Castle "Knockdown"

This week's episode of Castle, titled "Knockdown" was an excellent example of a TV show living up to what we love about it.

Richard Castle, the mystery writer who has been shadowing NYPD Detective Kate Beckett for more than two seasons clearly has feelings for this smart, beautiful woman. And, of course, as is the case in so many of these "sexual tension" shows, she has feelings for Castle, too, but they never seem to get together.

Also, like many of these police dramas, there is a long-running mystery which serves as a connecting arc. This mystery involves the killing of Beckett's mother several years before the TV show began.

"Knockdown" moved the mystery story forward, without ending it. This is good, because it seems like once a central mystery is solved, a show loses some of its driving force. "Knockdown" also got its two characters a little closer to admitting their feelings for one another, without quite doing it. Again, probably a good thing, since the breaking of sexual tension often robs a show of some inner energy.
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.... SPOILER ALERT (as if every Castle fan didn't already know....)
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But that doesn't mean the producers can't give the fans something. And this week, they promised it. Loudly. The Kiss.

It was worth it.

Now, I hope that, someday, the writers and producers are willing to put Castle and Beckett together, because I think the characters are strong enough, and the writing good enough, to deal with the issues which would arise. But until then, this episode will serve to tease us into watching the show again and again.

I am imbedding a Youtube video below, but "The Kiss" is really better seen in context. Especially, but not exclusively, because this clip only shows the second half of "The Kiss."