Castle – “Sucker Punch”
Review & Highlights
By Michal – Staff Writer

“I’ve gotten used to you pulling my pigtails.  I have a hard job, Castle, and having you around makes it a little more fun.” – Detective Kate Beckett

Man, I’m a sucker for mob wars on television. They have served me well over the years and making one of the mobs Irish, just makes me even happier. But onto last night’s festivities…if you haven’t watched the episode yet, the standard spoiler warning applies and you should stop reading now.

Review

Wow…there was quite a lot packed into that single episode. From the preview last week I knew that this week’s mystery would have something to do with the murder of Beckett’s mom, but the episode was still able to surprise me with the twists and turns of the case. (On a somewhat off-topic side note: I think I’m going to have to start avoiding the previews. This week alone I’ve been annoyed by the plots revealed on Chuck and Castle.) I had really bought into the idea that Kate’s mother’s murder was simply a random accident and so the revelation it was actually ordered by someone else adds an interesting new layer to the ongoing mystery.

I really enjoyed seeing Beckett and her father interact in this episode. Plus the pep talk was sweet and was exactly what Beckett needed to hear after she kept asking herself throughout the episode if she had let her mother down. I wasn’t too sure of her father when he was first introduced, but after this episode I’m hoping he gets incorporated a bit more. I should add that Martha hugging Beckett when she came to the apartment was also quite touching in an unexpected way. For all of Castle’s flamboyance, he really does have a grounded home life.

While I loved Beckett’s interaction with her father, I couldn’t get over how far Beckett and Castle have come in the last season. Sure, the episode still featured Castle acting like a child (i.e. Castle preparing for a fight complete with thumb to nose action), but it also showcased the respect that they share for each other. The fact that Beckett let Castle pay the $100K and thought it was sweet it an amazing development. I also loved his reaction to her learning the connection to her mother’s murder. Castle was no longer pushing to solve the case, but instead offered to do whatever she needed…including nothing. Castle and Beckett have really come to understand each other and the strengths the other brings to the table. The final conversation between the two illustrated this perfectly, but I’ll conclude this portion of the review with Castle’s earlier pep talk for Beckett:

“Do you know why I chose you as my inspiration for Nikki Heat?”
“No, why?”
“Because you’re tall.”

Miscellaneous Highlights & Thoughts

I cracked up at Castle and Esposito mimicking Johnny Vong’s, “Now I own a boat!” complete with hand motions. This only slightly beat out Ryan’s interest in the plan…poor boy.

“Don’t honk, Deep Throat. You’ll spook her.”

I know I mention this every time he appears as a guest star in an episode, but I just can’t contain my happiness. ROBERT PICARDO IS BACK! I can’t explain how much I loved him as the Doctor on Star Trek: Voyager!

The Captain has a flask!

“I know your mother’s murder is the reason you became a cop. And I know how you almost lost yourself trying to solve the case the first time you tried. I figured sooner or later when you were ready you’d want to take another run at it. I never expected her killer to come around a sucker punch you like this. “

“I’m sorry sir, I can’t.” Words I never thought I’d hear Beckett say, but I don’t blame her. I think maybe there is another reason Castle chose her other than height!

Well, that’s it for me. So what did you all think? Do you agree with me? Were we watching the same show? Leave your comments below!