Castle Review: PhDead (Season 8 Episode 3)

Okay, Castle. I see what you did there.

While there’s plenty of reason to be frustrated, there’s an obvious motive for splitting up Castle and Beckett, and that motive is clear in “PhDead.”

In early seasons of the show, we got to know Richard Castle as the charming guy who was willing to go to all sorts of lengths to get under Beckett’s skin, and then finally to win her heart. While it’s frustrating and maybe even problematic to split them up so soon after they’ve finally been able to enjoy their lives together as a married couple, it’s nice to be reminded of those early dynamics.

It also gives us the chance to see them drawn together regardless of the circumstances. The moment when they lock eyes in the prison cell brings us back to that classic “will they, won’t they” question. The attempt is to ground the story in those old ideas while also trying to keep things fresh — and ultimately, to continue giving Castle and Beckett ways to grow as a couple.

The problem is that it’s hard to tell whether or not this is going to work. It’s a little hard to buy that Beckett left Castle, and it’s a little hard to buy that she trusts Vikram the way she does. Everything just feels a little bit… off.

It’s also not entirely believable that Alexis is working with her father and handling these cases the way that she is. Sure, it’s fun to watch, and I think it’s well-deserved screen time for Molly Quinn, but it feels like an awkward and sudden change. Maybe it will feel more natural in coming episodes. It’s entirely out of character for her, after all.

I do love their dynamic, especially has Alexis has grown older. The funny moments between her and her dad make it even more heartbreaking when Alexis asks Castle if his plan is going to work, and he just replies, “It has to.”

So, maybe Castle is working on finding it’s footing again. And maybe it’s doing so in some ways that don’t make us entirely happy, but there’s a good chance the payoff will be worth it. That’s what I’m holding out hope for, anyway.

Other Thoughts:

• It annoys me when TV characters so easily find themselves teaching classes at universities. No way would Castle have been able to jump in and start teaching a class that way, no matter how famous he is.
• Ryan and Esposito trying to pose as college students and failing miserably? Hilarious. Probably my favorite scene from the entire episodes.

What did you think of this episode of Castle? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Castle airs Mondays at 10/9c 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.