7 Things We Really Want From Castle Season 8

There’s been a lot of buzz over the past few days about the fact that a new character, Hayley, is being cast for Castle Season 8. That news comes after learning that Penny Johnson Jerald, who plays Captain Gates, will not be returning.

While we don’t know much about the new character just yet, we do know she will be joining the cast as a security specialist. But why? Regardless, it has me realizing I have a lot of opinions about what I want to see happen in Castle Season 8, especially with such a rocky previous season. And with new showrunners taking the lead, we’re bound to see a lot of change.

1. Beckett as Captain

This makes sense for several reasons. First of all, it’s only fitting that if Gates is leaving, that Beckett be the one to take her place. She does, however, have this other option of running for state senate, but that isn’t her dream. That isn’t the thing she always wanted. Plus, she’s already moved away for a new career once. Let’s not take that road again. Beckett as Captain of the precinct would keep her involved with the rest of the team, but would also pose new challenges for her character and for her relationships.

2. A New Big Bad

We love 3XK as a villain, and he even came along with some of our favorite episodes from Season 7, but it seems like it’s time for a new big bad to stir things up a bit.

3. More Alexis

Some of the best scenes are the ones between Castle and his daughter, especially as she’s gotten older. I’d love to see her more involved in the next season, especially as she continues to bond with her new step-mom.

4. Beckett to NOT Get Pregnant

I’m pretty sure a lot of people will disagree with me on this one, but I don’t think that Beckett and Castle having a baby is something we should see any time soon. I’d prefer to see Beckett in a new role at the precinct, and trying to figure out how that affects her relationships and her family.

5. A Love Interest for Esposito

Whether or not he ultimately ends up with Lainie, I’d like to see something more going on for Esposito this season. He’s expressed that he’s ready to settle down and have a family, and that just isn’t happening with Lainie just yet. Hey, and there’s a new female character joining the cast! Oh, the possibilities.

6. Beckett and The Team in Court

Something we haven’t had the chance to see much of are trials. Often, that’s probably because most of the criminals confess by the end of the episode, but I think putting the characters in that situation could offer a lot of interesting opportunities. Particularly for Castle.

7. Cases That Don’t End Quickly

I always really enjoy the cases that take more than one episode to solve, mostly because it gives us a chance to become that much more invested in them. That doesn’t necessarily mean they have to be the kinds of cases that involve Castle and Beckett being in some sort of mortal danger, either. Even seeing more lighthearted cases that span two episodes or more would be fun to see.

What do you hope to see next season? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Castle returns Monday, September 21st on ABC.

Ashley Bissette Sumerel

Ashley Bissette Sumerel is a television and film critic living in Wilmington, North Carolina. She is editor-in-chief of Tell-Tale TV as well as Eulalie Magazine. Ashley has also written for outlets such as Rolling Stone, Paste Magazine, and Insider. Ashley has been a member of the Critics Choice Association since 2017 and is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. In addition to her work as an editor and critic, Ashley teaches Entertainment Journalism, Composition, and Literature at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.