This review took me a while to write because I really didn’t know how I felt about this episode. “For Better or Worse” had its up and downs, and maybe I had set my expectations too high for a season finale. The episode we are usually delivered before any hiatus is supposed to blow our pants off. They decided to go for cliché, extremely cliché, accompanied by some unoriginal “twists” and it actually makes me sad for the show, because I’ve loved it for quite some while now, but have they really run out of original storylines? (Even the title lacks Castle originality…)
I still managed to enjoy the episode and was probably one of the few that liked the ending and is looking forward to see what it may provoke in the beginning of season 7. Once I got over the fact that they were using overused plotlines to direct the story, I enjoyed the episode. Even though it was polluted with unoriginal plots, if you forget about the last 30 seconds, the episode was funny, cute and filled with the Caskett-y moments we’ve (I’ve) come to enjoy.
The begining of the episode brings us to the precinct where Beckett hands over her case load to the guys. Ryan’s excitement leads to Beckett’s reveal that she’s terrified of saying her vows in front of 300+ people which yields a charming discussion between the three of them. I always enjoy when they get to have non procedural conversations with each other. After a few pretty bad, but so well-intentioned suggestions to ease her stress, Gates steps in. As she does, Ryan sent Esposito a look that made me laugh so hard, a look kind of along the lines of ‘Since when is she including herself in our personal life conversations? And more importantly since when does she talk about her personal life?’ Gates’ character has become so lovable. I wouldn’t go as far as her being a mother figure now, but maybe at least a tough older sister, that helps, advises and teases. She’s now a part of their little unorthodox family.
When Castle arrives, the mood gets even lighter and as soon as the two lovebirds interact, you just get the two idiots in love vibe. It’s instantaneous with them and seeing them together, you just can’t help yourself to smile. Hell, I’m smiling just thinking about it, right now. It’s three days before they are to tie the knot and instead of coming back home with a marriage license like intended, Kate comes back with a husband, and a very confused fiancé. (Yup, that’s the route they decided to take.) They met freshman year of college and were young and stupid. After a trip to Vegas and what they (or at least, she) thought was a fake wedding, they ended up married, for 15 years. (Yup, they went all those places and I bet they thought it would be a good idea!)
Rogan O’Leary (Eddie McClintock, Warehouse 13, Wot Wot!) is a scumbag and he’s also Kate’s husband. Castle seems to find it funny, Beckett on the other hand, not so much. She is married, for realsies, and I guess she really is mad about not being the ‘one and done’ kind of girl she though she was.
Since it’s obvious that Rick and Kate do not want to postpone the wedding (though her argument of not wanting to have to explain to the people that are flying in lacks the caskett-y romance) Kate drives up to Willow Creek in the hopes (more conviction than hope with her) of getting him to sign the dissolution of marriage papers. I just want to point out that Ryan still texts LOL, which I found funnier than I probably should have.
During that time, Castle is to hold down the wedding preparation fort back in New York. Even though everything already went wrong planning this wedding, everything still manages to go wrong for a second time during this episode. Their perfect roof-top venue has no more floor. Ryan’s 3 sizes too small suit makes him look like monkey butler and Kate’s dress got totaled.
Rogan is a piece of work and Kitkat (I love that nickname) can’t get Rogan to sign the papers. Not before she does something for him. After having successfully managing to steal his ex-girlfriend’s garage door opener, Beckett witnesses his kidnapping. I was shaking my head and Beckett’s “Really?” was spot on because, it’s probably what every one of you was thinking at the time. It was farfetched, but come on, it’s Castle, what did I expect? It gave a somewhat absurd tone to the rest of the chase for O’Leary, but at least they embraced it which made me enjoy it even more.
Once Martha and Alexis took it upon themselves to move the wedding to the Hampton’s House, which ends up being jaw-breaking gorgeous, (Anyone else though for a split second Lanie and Espo where going to get married instead of Castle and Beckett?) Castle leaves the fort with a new mission, that of bringing Beckett back to NYC a free woman.(It probably should have been in his mission description to bring himself too! Too soon?)
Castle and Beckett are working together once more. There was no murder during this episode, but the investigation of Rogan’s abduction was nothing if not entertaining. The ex-girlfriend leads them to a laptop. They get ambushed by a gang of angry bikers looking for their money that lead them to a strip club. The stripper leads them to a blackmailed pastor. The father then leads them back to stripper who leads them to a barn.
I was laughing my head off during the scene where Rogan bursts out laughing at Castle’s girl-like scream. It caught me completely off guard and Kate's reaction made it even better. To top it off, it was followed by a friendly banter about Castle's man-parts between Kate her future husband and her future ex-husband. This was absolutely the best non cliffhanger scene of the episode.
After the extremely unpopular reaction to Kate’s haute couture wedding dress, it was clear something was going to happen to it. They decided to have a pipe burst in her apartment, and I think the scene turned out a lot funnier and a lot less dramatic than intended. I don’t know if they did that purposefully absurd (I hope) but I laughed at Lanie’s reaction. Every freaking thing is going incredibly wrong, but it’s the loss of the dress that sends Kate over the edge, leading to an unBeckett-like melt down.
After being held captive by an FBI fugitive mobster, they skillfully manage to get rid of both their angry bikers and dangerous mobster. Everything is falling back into place (or so it seems). Rogan gives Kate the divorce she desperately deserves. The Hamptons scenery is absolutely breathtaking, Johanna’s dress is there to the rescue (cliché, but fitting) and Kate looks absolutely stunning.
With Castle on route, it really does look like everything was going to end well for the writer and his muse. Haha! Funny! Of course it’s not. Shows run on drama. Even though maybe it’s not always (or often) 100% positive, the cliffhanger got people talking. I’m a sucker for happy endings also, but this not the end, no need for happy just yet! I’m not one to think that marriage actually changes anything in a relationship, so I wasn’t really disappointed we didn’t get to see them actually get married. I for one (I think I’m in the minority here) liked the cliffhanger and what it may bring to season 7. Still think I’m in the minority, I want them apart for the beginning of the seventh season. I’m kind of looking forward to Beckett going bat-shit crazy looking for Castle and Castle finally going badass without Beckettt as training wheel at his side.
Castle is most definitely not dead. They just can’t just kill Castle in Castle, right? That really would be a twist. The cliffhanger isn’t as much if he’s slowly turning into ashes in his car, but mostly who’s behind the attack.
So who? Bracken? Someone looking for Jackson Hunt? 3XK?(Although, not his style) Or someone I haven’t thought of?
So now speculate! Agree or disagree with my opinion, I don’t mind. Just stay respectful. ;)
Until the fall, people!
