Castle (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Castle is an American comedy-drama television series, which premiered on ABC
on March 9, 2009. The series is produced by Beacon Pictures and ABC Studios. On January 10, 2011, Castle was renewed for a fourth season. Season four premiered on September 19, 2011.
as Richard Castle
, a famous mystery novelist who has killed off his main character in his book series and has writer's block
. He is brought in by the NYPD for questioning regarding a copy-cat murder
based on one of his novels. He is intrigued by this new window into crime and murder, and uses his connections to charm his way into shadowing the captivating Detective Kate Beckett
, played by Stana Katic
. Castle decides to use Beckett as the model for the main character of his next book series starring "Nikki Heat". Beckett, an avid reader of Castle's books, initially disapproves of having Castle shadow her on her cases, but later warms up and recognizes Castle as a useful resource in her team's investigations.
Real-life writers Stephen J. Cannell
, James Patterson
, Dennis Lehane
, and Michael Connelly
appear as themselves during periodic games of poker at Castle's apartment. Typically, they discuss Castle and Beckett's current case and tease Castle about his involvement with Beckett. On September 30, 2010 author Stephen J. Cannell died in real life. The characters keep an empty chair at the poker table in his honor, stating they will do so for a year.
The Season 2 episode "Boom!" (the finale of a two-part episode featuring Dana Delany
) not only attracted the highest audience of the show's run (14.5 million viewers), but was the highest rated show on ABC in its time slot in 14 years.
. In its fourth week on the list, Heat Wave broke into the top 10 at #6. Heat Wave was released in paperback (ISBN 978-1-4013-1040-0) on July 27, 2010 and debuted at #34 on the New York Times bestseller Paperback Mass-Market list.
Naked Heat (ISBN 978-1-4013-2402-5), the sequel to Heat Wave, was released on September 28, 2010. Naked Heat debuted at #7 on the New York Times Best Seller list. As they did with Heat Wave, ABC released a series of the early chapters online as a promotional tool.
A third novel, titled Heat Rises (ISBN 978-1-4013-2443-8), was released on September 20, 2011. It debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list on October 9, 2011 .
The season three finale introduced a graphic novel
based on Castle's previous novel character, Derrick Storm. Castle: Richard Castle's Deadly Storm was published by Marvel Comics
on September 28, 2011. It debuted at #3 on the New York Times bestseller list on October 16, 2011 .
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
on March 9, 2009. The series is produced by Beacon Pictures and ABC Studios. On January 10, 2011, Castle was renewed for a fourth season. Season four premiered on September 19, 2011.
Premise
Castle follows Nathan FillionNathan Fillion
Nathan Fillion is a Canadian actor, currently starring as Richard Castle on the ABC series Castle. He is also known for his portrayal of the lead role of Captain Malcolm Reynolds in the television series Firefly and its feature film continuation, Serenity.He has acted in traditionally distributed...
as Richard Castle
Richard Castle
Richard Edgar "Rick" Castle is a fictional character portrayed by Nathan Fillion in the ABC crime series Castle.-Family life:...
, a famous mystery novelist who has killed off his main character in his book series and has writer's block
Writer's block
Writer's block is a condition, primarily associated with writing as a profession, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work. The condition varies widely in intensity. It can be trivial, a temporary difficulty in dealing with the task at hand. At the other extreme, some "blocked"...
. He is brought in by the NYPD for questioning regarding a copy-cat murder
Copycat crimes
A copycat crime is a criminal act that is modelled or inspired by a previous crime that has been reported in the media or described in fiction.-Copycat effect:...
based on one of his novels. He is intrigued by this new window into crime and murder, and uses his connections to charm his way into shadowing the captivating Detective Kate Beckett
Kate Beckett
Katherine "Kate" Beckett is a fictional character portrayed by Stana Katic in the ABC crime series Castle.-Background:Beckett is a detective with the Twelfth Precinct Homicide Squad of the New York City Police Department, where she worked with fellow detectives Javier Esposito and Kevin Ryan and...
, played by Stana Katic
Stana Katic
Stana Katic is a film and television actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Detective Kate Beckett in ABC's Castle.- Early life :...
. Castle decides to use Beckett as the model for the main character of his next book series starring "Nikki Heat". Beckett, an avid reader of Castle's books, initially disapproves of having Castle shadow her on her cases, but later warms up and recognizes Castle as a useful resource in her team's investigations.
