Castle Review: Season 1, Episode 9 "Little Girl Lost"

 By Elizabeth Beall

**SPOILER ALERT! If you have not seen this episode, please go and do so before continuing!**

Oh Castle.... What's a relationship without a little competition to add drama? So far on the show we've been treated to at least two ex-wives for Rick, but Beckett... Well, she's still single, and she is still not quite falling for a certain someone's "ruggedly handsome" charms.
This case hits a little close to home for Beckett: a young child abducted from the home. She's dealt with it before, and it didn't end well. That and--oh look! The FBI is involved... and the agent on the case is an ex-boyfriend of Beckett's.

The "Good Parts" Version:

-Castle is trying to earn "boyfriend points" by greeting Beckett on the scene with her favorite donut and order of coffee. Trouble is, he also brings up his fan site... Which Beckett is apparently familiar with--for "research purposes", of course--and Castle's ribbing about it ("You subscribed to my website? Wait a minute... are you Castlefreak1212? Castlelover45?") earns him a bear-claw in the mouth. Lesson learned: No woman wants sass before she has her coffee.

-The case involves the abduction of a two-year-old girl from the home of her hard-working parents. Mom works at the hospital, Dad paints for a living. He was in the next room when it happened; one moment, the girl was there, the next moment, gone.



-Enter the suave, dashing, smooth-talking, driven Agent Will Sorenson. He's got the history with Beckett that Castle wants, he knows things about her that Castle can't possibly get her to confess, and in short, he's got the position that Castle thinks he wants--and yet, Beckett seems reluctant to be working with him again.... And on the plus side, we get more of the Wisecracking Castle!

-"Really? You're going with the instincts of Nancy Drew, here?"
"Is that supposed to be an insult? Because Nancy Drew solved all her cases."

-Beckett: "Oh, why don't you two just drop your pants and get it over with!"
Castle: "I'm game!"


-Beckett ends up sending Castle home because Will doesn't want him around... and poor Rick discovers that Martha's "money-making scheme-of-the-week" happens to be working out of his office as a "Life Coach." "Mother, can I interest you in the kitchen as a better location? The wide open space... proximity to beverages... and sharp implements..."

-Can I just also take a moment to point out that THIS EPISODE MARKS THE FIRST MENTION OF JENNY O'MALLEY, RYAN'S THEN-GIRLFRIEND, PLAYED BY SEAMUS' (THE ACTOR'S) REAL-LIFE WIFE JULIANNE!!! He was my favorite character to begin with... and the fact that he's the first one to have a steady girlfriend.... portrayed by his wife... I was over-the-moon. Granted, it's just a mention, but... The tie says it all...


-The ransom demand has been made... and it's oddly specific: exactly every penny the couple has, and not a cent more. Could the kidnapper be closer to the victims than just a stone-cold professional on a spree?

-When it comes time to make the drop, Beckett finally stands up for Castle in the face of "the Feds", deciding to allow him to volunteer to make the drop.

-This episode really plays up the "Will They/Won't They" angle... because all networks know that, "If all else fails, use romantic tension to make viewers want another season." But while Castle is getting ready for a potentially dangerous money drop with an as-yet-unidentified killer, Beckett comes in... and she's more worried about this Nikki Heat novel that he is working on, and the cover image ("It's just a silhouette. She's holding a gun." "She's *naked*!" "She's posing strategically.") than about his actual safety... at least as far as she'll let on. ("Castle? Screw this up and I'll kill you.") Oh yeah, they definitely will.

-Of course, it all goes south, because the kidnapper seems to know exactly what they're going to do just before they do it, and can prepare accordingly--But Castle proves more clever than Will gives him credit for, because though they lost the bag with the money, he managed to slip the burner phone into it--right after texting Beckett from the phone. So now they can track it till the signal dies.

-The nature of the case has made Castle nostalgic. He goes home and starts imagining what it would be like if someone abducted Alexis... Which of course gives him the break he needs to realize that the kidnapped child had a favorite bunny that she carried all the time. A stone-cold kidnapper would have just taken the kid and left the bunny... so where is the bunny?

-It was just the break they needed, and by looking for the bunny, they find the girl, not far away--at the house of her Aunt. The overworked Mom had arranged the whole abduction, intending to use the money to take custody of their daughter away from her neglectful husband. The big reveal and wrap-up gives a sour note to the end of the episode--almost as if the writers were still trying to figure out the best way to end an episode.

-Of course, Will keeps dropping hints that he wants to get back together with Beckett--he'd even like it if she decided to come back to Boston with him--but she is not sure anymore if that's what she wants. The Beckett he knew was very career-driven, but meeting Castle seems to have brought a sense of "family" to her that she probably never expected. She turns him down.

Again, I am not really digging the whole "crime without a criminal" method. It was fun to find out a little more about Beckett's past, both in the ex-boyfriend and the return of the murdered mother case. 

