Castle "Knockdown" blog. Because it had to be done.
So K wanted to go to bed, but I couldn't let the airing of "Knockdown" go unwatched. And since my snark knows no off switch regardless of whether anyone's conscious to enjoy it, in the vein of the "Tin Man" blog of doom, I shall saddle you with my inane, half-formed ramblings.
Previously on "Castle": Kate Beckett had ever changing hairstyles, none of which detracted at all from the hawt. I sincerely believe nothing ever could.
10:05: okay, ABC released Raglan's shooting as a preview clip. Made me jump the first time and STILL made me jump seeing it "live."
10:06: To steal from the first "X-Files" movie, that is Castle's version of Mulder's "oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shiiiiiiiit" face. (See also: Effie's initial reaction to "Fringe"'s second season finale.)
10:08: To quote the great philosopher Deniece Williams, let's hear it for the boy(s)!
10:10: Holy crap, he was sniped to death. (Mental note: find out where Seeley Booth was at the time of the shooting, because even if he didn't do it, we need to get him off the bullet train to hell, AKA That Show That Once Resembled "Bones.")
10:11: Okay, new murder to investigate: mine, because Fillion just killed me with the "I thought you'd been shot."
10:12: Not a chance you're ditching him indeed. This feels like his turn to do her "I'm so glad you're okay" hovering like she did for him in "3XK.".I like it, and the little smiles she gives him when he refuses to let her push him away.
10:13: Why would anyone want to watch the Yankees? This comment brought to you by the fact that Red Sox Nation reconvenes for its yearly festival of "will they/won't they" in a few weeks AND ARE GOING TO KICK YOUR ASS LIKE A GUEST ON JERRY SPRINGER (tm Oteri/Ferrell on SNL.) This just also made me realize that this is why I'm okay with a slow burn for Beckett/Castle: I know torture. It's no world championship for 86 years. This shit is a breeze.
10:14: GOOOOOODDDDMMAAAANNN!!!!!!!
10:15: "He's sweet on you." YES YES WE KNOW WE ALL SAW IT IN THE BLOODY PILOT GET TO THE KISSING.
10:16: Um, Goodman, much as I love your "soothing African American tone" (tm Zack Addy back when "Bones" was good) you're scaring the children. And by the children, I mean me.
10:17: One point for mofoCUHRAZY!alternate!Goodman, two million hair points for Katic.
10:18: Epic (adjective): the spot-on dialogue/movement callback to "Sucker Punch" down to the very way Beckett grabs her coat. Perfection.
10:20: I'm thinking with that shirt, "the Hardy Boys" might have been a more appropriate reference. (Seriously, Wardrobe? Are you lashing out because Hair and Makeup have given us a walking ad for conditioner?)
10:21: Read the fine print!!!!!!!!! One million and one points to Montgomery. And though she's not in the scene, another billion points to Katic's hair.
10:24: To paraphrase the great philosopher River Song from "Doctor Who": what in the name of sanity is Martha wearing?
10:24:30 Never mind, Martha. Three billion points for this whole scene. His home life is always such comic relief in the show, and bravo to the writers and particularly Sullivan for acknowledging that, while we understand why he does it, he CHOOSES to be out there, and one day it could have dire consequences...which I realized I totally had him experience in "Fall." A hundred points to me.
10:25: Crumple face! I'd been waiting to see it and as usual, Katic does not disappoint.
10:26: Bravo, bravo, BRAH-VO for the Josh continuity, writers. Fandom might hate you for it, as you're impeding on allegedly twuwub, which I can understand, but this canon whore appreciates it. I think it shows immense depth and character in Castle. He knows he might not be able to fix this for Beckett, and his acknowledging that there is potentially someone who can do that for her - regardless of how it may personally make him feel - is awesome.
10:27: Choose FTD when you want to send the very best "I'm really sorry your mom died, you shot her killer and now you feel like listening to We Are the Fallen's 'Tear the World Down' a hundred times while rocking in a fetal position bawling your eyes out" product.
10:28: Jesus, Beckett. I'm thinking you didn't pick up that, um, decor at IKEA.