Main Cast
- Nathan FillionNathan FillionNathan Fillion is a Canadian actor, currently starring as Richard Castle on the ABC series Castle. He is also known for his portrayal of the lead role of Captain Malcolm Reynolds in the television series Firefly and its feature film continuation, Serenity.He has acted in traditionally distributed...
as Richard Edgar "Rick" CastleRichard CastleRichard Edgar "Rick" Castle is a fictional character portrayed by Nathan Fillion in the ABC crime series Castle.-Family life:...
– Castle is a best-selling mystery writer. Born Richard Alexander Rodgers, he adopted the middle name Edgar in honor of Edgar Allan PoeEdgar Allan PoeEdgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
. Castle was plagued with writer's blockWriter's blockWriter's block is a condition, primarily associated with writing as a profession, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work. The condition varies widely in intensity. It can be trivial, a temporary difficulty in dealing with the task at hand. At the other extreme, some "blocked"...
after killing off his popular lead character, Derrick Storm, whom he no longer found inspiring. He then found himself involved in the case of a copy-cat killer recreating murder scenes from his novels, investigated by NYPD Detective Kate Beckett. Castle discovers a new source of inspiration in her and soon begins shadowing her investigations, affording him the opportunity to use his knowledge and skills to help solve murders. Rick told Kate that he had fallen in love with her but she claimed she didn't remember anything from the shooting. - Stana KaticStana KaticStana Katic is a film and television actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Detective Kate Beckett in ABC's Castle.- Early life :...
as Detective Kate BeckettKate BeckettKatherine "Kate" Beckett is a fictional character portrayed by Stana Katic in the ABC crime series Castle.-Background:Beckett is a detective with the Twelfth Precinct Homicide Squad of the New York City Police Department, where she worked with fellow detectives Javier Esposito and Kevin Ryan and...
– Beckett, a homicide detective with the NYPD, is a first-class investigator who has gained a reputation for being intrigued by unusual cases. She joined the force after her mother was murdered in an unsolved case. After meeting Beckett, Castle is inspired to begin a new series of novels about a female NYPD detective named Nikki Heat, clearly based on Beckett. Kate remembered that Rick told her he loved her but hasn't said anything. - Jon HuertasJon HuertasJon Huertas, born Jon William "Scott" Hofstedt and sometimes credited as John Huertas, is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as Sergeant Antonio 'Poke' Espera in HBO's Generation Kill the miniseries as well as Joe Negroni in the film Why Do Fools Fall in Love and homicide...
as Detective Javier Esposito – Esposito works in the homicide division 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 Kevin Ryan are close friends, even though they constantly argue about obscure facts. - Seamus DeverSeamus DeverSeamus Patrick Dever is an American actor.Dever was born in Flint, Michigan, and grew up in Bullhead City, Arizona. He graduated as valedictorian of his high school class, completed his undergraduate studies at Northern Arizona University, and holds MFAs in Acting from the Moscow Art Theatre and...
as Detective Kevin Ryan – Ryan also works as part of Beckett's team. He and Esposito regularly tease Beckett, but they are also protective of her and ultimately treat her like one of the guys. The character was a late addition to the show as the original presentation pilot was only 37 minutes long. Ryan is recently engaged to Jenny O'Malley. - Tamala JonesTamala JonesTamala R. Jones is an American actress. She is best known for her roles in the movies Booty Call, The Wood, Kingdom Come, The Brothers, and Two Can Play That Game...
as Dr. Lanie Parish – Parish, a medical examiner with an upbeat outlook, is also a friend of Beckett's, one of the few people Beckett can talk to easily and without reservation. Parish notices the personal connection between Beckett and Castle and urges her to act on it. In the third season, Lanie and Esposito began a relationship they believed was covert, though every other main character was aware of it. - Ruben Santiago-HudsonRuben Santiago-HudsonRuben Santiago-Hudson is an American actor and playwright, who has won national awards for his work in both areas. In November 2011 he will appear on Broadway in Lydia Diamond's play .-Early life:...
as Captain Roy Montgomery (Season 1–3) – Montgomery, Beckett's boss, appreciates her determination and diligence but maintains a close watch to make sure the investigations go smoothly. He is amused by how much Castle annoys Beckett but also appreciates how effectively the two work together. He is killed after staging a trap to capture a hired killer involved in the conspiracy that killed Beckett's mother. - Molly C. QuinnMolly C. QuinnMolly Caitlyn Quinn is an American actress whose works have included theatre, film, and television.-Life and career:Quinn is of Irish descent and was born in Texarkana, Texas. She began taking weekly acting lessons from retired director and producer Martin Beck after performing in her community's...
