7 Reasons we need more Beckett on Castle
Who doesn’t love Kate Beckett? Castle’s leading lady is one of the toughest, most loyal and smartest women out there. She also happens to own one of the most enviable wardrobes around. It’s not hard to figure out why she’s one of the top detectives on television and a favourite character amongst TV Junkies everywhere. Season 7 of the ABC drama has reminded us of our love of Stana Katic’s Beckett on more than one occasion and simply put: we want more!
This season, it seems as though writers have made the conscious effort of bringing the focus back to Nathan Fillion’s Richard Castle. The show’s new overarching mystery has centered around him, after all. And we’d by lying if we said our interest wasn’t piqued. Still, we can’t help but implore the Castle writers to give us more Beckett, too.
Why’s that? Well, there have been story lines that have not worked as well as others. We’re talking about the moments when Castle and Beckett were separated and not working together. If we’ve learned anything over seven seasons, it’s that these two are far better together than apart. Now that the pair have finally tied the knot and can partner up again, fans can hopefully get back to the good stuff. That includes Kate, and lots of her.
The recent “Hong Kong Hustle” episode is a prime example. The focus shifted to Beckett and Katic–as always–did not disappoint. It reminded us that this is Beckett’s show just as much as it’s Castle’s. She always has been, and continues to be, worthy of all the praise and adoration Castle and fans heap on her. Can that momentum keep going?
We sure as heck hope so, but it’s hard to say. In recent weeks there have been hints of Beckett’s desire to have children. Sure, we didn’t get to see her priority list, we’re guessing babies was high up there. When is the right time to have a baby? It’s a question faced by many women and one we hope Castle will continue to explore as it gives Kate some much deserved focus. The show will be much better off in the end if that’s the case.
Don’t believe us? Let’s take a short trip down the Season 7 memory lane to revisit some of the best Kate Beckett moments and why we love her so much. More Beckett please!
She’s a total badass
Right from the start of Season 7, we were reminded that you do NOT want to get on Kate’s bad side, and if you do, you better look out for Badass Beckett. Yes, Badass Beckett is down for kicking ass first and taking names later. Remember that time she totally floored the guy in the car lot during the season premiere?
Or what about when she was determined to get information out of a suspect about her missing husband by any means necessary:
Plain and simple: Do not mess with Kate Beckett or you’ll be sorry.
She never gave up hope
Kate Beckett is a cop, and a damned good one at that. She always trusts the evidence, except when it comes to the man she loves most. All signs pointed to Castle being dead but Kate refused to give up and she never stopped looking for him. She even busted out the murder board (which she was so thankful to put away after Bracken’s arrest) in her old apartment to work on Castle’s disappearance.
She gets emotional
We may have just detailed how tough Beckett can be, but she also gets pretty emotional when it comes to the people in her life that matter most. After six and a half years, Beckett and Castle finally tied the knot and it felt just as emotionally rewarding to fans as it did the two lead characters. As Beckett began her vows to Castle, telling him, “The moment that I met you my life became extraordinary,” we think Castle fans all over the world got emotional right along with her.
She’s a supportive partner
Does Beckett get annoyed with Castle every now and again? Sure, but can we really blame her? However, Kate is genuinely charmed by Castle’s man-child traits, most of the time, and is always a great and supportive partner on and off the job. When Castle announced his latest crazy scheme, to become a private investigator, his wife didn’t balk at the idea. Instead, she saw it for what it was: an attempt to stay close to her and still be able to work cases together. Plus, she got her new husband quite possibly the best gift and new P.I. could have hoped for.
She doesn’t need a man to rescue her
When serial killer 3XK returned to Castle this season with his partner-in-crime, Dr. Kelly Nieman, Beckett proved once again she’s no damsel in distress. Just as Nieman moved towards Beckett to end her life, our beloved detective flipped the tables on the psycho doctor by overpowering her and escaping. She didn’t need anyone to come to her rescue, she saved herself.
She gets insecure like the rest of us
A visiting inspector in “Hong Kong Hustle,” made Kate Beckett insecure about her life and had her questioning how successful she really was. It was comforting to know that even a super cop (who could also pass for a supermodel), like Kate Beckett gets insecure every now and again.
But at the end of the day Kate realized that while she may not be at the top of the mountain career-wise, she has a pretty good handle on what’s really and truly important in life, and that’s what matters most.
