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.

I Can't Stop

A starving artist driving herself mad

Trying to salvage writing that is bad

Crying over fanfiction that is really sad

Pajamas are plaid

It’s all she had

Writing the next great bestseller

Burning through poetry helter-skelter

Too much time inside, giving her pallor

A storyteller

A blog-dweller

Blunt pens and crumpled pages everywhere

Trying not to rip out my hair

Because the words aren't cooperating

So I'm crying and perspirating

The characters are so bland

Got writer's cramp in my hand

Better plan on no sleep tonight

Gotta work until I get this right

Gotta write something

My mind is exploding

My fingers are itching

But somehow the words won't come

Got writer's block

Keyboard is locked

But I can't stop,

And I won't stop

Because sleep is not for me

Not until I fix this analogy

And I can't stop

No I won't stop

Got punctuation to double-check

Gotta research how to varnish a deck

Yeah, yeah

She’s going crazy from a lack of sleep

Crying over posts that aren’t actually so deep

Breaking her keyboard from an abuse of ‘delete’

Rinse and repeat

Admit defeat

My phone rang and broke my train of thought

Low on sleep and overwrought

But this rhyme scheme’s bugging me

Why did I ever start writing poetry?

The publisher sent back my book

Said that it needs lots of work

I’m so disgusted

Pencil lead’s busted, oh no!

And nothing is working

My stomach is churning

My tired eyes burning

Because this is the millionth time

That I’ve re-written

This manuscript

But I can’t stop

And I won’t stop

Until the dialogue is smooth and nice

Even if I have to rework it thrice

So I can’t stop

And I won’t stop

Living off bread and water

Sneezed and dripped coffee all over

Oh fudge!

Lack of sleep and too much caffeine

Wastes time reading old magazines

Procrastinating writing that scene

Stuck in-between

Criticism’s extreme

This is the life story of all

Writers whether they’re big or small

Too many ideas, cannot use them all

Head against wall

Need an overhaul

But we can’t stop

And we won’t stop

Because there’s so many tales to tell

Another re-imagining of how Rome fell

So we can’t stop

And we won’t stop

There’s scripts and fanfiction

Writing is our addiction

We’re doomed.

Top Ten SPN Character Introductions

        Characters are the vital element to making any story work. If your characters are off, it doesn't matter how good the rest of the show is because it is going to fail. If the audience can't get invested in the characters, then they're really not going to care whether or not the good guys succeed or die. 

        And one of the key parts of getting the audience invested in the characters is the introduction you give to them. Any good character will usually have an intro that makes the audience sit up and take notice. Where would we be without Gandalf's introduction from The Hobbit? Would Hagrid have had the same impact on us if he hadn't come speeding in on that flying motorbike? No. Probably not. Introductions are SO important!

       Here be spoilers...

10: Jo & Ellen Harvelle (Season 2 "Everybody Loves A Clown")

         I'll admit that I warmed to Ellen long before I fell in love with Jo, but these two tough ladies definitely had a memorable entrance what with the Winchesters breaking into their bar around noon and both girls managing to get the drop on our boys and hold them at gunpoint for an interrogation. Not only does it cement the Harvelles as tough, no-nonsense women of action who can hold their own in the hunter world of dudes, but it's also funny as all get out! Not often does someone manage to outsmart both Sam and Dean, so I laughed and laughed whenever this happened.

9: John Winchester (Season 1 "Shadow")

        John's introduction is certainly memorable. For most of the first season the story is all about Sam and Dean searching for their elusive father and running into hunts along the way. We had heard so much about John, whether through Sam's rants or Dean's hints, that the character was built up HUGE. It could easily have been a huge let-down whenever we met the man himself, but no. Not only did he just pop in for a hug and a fight with the shadow demons at the end of the episode, but John Winchester also managed to live up to expectations and show us that he honestly does love his kids at the same time.

8: Charlie (Season 7 "The Girl With The Dungeons & Dragons Tattoo")

         Okay. So I think Charlie may be my favorite SPN character? Maybe. I'm still deciding between her, Gabriel, and Jody...but she definitely is close to beating the other two out simply by the fact that she's still around and only becomes more wonderful with each episode. But it was her introduction that really got my attention - dancing in through the door of Roman Industries to 'I'm Walking On Sunshine' and wearing a Princess Leia tee that I am so coveting! Charlie showed herself to be smart, resourceful, geeky, and very brave - all within her introductory episode. She's just awesome.

