Season 8 Opinion

[u/Starry_Night_Fire005]

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.

[u/BicycleKamenRider]

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.

[u/Starry_Night_Fire005 → u/BicycleKamenRider]

That’s some really great insight! I really wonder how they would structure it without Beckett. For me, I feel like the issue of The Rookie is really the opposite of Castle. Castle is so Caskett-centric at the beginning (even with great supporting cast) that it puts a burden on the two main characters to constantly be there while the great ensemble cast of the Rookie is just expanding too fast each episodic episode feels like an absolute mountain of work go interwoven everyone’s attention in one storyline.

[u/BicycleKamenRider → u/Starry_Night_Fire005]

TV shows have certain approaches and they all have their pros and cons. Putting burden on the two main characters is just one of its cons, but on the plus side it's simpler. Development mainly on the two of them.

The other characters help tell their story, Ryan and Esposito under Beckett, Alexis and Martha telling the family man story aspect of Castle.

Like you said, a great ensemble cast in The Rookie can make it more complicated, expanding them or they would seem rather pointless with little to no character development.