However, I believe it must have been sometime about this episode, or the last few, that the network confirmed a second season, because already we're getting deeper into the lives of the characters with their own arcs and back-stories—things aren't quite so "temporary" anymore. It took nearly ten episodes for this show to get itself organized with the crime solving technique and the character involvement, but in the words of Casablanca, "I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship." 

"Little Girl Lost" gets a 4/5.

A Preemptive Strike By Leslie

*Comes out of the Panic Room and surveys the carnage: Jess lays, strapped to the Frankenstein table from "Monster Movie", nearly comatose; Emily is passed out at the control board, her paralyzed hands still gripping the lever; Calmly, Leslie takes her seat in an odd-looking armchair with a lightbulb attached at the top*

Well, I suppose my turn had to be coming, hadn't it? But since the two are... *ahem* indisposed for the moment, I believe this is my opportunity to conduct my own interview with impunity. Ready?

1. Primary Fandom? Off the top of my head, as far as famous fandoms go, I would certainly say Sherlock ... But really, that's a class unto itself, rooted in a long tradition with expert show runners. As far as "regular" shows that I avidly follow and have seen every episode at least twice and am deeply immersed in all the fandom and fanfiction at LEAST as ardently as Emily is devoted to Supernatural, it would be Grimm.

Why in the world would you choose that show? Bias, obviously--it's filmed and set in my area! But, aside from the setting, I am deeply a fan of the awesome writing--from the development of the protagonists and the consistency of the villains, to the inventive story arcs and the fact that it's been three seasons and there is still lore from the first season that has yet to be pursued. I am convinced that it certainly has the potential to be every bit as amazing as Supernatural.

2. Secret fandom crush? What the... How the heck did that get in here? [looks between the two comatose girls, secretly suspecting that one or the other (or both) might be a poltergeist] Oh brother... I guess I had it coming, didn't I? Well guess what... It's Gabriel Vaughn, from the little-known show, Intelligence. (Don't know him? Bummer! Hey, it's not my fault a perfectly good show got cancelled by the time it got its legs under it!)

Yeah, I know... Somebody that good-looking would be an obvious choice... but I'm not the kind of girl who is a sucker for good-looking men, because there are a LOT of hot jerks out there, am I right? 

So... Why him? Because I adore his portrayal: he is chivalrous, snarky, strong, humble—and a solid team player to boot! If there is anybody I'd want to have my back in a dangerous situation, it's him.  I always love that when a protagonist is actually moral. Nothing sullies a good crush like rooting for a guy who would not be the sort of guy you would date in real life.

3. Favorite character couple? Hmm, I might have to go with Detective Kevin Ryan and his wife Jenny on Castle--even though she's only been on a few times, with him being a secondary character and all. But the relationship is fantastic. THEY ARE TOTALLY THE CUTEST COUPLE ON TV!!!

Really? What makes you say that? Well, for starters, they're a real-life couple--and the chemistry really shows. And in an era of television where it seems like so many shows ride on romantic ambiguity, the existence of a solid relationship in a show is a thing of beauty. (And considering that it's ABC--the most notorious offender for Unnecessary Romantic Angst--it's even more remarkable!)
   

4. You mentioned earlier that you write fanfiction; what kind of fanfiction do you write? Mostly it's "fan-made episodes" of shows that I really like, the ones that have plenty of lore for me to work with. So when I write a fanfiction, you're going to get a complete story.

How many fanfics have you published? I've started 25, to date. Twenty-one of them I managed to complete, and the other four are still in progress.

Holy smokes! Any of them one-shots? Nope, not a one; my shortest fic is 5K+.

Which fandoms? Well, let's see: I have Merlin, Batman, Warehouse 13, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Stargate SG-1, Chronicles of Narnia, Intelligence, Grimm, Once Upon A Time, Eureka, A Gifted Man, Percy Jackson, Haven... and I most recently started a Supernatural/Grimm crossover.

I don't see any Sherlock or Doctor Who in there.... I am convinced I will never be good enough to write a Sherlock episode. You might as well get me to write an entire feature-length film. Nope, never gonna happen. And there is some Doctor Who... I did a Stargate SG-1/Doctor Who crossover, but it didn't really work out and it kinda got picked on a lot because I am definitely a bigger Stargate fan than a Whovian. 

HERESY! Sorry, that's just the way it is.

Do you do any shipping of different characters than the original show, just to see what happens--or maybe because you disagree with a ship that happened? No; I'm really not a fan of fluffy smut, and I don't really do any non-canon shipping in any of my fanfics. It's just good, canon fun, the "Episodes That Should Have Aired", as I like to call them.

Hmph, well okay, moving on...

5. Best finale ever? Eureka's Grand Show Finale.

Really? Yep.

Not even going to think about it? Nope.

Yeah right... I bet you'd break down crying if I mention the R-Word. What R-word?

Reichenbach. HA! Well, I'll admit, that got me pretty good... but as I said before, I regard Sherlock as a class all of its own... hence it's just Eureka versus the rest of TVLand. And Eureka wins.