7: Lucifer (Season 5 "Sympathy for the Devil")

          Out of all depictions of the Devil I have seen in media, literature, and music...this is probably the closest to what we can imagine he'd be like if we should ever meet him. He's actually portrayed very sympathetically...a liar with honey on his tongue who professes to be more honest than the good guys and is willing to tell just enough truth to either make his lies stronger or to trick you into thinking the opposite of the truth. He acts very gentle and understanding and behaves as though he's just the neglected son (the victim) in this whole Heavenly muck-up. His introduction is no different as, like a shark, he chooses his prey carefully. He goes after Nick, a man who has just lost his wife and newborn baby to a burglary/murder, and starts gently integrating himself into the man's thoughts and mind. He slowly sinks in the tentacles of doubt and anger until he has his hooks into Nick and the poor man doesn't know which way is up and which way is down. Then he goes in for the kill by reminding Nick of the age-old question of "How can you say God is loving if he allows such terrible things to happen? Let me in. I can give you what you want, what you need." Deep stuff, absolutely wonderful and thought-provoking, and a perfect introduction to this version of the Father of Lies.

7: Dean Winchester (Season 1 "Pilot/The Woman In White")

         No I'm not talking about the scene where he breaks into Sam's apartment and wrestles him to the ground with a couple witty quips. That's not our introduction to Dean Winchester. No, our introduction comes much earlier in the pilot whenever a young boy kisses his baby brother goodnight and runs over to hug mummy and daddy. Then, mere hours later for him and mere moments later for us, that same baby brother is thrust into his arms and he's instructed to "Take your brother outside as fast as you can and don't look back. Now, Dean, GO!". Four years old, he doesn't question it, he just takes Sam and runs. That right there cements Dean's character to us as well as showing us his life's mission above saving people, above hunting things, above everything: Take Care Of Sammy.

6: Kevin Tran (Season 7 "Reading Is Fundamental")

          Getting struck by lighting and having the Word of God start resonating in your mind...it doesn't get much more dramatic than that! Kevin is only the second prophet we've seen on the show (the other one was Chuck, and the jury's still out on him) and we'd never seen one actually be activated before. Kevin is first introduced as the stereotypical over-achiever. He plays cello for exactly an hour every day, has his day planned out down to the second as to how he is going to study, practice, study, and drink a soda. That is all shook up, though, whenever the Tablet is recovered from the vault of the Earth and Kevin is irreparably drawn into the world of Heavenly War.

5: Famine (Season 5 "My Bloody Valentine")

         While normally I am annoyed or disgusted whenever films or shows try to delve into Biblical mythology (or mythology in general) because they tend to either over-simplify it, do it for cheap laughs or gimmicks, or just unapologetically get it wrong and mangle it beyond all recognition, I actually really like the way that Supernatural handled these elements. Obviously not everything was done right, but the stuff that they got right was a lot and was done REALLY right. The entrance of Famine was no difference. I think that Castiel's voice-over is even quoting directly from the Book of Revelations. Everything from the lighting to the text to the ominous music just serves to send chills up your spine and the feeling that there is an unstoppable menace coming settling in your heart.

4: The Trickster/Loki/Gabriel (Season 2 "Tall Tales")

      No I didn't just put him on this list because he's my favorite angel (Stop SMIRKING, Jessica!) No, ol' Gabe is on my list because of his introduction. At the time of his character's creation, I don't really think that Kipke and the rest even had the idea for the angels yet...he was just an ambiguous demi-god with a fondness for sweets and pranks. We first get a glimpse of him whenever an adulterous professor is flung from a second-story window to his death and, at the time, we have no idea that this janitor is the one responsible. The mystery only grows from there...

3: The Ghostfacers (Season 1 "Hell House")

       I did a Google Images search for 'Harry and Ed' which was really dumb, apparently, because all I got were a bunch of pictures of 1 Direction and Ed Sheeran. Why, God, why?!  Not that there is anything wrong with Ed and Harry, it's just unbelievably frustrating whenever you're looking for one picture and instead you get myriads of others. Anyway. Rant over...on to Harry and Ed, co-leaders of the Ghostfacers. They were introduced all the way back in Season 1 during the truly epic prank war between Sam and Dean. They are supernerds, aspiring internet stars, and the co-runners/founders of the Ghostfacers.

2: Death (Season 5 "Two Minutes To Midnight")

        Can we say E.P.I.C.?! Yes. Few things can top the entrance of the Horseman, Death, on this show. Not only is the music and lighting and slow-motion and shots beautifully meshed together to create great atmosphere...but it's also Death. You know, that thing that the other three Horsemen bring about but don't control? Yeah. Super chilling!

