It is good to change up the rules of the game every once in a while. When Castle mixes things up, it is usually a departure from the comedic side of the show and a change in the regular murder-of-the-week storyline. “Cops & Robbers” was an example of each of these, reminding us that Castle is a much more dynamic show than we often give it credit for.
When the show wrapped up, Carla and I were chatting via IM, and she something that really stuck with me: “The two of them are so adorable together. It’s like they are dating now without it being acknowledged as dating!” It’s funny, as we have actually disagreed several times on how close Castle and Beckett are (specifically in comparison to where Bones and Booth were at this stage in their relationship), but in her observation now, we are in complete agreement. It is an interesting way of getting around the “will they, won’t they” question that has frustrated many fans (like Brett, who has stopped covering the show because of it).
It’s just changing a different set of rules in a different game (a theme I can’t seem to let go of). Instead of writing the couple into an intimate and physical relationship, with all of the hassles and obstacles inherent of that path, the writers have just skipped right to the “old married couple” stage. Sure, that type of bickering has always defined the relationship, but now it is joined by a new status quo. Beckett knows, very specifically, that Castle loves her. I’m pretty sure that Castle believes that the feelings are reciprocated. So they’ve settled into this zero-sum game that doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon.
The difference, though, between their situation and others similar to it on TV, is that it hasn’t affected their chemistry. Obstacles come and go, like Serena Kaye a couple of week back. But little threats like the female investigator are just that: little, with no significant change to the dynamic between the two of them. If the writing team doesn’t want to put the two of them “really” together yet, this is about the most perfect way of doing it. Again, I say … Castle is a much, much smarter show than we ever give it credit for.
These two will eventually get together. It’s destiny. I also believe that, when it’s time, the story will blow past all of the other obstacles, and they’ll just be together. In the mean time, though, as a fan, I am quite happy with where they are at.
The :45 Minute Guess: Humph … Playing the guessing game isn’t as fun when the show completely changes it’s conventions. I suspect I could throw out some guess to the why and the who, but there hasn’t been enough information to hazard a good guess. I spent most of my speculation time thinking that Sal was a plant. When we saw the C4 actually existed, I then doubted my earlier guess. Now, at the :45 minute mark, I stand by the original guess, that he was a plant.
Notes & Quotes
Clacked by Ivey West 
on Oct 31, 2011 @ 23:59 EST5EDT
I love that Castle is keeping score how many times they’ve saved each others lives … and I have to say I figured that “Sal” was in on it when he first started freaking out.
I also liked the line about (and I paraphrase) “Don’t worry mother, I saw this in Die Hard”
It’s always fun to read your take on Castle. I like your title this week. They totally are “fake together” and I’m totally good with it. I LOVED this episode!