CASTLE Post-Mortem: Alexi Hawley and Terence Paul Winter on the Castle-Beckett Twist: This Season Will be About the Journey of That Relationship
September 29, 2015 by Marisa Roffman
Credit: ABC/Richard Cartwright
[Warning: This post contains major, major, major spoilers for the CASTLE episode, “XX.” If you have not watched the second hour of season 8, please go watch it now, and then come back to see what showrunners Alexi Hawley and Terence Paul Winter had to say about what went down.]
CASTLE shook its central couple up in a major, major way: Beckett left Castle — to keep him safe — in the second hour of the season 8 premiere, “XX.” (Thanks, in part, to Castle’s stepmother warning her that attachments are troublesome. Though, to be fair, she wanted Beckett to stop going down the path she was on versus trying to break up the duo.)
Though the move may have fans heartbroken right now, “this show is about their love,” CASTLE co-showrunner Alexi Hawley reassured. “Whatever bumps that are in the road, people shouldn’t be worried we’re abandoning that love affair.”
That being said, Hawley acknowledged the duo are in a tough place right now, and it will play out.
“Hard choices are being made, painful choices are being made — with painful repercussions — but what drew them together will continue to draw them together,” Hawley said. “The fight for that relationship will still exist. This season will be about the journey of that relationship. Happiness is not dramatic. At the end of the day, they’ve been through so much together.”
And yes, Hawley and his co-showrunner Terence Paul Winter are also very aware this move might not be a popular one with fans.
“Of course there is [concern about their reaction],” Hawley said. “Absolutely. Our job is to tell the best, most compelling stories we can tell. And at the end of the day, as much as people can trust us, given our track record — all you have to do is look at the episodes we’ve written…”
“Between the two of us, we’ve written about 25 episodes, and they’re some of the most shipper-friendly episodes in the history of the show,” Winter pointed out. “I get [any upset feelings]. The show means a lot to us, too. And that’s why we’re going to protect it. And that’s why it’s always going to be about Castle and Beckett and the love story.”
Going forward, Castle and Beckett will still interact — “they’re working cases,” Winter teased — but there will be some awkwardness, given the up-in-the-air state of their relationship.
“There’s fun,” Hawley said. “I was here in [seasons] 2, 3, 4, before they got together. So the spark of that will they, won’t they, and how clearly they were in love with each other was palpable. That energy was palpable. That’s what this is about. It’s about that energy.”
CASTLE airs Mondays 10 PM on ABC.
Related:
CASTLE: What You Missed on Your Summer Vacation
CASTLE’s Toks Olagundoye: Hayley ‘Doesn’t Let Things Get in Her Way’
CASTLE Season 8 Premiere: ‘XY’ You Ask, I Answer
CASTLE: New Showrunners Alexi Hawley and Terence Paul Winter Tease Season 8
CASTLE: THE O.C.’s Kelly Rowan to Guest Star
CASTLE: Jack Coleman Previews Bracken’s Return
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Decision to make this move– as shocking as it was to watch –is the right one and had there not been the “blind item” this summer that whipped everyone into frenzy already writing the show’s obituary and furthering gossip that has nothing to do with story-telling, I think this would have the huge boost to resetting the show without losing it’s feel.it would be seen as a brilliant, edgy move by the show. Instead by allowing the blind item-created-angst to take hold the show runners, producers, writers, cast, crew — and network will need to be on defense. Makes it much harder to tell the story that I believe may be one of the best in network television.
Pienso que hay otras formas mejores para que se distancien y no algo tan rebuscado….. entiendo que todo tiene un por que? pero el XY no se sabía por donde coger. Sí, es muy loable que Kate lo deje por protegerlo pero siempre es mejor decir la verdad aunque en esa parte han sido fiel a Beckett, ella siempre ocultado sus sentimientos en cualquier situación.
En fin abra que ver como se desenvuelve y se maneja la trama.
The move was idiotic and lazy. If all they had for this season was to break them apart then they should have ended the show on Season 7. We’ve been through the chase, if I want to experience that again I’ll do as he said, watch the other seasons.
I was hoping for new, fresh ideas to keep married Castle and Beckett interesting. The decision for Beckett to leave makes little sense and I can feel the writer’s fingers all over it.
Sadly if this season is all about ‘that energy’ of the chase I’m done and that makes me sad. Thanks guys, you’ve taken a great and interesting show that was going somewhere and turned back the clock to make it easier on yourselves. Good job.
The big problem I have is the reason she “left” actually doesn’t make sense. It’s a Jedi Mind trick. Her leaving – based on what actually is happening in the story – actually makes life more dangerous for Castle, not less. That leaves me with the only reason any of this is happening: they just wanted to split Castle and Beckett up.
Weak, uninspired storytelling that destroyed the character of Beckett in the process. Her decision is purely selfish and asking Rick to take her back when she’s ready is manipulative. Not the Badass Beckett I know and love. And, with the episode 3 preview it looks like we will see the destruction of Castle over the rest of the season as he is forced to grovel and beg for a little attention from Beckett.
