I love this. Is it perfectly realistic? Is it completely shockingly unpredictable? No and no. BUT it is fun and funny, well written, the acting and characters are well-defined and developed, the chemistry is good in the relationships... and it never disappoints! Thank god!
ALSO I want to laud and thank the writers for making this show adult sophisticated enough, but not too raunchy/specific that kids can't watch. It seems like many shows like Lie to Me and Bones, pull in raunchy sexual themes to cheaply raise ratings. Even when the theme is "adult" like in this episode about the escorts, they handle it in a way that I don't cringe sitting beside my 10 year old. Thank you!
Love Castle and Becket, the mom and daughter are awesome, even the "fringe" characters (other cops) are endearing and developed. Well done. I look forward to this show every week! This and House are my too faves - both consistent, well-acted, and well-written.

The "Fool me Once" episode of a few weeks ago was also rather weak, and I notice that they have the same credited writer. The guy who plays Captain Montgomery may be the most wooden actor on television. Fillion continues to do decent work, but hasn't really added much to his character. It's certainly not "Firefly", nor is his performance anywhere near as good as, say, Hugh Laurie as "House" or Tim Roth in "Lie to Me". All in all an acceptable detective show, but no better.

Like the vast majority of Castle reviewers I started watching this show because I enjoyed other works Nathan Fillion was in (Firefly, Dr. Horrible) and wanted to see if he was any good here.
Some other reviewers have criticized it as a clichéd story of detectives' love/hate or childish/parental relationship, but that's oversimplifying the characters and story. What roped me into the series was the witty dialog and the unusual perspective an author brings to the detective scene. I can see people solve murder mysteries all over TV today, but nowhere else do I find the style of comedy that Castle provides. No other detective show is going to end an episode with a punchline pun referencing Edgar Allan Poe, nor will one feature a lead character who treats his cases with as much whim or fascinated enthusiasm as Castle does.
While I have to mark the series down one star for being conceptually clichéd, I think the characters are written and acted with enough depth and uniqueness for the series to be worth watching and is quite enjoyable amongst a plethora of competitors in one of modern television's most populous genres.

Oh cool a straight-lipped, serious, professional woman is partnered up with a wisecracking silly man. They act like they don't like each other but there's some MAJOR tension there! Wow! Never seen a set-up like that before! Well on second thought, I might have seen similar set-ups in Moonlighting, The X-Files, Stargate, Fringe, Warehouse 13

No wonder this show is close to cancellation. When will networks realize that both men and women do not enjoy seeing grown up guys (especially the star of the show) acting the son/little brother role with the woman acting the mom/big sister role. People want to see a lead man- jesus.

I miss Firefly but love seeing the actor in Castle! How smart was the reference for all of us Firefly watchers. Especially when the daughter referenced him wearing the outfit 5 years ago. Superb!

Was definately diggin' the browncoat threads. Makes me long for the good ole days when things were "Shiny". Keep up the good work on the show.

I loved seeing Nathon Fallon back in him Cpt. Malcom Renalds outfit in this episode, even thought it was the Halloween Episode. I was so happy to see him back in it, he was and will alway's be Cpt. Malcom Renalds.....Makes me miss the fack Firefly is not on.... Glad to see he still fit's into it...His persona of Castle sorta has a little bit of Mal in it....