1: Castiel (Season 4 "Lazarus Rising")

            I put this one above Death for one very simple reason: Castiel was built up better. Allow me to take you back five seasons to when we had no idea that angels existed in the SPN universe. I'll be the first to admit that I binge-watched this show and so haven't followed it from the very start (Gimme a break..I was barely in double digits when it started!) but I actually managed to avoid spoilers rather well. Here is what I knew about the show: It's about two brothers, the fandom has a gif for everything, they fight Lucifer at some point, and there's some dude named 'Cas' that everyone seems to love but who I think looks like Columbo in his younger days. That was it. So I was wholly unprepared for the TREMENDOUS build-up that Cas' introduction was given. So Dean went to Hell at the end of Season 3 and then wakes up in his coffin in this episode. The ground is nuked, grass scorched, trees knocked down, and Dean himself is sporting a branded handprint on his shoulder. Even the demons are afraid of this creature whose voice breaks glass and whose true form burns out a woman's eyes. It's cosmic and the writers spend the entire episode building up the reveal carefully so that tensions and expectations were high. And they did not disappoint!

Why Write?

        Let's face it, fangirls and fanboys, most of us are not going to become rich and famous off of our writing. Oh sure maybe 50 Shades of Grey made the jump from Twilight fanfiction smut to horrible original fiction smut (judging from what I've heard), but that doesn't mean all of us will become so successful with our endeavors.

       So why write? Why should anyone even bother writing if they're going to end up as a starving artist living off of cereal and whatever they can afford to wash that cereal down with that particular week? Sheesh...for that matter...why do we spend our time writing these articles and reviews? We're not getting paid for it. Stories of people getting rich and famous off of blogging or YouTube are the exception, not the rule. So why bother in the first place?

      To answer that question, first we have to look at why on earth we would ever want to write in the first place. Are you just doing it to get rich? Well if you are, then you'd better either start writing cheap smut or get out of the business fast because you're probably not going to succeed. But if, on the other hand, you are writing because you love stories and building worlds and escaping from the wreckage and drag of day to day real life, then you are doing it right. For most of us our love of writing began at a fairly early age, even if we didn't know it at the time. Why? Because many writers began in their childhood as bookworms.

Disclaimer: I am well aware that this is not always entirely true. Plenty of truly excellent and talented writers came into the reading and writing scene much later than I did and have shown both more success and more ability than I do. I am speaking in general terms here. Many people who decide to go into writing, especially the writing of stories, got their start reading novels and comics as children. Got it?


       Many of us grew up reading (or being read to) and discovering that it could be more than just a dragging school assignment to read. We discovered worlds and universes and friends beyond anything that we could find here in the real world. Dragons, elves, stormtroopers, mutants, werewolves, wizards, talking animals, grown men and women in spandex...the list just goes on and on.

        But for many of us, as we grew older, playing in those sandboxes and visiting those worlds wasn't enough. We reached the end of our beloved book series' (and the corresponding films) and either found that we couldn't bear them ending or had little interest in the supernatural/dystopian renaissance in fiction. Which meant that we had nothing to read.

          Some of us then grew out of the bookworm phase, others learned to adapt our preferences and interests to follow the changing times, and still others graduated from reading to seriously thinking about writing. There's just something so magical about sitting down and sketching out an idea on paper, watching it slowly take shape and a mind of its own as the characters come to life and the world begins to expand. You choose every word and phrase carefully to mold the idea into something that will draw others in and make them want to return again and again. That's the miracle of creating a story, no matter what it is. Writing shouldn't be taken lightly. It's not something that can just be dashed off. It takes thought and care and a certain amount of dedication.

       But, of course, stories are not the only forms of writing and writers don't always start out as bookworms. I did...but I'm quite aware that I am not the archetype for the whole world. If creating stories isn't always how people get into writing, then what is? Really when it comes down to it, no matter what you're writing, it has to be because you see something in the world and have something to say about it. You are expressing yourself, much in the same way others do with music or dance or fashion.

        Some of us write about fairies; others of us write about algebraic equations. Some of us write poetry; others of us strictly stick to prose. It doesn't matter what you write or how you choose to format it and, to a point, it doesn't even matter if your English and grammar isn't utterly squeaky clean and perfect...because every time you write you get a little bit better at everything. Better at explaining your emotions, better at describing a scene, better at writing dialogue, better at analyzing a film or television show, better at rhyming words together in rhythm, better at creating a cohesive argument - you just get better at everything. As long as you love what you're doing, have something important to say, and are willing to listen to critique and constructive criticism, you're going to be improving every time you sit down and put words on a page.

