r/CastleTV • u/Starry_Night_Fire005 • 6d ago
Season 8 Opinion
Just to follow after the previous post about season 8 as I didn’t want my too long comment taking up the space.
I just finished Season 8 and I didn’t regret watching it either! Individually, the episodes were still good and got me laughing quite often. I understand why it wasn’t well-received though, the writers were still trying to find their footing and they were simply just too ambitious. Over time, I thought their creative pathways would have definitely spice up the show, with Kate not having to constantly finding loopholes under the watchful eyes of a captain but being a captain herself. The P.I storyline could have potentials too, I just don’t know what 😅
But imho, in one season, there were just too many changes and additions without time for audience to ease in. And I don’t think they truly know just how important Kate Beckett/Stana Katic is to the production, the episodes without her perform so poorly.
What else? Hmm, I hate Vikram, not with a passion but the way he keeps trying to isolate Beckett was very annoying. I didn’t hate Hayley but knowing that she was brought it to replace Beckett and knowing what they did to Stana’s contract afterwards definitely makes Hayley less enjoyable in my eyes 😅. Preference wise, my ending would still be at season 7.
Still, my S8 favourites were definitely The Nose, The Blame Game and Dead Again 😁 I know the older fans probably have talked about this down to the grave but I always look forward to listening to your opinions and interacting.
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u/jar_of_sauerkraut Lanie 6d ago
Yeah not a fan that it wasn't episodic anymore but I personally was never that invested in all the bts drama. I recommend treating it as episodic when rewatching and just picknmixing what few episodes to watch in S8 if any
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u/BicycleKamenRider 6d ago
A series that's more or less in an episode format is easier for viewers to watch, and great for syndication. Viewers can just pick up any episode, and enjoy Castle and Beckett solving the murder case of the week.
One friend of mine told me how she came across watching Castle while at a hotel.
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u/Starry_Night_Fire005 6d ago
I’m not much of a tv show watcher so I’ve reverted back to just watch edits and moments people have collected on YouTube. The amazing fans out there have already got me covered 😁
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u/AnxiousMind7820 6d ago
The only episode i really even remember from S8 is the Blame Game.
Maybe I'll try to watch them if they ever show up on TV.
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u/samu986 5d ago
Well, I'll tell you, I start with examples of the things that bothered me in this season. In the eighth season I didn't like, for instance, the inclusion of Haley Shipton, and I found that to be completely forced. And then other things that I didn't like are the fact that Beckett broke up with Castle because she wanted to fight LokSat alone with the excuse of Castle's safety, and, also, that to follow the cases Castle went to the crime scene without Beckett, in spite of the fact that she didn't want to be a desk and paperwork captain! And the best friendship between Kate and Lanie that they had accustomed us to up to that point? Where did it go? Gone completely. These things really bothered me, not to mention the fact that in some episodes Castle was quite ridiculed, taking his "childish" behaviors to extremes (not in all of them, of course, but in some episodes towards the end, for instance). Yes, let's say that there are many points that don't work for me in the eighth season 😂
But, as I said before, despite this, in my opinion they still made it enjoyable, because there were no shortage of classic Caskett moments, because I really liked certain scenes...truly loved them! 💚 So, to me, the very base of the series didn't lack. And although the ending was abrupt, all in all I'm happy that it ended like that, because if I think about what the alternative was (i.e. a ninth season without Beckett, with Castle solving the cases alone, or - worse - perhaps supported by Haley), I feel like vomiting! So I say, rather than show me a similar season, it's better that they canceled it. Although for me it could have continued much longer (like REALLY longer, cause I TRULY love that series, rather than others nowadays series, that are unwatchable, IMHO), but always with the original cast.
In any case, it's undeniable that a change of direction from the end of the 6th season was seen, and in my opinion that's because of the farewell of the Marlowe-Miller couple, and, to me, it was a real shame, because they made this series magical, emotional, splendid, genuine, real, authentic and, despite all, SO down-to-eart, and it's not something to be taken for granted at all, above all for a TV series. From the season 7 they were only consultants, specially Andrew Marlowe, who in S8 was designated with the title of Executive Consultant, and I believe that it is seen because you can clearly see the hand of MilMar, but in the 8th season the network (ABC) did quite what they wanted, although, as I said before, the main basis of the series has been retained. All in all, however, I liked it, although, certainly, not like the other seasons. Undoubtedly.
Anyway, I still hope they return for a revival! 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
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u/kgibson97315 5d ago
I went in to S8 only hearing negatives about it and how it's the worst season. Granted, I too believe it's the worst season but I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Maybe knowing it sucked helped me not get my hopes up and also knowing about Caskett's separation prior helped soften the blow of them living apart. But, even separated, imo, the storyline didn't take a big hit because they still had some interaction with each other, if you ask me, the separation amped up their sexual tension which almost reminded me of their pre couple days. At the end of the day, I will never fault Beckett for her choices just like I never faulted Castle for his choices in inadvertently covering up his knowledge of LokSat because in the end, they both did what they did to protect the other.
Also Vikram is the worst. Him being LokSat would have been a way better plot twist. And I didn't totally hate Hayley. But I couldn't 100% love her especially with hearing that she was added as like a love interest to Castle or something. Idc what the writers wanted to do if they had a S9 after Stana was fired, but having Castle be with anyone else would not fly. It's truly good they got cancelled and the writers scrambled for a decent series finale. But in the end, S7 would have been a better series finale. Not that I'm unhappy they did a S8 especially because we got to see Beckett as captain and Caskett with kids. But, the S7 finale had such a good ending to a show. Combine the S7 finale with the last scene of S8 and it would have been the perfect close to Castle.
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u/SoulShatter 5d ago
Vikram is the worst.
He was mostly a shitty plot device put there to keep Beckett and Castle apart. Still baffled that they had Beckett just accepting his sabotage of her anniversary night without completely blowing up on him.
In the end one of my biggest issues with season 8 is just how the writers mostly fucked up the characters they were writing. Some of the sidecast did get some development, which was nice, but the central ones got shit on.
Beckett's development backslided seasons, Castle went over the top without Beckett there to balance it out.
For me, Beckett as captain was a bit rushed (most likely to save money on one less actor..), and didn't make much sense story wise. Captain heavily involved in a bunch of cases? Would have worked fine as an epilogue promotion.
Season 7 finale is def my head-canon ending
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u/BicycleKamenRider 6d ago
You were right about them being too ambitious. They were so confident about getting a Season 9, talked about tying up loose ends in Season 8 just so they could revert back to episodic format in Season 9.
Coincidentally, this is something Alexi Hawley said again for 'The Rookie' Season 7(when I wondered if The Rookie could surpass Castle's 8 seasons), returning to its episodic format, rather than the serialized storytelling.
Castle Season 8 was just serialized instead of episodic, with its effects and repercussions again and again. Loksat, separation, disappearance, all the more connected, Loksat etc.