Character driven storytelling is wonderful and H & W have written some wonderful episodes in the past. It’s just too bad that they are so lacking in ideas of how to write an interesting married couple solving fun, interesting cases with the help of their team.
I think you as writers kinda ruined a great love story. Tie the loose ends up from ladt nights stiry n put them back together were they belong
The stupidest romantic trope of all is “I love you but I have to push you away to keep you safe.” I hated it in Arrow for the last two seasons, but I hate it even more here.
Beckett must have lost 50 IQ points over the summer to think she should move out to protect him. What was great about the show was how well Castle and Beckett worked together, not seeing them distant as they were in s3 and 4.
The idea that Castle will now try to find ways to get in on Beckett’s work strikes me not as “fun” but as embarrassing and cringeworthy. I hope they fix this before the plug gets pulled on the show.
No conflict. No story. But this is a dumb conflict. Lazy story telling. The writers could have done so many original things, but they went for the same crazy story lines that the other network shows in their time slot use, juvenile. If they did something unique, maybe adult, now that would be bold.
Note to showrunners – The fan base considers the word “fun” spoken by a showrunner to mean fun for the writers and unnecessary angst for the audience. Don’t use the word fun.
I might have expected Hawley to try to relive his Following days, which was CANCELLED, but Winters, my God, did you bump your head and forget the plot of the story after all these years. It has been said before but I agree LAZY writing, with Contrived Angst for AH to be able to pick up where he left in Season 4, well the FANS did not leave, so You not only jumped the Shark, you sunk the boat with it. I bet you loose 30% more viewers in the next 3 episodes where we are married, but apart, but as the Captain I work with you on cases, but gee I left to keep you safe, WHAT A CROCK
Castle’s best episodes were always the lighthearted ones, not the Big Bad ones and the angst. It’s too bad you don’t realize what made (yes, past tense) Castle special.
Re: Megaera- I disagree. I think the best episodes are the dark, Big Bad episodes. I’m really excited about whoever this new big bad is. I can take or leave the lighthearted episodes.
I just hope we won’t have to wait all season for their relationship to get back on track.
Horrible and wrong. Don’t even have enough words to say how wrong.
Have to agree with most of what fans have already said except for “lazy writing” think it was more generic/ordinary same old same old. The Castle writers are generally more creative. Not so much right now. For some unexplainable reason there has been a conscious effort to repeatedly take a strong willed/loyal /intelligent woman down a peg or two -why. This isn’t the same Beckett or for that matter Castle we have watched grow over the past several seasons. They are extraordinary together and just
ordinary apart. The story line I’d good and interesting but why not have them solve it together and let them fight/disagree on how to work it that’s what married folks do- find there way “together”. We have already seen C&B journey and know how they get together -It would have made more sense to show how they stay together through the rough times. Unless the writers are looking for a new “fan base”? Guess only tptb know the answer to that……Titanic is sinking and running out of life boats
La verdad es que después de ver el último episodio estoy muy enfadada y más decepcionada todavía. No solo por la ruptura o lo que sea porque no es ni ruptura si no por el motivo tan absurdo ya que ella se va del loft para proteger a Castle ¿de verdad los malos no van a ir a por él solo porque ella duerma en otro apartamento mientras sigue trabajando con él, viendole casi a diario, siguiendo estando casada con él y mostrandolo llevando el anillo de boda? porque si yo fuera el malo iría a por él bien porque sospechara que debe saber algo al estar en una relación con ella evidente aunque luego duerman separados, porque crea que es una forma de atraerla a ella por esa misma relación o por las dos cosas. Distinto sería si hubiera roto la relación con él del todo no viendole, divorciandose etc cosa que obviamente los escritores no pueden hacer porque se termina la serie definitivamente.
Luego esta eso de que va ser Castle el que va a ir detrás de ella para ganarsela de vuelta pero si ha sido ella la que se ha ido y además le ha dejado claro que le quiere que se va por otros motivos ¿qué tiene que ganarse Castle? El pobre hombre ya la ha perdonado un montón de veces sus mentiras y desplantes ¿en serio debe hacerlo otra vez? ¿no tiene Castle ni un mínimo de orgullo? eso en mi país tiene un nombre y es ser un calzonazos. Llegados a este punto me gustaría que Castle pasara de ella y que fuera ella la que le busque y se le tenga que ganar algo que solo ha hecho una vez y no le costo mucho conseguir, eso al menos seria una novedad.
Visto este capitulo ahora me da pena que Hayley no sea un interés romántico para Castle eso haría más interesante el tema y el pobre hombre se merece un respiro de su mujer la cual le promete no tener más secretos cuando de hecho le está ocultando a la mujer de su padre.