Why? If you haven't seen the show, you won't get it... but believe me when I say I had the BIGGEST FREAKOUT OF MY LIFE (Pre-Sherlock, of course) when it ended... but in a good way... and no other show finale has even come close. 

Suddenly, over by the lever, an errant spark flickers at Emily's fingertips, and she drags herself upright.....

Oh boy.... here it comes....

Oh Leslie, What About Mal From Firefly/Serenity? (Also Known As Richard Castle, Captain Hammer, and Hermes?) What are your thoughts on him? Nathan Fillion? Brilliant man... absolutely stunning actor, he can deliver the most screwball lines with absolute sincerity, and evidently he's the same great guy off set and on... Richard Castle has to be his best role, though; he gets to be a father, a romantic... and I'm pretty sure he nails the "writer" psyche pretty dang well...

The great thing about Nathan is that he has been a part of so many big-ticket items (and he knows it) so practically every appearance since Firefly has contained some reference to another show. (Like all the Firefly references on Castle--plus some guest appearances by Zoe Washburne and Jayne!--and when Hermes assures Percy Jackson that "Hercules Busts Heads" is the "Best show on television... except Castle.") He totally does it. (Incidentally, the Richard Castle novels are jam-packed with references to the show! It's hilarious!)

Favorite SPN episode that you have seen? Gee whiz, it's always about SPN for you, isn't it? *eye roll* Well... for laughs I would have to go with The French Mistake, obviously... But as far as the dynamic between the brothers and really delving into motivations and psyche in a truly AMAZING way, I'd have to say After-School Special. Just, you know, accentuating the difference between how Dean views life outside of hunting as... really, as what he says in Slash Fiction: "I deserve something good in my life right now." He is convinced that what he does while hunting makes him such an amazing guy and a perfectly irresistible hero that it doesn't matter what he does in his "me-time." Whereas Sam, even at that young age, around people they will only see for about a month and then never again, is still looking out for kids who are getting picked on, looking for the kids who need his help. 

Favourite Buffy character and/or episode? (Haha... Told ya you'd like that series...) Spike, duh. James Marsters is the reason I started watching Buffy! (after his guest appearance on my favorite show at the time, Warehouse 13) His accent is wonderful, and he's got such a panache and flair in his delivery, and his comedic timing is dead-on. He knows how to "sail the dream-boat" without preening and making all serious fangirls gag; he's a "villain" but he's too likeable and noble to really be hated ever at all!

Bored, Emily starts fiddling with buttons on the control panel. She strikes one, and Jess stirs...

Why do you love Nathan so much? What is the thing you see in him that makes you go back for more? Geesh, excited much? No really, the thing I love most about Nathan is his impeccable delivery. He can find himself in the strangest situation and he handles it perfectly. There is not a missed beat, a dropped word--and his ad-libbing is a thing of beauty. The thing that keeps me coming back to shows like Castle is the absolute assurance he has given that he can deliver the most shoddy writing with total conviction. He's just an all-around great guy who receives marvelous roles and knows how to entertain viewers without resorting to juvenile tactics, potty humor, or nudity (except when some corn-ball writer can't help himself.... but even then, Nathan owns it without the slightest hesitation)

What are your thoughts on Caskett? Early on in the show, I remember groaning, "Oh dear sweet mother of pie, not another one!" But then... 

As it turned out, the writers managed to take "yet another romantic fling" and turn it into a thing of beauty. It starts out cliche, but--unlike so many TV relationships--it actually works out, and it's obvious that both sides are willing to do whatever it takes to stay together, instead of calling it quits and packing it in the minute the going gets tough. There is a lot to be learned from being able to write a leading couple like that!

Who is your favorite character in Grimm? Yay Grimm!! I'd have to say...

 Sean Renard... and not because of the shirtless factor... I'm actually a super-fan of the actor, Sasha Roiz. My choice of Renard is also due to the fantastic writing.

Renard served as the "Villain Enabler" for Season 1--and so of course I hated him. HATED. HIM. SO. BADLY. He was in league with all the bad guys and he was powerful, and he was able to use his authority to make things difficult for the hero.

Season 2 brought on a love triangle--which in every other show spells the kiss of death for the hero who has basically felt that he has to lie and keep his alternate ego a secret because he's afraid of losing his girl... and then of course her lack of knowledge threatens her life and their relationship... but Renard (the second man of the triangle) responds to the goings on LIKE NO OTHER MAN IN TV HISTORY and ends up on the side of the good guys, helping them out (at least so far...). Seriously, that Love Triangle Resolution is the best thing to ever happen in a TV show, and it certainly was the best thing to happen on Grimm. (That, and the hero ends up actually telling his girlfriend the truth, and SURPRISE, she accepts it!)

Leslie sees that there are no further questions.

Are we done here? Guys? Wait... no, Emily, what are you doing?

 Wat r u doin? Stahp! Get away from that lev--Jess? Help me out here!

NOOO!!!!