Television Collision: Firefly Alum Nathan Fillion Returns as Castle
Written by: Phoebe Raven, CC2K Staff Writer
This article was originally written for CC2K's Whedon Week during the summer as a quick look at Nathan Fillion's latest post-Firefly endeavor. The second season of Castle returns next Monday, Sept. 21st, 10/9c on ABC. Reason enough to have another look at why you should tune in.
Although it had been running for nine episodes, I had heard curiously little about this new ABC show and I must admit it was because I wasn’t faithful to my Whedonite-duties. I neglected to check up on certain Whedonverse-alums, and hence didn’t find out about Castle before it started airing.
For all who are there with me: Castle airs Mondays at 10/9c on ABC and May 11th saw its Season 1 finale, But Sept. 21st will see its Season 2 premiere. You better hit up Hulu fast and catch up!
I first heard about the show when its female lead, Stana Katic, stopped by Craig Ferguson’s Late Late Show on May 4th. Then I stumbled upon a certain well-known Whedon-fansite and there was a link to a review of Castle and Fillion’s performance in it.
Needless to say I went and got caught up with the show. Well, to be honest, I have only seen two episodes so far, but I like it a lot. (Editors's Note: I have seen them all by now and the show holds up to its promise.)
Some people are comparing Castle to Bones, but I don’t think the two shows have much in common, besides the opposite sex leading couple.
Stana Katic stars as Detective Beckett, a no non-sense kind of woman who takes her job very seriously. Nathan Fillion is Richard “Rick” Castle, a crime author who has just killed off the lead character in his hit novel series. When an assumed copycat killer murders people in the exact same way they die in Castle’s books, he is asked to help out with the investigation… and afterwards decides he is going to make Det. Beckett the star of his new novel series, hence he needs to follow her around for “research”.
Not buying the premise yet? Trust me, this comes about in a much funnier and more natural way than I can explain here. Rick Castle knows everyone, and the Mayor of NYC is his buddy, so of course he gets permission to shadow Beckett. And he is actually not as bad as a cop as you might think.
At first the premise conjured up horrible visions of “cop buddy movie” in my head, but I should have trusted Nathan Fillion to make more of what we can see on the surface. Rick Castle trained himself in crime methodology, psychology and good storytelling, so he actually has something to contribute to the cases. And Nathan Fillion injects that extra ounce of sarcasm, sexiness and genuine emotion.
Some credit goes to the creators and writers of the show as well though, since they created a multi-faceted and intriguing character in Castle, who has a 15-year old daughter, is divorced twice, lives with his eccentric mother and can’t help but loving the ladies.
So far Detective Beckett doesn’t seem as well-rounded yet (remember I am in episode two), but Castle has her figured out to a degree and keeps revealing more and more about her, her past and why she became a cop in the first place.
Castle isn’t your usual procedural show, though it certainly has a lot of elements of it. But it incorporates a lot more humor, while being firmly centered around the character of Rick Castle, like so many eponymous shows are. And while Castle cannot claim to be the next House or Dexter, it certainly can stand alongside shows like Bones, Monk or the sadly canceled Life (not as eponymous as one might think, but the basic concept is the same).
Hooray for a full fall season of this show!
Recommended Collisions with your Television
(combine at will, all times EST, only new programming listed)
| Tuesday, September 15th |
|
| 9 p.m. | Warehouse 13 (SyFy) |
| 10 p.m. |
The Cleaner (A&E) |
| Wednesday, September 16th |
|
| 8 p.m. | So You Think You Can Dance (Fox) |
| 9 p.m. |
Leverage (TNT) |
| Glee (Fox) | |
| 10 p.m. |
Dark Blue (TNT) |
| Thursday, September 17th | |
| 8 p.m. | Bones (Fox) |
| Vampire Diaries (CW) | |
| 9 p.m. |
Supernatural (CW) |
| Fringe (Fox) | |
| 10 p.m. | Project Runway (Lifetime) |
| Friday, September 18th |
|
| 9 p.m. |
Eureka (SyFy) |
| Monk (USA) | |
| 10 p.m. |
Psych (USA) |
| Saturday, September 19th |
|
| Sunday, September 20th |
|
| 8 p.m. |
|
| 9 p.m. |
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO) |
| Drop Dead Diva (Lifetime) | |
| 9:30 p.m. | Bored to Death (HBO) |
| 10 p.m. |
Mad Men (AMC) |
| Army Wives (Lifetime) | |
| 10:30 p.m. | Entourage (HBO) |
| Monday, September 21st |
|
| 8 p.m. |
How I Met Your Mother (CBS) |
| House (Fox) | |
| Heroes (NBC) | |
| 8:30 p.m. | Accidentally on Purpose (CBS) |
| 9 p.m. |
Gossip Girl (CW) |
| Greek (ABCFam) | |
| Two and a Half Men (CBS) | |
| 9:30 p.m. | The Big Bang Theory (CBS) |
| 10 p.m. | Castle (ABC) |
| CSI:Miami (CBS) |