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Castle - Kill Switch - Review: "Anybody hungry?"

Nov 26, 2014

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“Kill switch” moved the focus from the newlyweds to Ryan and Esposito, but mostly Esposito. It was a good episode, enjoyable, but wasn’t as great as the last few. Fact of TV, not all episodes are created equal. It didn’t help that, for the life of me, I can’t find it in my heart to care for the Esplanie of it all. Maybe it would have been tenser, more emotion filled, if I didn’t, for a fact, know that nothing would happen to a member of the fantastic four.

The episode was a mix of “Cops and Robbers” and “Under Fire,” only the character development, the emotional aspect of the episode can’t compare to these two. I didn’t feel like I did during both these episodes, when the characters outside the situation truly made me feel like they wanted them out. This kind of just felt like another day at the office. I just can’t see the spark, that little twinkle with Lanie that makes me want to root for Esposito to get out, for her, like I did with Jenny and Ryan in “Under Fire” or Beckett and Castle in “Cops and Robbers.”

To truly be an awesome episode, it has to be both case and characters and one of those parts was missing. The case was great, surprising at every turn, I loved it. The episode starts point blank with the case, no fragment of the Castle home life. The investigation begins in the park, with Beckett and Castle, walking up to the body, a fatal gunshot to the head, talking about how this walk is different from all the others we've witnessed. The writers and producers have got to know by now much we yearn for the continuity, and the Season 2 reference about Turner and Hooch was great. It somehow brings more life to the characters, because if we remember, so should they.

“Yeah, but you still remind me a little of Hooch.” - Beckett

This season has been about breaking the mold, and although the hostage situation has already been done on the show, it’s still not the typical case of the week with a victim, an investigation, a suspect, a red herring and the culprit. The victim is an investigator in the healthcare division for a federal company. Castle once again senses a conspiracy and his surprisingly plausible theory being that the convicted hacker is a whistleblower, therefore possibly in danger. Esposito and Ryan, on route to his residence, spot him, and Esposito follows him inside the Subway where it quickly escalades into a hostage situation when the suspect sees the badge and abruptly pulls the emergency breaks.

For some time, the NYPD is capable of watching the seen unfold through a feed, the captor and the hostages don’t know is there. It takes a turn for the worst when Jared Stone reveals the bomb-vest, with his hand on the switch, ready to detonate if he lets go. Lanie, Beckett, Castle, Tory, Gates and Ryan do what they can to help Esposito out, to try and make sense of what’s happening, though, as I previously stated, I couldn’t feel the urgency of the situation.


Jared Stone, throughout the episode, seems to be getting sicker and sicker, experiencing flu-like symptoms, though it was clearly noticeable, like the characters, I didn’t give it any particular meaning other than he was stressed out of his mind, rookie mistake. His demands make the NYPD turn in circles, trying to understand what’s really at state, but it’s really just a plan to stall. I was genuinely and gladly surprised when it was revealed that all he really wanted was to expose the passengers to his strain of the flu, to start an epidemic.

It wasn’t actually his making; he was being set up, by the victim’s greedy boss, in the worst kind of insider trading, willing to sacrifice millions, to make some easy money on the vaccines they would need.

“Who you think of in that moment, it has weight. Don’t trade what’s real for something that isn’t. I’ll see you around, Javi.” -Marissa

Esposito was without his team in there, but he wasn’t alone. He was paired with a Transit Cop, and the chemistry between the two was pretty good, better than some, and in the end it’s the both of them that tackle Jared and secure the detonator. Their storyline though, seems over, and with that seems like their story is over, their bonding pointless. Anyone care to explain what the Marissa quote means, because I'm not to sure I see what she meant by, "something that isn't real"?

Ryan and Esposito talked about kids, about being a father, about how Espo’s ready to move, to take the next step in hisrelationship, one Lanie’s not quite ready to take. I'm not ready for them to take that step either. One at a time guys!

The second callback to the past happened at the end of the episode, and I’m a sucker for them, when Castle invites them all to the Old Haunt for drinks, ending the episode with a touch of light humor, always appreciated.

“Come on, we’ll take the subway. Too soon?” -Castle


Was I too hard on this one?
Esplanie shippers, anyone out there?

