Good for you, Rick Castle, play hard to get! The four-year slow play wasn't working out so well.
The Season 4 "Castle" finale was entitled 'Always', but probably should have been named 'Always Predicatable'.
Beckett's shooter would make an appearance? No! No resolution would be made on the case and we still don't know who orchestrated it all? No way! Beckett would be seconds away from dying? What a stunner! Beckett and Castle would finally get together? Never saw that coming!!
What made last year's finale so special, in part, was because it was nothing like this. We didn't know Beckett was going to get sniped. We didn't know Castle would blurt out "I love you" and we didn't know if she heard him say it. But in this finale, we knew everything that would happen before it even happened -- and that's WITHOUT seeing any spoilers that may or may not have been out there.
Maybe it's not fair to compare this year's finale to season 3's, but that was such an intense ending that just left me saying "wow". I couldn't wait for the next season to start. There was no "wow factor" in this one and while I'm interested to see how they resolve Kate's resignation from the precinct and how they handle Beckett and Castle moving forward, I'm in no rush to fast-forward real life to the Season 5 premier.
It's not all bad. I mean, those complaints aside, this is kind of what we wanted, right? We wanted the finale to be related to Johanna's murder and Kate's shooting. We wanted drama, we wanted angst and movement on the Beckett and Castle front and we got all of that. I guess I just hoped it would have been a bit better and a lot less predictable.
I also wish they didn't pull one of the things I hate most in life: "three weeks earlier". UGH. I would very much like to know what you all think about this, whether you like when shows do this or not, but I just don't like when the dramatic moments are teased at the beginning. I feel like it takes the suspense out of a moment that is supposed to be -- wait for it -- SUSPENSEFUL! Just a lame and tired plot device.
There's really not much else to add. Maybe the expectations were too high, because of the bar it set last year, but I was hoping for better. Now I'm hoping you will let me know what you think of the way this season ended.
NOTABLE QUOTABLES:
CASTLE: "Wow, that really is a smart phone."
BECKETT: "How the hell could you do this?"
CASTLE: "Because I love you. But you already know that, don't you? You've known for about a year."
BECKETT: "Are you kidding me? You're actually bringing this up right now? After you told me you just betrayed me.
CASTLE: "Because of everything we've been through together! Four years, I've been right here! Four years just waiting for you to open your eyes to see that I'm right here. And that I'm more than a partner. Every morning I bring you a cup of coffee just so I can see a smile on your face because I think you're the most remarkable, maddening, challenging, frustrating person I've ever met. And I love you Kate, and if that means anything to you -- if you care about me at all, just don't do this."
CASTLE: "Yeah, you're right Kate. It's your life. You can throw it away if you want, I'm not going to stick around and watch it. This is over, I'm done."
BECKETT: "Keep it. I resign."
CASTLE: "Beckett, what do you want?"
BECKETT: "You. ... "I'm so sorry, Castle. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."
BECKETT: "He got away and I didn't care. I almost died and all I could think about was you."
BAD GUY: "I'm gonna put Beckett in the ground once and for all."
RANDOM OBSERVATIONS:
--Why do chicks only want the guy when the guy says he doesn't want the girl anymore? I need answers!
--Yup. Of course! Only a half-second away from dying and she's saved. It never fails.
--I enjoy when Castle talks about the problems he has with Alexis to Kate. Also love how it's always on a walk to the crime scene.
--Ugh. Criminals this smart aren't dumb enough to walk in front of cameras in secret hiding places.Criminal masterminds tend to cover their bases better than that.
--Ah, isn't that cute? Alexis' and Castle's storylines co-inciding. And Beckett's too!
--You did the right thing Detective Ryan! I'm proud of you!
--I feel like 50% of all shows have a roof-scene in their finale's. Anyone else notice this?
THE SCORE: 75 out of 100
Some nice scenes between Castle and Beckett, a nice little surprise with Beckett quitting and good performances by Ryan, Esposito and Alexis. But that's about it for the real positives.
And don't complain about the score. A 75/100 translates perfectly into 3/4 stars. It wasn't better than that.