as Alexis Castle – Alexis, Castle's teenage daughter by his first wife Meredith, is unusually intelligent for her age, and is often more mature and responsible than her father. She is very bright and enjoys school. A running gag in the series has her begging Castle to force her to study and do her homework instead of 'fun' activities like parties and overnight trips. Her social and interpersonal issues often parallel some aspect of the case Castle and Beckett are investigating, and Castle sometimes asks her opinion on a killer's motivation. - Susan SullivanSusan SullivanSusan Michaela Sullivan is an American actress, known for several notable roles on various television programs. Sullivan played the role of Lenore Curtin Delaney on the daytime soap opera, Another World ; waitress Lois Adams during the first season of the comedy It's a Living, Maggie Gioberti...
as Martha Rodgers – Rodgers, an actress on and off Broadway, is Castle's mother and lives with him and Alexis. She helps her son through the difficulties of raising a teenage girl (even one as mature as Alexis) but also has an active social life of her own. She lives with Castle partly because a previous husband absconded with all her savings. - Penny Johnson JeraldPenny Johnson JeraldPenny Johnson Jerald is an American actress. She played Beverly Barnes on the HBO comedy series The Larry Sanders Show, Kasidy Yates on the syndicated science fiction series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Sherry Palmer on the Fox action/drama series 24.-Career:Trained at the Juilliard School,...
as Captain Victoria Gates (Season 4) – Captain Montgomery's replacement. Formerly with Internal Affairs, Captain Gates (known to some as "Iron Gates") is more interested in career advancement, and takes a dimmer view than her predecessor of the Beckett-Castle dynamic.
Recurring Characters
- Arye GrossArye Gross-Biography:Gross was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Sheri and Joseph Gross, who was an aerospace engineer and later worked in business....
as Dr. Sidney Perlmutter – A medical examiner who assists on some of Beckett's cases. - Juliana Dever as Jenny O'Malley – Ryan's fiancee.
- Michael TruccoMichael TruccoEdward Michael Trucco is an American actor with Italian roots. He is best known for his role as Samuel T. Anders on the reimagined Battlestar Galactica and currently appears as a series regular on the USA Network television series Fairly Legal.-Biography:A native of San Mateo, California, he...
as Detective Tom Demming – A handsome robbery detective with whom Beckett briefly becomes involved. - Monet MazurMonet MazurMonet Happy Mazur is an American actress, model and musician.-Personal life:Mazur was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Ruby Mazur, an illustrator who has worked in the record industry and at one time was the manager of Billy Joel. Mazur has four siblings: Nicholas, Cézanne, Matisse...
as Gina Cowell – Castle's publisher and second ex-wife. - Victor WebsterVictor WebsterVictor Webster is a Canadian actor. He is best known for his roles as Brennan Mulwray in Mutant X and "Coop" on Charmed.-Life and career:...
as Dr. Josh Davidson – Beckett's mysterious motorcycle-riding, cardiac surgeon ex-boyfriend. - Ken Baumann as Ashley – Alexis' steady boyfriend throughout season 3. Alexis recently broke up with Ashley after her father and grandmother were involved in a hostage situation.
- Michael DornMichael DornMichael Dorn is an American actor, and voice artist who is best known for his role as the Klingon Worf from the Star Trek franchise.-Early life and career:...
as Dr. Carver Burke – Beckett's psychiatrist (season 4).
Real-life writers Stephen J. Cannell
Stephen J. Cannell
Stephen Joseph Cannell was an American television producer, writer, novelist and occasional actor, and the founder of Stephen J. Cannell Productions.-Early life:...
, James Patterson
James Patterson
James B. Patterson is an American author of thriller novels, largely known for his series about American psychologist Alex Cross...
, Dennis Lehane
Dennis Lehane
Dennis Lehane is an American author. He has written several award-winning novels, including A Drink Before the War and the New York Times bestseller Mystic River, which was later made into an Academy Award-winning film. Another novel, Gone, Baby, Gone, was also adapted into an Academy...
