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Castle Season 4 Episode 16

Linchpin

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AIRED: Feb 20, 2012

8.3

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Episode Summary

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Time is running out as Castle and Beckett race to find "Linchpin" in order to prevent an event that could plunge the country into war. (Part 2 of 2)

TV.com Episode Review

Castle: The Best and Worst Episodes of Season 4 (Thus Far)

Will tonight's season finale finally make good on all those wayward half-glances and repeated bouts of unspoken jealousy? Or will we be left dangling until next season? In anticipation of the big finish, let's look back at the season's best…

By Alex Navarro, May 07, 2012

Fan Episode Reviews (5)

Interesting

9.5

By greysncis2010, Mar 03, 2012

I like this episode. I like the suspense.. I was so sure that the two starring roles won't die in the water but the scene was nicely done. Interesting story line too. I would have never guessed that Sophia was the traitor! Wow, it is scary if there is such a thing as linchpin. There were few fun scenes too... Nice, Interesting episode.
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Worst Episode Ever!

1.0

By jasonc74, Feb 25, 2012

Part one was pretty good, let me digress... Spoiler ALERT

Jammed seat belt? When was the last time a seatbelt jammed on you? Well it is a FORD, maybe...

Sinking in the Hudson? The water in the Hudson has never been cleaner!

Shooting a seatbelt off? While in the midst of all that chaos without injuring someone...

Surface TV in Castles house that just happens to have beautifully laid out data about Becket...

Sophia gives Castle evidence to continue an investigation that went cold... unbelievable

Closed accounts are a dead end? Since when...

Most believable part was the Biblical prophecy reference "Syria moves on Israel"

Oh and the US Surrendering, totally believable with Obama in office...

Becket..."My car is out front!..." REALLY? they just got shot at from out front...

High tech CIA office with a camera on his eyeball in a dimly lit concrete room? SIGH

This is where it really gets bad...

Smart enough to hack a video stream? not easily done.

Gunshot to the head?Why not just lockdown and use your nose to check for powder residue on the hands.

As if a good hacker would use his own computer to load a worm into the system?

Networked elevator system? Followed by a cheesy hackers "I'm in!.."

Photo database of little girls by region? CIA are a bunch of pedophiles.

Dramatic Hi-Tech software... this is a government agency, I'm in IT at one and we don't have that.

As if they wouldn't notify the guy that his daughter was in danger. And no body guards?

The government pulls a ford from the hudson and restores it for sentimental value? Never gonna happen.

Did we loose a key writer for the show? Over the Top and REDICULOUS is RIGHT!moreless
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Awesome

10

By yenimeier, Feb 24, 2012

Best 2 Episodes ever
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Over the Top

5.5

By thefanof, Feb 23, 2012

The first half of this two parter was good, but this was absolutely ridiculous. Guns instantly being pulled on people because they might be a hacker? Twists, followed by twists, on top of more twists? They tried to have this crash TV insane, CIA cover up, but it was just too much and it took away the fun of this show. I don't want to see a writer handling a case that could lead to World War III, but maybe that is just me.moreless
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Not Brilliant

6.5

By pennyfeather, Feb 21, 2012

Lately Castle hasn't been working for me

There's only so far you can go with 'the end of the world ploy,' and they don't do a great deal to enliven an already limp story line.

The car drowning scene was almost laughable, the way they hazed it over. Granted, I'm sure we all went through our minds various scenarios as to how they would escape, and once again, this scenario has been done to death, but this version takes the cake.

The CIA lady never impressed me. It gets rather tireing seeing yet another perfectly coiffered bomshell actress playing a CIA operative. To top it off her voice is treacly (a detail, but it got to me after a while) and it was more a relief than a surprise when she turned out to be Mrs Judas.

I wish the writers would return to such story lines that made Castle quirky and fun, but also engrossing in terms of drama. The characters, the relationships (not just caskett) the witty lines and in-jokes, the daughter father rapport, all of which made me love the show.

The best thing that came out of this ep was the revelation of Castle's father, or rather, the hint that he may be around/ or even CIA (though why the writers would couple his name with an organisation that harbour disloyal crazy killer agents is a mystery to me. I'm betting he's nothing of the sort)

Looking forward to more of this strand.

After all there are plenty of stories they could pick up: The seriel killer Castle let get away, Bekett's mother murder thing (again....but at least such episodes are usually good) and I would like to see more charcater eps to do with Esp and Ryan.

Please writers stay away from these overblown and overused story lines. The duhduhduh, cliche ridden action stuff gets old, but quick. You can't beat BBC's Sherlock for that arena so stick with what you've got!moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Nathan Fillion	Richard Castle
Stana Katic	Det. Kate Beckett
Molly Quinn	Alexis Castle
Susan Sullivan	Martha Rodgers
Seamus Dever	Kevin Ryan
Jon Huertas	Javier Esposito

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Jennifer Beals	Sophia Conrad	Guest Star
Jade Carter	Agent Jack Corrigan	Guest Star
Josh Stamberg	Martin Danberg	Guest Star

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Episode Photos

Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Jennifer Be...

© 2012 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.
Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Jennifer Be...

© 2012 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.
Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic on Castle...

© 2012 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (0)
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QUOTES (6)
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- Castle: Even your coffee mugs say CIA. That is so cool.
  Sophia: Well, we save the world, maybe I'll let you keep one.
  Castle: Incentive.
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- Sophia: You always did like playing with dynamite. Just be careful it doesn't blow up in your face.
  Castle: Beckett's different.
  Sophia: Is she? Or do you just think she is?
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- Beckett: I thought you were off the case.
  Castle: Well, you heard what Sophia said. I'm a reckless, immature, self-centered jackass. If you're stubborn enough to keep going, I'm stupid enough to go with you.
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- Esposito: Fake deaths, car in the water, don't you think now is a good time to tell us what the hell is going on?
  Castle: Uhm...
  Beckett: I'm sorry, Javi. It's classified.
  Esposito: I was Special Forces. I used to eat classified for breakfast.
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- Castle: So what's our next move?
  Sophia: There is no next move. Not for you two. It was a mistake bringing you into the loop. You know, I really thought, I really thought you had changed. But you know what? You are the same reckless, immature, self-centered jackass that you always were, and you've put this investigation at risk.
  Castle: Look, I'm sorry...
  Sophia: You're sorry? We are on the verge of the next 9/11 or worse. This isn't one of your damn books, Rick. This is real life, and when things go bad, you can't just rewrite the ending like you did with us.
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- Castle: That whole, uh, sinking car thing much cooler in movies than it is in real life.
  Beckett: And for the record, I prefer watching spy thrillers to being in them.
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NOTES (4)
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- International Episode Titles:
  Czech Republic: Spouštcí moment (Triggering Moment)
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- It is strongly suggested that Castle's father is/ was a CIA operative.
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- Special billing was given to Jennifer Beals (Special Guest Star) for this episode.
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- Original International Air Dates:
  Canada: February 20, 2012 on CTV 2
  United Kingdom: June 20, 2012 on Alibi
  Germany: October 26, 2012 on Kabel 1
  Czech Republic: December 19, 2012 on Prima family
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