“Castle” was an eight-season drama and comedy about a crime that aired on ABC from 2009 to 2016. There are plenty of other cop crime dramas and comedies, but “Castle” stood out from the competition because it took the unusual step of pairing a well-known murder mystery author with a supposedly stern team of NYPD homicide detectives. You can make a great programme even better by adding a dash of Nathan Fillion’s (the actor who plays Richard Castle) vivacious charisma.
In “Castle,” the case-of-the-day structure sometimes includes scientific story components. Richard Castle is a figure well-known for his propensity to act hastily and for his faith in the paranormal, including mummies, vampires, and time travel. While viewers adore riding along on Castle’s most fantastical ideas, his NYPD partners Beckett (Stana Katic), Javier (Jon Huertas), and Ryan (Seamus Dever) are always there to bring Castle back to earth.
The television show hoped to receive a ninth season renewal. As a result, they decided to film the Season 8 finale with a significant cliffhanger. However, as soon as it became known that the programme wouldn’t be renewed for a second season, the creators hastily added a scene at the conclusion to try to neatly tie everything up (via CBR). Since it is a conclusive finish to a once-adored show, many feel a little betrayed by this conclusion. It’s time to analyse exactly what happened in “Castlefinale “‘s and why it felt so disjointed from the show’s beloved earlier seasons.
Castle was meant to be renewed
The “Castle” writers wanted Season 9 to be approved for the show. As a result, they made up a tale in which Beckett and Castle are ambushed and killed in their house. Both Castle and Beckett were supposed to be left in a pool of their own blood at the season’s conclusion, with their futures unknown (via Entertainment Weekly).
While that would have been a compelling season finale, the cliffhanger’s outcome was already known. Stana Katic was not expected to return for Season 9 of “Castle,” therefore the cast had previously predicted that Beckett would pass away from her wounds, according to The Washington Post. The actress was abruptly let go.
This caught everyone off guard because the series’ entire premise revolved around the friendship between Castle and Beckett. He has a connection to the NYPD homicide team as a result of her. She is to blame for the existence of any killings at all. Longtime “Castle” viewers were not pleased with this decision because it seemed to disrupt the entire purpose of the programme if she died (via Reddit). Fortunately (or maybe so fortunately, depending on who you ask), “Castle” was cancelled, so that Beckett was never absent from the show for an entire season.
Season 9 was going in a new direction
“Castle” was about to take a whole different turn before it was discovered that Season 8 would be the show’s last. The plot of the show was set to change with the passing of Stana Katic’s Detective Beckett. The foundation for this move was previously created in Season 8, when Castle ceased to collaborate with the NYPD homicide unit. He starts his own private investigation firm where his daughter Alexis (Molly Quinn) collaborates with him in order to satisfy his fascination in all things homicide. He also collaborates with a new female lead named Hayley Shipton (Toks Olagundoye), a former MI6 agent who now works in security. She was obviously intended to take Beckett’s place on the programme if it went into Season 9.
If “Castle” had been given a second season, according to Entertainment Weekly, it would have focused on Castle’s private investigation firm as he sought out his wife’s killer. Castle most certainly would have discovered a larger plot including Beckett’s demise. The fact that everyone on the programme would be out for blood would make it possible for “Castle” to reintroduce all of its previous leading figures, including Detective Javier and Detective Ryan, in the upcoming season.
Season 9 might have showed Castle’s quest for vengeance leading him down a dark path, but by the end of the season, it’s probable that Castle would have found some sort of resolution.
There was behind-the-scenes drama
Stana Katic’s alleged firing from the television programme “Castle” is said to be the result of tension between her and Nathan Fillion on the set of the show. Without Katic’s Detective Kate Beckett, the show wouldn’t have been renewed for a second season.
According to an inside source quoted in Hello Magazine, the castmates’ relationship was terrible. According to the insider, the actresses would not interact outside of filming, and Katic would frequently be found sobbing in her dressing room. The staff reportedly made an effort to get the two to participate in counselling in order to overcome their strong animosity toward one another.
The hostile atmosphere between the two on set is also described by US Weekly. Another insider claims that Fillion was awful to his co-star, who merely wished to complete her task without hindrance. Although neither Katic nor Fillion have addressed these claims, the fact that they haven’t denied them also says a lot, particularly in light of Katic’s allegedly unexpected termination from the series.
