fiction author to her straight laced cop. Castle is an engaging hero with a surprising amount of support from the characters around him, especially with his daughter and his mother.

I find the premise has tons of promise as the series progresses, both with the types of plots that can come from Castle's novels and with his romantic interests. The idea that a series of murders can be copied into real life seems a bit trite, but the execution was far better than I expected. The fact that Castle can keep up with Detective Beckett as far as crime scene analysis and motives is smart, but also a great source of comedy. Beckett's apparent infatuation with Castle's book series not only suggest that she's a potential love interest, but hints at a lot of character subtlety that has yet to come.

If crime drama crosses with romantic comedy sounds at all for you, then you should definitely watch and support Castle.

Oh, yeah, we've seen this one before....Irresistible-force-meets-immovable object. Opposites attract. Oil and water. Fire and ice...you know the drill. The problem is that when you have a pairing that mixes snappy patter and grudgingly mutual admiration with just a touch of sexual tension, the recipe is only going to be as good as the charisma of the two leads involved, whether it's a sitcom, dramedy or police procedural.

CASTLE wants to be a mix of all three, and fortunately one of the most valuable weapons in its arsenal is the rakish charm of its featured lead actor, former FIREFLY star Nathan Fillion. I can count the number of actors on one hand who can pull off the "charming rascal" vibe in a way that never gets old, and Nathan can do those guys in his sleep. (And probably has.)

But he also knows how to modulate them as the occasion warrants, and where in his former role as Captain Mal Reynolds he could definitely play the bad-ass card when needed, here as womanizing bad-boy, party animal and bestselling novelist Rick Castle, he's a whole lot less serious. Bored with the cop character who has been his bread-and-butter for a string of chart-busting crime thrillers, Rick has decided in his latest tome to blow his hero's brains out, thus making a continuance of the series a little difficult to say the least. It wouldn't be a problem if the laid-back Lothario weren't suddenly faced with a major case of writer's block. But inspiration is coming in the most fortuitous if unlikely of ways.

A serial killer has decided to rehash some of the more gruesome deaths from Castle's earlier novels, and it's up to the very attractive (of course!) and no-nonsense detective Kate Beckett (newcomer Stana Katic) to crack the case...which of course will require the assistance of a certain writer of whose books Detective Beckett is a closet fan. But a fan of smart-alecky guys who like to make very unsubtle passes at her? Not so much. Let the games and one-upmanship begin!

At first blush, you could easily accuse CASTLE of trying too hard, especially since matched with the seasoned experience of Fillion, the jury was out on Katic's ability to keep up with him in the first few episodes (at least it was for me.) And to enhance its credibility, the pilot even threw in some heavy hitters in guest cameos - James Patterson, no stranger himself to the crime fiction genre, and Stephen J. Cannell, who used to crank out pilots for series just like CASTLE over breakfast.

But creator Andrew Marlowe left nothing to chance with this one, knowing full well that no matter how great a character is, he's nothing without a good backstory and some fascinating support players. Here these come in the form of Rick Castle's teenage daughter, Alexis (Molly C. Quinn), whom of course is the real 'adult' in their relationship - probably her way of rebelling against her lovable father who nevertheless lives the lifestyle of a guy half his age, and their temporary roommate who also happens to be his mother, former stage and screen star Martha Rodgers (Susan Sullivan in a turn that makes Shirley MacLaine in POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE look like a dowdy matron). Once you meet Martha, suddenly Rick's personality makes perfect sense.

As with any new series, this one will take some time to really settle into the groove it needs to capture a wider audience, but with the growing ease of the push-and-pull relationship between Fillion and Katic's characters, it could very well become the next "MOONLIGHTING" or "REMINGTON STEELE"...which wouldn't be a bad thing. Crime procedurals have been missing that fun element of late, and CASTLE could very well bring it back, without having to resort to a less-successful springboard of surrealism to build from (sorry, LIFE ON MARS).