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Ray Richmond contributes to Deadline’s TV coverage.
As the ABC dramedy Castle moves toward the conclusion of its fourth season, the question of when lead characters Richard Castle and NYPD Detective Kate Beckett (played by Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic, respectively) finally will do the deed took center stage. It was the burning question addressed at tonight’s spirited PaleyFest salute to Castle at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, where creator/exec producer Andrew W. Marlowe was asked to spill the beans on how long the chaste dance toward the bedroom would last. “Do I know when it will happen? Yes,” he replied. “When it does happen, it will open up a lot of different areas in the storytelling. It will be the next evolution in the characters’ relationship.” Marlowe acknowledged that a lot of people believe the characters’ getting together physically could prove a creative kiss of death for the show, using the model of another ABC dramedy – Moonlighting – which famously imploded after David Addison (Bruce Willis) and Maddie Hayes (Cybill Shepherd) did the deed. “I’m not someone who believes in The Curse of Moonlighting,” Marlowe stressed. “Moonlighting fell apart because (the producers) couldn’t meet their delivery dates (and not necessarily because of the storyline). But there will come a time when we can’t keep these characters apart.”
What should happen between the characters when the moment finally arrives? “Kissing,” offered Katic. Added Fillion: “We’re definitely both ready for this thing to happen already. And when it does, I think it should be really clumsy, with the two of them knocking stuff over.” Yet Marlowe wouldn’t go so far as to say that we’ll soon see Castle and Beckett playing house together. “We can’t afford that set,” he assured. Fillion, charming as ever during the session, also discussed his excitement at being reunited with his Firefly costar Adam Baldwin on a forthcoming Castle episode. Baldwin will guest star as Ethan Slaughter, a “rough-and-tumble” detective who “it’s safe to say will be rearranging parts of my face,” Fillion quipped. He, Katic and Marlowe were joined in the session by costars Molly Quinn, Seamus Dever, Jon Huertas, Penny Johnson Jerald, Tamala Jones and Susan Sullivan. It was also announced during the event that a new series of original ebooks novellas from mystery writer Richard Castle will be published mid-year by Hyperion, with the first (entitled The Brewing Storm) coming in May.
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LOL, the ratings are weaker and weaker, of course the creator is in panic.
I understand the fear because of Moonlighting, but for me, the “will they or won’t they” is really annoying after a while. It’s one of the reasons I stopped watching “Chuck,” and by the time Chuck and Sarah got together… well, I stopped caring at that point. I like Castle for the characters, but eventually my patience will run out and I will stop watching. I know they don’t care about little old me, but I’m sure many other people are the same as I am.
OMG I quit watching Chuck for the very same reason…. I was JUST OVER IT!
That’s funny, because they finally got together midway through Season 3. Castle is about to finish its fourth season and is still yanking viewers around with the “Moonlighting” subplot. I have even less patience for Castle though, because it’s gone on longer and it’s the same dynamic of every police procedural on network television.
Those poor idiots producing Castle and at ABC programming still think the reason people stopped watching the show has something to do with Castle and Beckett’s relationship. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the dynamic going on with Castle and Beckett when we stopped watching it and I’m sure alot of viewers still feel that way. It has everything to do with the way ABC is being programmed and their “hidden” agenda that they think viewers didn’t catch onto last fall. Idiots and perverts.
What the hell are you talking about? What “hidden agenda?”
Have you seen Constantine with Keanu Reeves? ABC is party to something like that, except with a bigger FX budget. I mean, duh… Castle and Beckett humping? Isn’t it obvious?
What? Who is we? Most people that watch Castle are still watching Castle. Their ratings always dip a little with out DWTS as its lead. What hidden agenda is ABC doing with their programming? Did you stop taking your meds?
Personally, I don’t mind the sexual tension. I don’t feel like they have teased it so much that it has become annoying.
marc5 — have you missed your medication today? Lost the tin foil hat? Seek professional help now, please.