Stana Katic felt hurt by how the show handled her departure
Katic apparently was surprised by “Castle’s” decision to sever her contract with the series, fueling the fire even further. The actress did not, however, address the controversies surrounding her departure, her rumoured strained relationship with co-star Nathan Fillion, or the show’s hurried conclusion at the time (via TV Commentary).
Katic expressed her reflections on her time on “Castle” with News Corp. after some time had passed. Even while she was pleased with the quality of her work and the uniqueness of her Beckett persona, she was nevertheless disappointed and perplexed by how the event turned out. “If I looked back on it and was anything but happy for the amazing run, it would be a disrespect to the work that I performed, which I feel partly contributed to the success of the programme,” the actress remarked (via The Daily Mail).
In addition, Katic told Entertainment Weekly that she thought the series’ ending was “brutal” and that she was still unsure of what had transpired between her and the network. She nevertheless made the decision to remember her experience and the people she met while working on set with gratitude.
The Season 8 ending had to appease fans
According to “Castle” executive producer Alexi Hawley, they always prepared a backup plot in case the programme wasn’t picked up for another season. The network had not yet confirmed if “Castle” will receive a Season 9 when Season 8 was in progress. In actuality, it wasn’t until closer to the Season 8 finale that the cast and crew learned of the network’s decision to cancel (via The Washington Post).
“We have shot something that we can put at the conclusion of the episode as a way to put a button on everything,” Hawley added. “If we hear that we’re not coming back.” The crew, however, did not wish to engage in this. They believed that if “Castle” were renewed, they would be able to change the course of the show to one of revenge for Beckett’s passing. Hawley claimed that they filmed a climactic time leap scene to satisfy viewers because they didn’t want to leave them with unanswered issues, but Terence Paul Winter, the show’s co-showrunner, stated that his “wish [was] that it [would never see] the light of day” (via Entertainment Weekly).
We regret to inform you that it did. With voiceovers from Castle and Beckett, the clip moves ahead seven years. Audiences can tell that the couple is still in love and that they are both very much alive. The fact that the couple has a large family shows that they are still a perfect match.
Season 7 saw the departure of showrunner Andrew Marlowe
The departure of the first showrunner, Andrew Marlowe, in Season 7 was a significant upheaval for “Castle.” As the Season 6 finale depicted Castle being kidnapped on his wedding day, his final season saw him leave on a high note. Before it occurred, viewers believed they would finally get a happy ending between Beckett and Castle, but that hope was dashed by this plot development. As Beckett and Castle’s marriage was continually put to the test and pushed apart in Season 7, it appeared that the authors were no longer intending for them to remain together in the end. Which, um, they weren’t since Beckett’s death was part of the writers’ original plan.
Marlowe said of “Castle” before he left that it was “a love tale wrapped in a procedural.” However, Seasons 7 and 8 made a significant departure from that idea. Instead, it emphasised Castle’s personality and how he developed without Beckett (via TVMO).
After Marlowe left the programme, Beckett’s abrupt demise at the end of Season 8 was probably part of a longer-term plan. This also clarifies why Castle and Beckett’s romance had such turmoil following Season 6. It’s sufficient to make viewers wish that the two had never started dating in the first place.
The show suffered from pairing Beckett and Castle
Will-they-won’t-they relationships are common on television; see “Friends,” “The Vampire Diaries,” and “Scandal.” The audience simply wants these couples to find each other and act mature. It was obvious from the start of “Castle” that Richard Castle was drawn to Detective Kate Beckett. It was unclear if she had any interest in him. The two were always going to be the goal; a romance wasn’t even essential. It’s not necessary for the two main protagonists in all crime dramas to get together in the end. While Castle and Beckett were the series’ backbone, their romance didn’t have to resemble that of Bones and Booth from “Bones,” a different but related cop drama. Instead, they could have adopted the Mulder and Scully approach. At least, it is what some individuals claim.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, since viewers don’t get to witness the two spending much time together in real life, the two never really needed to start dating for the programme to function. They are divided by other romantic interests, a dread of acknowledging their feelings, or work in various places. In Season 8, they hardly ever appear together since Beckett is out on a covert operation. And let’s not even bring up the time Castle simply vanished on the day of their wedding.