        And guess what's even better! Not only will your writing skills improve every time you practice, but your quality of life and understanding of the world at large will as well. Have you ever heard the saying that "...in order to write, you have to read..."? Well I'd like to add a little something to that: "In order to write, and write well, you have to be willing to read and you have to close your mouth, use your ears/eyes, and observe people." It doesn't matter if you're writing a story or just an essay on toothbrush scum, understanding people is vital to being able to write and draw people's interest. You have to be willing to read at least something (be it a textbook or a novel) and absorb different writing styles and techniques. (This will also help expand your vocabulary beyond 'like' and 'so they said'.) You don't have to be a bookworm about it, but you do have to read at least something...even if it's just a script for your favorite television episode. The second thing you have to do is to open your eyes and look at the world around you. Why? Well because you can't just write about yourself! True there is a need to make things personal and to express your viewpoint and message in a clear way, but you also have to look at things from both side of the spectrum and at least consider what others are going to think/feel/react to whenever reading what you have to say. After, what's the worse thing that could happen: you might actually have to unplug your iPhone and listen to someone?! Oh the horror!

        My parents always said that "God gave us two ears and one mouth, so clearly he intended us to listen twice as much as we talk." (I'm paraphrasing...) Granted that was an occasionally hard lesson for motor-mouth me to swallow as I always had an opinion that I felt was worthy of acknowledgement, but I know that in the long run it has served me well. Certainly one gains more juicy material for writing sitting quietly in a room and watching others bicker and/or make fools of themselves than one would by jumping on the bandwagon and joining in.

       So we've talked about the benefits of world-building and of observing life, but what are some other reasons one might want to take up writing? Well...how about community? Yeah. Believe it or not, not all of we 'starving' artists live our lives like Christian from Moulin Rouge - depressed and angsty and drunk because we lost the love of our life that we knew for an hour before declaring ourselves to be in love. That's a rather romanticized vision of what artists and writers across the globe end up as. Really, usually we're a bit nerdy and a bit geeky (not that that's a bad thing) and because nerds and geeks must band together and have conventions and contests and debates as to whether Picard or Kirk is better, writing comes with community. It doesn't matter if it's 'fandom' or not, there's always going to be someone else out there who is also looking for a writing buddy and who will look over your work and tear it to shreds and then tape it back together looking better than before (and then usually ask you to do the same to their work). You meet some great people because you all have writing in common. And the really cool thing is that sometimes they are people that you never would have interacted with normally...but because you've found a common love for writing, you become friends and you get a whole new insight on life.

        So why do I personally write? I'd say that some of the reason is for the community aspect. I've met some amazing people through my love of writing and, of course, I've got my awesome team right here on this site. Friends, colleagues, and all-around lovely people they are...and I probably never would have met them if it weren't for writing.

        But that's not the primary reason I write. And other people shouldn't be the primary reason you write either. If you're just writing to please another person, you're either under a terrible contract or you're doing it wrong. Some writing, if you're so lucky as to make a career out of it, will have to be done to fill a mandate and pay the bills. That's a fact. But the reason you decide to write in the first place shouldn't be because someone else wants it. You should be writing because you love it. But more so even than that you should write because you have something important to say and you want to be sure that you get to say it. The written word is more powerful than the spoken one, after all, because it lasts longer. We can read documents from thousands of years ago even though the original people to dictate and write them down are long since dead and buried. So why do I write? I write because I look around the world and see things that, come hell or high water, someone needs to say. Life is too short, I have way too many ideas, and there are so many things in the world that never get looked at because everybody returns to the same old clichés over and over again. I write because I'm expressing myself (and somehow putting pen to paper seems better than getting forty tattoos and piercings that are going to sag and be regretted in 30 years anyway) and because I think it's important to speak about what you think and see in the world in an intelligent and interesting way.

          Like I said, life is short. Try to do what you love. Granted don't be stupid about it (this is about writing, not about YOLO or whatever) but if you have something to say, find a clever and intelligent way to say it. And it doesn't matter if that is in a script, in a book, in a poem, or even in a tweet...writing is about expressing your thoughts, dreams, opinions, and ideas.

        So no...writing just to become famous or writing to get rich is a pointless exercise. It's probably not going to happen. In fact, many famous writers that we look up to today died in poverty. That's the way it usually works; unless you're willing to gain fame by keeping up scandal after scandal and making yourself infamous, probably in your lifetime you're not going to be king (or queen) of the world. So is it worth to write in the first place? YES! Why should we even bother? First of all it is wonderful for personal enjoyment. World-building is great fun and helps you show your appreciation for something you're a fan of. Secondly it improves your mind by making you examine things from different angles and consider opposing viewpoints by observing people and the world at large. If more of us did this there would probably be less hate and vitriol spread around...just sayin'. Thirdly there is the community aspect. You'll meet some AMAZING people through writing. Fellow authors, students, bloggers, editors, teachers...we're all brought together by a common love and purpose. And lastly, and most importantly, you have something to say about this world. Everyone can have an impact and you never know just how important that observation or idea may be until you put it out there. So to sum it all up, what is the answer to the 'why write' question? You don't write because you want to become rich and famous...you write because you have a passion for it and because you have something to contribute to this world.

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!!!!