Otherwise, Moonlighting also suffered from trying to ignore Cybill’s pregnancy (with twins no less). Episodes spent with her hiding the lower half of her body behind file cabinets and what not eliminated the possibility of suspending disbelief. I don’t think anyone even mentioned that she rapidly became as big as a house. Oddly enough, Frasier managed to succeed with both ignoring Jane Leeve’s pregnancy by giving her character an short term overeating disorder cured by sending her to fat camp, after which they still got her together with Niles in a funny, charming way (“I hate that you have bigger closets than I do!” “I hate your unicorn collection!”). I realize their relationship wasn’t the focus of the show, but it still worked, before and after.
I understand where everyone is coming from with the getting impatient about them getting together and the flip side of people losing interest if they actually do get together…but I really think that having the Heat novels help alleviate that for fans. I like the foreplay of their non-relationship relationship, but having the novels satisfies that little “what if” curoisity wonderfully.
Bones and Booth did the deed and Bones got preggers, FOX and the shows producers are in talks to renew the show for “2″ more seasons. “Castle” has lost viewers because it no longger has “DWTS” as a lead in, not beacuse they haven’t made to beast with two backs yet.
How about getting married first? It’s a little more original/romantic in my opinion.
I got married once, which was about as romantic as a John Carpenter movie, in hindsight. Hopefully Castle and Beckett’ll just hook up like normal, sane people. We wouldn’t want to send the wrong message to audiences, would we?
Before they hook up? Even once? Hahahahahaha.
Oh please, the kiss of death will be dragging this out too long. Their ratings already haven’t been so hot the past months and there’s only so many times they can keep hinting at a possible romance before it becomes the most annoying thing ever.
I wonder if they’ve held off this long due to the fact that Fillion and Katic absolutely loathe each other and hate working together. In some scenes where they have to be physical together, they use doubles for each other’s coverage. Harder to do if you’re supposed to be “doing the deed.”
Oh brother… Care to offer any concrete proof of this theory? While it seems that they are very different people, I’ve seen ZERO evidence that they “loathe” each other, or even that they don’t get along. All indications are that the Castle set is one of the most pleasant out there. I’ve never heard anyone say a negative word about either Nathan or Stana.
John, I think you missed the part of the ‘post your comment’ instructions where it says “don’t get your facts wrong”.
John, that was Moonlighting. Well chronicled from their final season. Are you recycling drama?
Are you high? Those two love each other in real life, and I know from experience the Castle set is one of the most laid back, fun working environments in the business right now. No egos, no stress, everyone is a professional so they don’t have to worry about each other. If only every set were as nice to work on as Castle’s.
Hahaha, obviously we all know that anytime an actor uses a body double it’s because they hate their co-star. Duh.
Really? How would you know this? Sounds like childish jealosy to me.
MOONLIGHTING seemingly started as a REMINGTON STEELE copycat, then turned into something wildly original and innovative. CASTLE started as a MOONLIGHTING rip-off… and stayed there. The formerly illustrious Paley Center paying tribute to this tripe only serves to underscore how far primetime has fallen.
MOONLIGHTING was a super “soft hour” that if it were done today would most likely be developed as a single cam comedy. The procedural elements and characters were also usually used as straight men for long Bruce Willis’ weak Bill Murray impression. CASTLE isn’t my cup of tea, but it’s a procedural elements (as soft as they may be) drive the narrative not the relationship beats. My point is the tones of these two series are very very different.
SB
No dramedy will ever touch ” Moonlighting ” during it’s very creative , first three years- not Bones, not Castle, not nothing . The show’s writers & producers repeatedly took so many risks on that show – and it always paid off. Man , I miss the old days.
John, and you know this *how*? Unless you are on set, you don’t know what is going on.
I know many people who have worked on this show and they all say it is one of the most pleasant sets to work on in Hollywood. Never heard a bad word about either Fillion (who is beloved by all) or Static. Unless you’ve got proof to back it up, lay off the “they loathe each other” crap.
