Castle

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Season 3, Episode 17, Aired 2/28/11

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Episode Summary

Castle and Beckett must work together with Agent Fallon to prevent a momentous tragic event that could affect the entire city.

8.2

EPISODE RATING: Great

430 votes

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"Bad"
Your Rating: 3

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Your Rating: 2.5

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"Abysmal"

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Cast & Crew

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Nathan Fillion

Richard Castle

9.6
Stana Katic

Det. Kate Beckett

9.3
Molly Quinn

Alexis Castle

8.8

Fan Episode Reviews (12)

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2/28

4.0

"Poor"

By thefanof, Nov 05, 2011 Report Abuse

I am glad that I am not the only one who was upset with this episode. I get that some two parters often have the first hour be better than the second, but the first half was mediocre and this was just a disaster. Meaningless and contrived action scenes out of nowhere, Castle coming off like a complete moron out there, and then teasing Castle and Beckett dying. Fine, but how they avoided death, by him ripping every wire out, that really irked me.

Weak episode from the script alone, and I just never got invested in the storyline. Sorry Castle, but the truth hurts.moreless
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This episode was one of the worst written ones so far...

4.0

"Poor"

By troyx87, Oct 27, 2011 Report Abuse

Spoilers ahead.
This is my first time writing a review on this site, but I just found it so necessary after watching this episode. There were so many things wrong about this episode (and the previous one leading up to this) but Im gonna focus on one main thing.

The Castle/Beckett relationship. Two times in this episode the pair were going to die, yet we never saw any signs of love/even like for each other. These 2 have been dodging their attraction for 3 years now (tv time), though when it comes to facing certain death, neither has any affection for the other to show, even if it may be their last ever. Theres never a look of 'I've always loved you', a kiss or even a hug. The kiss from one of the previous issues was a huge step forward, but for it to be like theres nothing between the 2 when the couple is facing death, after everything that has happened in this shows existance is extremely irritating and poorly written. As much as I love this show, I was so frustrated that I was considering giving up on it. I really hope this wasnt the season finale.

The relationship aside, there were many other plot holes too. At the end of the first of this 2 parter, they find the bomb and start getting shot at. Castle is doing nothing, wouldnt a first instinct/necessary move to be to call 911 and tell that that you have found the nuke that is threatening to destroy manhatten? Obviously they were getting shot at, but they skipped a majorly important step. Also, what moron runs into a shipping container? Yes, getting shot at makes you want/need to run, but that is pure stupidity and Beckett is smarter than that. Who doesnt know that they can be locked and barricaded?

Next thing: Trying to get out of said shipping container/freezer. There were clearly refridgeration pipes on the wall, kicking them would either result in a kink, or breakage, which would leak or stop fluid running, therefore slowing down the cooling process. Thats not rocket science. And there were was clearly a fan unit on the back wall, they never even tried to kick that out, which would have resulted in freedom. They avoided these 2 obvious options and decided to sit in the cold, ready to die and not tell the other how much they really care, which is an obvious lie from everything we've ever seen.

To put in some nice words, the first ep of this 2 parter was good for the most part. The change of feel, music and vibe was a welcome change, but its the last 10 minutes or so that got to me. This episode itself, so many things were just wrong and poorly written that have caused a major drop of respect from me.moreless
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Unlike many others,I feel this is a good episode. The first one is ok,but I feel this part is better.

8.5

"Great"

By pr0teu5, Aug 25, 2011 Report Abuse

Unlike many others,I feel this is a good episode. The first one is ok,but I feel this part is better.

