My best friend told me, "He has a bullet-proof vest that says 'Writer' on the back." And with that I was sold on Castle.
Castle didn't catch on with us at first. Though we cannot remember what, something else we watched was on during the same hour. About a third of the way through the second season, she gave it a chance, and it took the statement above, plus two episodes of the program, to pull me into the show. Even now, when I no longer have a television, I watch Castle (with the aforementioned friend, naturally).
I told said friend that I would write tonight's blog about whatever she picked. It's something I like doing now and then to keep the muses interested. Another used to toss me lines now and then, ridiculous things like "I threw a potato at the dog's head". This request was much simpler -- she asked me to write about Castle, and so I am writing about Castle.
It's weird to be watching a show that many other people watch. The shows I love tend to be small, cult favorites that get cancelled quickly. (And by "cult" I mean, watched by a tiny group of non-demographically appealing people, not "lovingly, yet fanatically, followed by loyalists who refuse to let the show be left for dead" shows like Firefly or Arrested Development). People actually watch people, a wide swath of people. It's not fully mainstream, at least not ratings-wise, but it has a diversity in its audience that I find rather appealing. That's not why I watch Castle, though.
Why do I watch Castle?
1) It's fun. Not ridiculous or sitcom-y, it's a fun show to watch. It has humor, action, flirtation, banter, and that certain something that makes a show watchable. Many of the other great shows I watch are so heavy. This show is such a delicious bit of light and fluffy.
2) The writing. It's a show about a writer, and it captures the writer's personality very well. Sure, Rick Castle can be a goofball, but when it comes to his job, he's believable.
3) The writing. The writer's know their show. They know its history, it's paths, and if they didn't plot out the story arcs ahead of time it's difficult to tell. The show is full of these little moments that make you go, "Ah ha!" It's a show tailor-made for the beautiful, creative, obsessive, folks on tumblr who make gifsets flashing back. The writers are either really good, or the fans make it easy on them. I suspect a little of both.
4) The cast. Chemistry is so very important with an ensemble show, especially one that is so centered around a small group of individuals. This cast has that chemistry. You can see how they click and riff off each other. They're also a ridiculously talented group of people.
5) The main pairing was handled so deftly. Unlike other shows that dragged on the will-they-or-won't they way too long, and then ended up dying after they did, Castle grew their central romantic pairing naturally. Sure, it was a bit frustrating for the fans, but it wasn't too much or too long. It had the right pace and, so far, it has been melded into the show without negatively impacting things. Honestly, the growth and interaction of all of the relationships on this show - romance, friendships, work interactions - feels very natural. It's what happens when solid cast meets solid writing.
6) His bullet-proof vest says "Writer" on the back. COME ON!
