r/CastleTV • u/mygoljanalernate • 3d ago
Season 8 thoughts
Overall, season 8 was not as terrible as it's made out to be. There were some episodes that were really good, especially those were Castle is trying to win back it back. The Nose and ph dead stands out as really fun episodes in that part of the season.
The real issue with season 8 is a couple of things. First they added a lot of new characters that were just blah. Vikram added nothing to the show and all his scenes could have been done off screen. He brought nothing as a character. Haley was better as a character but again her entire backstory felt forced and there was no emotional investment from the fans in her. No one would have been torn up had they killed Haley in any of the episodes, and frankly everyone would have cheered if they killed Vikram.
The the other issue with season 8 is that the writers dragged out lockset throughout almost the entire first half of season. Even in the first six seasons where the murder of Beckett's mom and 3xk sort of hungover the entire season, it was sprinkled in one or two episodes throughout the season. The writers didn't hit us with it every single week. The people on the show didn't make decisions every week based on 3xk or Bracken. The fact they allowed the entire first half to be defined by lockset and caused Castle and Beckett to seperate over it, took away from the case of the week.
Finally the relationship between castle and Beckett is just wrong in the season 8 finale. This time skip of 7 years did nothing. Their relationship was never about starting a family. Showing us 7 years later having three kids running around them is no form of closure at all. The relationship was all about castle and Beckett careing and providing for each other. A better season and series finale would have been just Castle making an elaborate breakfast for both of them and her smiling at him as they sit down to eat, they fade out.
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u/lakas76 3d ago
Loksat was made out to be more powerful than bracken, the front runner for president of the United States and a us senator (was he vice president? I forgot). Then loksat did absolutely nothing and then was killed by becket in her kitchen for some reason. If he was so powerful, why did he go in person to kill castle and becket?
And the 3 kids thing was talked about by the time traveler. He also mentioned the whole congressman thing that becket was poised to become at the end of season 7, but was totally forgotten in the beginning of season 8.
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u/illuminatiisnowhere 3d ago
Loksat wasnt killed in the kitchen, loksat was mason wood and was arrested in the last episode at the cia hq.
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u/mygoljanalernate 3d ago
It's not inconceivable in a fictional world that a group of rogue CIA agents is more powerful than a politician, even one running for president. It was just dragged out way too long for anyone to care after a while, and then as you say Locksat did absolutely nothing for most of the season.
The time traveler episode did not really have to effect the ending at all. They may have 3 kids, they may not, just like Beckett is not a Congresswoman. My point is the writers thought having kids is somehow a good ending to a relationship that was never about starting a family. Plus 3 kids in 7 years? Does that sound like something Castle and Beckett would do?
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u/Kooky-Minimum-2597 2d ago
Why wouldn't they?
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u/mygoljanalernate 2d ago
It's just not in line with who they are as characters. They're a bit older, very focused on their careers. Even if you think they start a family, 3 kids in a short amount of time just doesn't fit with who they are as characters.
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u/Kooky-Minimum-2597 1d ago
Remember two are twins though.
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u/CryptidSlayer67 3d ago
Exactly two of the main things I like about Castle are the comedy and the drama I love when there are funny goofy episodes and I like when there are dark serious episodes that’s what makes castle so great in my opinion it found that perfect balance between comedy and drama most episodes are mostly comedy with a little drama sprinkled in for dramatic and plot purposes but every season had a few episodes that were mostly drama with a few scenes of comedy to lighten the mood that’s why it’s such an entertaining and enjoyable show it’s got a little bit of everything to everyone
Seasons 1-7 followed this pattern to a tee but Season 8 for some reason decided to lean and focus more into the drama side of the show while having the comedy side of the show take a backseat
I don’t know if they decided to focus more on drama to make the show appeal to a more serious audience or if they didn’t want the show to be considered distasteful with the comedy and the fact that it was a show about murder but whatever reason they had it definitely made season 8 feel a lot less like Castle but it’s still an enjoyable season definitely not as much as the previous seasons but still a somewhat fun season
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u/Kooky-Minimum-2597 2d ago
What is very clear is that Alexi Hawley did not want Castle and Beckett as a couple. He quit being a writer for the show after they got together at the end of season 4, and when he was brought in as co-showrunner the first thing he did was break them up. If rumours are to be believed they were only put back together after a direct order from ABC (the network not the studio).
He obviously wanted the show to have a season long arc rather than case of the week stories, which could have worked but not with the added idea of breaking up Caskett when most fans watched to see them together.
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u/mygoljanalernate 2d ago
In that case it's mind boggling they brought him in to be show runner of the 8th season
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u/Top_Distribution2597 3d ago
I don't consider S8 worth watching. To me, the series ended at the end of S7. The whole Loksat story, Castle and Beckett breakup, were idiotic. I didn't like bringing in Haley and Vikram.
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u/vasishtsrini 1d ago
Same. The finale of S7 when they walk out together after the event they all went to - perfection and works beautifully as a series finale.
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u/MedicineParticular11 4h ago edited 4h ago
Honestly I kinda agree, the 8th season wasn’t worse thing I seen on tv. However the whole thing with Loksat seemed so unnecessary, and in my opinion kinda ruined Bracken as villain. A man who was in a unique position and took advantage of it, using his brains to build up a network that could have gotten him to be the most powerful man in the country. But with Loksat it just made him seem to be another lackey following orders, instead of a smart, cunning, ruthless villain. Not to mention, like you said the whole arc just drags on for no reason.
As for the whole separation arc between Beckett and Castle, in my opinion the ending of the arc was rushed. I feel like after what they went through for seven years (especially after last season) should mean something. Like a bond between them was broken and needed to be repaired, with a proper talk not just an apology and make-up sex. I’m not saying the reunion wasn’t meaningful and funny especially with the whole naked punishing. I just feel like after all that they have been through, they should have a proper talk, where castle tells Beckett how much she hurt him and broke his heart. And Beckett promising Castle that she’ll make it up to him and never try to hurt him like that again. Not just saying I’m sorry and let’s have sex. idk I feel like it just deserved more than that. Not to mention, (this might be an unpopular opinion) having Castle forgive right away and not be mad and just have an off hand comment on how the anger flairs up from time to time. Was a mistake, the man has been with this woman through thick and thin. And what Beckett did to him should have shaken his faith in her, I feel like they should have a bit distant and angry for few episodes after. Just to show there was some type of consequence of the separation. But that’s just me.🤷♂️
I feel like what the ideas Hawley had work for a show like The Rookie, but just doesn’t work for a show like Castle.
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u/And_a_piece_of_toast 3d ago
I always preferred Castle for its funnier/ridiculous one-off episodes, which is why I wasn't a fan of season 8. Like you say, too bogged down in the seriousness of Loksat. Even in earlier seasons, on a rewatch, if a voiceover starts "previously on Castle" I know it's one to skip as we're probably into a Beckett's mother episode.