Castle is an American comedy-drama television series, which premiered as a mid-season replacement on ABC on March 9, 2009. The series is produced by ABC Studios.
Nathan Fillion stars as Richard Castle, a famous mystery novelist who is initially called in to help the NYPD solve a copy-cat murder based on his novels. Stana Katic stars opposite as the young detective Kate Beckett. Following his encounter with Beckett, Castle decides to use her as the model for his next book series. He uses his contacts and receives permission to accompany Beckett while investigating cases. While technically a drama series, Castle also features comedy and romantic tension.
On May 15, 2009, Variety reported that ABC had renewed Castle for a second season.[1] The second season premiered on Monday, September 21, 2009.[2] On October 20, reports emerged that ABC has ordered a full season of 22 episodes.[3]
The first season of Castle was released on DVD on September 22, 2009.[4] On September 29, 2009, Richard Castle's book "Heat Wave" was released in hardcover, debuting at #26 on the New York Times bestseller list.[5][6][7][8]
[edit] Episodes
[edit] Characters
- Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) is a well-known author, who, after having just killed off his most famous character and being nagged by his publisher ex-wife, is pulled in by NYPD Detective Kate Beckett to help with a copy-cat case and discovers a new source of inspiration. Castle now has the opportunity to use his knowledge and skills to help solve murders.[9]
- Det. Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) is a homicide detective with the NYPD. She is a first-class investigator who has gained a reputation as a detective who's intrigued by unusual cases. She joined the force after her mother was murdered and the case was not solved.[9]
- Det. Javier Esposito (Jon Huertas) works in the homicide division with Kevin Ryan as part of Beckett's team. He is always ready with a sardonic comment to keep Beckett on her toes and enjoys the way Castle riles her up. He and Ryan are friends, even though he is constantly arguing about obscure facts with Ryan.[9]
- Det. Kevin Ryan (Seamus Dever) also works alongside Esposito as part of Beckett's team. He and Esposito regularly tease Beckett, but they are incredibly protective of her and ultimately treat her like one of the guys.[9]
- Dr. Lanie Parish (Tamala Jones) is a medical examiner who has a friendly outlook. As a friend of Beckett's, she is one of the few people Beckett can talk to easily and without reservations. She is also one of the few people who notices the personal connection between Beckett and Castle, and urges her to act on it.[9]
- Captain Roy Montgomery (Ruben Santiago-Hudson) is Beckett's boss who appreciates Beckett's determination and diligence but maintains a close watch to make sure the investigation goes smoothly. He is amused by how much Castle annoys Beckett, but also appreciates how effective the two are when they work together.[9]
- Alexis Castle (Molly Quinn) is Castle's fifteen-year-old daughter who is often noted to be more mature and responsible than her father. She is very bright and enjoys school. Her social and interpersonal issues often parallel some aspect of the case Castle and Beckett are investigating. [9]
- Martha Rodgers (Susan Sullivan), a former Broadway actress, is Castle's mother and lives with him and her granddaughter Alexis. She helps her son through the difficulties of raising a teenage girl (even one as mature as Alexis) but is also shown to have an active social life.[9]
[edit] Reception
[edit] Seasonal Ratings
| Season | Season Premiere | Season Finale | TV Season | Rank | Viewers |
| 1st | March 9, 2009 (2009-03-09) | May 11, 2009 (2009-05-11) | 2008-2009 | #35 | 10.32[10] |
| 2nd | September 21, 2009 (2009-09-21) | | 2009-2010 | | |
[edit] Heat Wave
Heat Wave, the novel the fictional Richard Castle wrote in the series, is published by Hyperion. Written by an anonymous author under the name "Richard Castle", it is entirely in character from the dedication to the acknowledgments, although the latter references the principal cast and the show's creators by name. The first half of the novel is being released on the ABC website in weekly increments.[11][12] but must be purchased to be read in its entirety. "Heat Wave" was released on September 29, 2009, and debuted at #26 on the New York Times Best Seller list.[5] In its 4th week on the list, Heat Wave broke into the top 10 at #6[13]
[edit] International broadcasters
| Country | Broadcaster | Season premiere |
 Australia | Seven Network | 1 | March 17, 2009 (2009-03-17) |
| 2 | October 18, 2009 (2009-10-18) |
 Belgium | VT4 | 1 | September 23, 2009 (2009-09-23) |
 Bulgaria | FOX Crime | 1 | June 16, 2009 (2009-06-16) |
 Canada | A | 1 | March 9, 2009 (2009-03-09) |
| CTV |
 Germany | VOX | 1 | 2010 (2010) |
 Greece | FOX Life | 1 | May 22, 2009 (2009-05-22) |
 Hong Kong | TVB Pearl | 1 | June 25, 2009 (2009-06-25) |
 Italy | Fox Life | 1 | October 16, 2009 (2009-10-16) |
 Netherlands | SBS 6 | 1 | October 8, 2009 (2009-10-08) |
 Norway | TV Norge | 1 | June 10, 2009 (2009-06-10) |
 Philippines | STAR World | 1 | September 8, 2009 (2009-09-08) |
 Poland | Universal Channel | 1 | November 9, 2009 (2009-11-09) |
 Portugal | AXN | 1 | May 8, 2009 (2009-05-08) |
| TVI | September 11, 2009 (2009-09-11) |
 Serbia | FOX Crime | 1 | June 14, 2009 (2009-06-14) |
 Spain | AXN | 1 | June 29, 2009 (2009-06-29) |
 Switzerland | SF2 | 1 | November 23, 2009 (2009-11-23) |
[edit] References
[edit] External links
