Rewatching a Nathan Fillion Show

by Ben Kearney

I’m sure most people recognize the name Nathan Fillion from Firefly & Serenity, but I know him as either John Nolan from The Rookie (A phenomenal show on its 5th season btw), or Richard Castle from Castle. A show that no matter how old I become I still go back to watching it.

Castle isn’t sci-fi, or a cop dramedy. It’s a murder mystery show, with subsequent comedy. Richard Castle is a mystery writer who becomes a consultant to the NYPD to solve murder cases. Castle works alongside Detectives Kate Beckett, Kevin Ryan, and Javier Esposito to solve these cases. With the assistance of Medical Examiner Lanie Parish in the morgue.

I love Castle for its twist and turns, using solving a single murder in one episode. But all murders are different from one another, with Castle providing some “theories” shall we say to aid the case. The overarching plot of the series focus ongoing investigation of the murder of Beckett's mother (killed before the show began).

So why is Castle a guilty pleasure of mine? Well as a hopeless romantic, I have a tendency to want what couples in shows have. And Caskett, (Castle and Beckett, yes I just spoiled that) is one of my favorite heteronormative couples out there. It’s an enemies to lovers arc that takes FOUR seasons to get to. FOUR! Being an eight season affair, Castle takes its time getting the two mains to finally get together.

Do I have an issue with this? No. Do I tend to watch the show from when they start dating? Yes. But there is a lot to love about the show within its characters and plots. We have Castle’s mother Martha with her musical theatre charm. His daughter Alexis who we see grow throughout the entire show. Ryan’s evolution of getting married and having kids. The on-again off-again relationship of Esposito and Lanie. Beckett trying to solve her mother’s murder, 3XK, LokSat, the list goes on!

Needless to say, I highly recommend giving Castle a shot for anyone who is a fan of murder mystery, comedy, or just a fan of Nathan Fillion. And if you’re also a fan of The Rookie, you have good taste in cop shows.