When the finale of Season 7 finished, I turned to my wife and said, “I actually hope they don’t make a Season 8.” to which she agreed. First, it just seemed unlikely they’d be able to top that episode for the season finale. It was EVERYTHING you could want in a show’s swan song. Flawless. And second, by that episode, everything that needed to be said had been done and said, and done well. Kate’s mom’s killer brought to justice? Check. 3XK? Dead. And the coup de grace, closing out with not only finding out what sparked Castle’s fascination with the macabre, but having him solve it.. EVERYTHING was done and perfect, and after that wonderful speech, the ending of “There’s been a murder..” and they walk off into the night.. the Castle equivelent of riding off into the sunset. Few shows get an ending as perfect as that. It was as perfect an ending (and series run) that Firefly was denied.
Sadly, looks like my worst fears came true. This ‘direction’ or ‘shake-up’ isn’t just lazy, it’s insulting. Kate’s reaction at the end (turning her back on Castle), and the direction they’ve shown in previews (Castle being plucky, lighthearted and charming while solving crimes to make her ‘fall in love with him again’) are completely at odds with the characters that we’ve watched develop over the past 7 years. This isn’t just grump opinion, it’s a fact because this was the EXACT same dilemma we saw when Rick told Kate he was going to walk away if she couldn’t drop her obsession, that he couldn’t watch her throw her life away because he loved her too much.. and when faced with that reality, she realized what was most important to her, and she walked away. Yes, she ended up having to go back down that road anyhow, but not by choice, the situation pushed it on her. So now, two episodes into Season 8, the writers concoct the exact same scenario (wow, 2nd Death Star huh guys? Original) and we all know how the characters are supposed to react, yet they both do the opposite of what we KNOW they not only should do, but would do. Suddenly rather than the characters choices feeling authentic and natural, I feel the writer’s pen (or word processor) forcing characters into choices they wouldn’t make. And it’s insulting. It’s insulting that they think we’ll not notice the shoddy re-branding of old ideas and trying to re-create old dynamics…. They should have been no quest for Season 8 if they didn’t actually have an original, or at least authentic plan for characters that are so loved.
Sorry.. we’ll try and watch another episode or two, but I just don’t see us watching for long because I’m not going to wast or invest my time into something so clearly contrived and contrary to the character’s core qualities. For me, Castle went Seven glorious seasons, and had the perfect ending.
they ruined the show for me, being pregant and fighting the bad guy together would of been a better year,
Will Rick & Kate be broke up until the last esp? The show runners have said this season will be about the journey of Caskett relationship. That sounds like they are not together. They also said that happiness is not dramatic. That sounds like there will not be any happiness. What a mess
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Show Over in just 4 episodes. You must be so proud. Thanks for killing something we really enjoyed.
Do you “Get IT” Now?
Let’s see… She is ” protecting” Castle how, exactly? Not hard to find where he lives, etc. Everytime somebody asks her a question, she says its complicated. So what. Explain it. Not everybody is as dumb as she thinks they are. I think it is time to watch something else Monday nights. And old Castle re-runs.
Worst move ever by the new show runners. There was no build-up, it wasn’t believable. That part of Beckett’s life was over. There was no tipping her back, it just came out of the blue. Castle’s step-mum said, ‘if you go down the rabbit hole, think about your family.’ So Beckett says ok, i’ll ditch Castle. And then she’s back at work as normal, and the other thing happens occasionally. There’s no tension now. Her new angst doesn’t work because the new storyline isn’t driving the show, her normal work at the precinct is. Who ever signed off of this should be fired, because this whole new storyline makes no sense in the world of Castle. It’s not plausible. So I suggest ABC, if you want to get your audience back onside, get Castle and Beckett back together. Come up with a new story arc, that challenges them together! Have we not learn’t anything in seven seasons!
So if you want Castle and Beckett back together and a better show sign the petition and leave a comment with ideas you believe will make the show great again.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/amend-castle-before-it-gets-cancelled.
I, for one, am completely turned off by the break up and the story line between Castle and Beckett. This season’s shows are weak. The interaction between Rick and Kate is what drew me to the show. It’s why I follow the show week to week and why I couldn’t wait to turn the DVR on each week. They depended on each other and kept their independent personalities intact throughout “the chase”. They could make it on their own merit and they didn’t have to have someone to “make them whole”. Kate and Rick made each other better and more real for most of us.
NOW, it’s just not good. I dread watching the show now. I searched for a place to beg the writers to fix this show. You should have ended the show at the end of Season 7 if you were going to ruin it like you have done. It’s sad. Even the funny parts are sad because Rick and Kate aren’t sharing them together.
Why can’t the writers allow Rick to figure out why Kate left and then tell her he is onboard with her No matter what? The new writers need to go “make their mark” on another show and give us back the couple we loved to watch.
PLEASE FIX THIS…..
I agree with all of the negative comments about this show, It was (past tense) my favorite TV show. These new “show runners” are more about their own ego than maintaining what was a good and possibly long lasting show. I can only surmise that they have a secret grudge against the producers and are intentionally trying to make sure the show is cancelled.
These two should be fired and never be allowed to do anything in TV again. Maybe catering or parking cars would be more suitable for their obviously lack of talent. Who ever hired these morons should be fired as well. Say goodbye to Castle. I will NEVER watch another episode. Thanks for nothing.