I think the writers are trying to get the different view point of American Homeland security. Like 70's FBI and CIA, now day the Homeland Security has the "bad" reputation. This is a episode about them as much is about people's fears(and the action come after that fear, like racial profiling). How easy it's for us as people to generalization an whole race. At the same time,the plotline point out how hard it's to protect others when you need to be paranoid about everyone, and that many people hate/dislike you for it. People also have habit to forget those that give their life to save and protect others, when they are not in distress. Personally I find this episode did bring out both side quite nicely. The whole plot is quite "normal" in Castle. A fine plot with twist. Because this one is without the normal "hei,look, a arabic man, must be the terrorist" flavor, I give this a plus 8.5. Spoilers:

The dying by freezing was quite ok, but not as good as it could have been. But I did like the fact before Castle fall in to unconsciousness, Beckett was trying to say "I love you". And he wake up with "Biker boy" ogle at him XD. I find it quite funny.moreless
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Ice, Ice Baby, Part 2

9.5

"Superb"

By pretty_sure, Aug 24, 2011 Report Abuse

Oh my gosh, you people need to take a major chill pill, and you know I'm mad because I haven't used that phrase since the '90s when I was watching Rugrats in my feety pajamas!

Ok, so it wasn't the perfect episode, but it was still good. It was a great episode. You people are so critical, when this was good. I would like to see all you who rated this a 6 or less I would like to see you all write a better episode!

It wasn't the perfect conclusion, but none the less it is Castle at it's best, and if you don't like it then don't f***ing watch!moreless
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A great disappointment.

2.5

"Terrible"

By srrabbit, Jun 04, 2011 Report Abuse

This is stupid sophomoric garbage written no doubt by a bureaucrat from homeland security. Had nothing to do with he usual fun and sophistication of the program and could have been insinuated into anything from I Love Lucy to Captain Kangeroo. Funeral tones from a federal officer reminding everyone of the "threat" and why we must remain vigilant. Oh, please!
And the plot! Oh my goodness--let's be as trite and immature as we can possibly be. The only good part was the two in the freezer but then there was no time to get them out. No transition. No real explanation. Just hurry through so we can get back to the absurdity of the theme. Certainly the most disappointing episode in the program's history. Let's hope that this was just an aberration and not representative of the next season's offerings.moreless
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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
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- When Beckett tries to get a signal inside the storage container, we see "no service" at the bottom of the phone screen. Like all phones, the signal strength on a Palm Pre is a small series of bars on the status bar at the top of the screen. The only way to have the screen display what was seen is if No Service was in the contact list.
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Notes
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- Original International Air Dates:
  Canada: February 28, 2011 on CTV
  Australia: May 8, 2011 on Channel 7
  United Kingdom: June 22, 2011 on Alibi
  Germany: September 30, 2011 on Kabel 1
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Quotes
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- Beckett: I always thought, being a cop, I'd take a bullet. I never thought I'd freeze to death. Castle: Hey, we're not dead yet. Beckett: I just wish this was one of your books and you could rewrite the ending.
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- Agent Fallon: Listen, um... what I do is not who I am. It's just how I have to be. I hope you both understand that. Beckett: Why don't we just say it was a pleasure and that we hope that we don't have to do it again? Agent Fallon: Fair enough. Castle: I-if it does happen again, though, maybe you could just text me, have a code word. "Run."
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- Agent Fallon: I just want you two to know the U.S. attorneys office is gonna be charging them with multiple counts of conspiracy to commit terror. And thanks to you two, we won't have to add the murder of innocent New Yorkers to that allegation. Beckett: Well, we were just doing our job. Actually, I was doing my job. I don't know what the hell he was doing. Castle: Hey! But that's true.
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Allusions
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- Castle: Well, we're not dead yet. This could be in reference to Monty Python's Spamalot in which there is a musical number called "He is Not Dead Yet".
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- Esposito: I was able to locate all, but two... Evan Bauer and Jack Cochran. If you take the last name and first name respectively of both terrorists you get "Jack Bauer" Fox's 24 lead character played by Kiefer Sutherland. In an earlier scene, when Agent Fallon goes into the interview room to question the fake Kevin McCann, Esposito hopes that Agent Fallon "goes (all) Jack Bauer on him", a reference to Jack Bauer's propensity to torture suspects during interrogation in "24".
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