CASTLE: Executive Producer Laurie Zaks Teases ‘Rise’ and Season 4

After giving us one of the most jaw-dropping finales of the year, CASTLE returns tonight with brand new episodes!

While I’ve already answered some of your burning questions about the season premiere, before I got the chance to watch the hour, I chatted with CASTLE executive producer Laurie Zaks about what fans can expect from Castle, Beckett and the whole gang in season 4.

Take a look…

How are things going so far on CASTLE’s fourth season?
Laurie Zaks: So far so good! For the first episode, there is a lot of good stuff.

I’m intrigued by Beckett having a therapist. Will this be a device that is used frequently throughout the season?
LZ: Actually, what happened is Michael Dorn came in for another role and we were casting and we thought, “He’d be really good as a therapist.”

When a cop gets shot, or goes through something traumatic, they have to go to a therapist. So it’s a small part in the first episode, but he is set to come back for another episode.

And how honest is Beckett actually going to get about the issues that have been plaguing her?
LZ: I don’t know! [Laughs] We’ll see. There’s a nice, big reveal in the therapist’s office, I’ll say that.

In terms of herself or her relationships or…?
LZ: About everything. [Laughs] It’s in the first episode. But we got Michael Dorn and I’m really excited about that. Here’s my feeling — Beckett the character would not go into therapy willingly. I don’t think with her emotions and what drives her…she is dealing with all the pain of her mother[‘s death], which seems to be increasing, rather than decreasing, since it’s been opened up again. So it’s just scratching the surface in the beginning and we’ll see more later on.

How is Beckett going to deal with the ramifications of actually being shot?
LZ: I think it will be clear to her what she needs to do to have normal relationships in her life. I think when something dramatic happens like that and it shakes you to your core, that’s the end result.

Good to hear. What about Beckett’s relationship with Lanie? I know Stana Katic (Beckett) has mentioned she wants to cast some friends for Beckett, but she does have Lanie there every episode…
LZ: I read that. We’ll see who her friend is. It might have been a wish from Stana or [CASTLE creator] Andrew [Marlowe] or our writers may have shared something with her. I think it’s a good idea. I think we could use some more female energy always. Have you talked with [Penny Johnson Jerald (Gates)]?

I did!
LZ: That’s going to be a big thing, also. Most of the press is asking what’s going to happen with Castle and Beckett, but bringing in a new captain, a female captain, that’s going to shake things up. [Gates] isn’t so enamored with Castle. And Beckett’s a little used to running the show.

That’s true. Montgomery let her get away with some things that maybe he shouldn’t have. Now that Castle witnessed Beckett get shot in front of him, will he take any steps to protect himself like police training, etc?
LZ: I don’t know that we’ll see specific training, but we will see how it really shakes him when he sees how it impacts his daughter and his mother, how they react to it, because there are other people in his life. So that’s one of the things that is dealt with.

Castle did also say those three little words to Beckett immediately after she was shot. How will he be interacting with her going forward now that he knows those words are floating out there and he can’t undo them?
LZ: That will be the challenge for the writers going forward. And the premiere will enlighten the audience and give them a little bit more insight into how both of them will deal with that. If I say more, it’s going to be a spoiler!

Fair enough! You were open about the network giving the show the greenlight to let Castle say “I love you” to Beckett at the end of last season. I know Andrew has stated he doesn’t want to wait too long to get them together, but has there been active discussions with the network and studios to ensure that when you guys feel the time is right, you’ll have their support?
LZ: When that decision is made, it will be with the network. And I can speak for having been a network exec for 10 years, every decision that impacts the show in such a dramatic way is always discussed. The pros and the cons — it was a big discussion as to whether he would say “I love you” or not, you know? There was a lot of resistance from the network: “Can he just think it?” You can always shoot it both ways. There’s always input from the network because they’re the buyers. We’re just the makers when it comes down to it. It’s to everybody’s benefit that the show go on as long as it possibly can…[but] I don’t think [the characters] getting together on MOONLIGHTING ended the show.

Exactly. Moving away from the couples for a minute, what can you tease about the other characters?
LZ: I’d like to see the other characters get more filled out on their stories. There’s a very Ryan-centric episode coming up. I read the script that Moira Kirland wrote and it is excellent, with Ryan’s gun. It’s a really good story and Seamus [Dever (Ryan)] is a really good actor. Jon [Huertas (Esposito)] has a really interesting backstory — both Jon’s character and the actor — Tamala [Jones (Lanie)] and Molly [Quinn (Alexis)]. I’d love to see more stories with Molly.

Going back to Ryan’s episode, 3XK is coming back —
LZ: The story is coming back because the actor is on another show. [Laughs] [The actor]’s on PAN AM. [The episode will feature] the mythology of the 3XK and the gun [he stole from Ryan], so it’s a really good story.

Will Ryan’s fiancee be in that episode?
LZ: Not in that [one], but Ryan is getting married.

Will that play out this year?
LZ: Yeah. Right now he’s very into china patterns and lace and what color the invites should be.

Oh my God, the guys are going to make so much fun of him for that.
LZ: Yeah. Well, you know Esposito is. I think Castle will be there to offer his help because he has been married twice. And Seamus’ wife, his real-life wife, [plays] his [on-screen] fiancee. They’re a really nice couple. They’re adorable.

–

What are you most looking forward to seeing in CASTLE season 4?

Related:

CASTLE Season 4 Premiere: ‘Rise’ You Ask, I Answer
CASTLE Season 4 Cast Photo
CASTLE’s Penny Johnson Jerald Teases Her Role as the New Captain

Follow @GiveMeMyRemote and @marisaroffman on Twitter for the latest TV news. Connect with other TV fans on GIVE ME MY REMOTE’s official Facebook page.

And to be the first to see our exclusive videos by subscribing to our YouTube channel at youtube.com/givememyremotetv