11 comments:

  1. I think if it was anyone else in the team stuck in that situation most people would had a different opinion. I think it is precisely it was Espo who has been a big jerk for most of the past year. He is the reason why it was a big yawn. People have grudge against him with good reason. If you placed Gates in this situation it would have been much more interesting,

    ReplyDelete
  2. No, you were not too hard :-) I would go even further coz on top of
    everything I didn’t care for the case either. Computer gig/hacker
    turning suicide bomber / bioterrorist (oh yeah, he wasn’t aware of that part)
    out on a mission to commit massive murder in order to get his girlfriend out of
    prison and yet kind enough to order pizza for his super hungry, in spite of
    life threatening situation they found themselves in, hostages… please…
    I completely agree with you, there was no spark, no twinkle in
    the whole rescue mission, “just another day at the office” is a perfect
    description!
    There was a visible instant attraction between Espo and the female cop but when she
    heard him whispering Lanie’s name she realized it was something created by the
    circumstances hence “not real”. Still the whole thing only proves that Lanie is
    right not wanting for their relationship to go any further. Not that I care coz
    there is no chemistry in Esplanie anyways.
    So, what I like about this ep?
    Castle at the end, the Old Haunt, the jokes (including the Hooch one)…. Yeah, that’s just about it. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. It's not really Espo I feel I had a problem with, but just coudn't seem to feel the connection between him and the other characters, Lanie in particular. I don't know, I don't think he's a jerk, just really protective of Beckett at times.

    I think someone else in that situation would be good, though I have no idea how Gates could heave possibly found herself there. But it would have brought Gates in the gang even more, which I really like the idea of!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for the explanation about the "something real" it actually makes sense!
    The ending, Espo comes back to precinct and they all hug it, was cute, expect the Esplanie hug, which, I don't know found awkward. They could not try and push them so hard in our faces, it's painful to watch! (Ouch, that was mean, sorry!)


    The ending, was my favorite part too!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank you!

    Knowing about their was a defining moment happening in 7.10 for Esplanie, and hearing Espo talk about kids, I was screaming, Noooooo! at my TV. Yes, looked pretty stupid doing so. I'm with you on the break up part, I don't think it'll be it though, what are your guesses?


    I agree with you about Perlmutter, he needs more episodes! Him and Gates teaming up on Castle would be hilarious! I think Lanie is a necessary part of the cast as Kate's BFF, but does she really need to be there every episode, I think not! I did not, though, seem to focus on any odd gestures, though now that you've told me, I'll probably spot them and they'll annoy me beyond content, kind of like a flashing light you can't block out once you've seen it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. The "odd gesturing" that stands out in my mind is at the beginning of Always (4.23) when she is giving her spiel, it's just all very awkward..


    It's a good thing we all don't have video cameras pointed at us as we're watching our favorite shows, we'd all look incredibly stupid, yelling and occasionally throwing things at our TV's. :-)


    I'm really trying not to think too much about the defining moment in 7.10 mostly because in my mind, their only options are break them up or put them in a committed relationship and moving them in together. I don't think either character is ready to be married but I also don't see the writers separating them at Christmas, I think they like them together and some of the fans would think that that was cruel. But, I will happily be wrong this time. For me, a great Christmas present from the Castle writer's room would be Esposito and Lanie going their separate ways...maybe even Lanie getting a new job elsewhere.

    ReplyDelete
  7. too bad the guy was such a loser, Espo should have died. he's a total jerk. he was so quick to think the worst of Castle when he disappeared and that was not the first time. also the show could use some fresh blood. as long as they keep Ryan (and Castle and Beckett obviously) I'm fine.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Great review!exactly what I was thinking. I just don't care for Espo anymore, and he has more chemistry with the transit cop than with Lanie. I am not looking forward to ep 7.10 because I just don't care for their relationship anymore

    ReplyDelete
  9. I don't entirely hate Esposito, he was just to judge because he always wants to protect Beckett, big brother style, but I wouldn't necessarily miss him if he left! And actually killing him off would make situations like these a lot more tense, now, you just now somehow, everyone will survive at the end of the day!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks! I hate that they're pushing their relationship on us when clearly, no one cares anymore! I really hope they won't be hogging all the spotlight in the Christmas episode, it would be such a downer! Especially since Christmas episodes are always fun to watch!


    At this point Espo has more chemistry with everyone other than Lanie!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I don't know what to think anymore about 7.10, but I just pray that they don't ruin the Christmas episode. If their break-up isn't messy, maybe it could even work for a Christmas episode. Maybe that's just magical thinking on my part.... One can always hope! I like the idea of Lanie needing to move away! I really hope I won't fixate on her "odd gestures" in the next episode because of you!! :P

    ReplyDelete

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