The closing scene that provides the pair a joyful ending felt rushed because of all the tension. It’s difficult to imagine that seven years later, everything is wonderful because viewers hardly ever got to see them happy together over the previous eight seasons. When Beckett was killed off and Castle was left to find a partner he actually spends time with, perhaps this is what the authors were attempting to imply.
The finale future jump answered a few questions
To appease the audience, a seven-year time leap was included at the conclusion of Season 8. After everything Beckett and Castle endure, the programme makes a U-turn and allows them to spend the rest of their lives together in harmony. The original notion for “Castle’s” first showrunner Andrew Marlowe was undoubtedly different from what the showrunners had in mind. Marlowe left the programme after working on Seasons 1-6. While he produced numerous memorable episodes, especially examining “Castle’s” conclusion, Season 6 Episode 5 stands out.
The “Time Will Tell” episode taps into one of Castle’s outlandish theories regarding a case. Beckett and Simon Doyle, popularly known as Chuck, come upon one other (Joshua Gomez). Doyle explains to the homicide squad that he is a time traveller who has been sent back in order to avert a tragic incident. Naturally, Castle is all in on this notion, whereas Beckett is pressed for time and unable to discuss his ostensible illusions.
By the episode’s conclusion, Doyle has revealed to Castle that he and Beckett will eventually get married and have three children. Castle is now an author of “serious literature,” while Beckett is a senator. The time jump in the series finale appears to support Doyle’s forecast, despite the fact that this is a delightful way to end the show. At least in terms of kids, as Beckett and Castle are seen chasing after three children inside her house.
Ratings took a huge dive in Season 8
The main reason for cancelling a show is frequently low ratings. Networks utilise the fact that a show isn’t attracting enough viewers as justification for terminating their relationship with the programme. Castle is fortunate to have had eight successful seasons, even if some received more accolades than others. While this can occasionally happen too quickly (RIP “Firefly”), it has been fortunate to have eight seasons.
According to CBR, “Castle’s” Season 8’s decreased ratings played a significant role in the show’s cancellation. In actuality, throughout the previous few seasons, the viewership rate had been dropping. The network appears to have reached their breaking point after Season 8 since they were no longer certain that the programme would draw in the kind of significant audiences it once did.
Less than 10 million people watched each episode of “Castle” on average during Season 8. If that sounds like a lot, consider that the network’s peak audience at the same time was over 13 million ( (via Deadline). The series’ viewership for Season 8 is at its lowest point; it had considerably declined when the new showrunners assumed control (via CBR). This might be a direct outcome of the show turning more of a Castle-centric narrative and away from the Castle/Beckett relationship.
Budget cuts were a big factor
If Season 9 of “Castle” was to proceed, there would be significant budget cuts because of the viewership loss. According to CBR, if the show had been able to significantly lower the amount of money it was spending on production, it is likely that Castle would have received a second season.
The fact that both Stana Katic and Tamala Jones, who plays Dr. Lanie Parish on the programme, were asked not to return for Season 9 may have also been influenced by this notion. According to CinemaBlend, Katic was one of the highest-paid television actresses in 2016. This would have occurred just as Season 8 of “Castle” was going into production. According to CinemaBlend, actresses tend to earn more money during the course of a television series as their contracts lengthen and maybe match those of their male co-stars, who start at a far higher wage. Katic made about $12 million from her agreed pay. Furthermore, this was only based on the one-year deal that was signed following the completion of Season 7 filming. So, if she had agreed to return for Season 9, her pay would have probably increased following another negotiation (via CinemaBlend).
This probably contributed to Katic’s exclusion from upcoming seasons of “Castle.” Cutting off a $12 million+ salary is one guaranteed way to do it because budget cuts are an issue and there are plans to shift the focus of the tale away from Castle and Beckett’s romance.
Unfortunately for the cast, “Castle” was still cancelled because this wasn’t sufficient. Fortunately, Beckett and Castle received the satisfying conclusion to their stories that Andrew Marlowe had always envisioned.
