Hollander's Woods

This season lacked intrigue and spark ...It needs a jump start, something to spark and hold the viewers attention. In the beginning , there was levity, humor , sarcasm and so much more . We have seen Becketts appearance loom from sultry to just plain Jane. She started out with a hairstyle that rocked and makeup that accentuated her eyes but as the seasons wore on, her hair got light and scraggly ...Like now that she landed her man, she didn't need to dress to impress. By the time season 7 rolled around , we had just another female with hair too long for her age and looking dirty and uncombed.

Although this was one of the better episodes of the season ,the writers totally missed a golden opportunity to do a flashback to season 6 episode 5 which aired on 10/21/13 "Time Will Tell" wherein the guest character called Kate "senator " and predicted she and Castle would have three kids "...and then comes this seasons final episode where Kate is asked to run for the senate ...did anyone else pick up on this tidbit from the past to see it ignored for the season finale ?

The last two years of the series had everyone involved on pins and needles. Stana Katic wanted to move on and there was a question if the network would renew. The producers and writers gave viewers this great story. A traditional "Castle story, all the usual characters and with the perfect speech from Richard Castle acknowledging the rea heart of the series. All and all, a perfect template for a series finale. Yes, the series did come back for one more year but that was a miserable disappointment, (And don't get me started on the last episode.) I think viewers will be much happier if they leave the series with this send off.

While I've enjoyed the series it has gotten long in the tooth. This episode looked like the writers took the old season-ending cliff-hanger and condensed it in order to begin the final season afresh. It jumped between points too quickly and ended too conveniently. One might hope that the final season be done well. No more of the synchronized "I know who did it" line that was funny for a while.

It's time to let Castle follow the direction set by Joshua Gomez and become a serious writer. In real life there have been great crime/fantasy & serious writers such as Lewis & Chesterton. Let's see what the writers can accomplish in Season 8.

Having watched the series during its original broadcast and again - binged watched through hulu, I have noticed a downturn in quality: season 1 - 5 had the occasional bad episode while season 6 - 7 had the occasional good episode.

When you start doing themed episodes you're showing your age and your lack of enthusiasm. There's a tiredness to the storylines, the characters, & the acting that can't be ignored or denied. I'm a fan until the end but sadly, the end didn't come soon enough.

I do hope that the final season returns to its first season vigor, that the series ends on a high note for the show's creators as well as its loyal fans.

"One day you will look back and you will realise that every experience you ever had, every seeming mistake or blind alley was actually a straight line to who you were meant to be." ~ Rick Castle

This quote resonates with me. As time goes by, I feel like this is so true and it helps me to see everything with a different mindset and perspective.

This episode takes the origins of Castle's story, his why he writes and creates a compelling story that adds much more to his character. It makes him less one dimensional, which often he seemed during season 1. Other than his humour and love for his daughter, they always needed more depth for him, and this glimpse into his path makes me enjoy the show even more.

Beckett's career is also full of tension and conflict. I've always loved how they have a strong successful woman. I've often wished they would do a reboot called Beckett.