10:29: Oh so pretty Photoshopping job, Props Department!
10:30: Me: Dude, Mars [the cat], those photos look like an alley...holy shit, that's SO the alley she died in!
Mars: I'm trying to sleep here, hooman.
10:30:45: Me: HOLY SHIT, MARS, I WAS RIGHT!
Mars: Still sleeping, hooman.
10:32: Of COURSE he's watched her. HAVE YOU SEEN THE HAIR?! It's a frickin' national treasure, happily minus Nic Cage and Diane Kreuger. Not that I don't watch both those movies anytime they come on USA, but whatever.
10:37: You know, I have to side with Montgomery on this one; she should be nowhere near any of this. I think this is going to be my biggest problem with this episode. To me, "Sucker Punch" was this heartbreakingly slow descent down the rabbit hole. You held your breath, waiting not only for the answers, but to see if Beckett would emerge not broken, but if she'd emerge at all. There was a sense of urgency, but it wasn't...maniacal like this episode feels. She was smart enough to know in"SP" that she couldn't handle it. It's plainly obvious to me (and Mars, too, in case you were wondering) she's far past the point of insanity, and defining impetus in life or not, she's still got self-preservation to worry about. In short (well, not really), this characterization feels off to me; wrong somehow. Or maybe it's the Lunesta. Whatever. When's the kissing?
10:38: Note to self: find the "Rikers Island Swim Team" t-shirt K and I saw on the boat that floats.
10:39: Uh oh, Dad's mad. A thousand points to Montgomery. And another forty trillion point to the Hair, because it's in this scene.
10:47: Let's call this entire sequence "sympathy for the devil", because having worked with a lot of cops -- including several New York detectives -- I've seen firsthand how justice is not black and white or counterbalanced, and how caustic built up frustration can be when the wheels of justice don't turn swiftly (if they even turn at all). It is the epitome of a shade of grey. One man's "wrong" may be another man's definition of "necessary evil". Please don't take this to mean that I support cops on the take, because I don't. But that's not the way these cops saw it. They were backed into a corner, playing a game by someone else's rules. They did what they thought was right. It was a butterfly (or firefly, if you enjoy "Fringe", as you completely should, because OMG SHOWGASM) effect, but I suppose the question is whether or not they should have been able to see the consequences of their actions, and if they had, whether or not they would have changed anything.
It's a nice parallel, though; Beckett is doing whatever it takes to find her mother's killer (and her personal sense/definition of justice) while Raglan and co. did the exact same thing.
Deep thoughts hurt my brain, show. When's the kissing?
10:48: WHO IS THR MAN BEHIND THR CURTAIN ALREADY? The mayor? The police commissioner? Massive Dynamic? The Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man? FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, WHO?! (...are you? Who, who? I really wanna know...)
10:49: Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Joleeeeeeene, please don't take them just because they're going to look hawt wet and tortured.
10:50: I seriously laughed out loud at this scene, because there was a line uttered by the Eleventh Doctor (in "Vampires in Venice", if you were curious...and yes I am a nerd, yes I'm proud of it, and now we're moving on) where he says, "Tell me the whole plan!" The "vampires" didn't, and he followed it up with: "Someday that'll work." Apparently it works in New York, Doctor; you just have to be a bad guy explaining his motives to his hostages.
10:52: Okay, he kissed her because he loves her. She kissed him to lure the guy in. They both know the other's reasons why. Awkward, party of two, your table's now available. Awkward, party of two.
10:53: Not that I'm not enjoying this or anything, but is now the time to make the hell out, guys? Disarm bad dude, save good guys, THEN make the hell out.
