The Big Picture
Castle successfully blended comedy and drama in a genre known for becoming stale, providing a fresh and engaging story throughout its run.
Nathan Fillion’s performance as Richard Castle was a highlight, although the later seasons strained credibility between his character and Kate Beckett.
While the show featured a rich supporting cast of characters, some, like Martha Rodgers, missed the mark and ventured too far into comedic territory.
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Castle was a remarkable ABC procedural that challenged the parameters of genre with its inventive mixture of comedy and drama. Crime procedurals tend to get stale after a while, as there are only so many “case of the week” episodes that a series can do before it becomes stale. However, Castle managed to intertwine literary fiction, fun guest stars, and a genuine respect for law enforcement to create a series that could be both hilarious and tear-inducing. Although some seasons were more rewatchable than others, Castle maintained a consistent level of quality up until its cancelation in 2016.
Nathan Fillion gave the performance of his career as Richard Castle, a highly successful crime author who decides to kill off the main character from his novels. Castle decides that he needs to get some real experience that will inform his upcoming projects, so, he joins the New York City Police Department in order to help solve many high-priority crime cases. He slowly begins to fall in love with the veteran homicide detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic). While Fillion and Katic had their differences in real life, the series succeeds in making them feel like an authentic screen couple. Castle and Beckett’s romance was undoubtedly the focus of the series, but Castle featured a vast supporting cast of characters that made the mysteries more interesting.
Castle
A suave, best-selling author teams up with a strait-laced detective to solve crimes in New York City.
Release Date March 9, 2009
Main Genre Crime
Seasons 8
Studio ABC
9 Martha Rogers
Played by Susan Sullivan
Image via ABC
Richard Castle’s mother, Martha Rodgers (Susan Sullivan), is largely responsible for his worldview. Castle is considered to be a celebrity because of how popular his novels are, but it’s his mother’s obsession with fame that drives him to be such an egomaniac. Rodgers is a former Broadway star, and it’s implied that she considers Castle’s fame to be a byproduct of her success.
Sullivan adds a healthy amount of comedy to the series, but at times her perspective can feel like a distraction. It was harder to take the show’s homicide cases seriously when Rodgers was badgering her son about his responsibilities. The most rewatchable episodes of Castle were those that managed to thread the needle between taking themselves seriously and adding Castle’s unique perspective. However, the jokes featuring Rodgers just pulled the show in too far of a comedic direction. She was a less-than-likable character whose presence felt largely unnecessary.
8 Kate Beckett
Played by Stana Katic
Image via ABC
Kate Beckett is the senior homicide detective in the NYPD, and someone that the other cops look at with admiration. Although she is initially a detective, Beckett rises through the ranks within the series and eventually attains the rank of captain. She is a Manhattan native, and was driven to join the police department after her mother’s murder went unsolved. While Beckett’s backstory makes her compelling, she’s generally more annoyed with Castle than anyone else. The fundamental issue that Castle faced in its later seasons was that Beckett and Castle’s relationship strained credibility.
Although initially, it was fun to see how differently Castle and Beckett approached their responsibilities, the characters began to feel like they were in completely different shows. If Castle’s goofy, charming personality best fit a lighthearted comedy, Beckett’s more dour approach felt more appropriate for a serious crime drama. Beckett’s serious attitude made it harder for the show to have a sense of humor, and made her a less likable character.
7 Richard Castle
Played by Nathan Fillion
Ironically, Castle’s titular character was hardly its most likable. It’s admirable that Castle would want to give up his lofty position as a writer in order to start actually helping people. However, Castle rarely understands how serious the organization that he committed himself to is. His sense of humor when dealing with real homicide cases sometimes feels incongruous, as there are actual lives on the line. Castle may mine the cases that he works on for material that he can use for his upcoming books, but the murders that Beckett investigates aren’t just fiction.
Castle’s defiant attitude and refusal to accept responsibilities, sadly, made him a less likable character. Although Castle clearly does not have the tenacity to be a real cop, the show does a great job of exploring his career as an author. ABC even considered developing a spinoff series about Derrick Storm, the character from Castle’s in-universe novels, but decided not to pursue that project.
6 Captain Victoria Gates
Played by Penny Johnson Jerald
Image via ABC
Although Castle and Beckett were inseparable throughout the series, Castle featured a revolving door of supporting characters that served different roles within the police department. Among them was Victoria Gates (Penny Johnson Jerald), the 12th precinct captain who steps in to replace Captain Roy Montgomery (Ruben Santiago-Hudson). Unfortunately, Gates’ role in the series was cut short when she was promoted to Deputy Chief and reassigned to One Police Plaza in the eighth season.
