Castle- Pros and Cons

Have you noticed how much I love listing pros and cons? That's how we INTJs roll.

So. Castle. I realize that this post would be of no interest to non-Castle viewers, but it's my blog, so I can write what I want. Ha hah. Feel free to skip.

I started watching Castle a month ago or so, and loved it at first. Here's why (the pros)-

1. I love the breezy, happy vibe. Even though it's all about solving gory murder mysteries, they don't seem to let dead bodies get in the way of the light-hearted feel. Perfect for unwinding at the end of a day, and not adding any stress or worry or things to mull over to my mind. Movies like Blood Diamond, and even Gray's Anatomy did. They think and talk about REAL issues (whether or not you agree with their conclusions). Castle doesn't really.

2. I love (most of) Castle's unconventional one-liners. You know when you've watched a bunch of detective/police shows, you know exactly what the expected and typical lines are going to be. And they have those lines... followed by Castle's ridiculous comments.
BECKETT Okay, Mr. Mystery-Writer-Man, what's your bestselling theory?
CASTLE I'm gonna go with the butler.
BECKETT The butler? (There IS no butler.)
CASTLE That's who we always go with when we run out of ideas. How about Alexis? (That's his teenage daughter, a main character on the show)
BECKETT Oh, Alexis.
CASTLE She's perfect. She's peripheral to the case, we don't suspect her, she has no alibi...

A show that actually makes me laugh aloud with it's dialogue, is a show I'm probably going to watch more of.

3. Beckett is cute, and makes me think of Laura Holt from Remington Steele.

Even the Castle-Beckett  relationship is kinda similar to the Remington Steele-Laura Holt dynamic. Smart, strong woman, and flirtatious, funny and slightly clueless but cute sidekick guy.

4. Growing up on Agatha Christie mysteries has given me a taste for those kind of shows. Plus one gets to mildly exercise the little gray cells and figure out the murderer and the motive before they reveal it to you, I mean, one. And then if one does, one can feel smart. A definite pro.

BUT THEN (the Cons):

1. Have you noticed those extremely creepy innuendo-loaded comments Castle keeps making to Beckett? How is that okay? I'd probably yell 'sexual harassment' if any guy said that to me. Fine, I know, some people call that flirting, but they sound  perverted to me. And I don't feel like it fits with his character really. Yes, he's flirtatious, but he's also a good dad, and supposedly a decent guy. I guess the show writers have a new meaning of what a decent guy is like.

The question is, how do you like the guy, and dislike some of his comments? I guess if he was a friend, I'd still like him, but I'd let him know his comments are out of line. Unfortunately you can't do that with a TV show character. It's take it or leave it... you can't give feedback.

2. Also in the last show I watched he jumps into bed with some actress who is trying to use him, which he only finds out in the end. Fine, people make mistakes, but he's supposedly attracted/ in love with Beckett. Real trustworthy actions there. I guess again, people equate sleeping together with having a mild infatuation with someone. And the worst of it was, he ends the show telling the actress, "Use me any time you want to." WHAT? Really! Grr. Lust vs. Love 101! And then the grandmother who is supposed to be the fun type, has dates that lead to one night stands.. that's when their fun, lighthearted vibe rings false. Yes, those things happen, but they're not just a normal part of life, like spilling hot coffee on yourself or misjudging a new guy that you meet. I mean, how do things go so far? How has casual sex become such a 'normal' mistake to make? And why don't we ever see the real consequences of irresponsible choices?

3. After a little while you realize that most of the cast are not super awesome actors. The two cops who they work with ALWAYS have the same expression on their faces. Esposito ALWAYS says 'Yo', and Ryan ALWAYS looks confused. Captain Montgomery (I had to look up all their names) has no personality whatsoever, and is VERY predictably frowny and you'd-better-solve-this-case-pronto most of the time.

4. Beckett is often mean. When she's interrogating people, she uses such a sharp tone. I watch her, and I'm afraid that's how I come across to people too. She's always efficient, always crisp, often superior and mocking, always rolling her eyes at Castle's stupidity... and it just seems like her character doesn't show depth or authenticity. There has to be more to the woman than that.

5. Even though I often love Castle's lines, his and Beckett's interaction often lack subtlety. There find out something shocking or new, and they both turn their heads and stare at each other with exaggeratedly shocked faces. And then they say obvious things like, "Looks like we got the wrong guy!"  C'mon. Subtlety, people!

Okay, finished analyzing a show that most of my readers probably don't watch, and probably don't care about. Happy Tuesday!