I would love to see them bring back Laura Prepon to give Beckett some competition before her and Castle become an item.
Weaker and weaker ratings??, thats hillarious!, thats only because of DWTS, or actually lack of it, oh well, I guess some people truly don’t know better…
Watched Nation Fillion soar in Firefly, and as a late coming Browncoat could care less of any actor conflict or producer drama. Browncoats follow ( and watch) their Captain. If one could parse those ratings, one could think the Browncoat following could be correlate to the show’s success.
And besides, doesn’t everyone loathe their co-workers at one time or another?
Nathan and Stana do get along famously well and the set is extremely friendly and comfortable for everyone. To say otherwise is simply untrue and suspiciously motivated to me. The show is charming and interesting and inventive and I love watching it every single week, and I don’t watch DWTS. I don’t even care if and when they get together because the dancing around it is romantic and clever. Kudos to the producers/writers/directors for getting it right consistently.
Just a brief little tangent here to a mention at the end of this piece, about new novellas “authored” by Castle coming out.
As it’s the genre of fiction I usually read (I rely heavily on Michael Connelly, Lee Child, Robert Crais, et al)I went into the most recent “Castle” novel “Heat Rises” expecting absolute drek. But I was stuck with nothing to read.
Suffice to say, I loved it. Lots of the camp goofiness of the show, but a well-crafted, exceptionally well-executed cop/mystery/action book. I finished it deeply frustrated on behalf of the real author, as they don’t provide a word of info about him, her or them. Instead, they carry the “Richard Castle” persona, right down to a photo of Fillion on the dust jacket, and a full bio the summarizes the show bible.
“Novellas” are rarely satisfying to me, like a taste at Costco compared to a full meal. But if the same author is handling, I hope he, she or they get some of the applause they deserve.
They ought to really blow everybody’s minds, and have the characters decide to wait until they get married. Beckett a few seasons back said she’s a “one-and-done kind of girl”, and Castle has suffered bad consequences from his party-boy life (including having a former girlfriend turn out to be some sort of foreign terrorist, and nearly murder him).
I am the biggest Castle fan but I have to say that I’m concerned about the show this season. Getting rid of the Captain in season 3 was a huge risk. Messing with a perfect formula is a gamble and I personally don’t think it was the right thing to do. Don’t even get me started on Gates, uggh! Way to kill a great show. The 12th was a family and now it isn’t. I still love all the characters but the glue is gone. The other issue I’m having (and I am not alone) is that there should be a natural progression in the characters. Just because I don’t want any of them to go away or to mess with a working formula, doesn’t mean I want them all to stay the same forever and ever. The characters need to evolve and grow. By forth season SOMETHING should be happening between Castle and Beckett. The show can’t keep keeping them apart because they’re afraid of the Moonlighting curse! If they do they aren’t “listening” to the characters and where they need to go organically. I understand that the writers/producer can’t just let them hook up because we (the audience) wants that, but they need to have it happen because it is the next step. It has become so overdue at this point that it is awkward(tension is one thing, but frustration is another)and not as fun to watch. Last season there were other relationships keeping them apart but this season it is just the two of them NOT getting together OVER AND OVER EVERY WEEK for no reason other than the show has decided not to because they are afraid it will kill ratings. Find a way to bring Roy back and let Beckett and Castle kiss for Pete’s sake! It’s time! Big time.
Sorry, I was just using the experiences of working on the show and seeing them every day as my facts. Great people independently, they just don’t like working together.
yeah, right. My best friend is part of the lighting crew for Castle, you couldn’t be more wrong about those two, they have fun working together. Great working environment too. As one above said “one of the most pleasant sets to work on in Hollywood” indeed.
I don’t believe Fillion and Katic don’t get along. There’s just too much playfulness in their scenes and bloopers, not to mention public appearances. All my LA contacts say CASTLE is a fun set BECAUSE the leads like working together. Even if that was true, why feel pressed to tell everyone about it?