But I have to tell you, I have a lot of mixed feelings about this whole scene. Something just feels off with the set-up. They're stumbling about like she's tipsy or whatever, and then she says that Harry Henchman isn't buying it. Well, I don't know if I agree with you there, Beckett. Creepy Criminal is lurching toward them (seriously, dude, it's called Showtime After Dark and a lock on your bedroom door in the basement so your mom doesn't walk in on you). And then to me it looked like Beckett was going for her gun, presumably to go all Renee Walker on Freaky Felon and then she and Castle could have fun storming the, um, castle. Wasn't that kind of the point? We have to disarm Bart Bad Guy to get inside the building. As Ziva David says, "Just shoot him. Straightforward." But instead Castle stops her from pulling her weapon and plants one, and to be honest, I got whiplash. I don't know if it was the way it was written or edited or what have you, but I was like, "Uh, Castle? Simmah dahn nah." It took several rewatches for me to pick up on what actually happened.
I suppose one could argue they didn't want to shoot the guy so as not to alarm the Michael Phelps wannabes upstairs, but if you'll pardon the (mostly) unintentional pun, that just doesn't hold any water for me, because Devilish Defendant is still approaching when Beckett initiates the second kiss. If Castle kissing HER was meant to "sell" this "pay no attention to little me" plan, wouldn't it reason that Ivan Incarcerated would see the kiss, be like, "Oh, just some yuppies out for dinner", turn and walk away, and THEN Beckett would Gibbs-slap him? It just feels like they tried to extend the scene so both Castle and Beckett could initiate kisses.
I'm aware that the likelihood those two paragraphs make absolutely no sense is pretty much a given. At this point, I'm okay with that.
That said, they are smokin' during the snogging sesh.
10:54: Javier Esposito, if I ever find myself of the straight persuasion, will you marry me?
10:55: Welcome to the Jack Bauer School of Shooting Stuff to Shit, Beckett!
10:56: Welcome to the Jack Bauer School of Beating Bad Guys to a Bloody Pulp, Castle!
10:57: How IS Ryan and Esposito? Really, Writer Boy? Really?
10:58: I figured out who hired him! The casting director! I win!
10:58:30: Cue Van Halen's "Hot for Teacher."
10:59: Is it bad that every time someone references Jacob Marley and/or "A Christmas Carol", I 1) envision the Muppet version and 2) sing Statler and Waldorf's "We're Marley and Marley, whooooah" song?
Like the premiere, this one is going to have to be viewed a few times before I confirm my opinions. I think there was so much hype about OMG BIG MOMENT TIME that I'm not completely sold yet.
What did y'all think?
Previously on "Castle": Kate Beckett had ever changing hairstyles, none of which detracted at all from the hawt. I sincerely believe nothing ever could.
10:05: okay, ABC released Raglan's shooting as a preview clip. Made me jump the first time and STILL made me jump seeing it "live."
10:06: To steal from the first "X-Files" movie, that is Castle's version of Mulder's "oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shiiiiiiiit" face. (See also: Effie's initial reaction to "Fringe"'s second season finale.)
10:08: To quote the great philosopher Deniece Williams, let's hear it for the boy(s)!
10:10: Holy crap, he was sniped to death. (Mental note: find out where Seeley Booth was at the time of the shooting, because even if he didn't do it, we need to get him off the bullet train to hell, AKA That Show That Once Resembled "Bones.")
10:11: Okay, new murder to investigate: mine, because Fillion just killed me with the "I thought you'd been shot."
10:12: Not a chance you're ditching him indeed. This feels like his turn to do her "I'm so glad you're okay" hovering like she did for him in "3XK.".I like it, and the little smiles she gives him when he refuses to let her push him away.
10:13: Why would anyone want to watch the Yankees? This comment brought to you by the fact that Red Sox Nation reconvenes for its yearly festival of "will they/won't they" in a few weeks AND ARE GOING TO KICK YOUR ASS LIKE A GUEST ON JERRY SPRINGER (tm Oteri/Ferrell on SNL.) This just also made me realize that this is why I'm okay with a slow burn for Beckett/Castle: I know torture. It's no world championship for 86 years. This shit is a breeze.
10:14: GOOOOOODDDDMMAAAANNN!!!!!!!
10:15: "He's sweet on you." YES YES WE KNOW WE ALL SAW IT IN THE BLOODY PILOT GET TO THE KISSING.
10:16: Um, Goodman, much as I love your "soothing African American tone" (tm Zack Addy back when "Bones" was good) you're scaring the children. And by the children, I mean me.
