Castle Review: The G.D.S. (Season 8 Episode 14)

Castle has never been a show we were supposed to take too seriously.

It’s whimsical in nature, and even though it’s a crime drama that deals with serious cases and life-or-death situations, it often asks us to suspend our notions of reality and logic.

So, in an episode like “The G.D.S.,” that offers a far-fetched story of a super-secret detective society just as Castle, Alexis, and Hayley arrive to Los Angeles, we have to set aside our expectations and go with it. Because if it stands on its own, it’s an enjoyable, easy-to-watch hour of television.

It’s always fun to watch Castle work to solve cases. It’s something that his character does well, while also being charming and funny. Plus, he gets the chance to work with another private detective as they compete for the opening at the “The G.D.S.” That detective is played by Summer Glau, for a mini Firefly reunion.

As light-hearted as much of the episode is, though, (okay, light-hearted if you don’t think about how gruesome some if it is, including seeing someone get shot in the head) some important revelations come to light.

The most significant is Hayley’s involvement in Castle’s missing time.

From the first time we met Hayley, I didn’t trust her. At all. I only recently started to accept that she was just some new character working with Castle and Alexis, and that she didn’t have any sort of hidden agenda. I even started to like her.

As it turns out, though, she’s had a reason for being there all along. She knows about Castle’s missing time, sort of, and she was sent by Castle’s father to look out for him. Supposedly.

I just don’t know how much I buy it. I only barely started trusting her before this reveal, and now I’m not so sure. She and Vikram both came on to the scene at the same time, and something about that feels suspicious to me. I definitely don’t trust Vikram, and now I’m uneasy about both of them.

Castle’s missing time is now being connected to this whole LOCKSAT business as well, which feels like a much better answer than the one we got in Castle Season 7. That’s the good news — that the quick, throwaway answer to Castle’s disappearance we got a while back, which didn’t answer much at all, isn’t the entire story.

We’re still left with a lot of questions, though, and I’m still trying to wrap my mind around the entire conspiracy.

Other Thoughts:

• Castle wins the spot at The G.D.S., but says he doesn’t want it. “I already work with the greatest detective in the world,” he says.
• One of my favorite moments in this episode is when Castle tells Alexis that it’s still his job as her father to try to protect her. I really enjoy seeing the two of them get to work together, especially since Alexis has always been interested an involved in Castle’s work.
• Lanie blasting Ryan and Esposito with the fire extinguisher is another favorite moment of mine. They had it coming!

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.