, and Michael Connelly
Michael Connelly
Michael Connelly is an American author of detective novels and other crime fiction, notably those featuring LAPD Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch and criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller. His books, which have been translated into 36 languages, have garnered him many awards...
appear as themselves during periodic games of poker at Castle's apartment. Typically, they discuss Castle and Beckett's current case and tease Castle about his involvement with Beckett. On September 30, 2010 author Stephen J. Cannell died in real life. The characters keep an empty chair at the poker table in his honor, stating they will do so for a year.
Broadcast history
Castle premiered as a mid-season replacement on ABC on March 9, 2009. ABC renewed Castle for a second season with an initial order of 13 episodes; ABC later extended the order to 22, then 24 episodes. The second season premiered on Monday, September 21, 2009. In March 2010, ABC renewed Castle for a third, 22 episode season, which began on September 20, 2010. On November 11, 2010, ABC extended the episode order to 24. On January 10, 2011, ABC announced Castle had been renewed for a fourth season for 22 episodes. The season four premiere aired on Monday, September 19, 2011 at 10PM on ABC.US Nielsen ratings
| Season | Episodes | Premiere | Finale | Rank | Viewers (million) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | #35 | 10.32 | ||
| 2 | 24 | #30 | 10.25 | ||
| 3 | 24 | #30 | 11.44 | ||
| 4 | TBA |
The Season 2 episode "Boom!" (the finale of a two-part episode featuring Dana Delany
Dana Delany
Dana Welles Delany is an American film, stage, and television actress, producer, host and health activist.After various roles in the early career, Delany garnered her first leading role in 1987 in the short-lived NBC sitcom Sweet Surrender and achieved wider fame in 1988–1991 as Colleen McMurphy...
) not only attracted the highest audience of the show's run (14.5 million viewers), but was the highest rated show on ABC in its time slot in 14 years.
DVD releases
| DVD Name | Region 1 release date | Region 2 release date | Region 4 release date | Ep # | Discs | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | September 22, 2009 | May 6, 2010 (German) November 21, 2011 (UK - English) |
March 10, 2010 | 10 | 3 | Misdemeanors: Bloopers & Outtakes, Whodunit: The Genesis of Castle, Castle's Godfather, exclusive audio commentaries and Write-Along with Nathan Fillion |
| Season 2 | September 21, 2010 | March 24, 2011 (German) | December 1, 2010 | 24 | 5 | ABC Starter Kit, On Set with Seamus and Jon, On Location with Nathan, Manhattan's Most Unusual Murders, Misdemeanors: Bloopers & Outtakes, deleted scenes and music videos |
| Season 3 | September 20, 2011 | TBA | October 12, 2011 | 24 | 5 | Deleted Scenes And Bloopers, Murder They Wrote, CASTLE Goes Hollywood, Murder Board 101, Cast And Crew Commentary, Music Video -- "Get On The Floor" |
Syndication
In June 2011, TNT acquired exclusive cable rights from Disney-ABC Domestic Television to air the first two seasons of Castle beginning in the summer of 2012. In advance of the series' fourth season, TNT broadcast an eight-hour marathon of episodes on September 15, 2011, including five from season 3.Tie-in works
In the series, Castle writes a novel titled Heat Wave. As a tie-in, ABC has released that novel as a real book (ISBN 978-1-4013-2382-0) with "Richard Castle" as the author. 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. ABC released the first half of the novel in weekly increments on their website. The complete novel was published in September 2009 as a hardcover, debuting at #26 on the New York Times Best Seller listNew York Times Best Seller list
The New York Times Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. It is published weekly in The New York Times Book Review magazine, which is published in the Sunday edition of The New York Times and as a stand-alone publication...
. In its fourth week on the list, Heat Wave broke into the top 10 at #6. Heat Wave was released in paperback (ISBN 978-1-4013-1040-0) on July 27, 2010 and debuted at #34 on the New York Times bestseller Paperback Mass-Market list.
Naked Heat (ISBN 978-1-4013-2402-5), the sequel to Heat Wave, was released on September 28, 2010. Naked Heat debuted at #7 on the New York Times Best Seller list. As they did with Heat Wave, ABC released a series of the early chapters online as a promotional tool.
A third novel, titled Heat Rises (ISBN 978-1-4013-2443-8), was released on September 20, 2011. It debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list on October 9, 2011 .
The season three finale introduced a graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
based on Castle's previous novel character, Derrick Storm. Castle: Richard Castle's Deadly Storm was published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
on September 28, 2011. It debuted at #3 on the New York Times bestseller list on October 16, 2011 .