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Due to Gates’ limited role, she never forms the personal relationship with Beckett and Castle that her predecessor did, making her a less likable character. This isn’t really Jerald’s fault, as she was not given enough freedom to give Gates a unique personality. Jerald has proven herself as an actress with her performance as Sarafina in Disney’s live-action remake of The Lion King, which she will reprise in its upcoming sequel Mufasa: The Lion King. Frankly, it felt like Castle wasted Jerald’s talents, which was a detriment to the series toward the end of its run.
5 Captain Roy Montgomery
Played by Ruben Santiago-Hudson
Image via ABC
Captain Roy Montgomery served as the police captain of the NYPD for the first three seasons of Castle before he was replaced by Captain Gates. Although Montgomery treated his role seriously, he also understood the unique skills that Castle brought to the team. Even though Castle and Beckett were often at each other’s throats, Montgomery understood that they worked best as a team.
Since Montgomery was only on Castle for three seasons, it was harder for the audience to relate to him. It was disappointing that he was not there to see Castle and Beckett’s romance and marriage, as he was the one who paired them together in the first place. However, leaving Castle did allow Santiago-Hudson to play some other interesting roles. He portrayed the groundbreaking Civil Rights leader Bayard Rustin in the 2014 historical drama Selma before Colman Domingo portrayed the same man in the Netflix biopic, Rustin.
4 Dr. Lanie Parish
Played by Tamala Jones
Image via ABC
Dr. Lanie Parish (Tamala Jones) is a medical examiner for the NYPD and a close personal friend of Beckett’s. Although Beckett often views being emotionally open as a weakness, she is able to discuss her personal issues with Parish. Parish’s warmth and compassion for her coworkers make her a likable character, even if her skills aren’t always given the admiration that they deserve. She takes on the important responsibility of ensuring that the team takes the time to check up on their mental health.
Amusingly, Parish actually notices the romantic chemistry between Beckett and Castle long before either of the characters does. She even advises Beckett to pursue the relationship in order to ensure they won’t be stuck being a “will they or won’t they” couple forever.
3 Detective Kevin Ryan
Played by Seamus Dever
Image via ABC
The police detectives Kevin Ryan (Seamus Dever) and Javier Esposito (Jon Huertas) are actually the best duo on Castle. The two officers are close friends and have worked together on some of the show’s most challenging cases. Although Esposito and Ryan bicker and joke around, they show each other the respect that they deserve.
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Although Ryan and Esposito are largely inseparable, the former does make some decisions that make him less likable in comparison to his partner. Ryan betrays his partner’s trust by stopping Esposito’s investigation into Beckett’s mother’s murder in the episode “Always.” Despite this, the partnership between Ryan and Esposito is a respite from the “will-they-won’t-they?” storylines of Beckett and Castle, and an argument could be made that the duo deserves more credit than they normally receive.
2 Detective Javier Esposito
Played by Jon Huertas
Image via ABC
Although both Esposito and Ryan are likable characters, Esposito has skills beyond the police department. His background in the military allows him to provide insight into marksmanship that the other members of the team could not provide. Esposito’s chaotic dating life also makes him more likable. Although Ryan is married and has children by the end of the series, Esposito fails to make his relationship with Parish work out.
Amusingly, both Esposito and Ryan take the sergeant’s exam in the finals season with the hopes of rising within the ranks. They both fail the test and must remain in their current positions. Perhaps Esposito and Ryan are doomed to be a buddy cop duo forever, which may not be as bad as it sounds given their great chemistry while they’re on the screen, which was a welcome change from the tug-and-pull that was Castle and Beckett’s relationship. Esposito, along with Ryan, was the true MVP of Castle.
1 Alexis Castle
Played by Molly Quinn
Image via ABC
There aren’t many characters in Castle that grow quite as much as Castle’s daughter, Alexis (Molly Quinn). Although Alexis begins the series as a shy child who is subservient to her father and his career, she becomes one of his closest allies and advisors. Remarkably, Alexis has the responsibility and maturity that her father lacks, and it’s this level of maturity that keeps her father (relatively) grounded.
Quinn did a great job at detailing Alexis’ development as the series went on. Not only was it believable, but it was great watching Alexis come out of her shy shell and become a great advisor for both her father and Beckett. Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe may recognize her from her role as a ravager in the Guardians of the Galaxy films, but it’s fair to say that Quinn’s portrayal as the precocious Alexis was her true breakout role, and she stands as the most likable character in the series.
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