10:17: One point for mofoCUHRAZY!alternate!Goodman, two million hair points for Katic.
10:18: Epic (adjective): the spot-on dialogue/movement callback to "Sucker Punch" down to the very way Beckett grabs her coat. Perfection.
10:20: I'm thinking with that shirt, "the Hardy Boys" might have been a more appropriate reference. (Seriously, Wardrobe? Are you lashing out because Hair and Makeup have given us a walking ad for conditioner?)
10:21: Read the fine print!!!!!!!!! One million and one points to Montgomery. And though she's not in the scene, another billion points to Katic's hair.
10:24: To paraphrase the great philosopher River Song from "Doctor Who": what in the name of sanity is Martha wearing?
10:24:30 Never mind, Martha. Three billion points for this whole scene. His home life is always such comic relief in the show, and bravo to the writers and particularly Sullivan for acknowledging that, while we understand why he does it, he CHOOSES to be out there, and one day it could have dire consequences...which I realized I totally had him experience in "Fall." A hundred points to me.
10:25: Crumple face! I'd been waiting to see it and as usual, Katic does not disappoint.
10:26: Bravo, bravo, BRAH-VO for the Josh continuity, writers. Fandom might hate you for it, as you're impeding on allegedly twuwub, which I can understand, but this canon whore appreciates it. I think it shows immense depth and character in Castle. He knows he might not be able to fix this for Beckett, and his acknowledging that there is potentially someone who can do that for her - regardless of how it may personally make him feel - is awesome.
10:27: Choose FTD when you want to send the very best "I'm really sorry your mom died, you shot her killer and now you feel like listening to We Are the Fallen's 'Tear the World Down' a hundred times while rocking in a fetal position bawling your eyes out" product.
10:28: Jesus, Beckett. I'm thinking you didn't pick up that, um, decor at IKEA.
10:29: Oh so pretty Photoshopping job, Props Department!
10:30: Me: Dude, Mars [the cat], those photos look like an alley...holy shit, that's SO the alley she died in!
Mars: I'm trying to sleep here, hooman.
10:30:45: Me: HOLY SHIT, MARS, I WAS RIGHT!
Mars: Still sleeping, hooman.
10:32: Of COURSE he's watched her. HAVE YOU SEEN THE HAIR?! It's a frickin' national treasure, happily minus Nic Cage and Diane Kreuger. Not that I don't watch both those movies anytime they come on USA, but whatever.
10:37: You know, I have to side with Montgomery on this one; she should be nowhere near any of this. I think this is going to be my biggest problem with this episode. To me, "Sucker Punch" was this heartbreakingly slow descent down the rabbit hole. You held your breath, waiting not only for the answers, but to see if Beckett would emerge not broken, but if she'd emerge at all. There was a sense of urgency, but it wasn't...maniacal like this episode feels. She was smart enough to know in"SP" that she couldn't handle it. It's plainly obvious to me (and Mars, too, in case you were wondering) she's far past the point of insanity, and defining impetus in life or not, she's still got self-preservation to worry about. In short (well, not really), this characterization feels off to me; wrong somehow. Or maybe it's the Lunesta. Whatever. When's the kissing?
10:38: Note to self: find the "Rikers Island Swim Team" t-shirt K and I saw on the boat that floats.
10:39: Uh oh, Dad's mad. A thousand points to Montgomery. And another forty trillion point to the Hair, because it's in this scene.
10:47: Let's call this entire sequence "sympathy for the devil", because having worked with a lot of cops -- including several New York detectives -- I've seen firsthand how justice is not black and white or counterbalanced, and how caustic built up frustration can be when the wheels of justice don't turn swiftly (if they even turn at all). It is the epitome of a shade of grey. One man's "wrong" may be another man's definition of "necessary evil". Please don't take this to mean that I support cops on the take, because I don't. But that's not the way these cops saw it. They were backed into a corner, playing a game by someone else's rules. They did what they thought was right. It was a butterfly (or firefly, if you enjoy "Fringe", as you completely should, because OMG SHOWGASM) effect, but I suppose the question is whether or not they should have been able to see the consequences of their actions, and if they had, whether or not they would have changed anything.
