^It's like they say -- "The key is sincerity. If you can fake that, you've got it made." Unrealistic premises can be made to feel convincing enough that the audience is willing to suspend disbelief. But that suspension of disbelief is not an obligation on the audience's part. It's something the storytellers have to earn. And if they fail to earn it, then viewers are entitled to complain. In this case, the implausible premise of Castle helping out the police has been repeatedly justified over the show's history through the conceit of Castle's frienship with the mayor -- plus the fact that he's genuinely helpful to the police. So it's an implausibility that's been sold to us, that's sufficiently justified to earn our suspension of disbelief. They didn't just shove an unrealistic situation in our faces and demand that we accept it; they convinced us to buy into it for the purposes of the story. But that was not the case here. They didn't justify the implausibility of a police officer ignoring the felonies being committed right in front of her. More likely, they didn't even realize that it was a felony, so they didn't know there was anything to justify. Research failure is not the same thing as poetic license.
Well...I did post the article regarding the plummeting ratings this season (the winter hiatus episode being the lowest rated episode ever) . I haven't checked the ratings for Monday's episode yet. I have a suspicion that "Castle" could end either this season, or perhaps be granted one last season next year. So far though I've not really had a problem with this season. Monday's episode was clearly a filler episode. I'm still convinced that the second half of the season will refocus on the JB murder case, we will be revisiting the Senator as well, and possibly be introduced to Rick's dad finally.
My gut tells me that declining ratings this season is due to Castle and Beckett finally getting together. Since the show began, we have been teased with those two characters getting closer. There were a lot of fans invested in "Caskett" and I wouldn't be surprised if they got their payoff in the final episode of last season. All that would await those fans this season is watching what kind of obstacles the writers would put in the way of the happy couple. Those invested in the relationship may not have stayed to see that. So while the show may not have creatively collapsed because the leads got together (ala Moonlighting), the relationship's fans may have decided to leave before it happened.
It was mostly an Esposito ep, with guest-appearances by Beckett and Castle. Not bad as a change of pace, but perhaps not something to inspire much on-line chatter.
I enjoyed the focus on Esposito, but somehow I had a feeling we'd find out that he had a checkered past.
I enjoyed the episode, I don't think it'll go down as one of the more popular or talked about ones simply because it really does nothing to further the whole Castle, Beckett relationship, nor does it do anything about the whole Beckett's mothers murder situation. You do learn a little more about Esposito, and I'm fine with that. It's more of a filler episode than anything.
Seems like the show is improving again. The film noir episode and the one with the seasick cameraman (his shaky cam was so bad, they would've even chased him off the nuBSG set) were the first ones that I actually skipped altogether. But it'll be hard to beat the episode with Kate and the ex conspiring against the poor guy.
I mentioned this to my wife, and she pointed out I should have said plaid, 'cause I occasionally go on about my Scottish ancestry.
I never got the impression Lanie dislikes Castle...just that she doesn't really have much tolerance for his antics and childlike behaviour at times, even less so than Kate has over the years.
That's pretty much how I thought she was as well. She's had the same reactions around Esposito and Ryan when they pull some of their antics as well.