It's a nice parallel, though; Beckett is doing whatever it takes to find her mother's killer (and her personal sense/definition of justice) while Raglan and co. did the exact same thing.
Deep thoughts hurt my brain, show. When's the kissing?
10:48: WHO IS THR MAN BEHIND THR CURTAIN ALREADY? The mayor? The police commissioner? Massive Dynamic? The Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man? FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, WHO?! (...are you? Who, who? I really wanna know...)
10:49: Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Joleeeeeeene, please don't take them just because they're going to look hawt wet and tortured.
10:50: I seriously laughed out loud at this scene, because there was a line uttered by the Eleventh Doctor (in "Vampires in Venice", if you were curious...and yes I am a nerd, yes I'm proud of it, and now we're moving on) where he says, "Tell me the whole plan!" The "vampires" didn't, and he followed it up with: "Someday that'll work." Apparently it works in New York, Doctor; you just have to be a bad guy explaining his motives to his hostages.
10:52: Okay, he kissed her because he loves her. She kissed him to lure the guy in. They both know the other's reasons why. Awkward, party of two, your table's now available. Awkward, party of two.
10:53: Not that I'm not enjoying this or anything, but is now the time to make the hell out, guys? Disarm bad dude, save good guys, THEN make the hell out.
But I have to tell you, I have a lot of mixed feelings about this whole scene. Something just feels off with the set-up. They're stumbling about like she's tipsy or whatever, and then she says that Harry Henchman isn't buying it. Well, I don't know if I agree with you there, Beckett. Creepy Criminal is lurching toward them (seriously, dude, it's called Showtime After Dark and a lock on your bedroom door in the basement so your mom doesn't walk in on you). And then to me it looked like Beckett was going for her gun, presumably to go all Renee Walker on Freaky Felon and then she and Castle could have fun storming the, um, castle. Wasn't that kind of the point? We have to disarm Bart Bad Guy to get inside the building. As Ziva David says, "Just shoot him. Straightforward." But instead Castle stops her from pulling her weapon and plants one, and to be honest, I got whiplash. I don't know if it was the way it was written or edited or what have you, but I was like, "Uh, Castle? Simmah dahn nah." It took several rewatches for me to pick up on what actually happened.
I suppose one could argue they didn't want to shoot the guy so as not to alarm the Michael Phelps wannabes upstairs, but if you'll pardon the (mostly) unintentional pun, that just doesn't hold any water for me, because Devilish Defendant is still approaching when Beckett initiates the second kiss. If Castle kissing HER was meant to "sell" this "pay no attention to little me" plan, wouldn't it reason that Ivan Incarcerated would see the kiss, be like, "Oh, just some yuppies out for dinner", turn and walk away, and THEN Beckett would Gibbs-slap him? It just feels like they tried to extend the scene so both Castle and Beckett could initiate kisses.
I'm aware that the likelihood those two paragraphs make absolutely no sense is pretty much a given. At this point, I'm okay with that.
That said, they are smokin' during the snogging sesh.
10:54: Javier Esposito, if I ever find myself of the straight persuasion, will you marry me?
10:55: Welcome to the Jack Bauer School of Shooting Stuff to Shit, Beckett!
10:56: Welcome to the Jack Bauer School of Beating Bad Guys to a Bloody Pulp, Castle!
10:57: How IS Ryan and Esposito? Really, Writer Boy? Really?
10:58: I figured out who hired him! The casting director! I win!
10:58:30: Cue Van Halen's "Hot for Teacher."
10:59: Is it bad that every time someone references Jacob Marley and/or "A Christmas Carol", I 1) envision the Muppet version and 2) sing Statler and Waldorf's "We're Marley and Marley, whooooah" song?
Like the premiere, this one is going to have to be viewed a few times before I confirm my opinions. I think there was so much hype about OMG BIG MOMENT TIME that I'm not completely sold yet.
What did y'all think?