She’s part of the Castle family
When Kate married Richard Castle she wasn’t just getting a new husband, but she was also officially becoming a part of a whole new family. She and Alexis have bonded and seem to have a great step-mother/step-daughter relationship going on. We all want to see more of this right?
It’s been a seamless transition as the Castle family has moved from three to four members and many hints have been dropped along the way leading us to think it won’t be long before this family expands once again.
What has been your favourite Season 7 Kate Beckett moment thus far? What do you hope to see as Season 7 nears its end? Add your thoughts and predictions to the comments below.
Castle airs Mondays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC and CTV.
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About The Author
Bridget Liszewski
Editor in Chief Bridget Liszewski comes from a long line of TV Junkies who fostered her love of television from a very young age. She's channeled that passion into covering both US and Canadian television shows, and is thankful everyday for the invention of the DVR. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, she loves college football and is a fan of sports in general. Bridget is always up for talking TV and you can follow her on twitter at @BridgetOnTV.
Nice article Bridget. It has been fun the last couple of seasons to see all the sides of Kate Beckett (now Castle). I have enjoyed seeing her “softer” side as well as the side that made her the great detective she is. And I am convinced that no one other than Stana Katic can play this role! Stana and Nathan have been perfect these almost 7 seasons. Let’s hope they will give us at least one more season to complete their wonderful story. Thanks!!
True!
I wish we could see more Beckett if we get another season of Castle.
I’m very grateful as a fan to have been a witness to the
Evolution of Ms. STANA KATIC as KATE BECKETT in TV’s
CASTLE…… A perfect fit & a perfect role!!! And for me, all the memories of KATE/STANA will forever endure
in love & appreciation of her. Thank You, Bridget!
While Beckett is of course an important part of the show, it has been a long time coming in finally getting back to the show’s titular character. Richard Castle for the past several seadons has been shoved aside & forgotten.. Adding nothing more than a funny quip to the story. His character has been neglected far too long. It is time to let him shine as Beckett has been given so many chances to do in the past. Not everyone has been disappointed in the way this season and stories have progressed. I for one have loved the PI arc & anxiously await epi 720 and delving into Castle’s mystery. There’s so much more to this man than funny comments. Glad we’re finally getting to see more of him. And continue to do so.
Regina you are right in some ways. BUT, when the focus shifted to Castle it just became a mindless exercise.
In an effort to be kind I’ll just say that the show got dull. Then I really realized how much Stana brought to this role, in fact to this show period. I never really understood what was meant by the term star power until Beckett and therefore Stana was not front and center. I found myself just waiting for the Beckett parts during any episode.
I still don’t fully understand what is star power, so I’ll just say that they have no show without Stana.
Nothing against Nathan, he’s alright but he just ain’t got that thing that makes you remember a show. He fine as a filler or supporter.
“There’s so much more to this man than funny comment” Apparently there isn’t. That’s the problem of this season. I thought this season would be about it but not at all. And honestly I don’t even find the character funny at all anymore, they transformed him into a caricature of himself. The kiss with Gates for example was one of the worst thing EVER.
Not to mention of passive and disinterested they make him in his relationship with Kate, if he’s acting that way when he’s in love, no wonder he’s divorced twice.
This.
And he is just not my idea of a romantic leading man. The romance became awkward and embarrassing. And then to add silly to that, it became useless to watch when I could no longer depend on Beckett and Stana’s talent saving the episode. More and More Beckett, please. Served on a silver tray.
And if I was Beckett he would be divorced three times.
No, amend that. I would seek an annulment. The grounds would be alienation of affections.
Fans tend to hate Eric Vaughn because they saw as a threat to this so called love story.
But I still remember the amorous looks he gave Beckett. He did more in one episode than Castle has done in seven seasons. We could see he had beginning affections for Beckett.
Sometimes Castle is just there, wasting time being silly.
Lena, I don’t know what you’re watching but “Castle” is funny, amongst other feelings. I have never seen two people work so well together, as the rest of the actors. Season 7 has been great and Season 8 would be greater yet. Just enjoy the show Lena or stop watching it. / By the way, this was an excellent article.
“There’s so much more to this man than funny comments.” Unfortunately, neither the mythology nor the P.I. arc capitalized on that idea. The Richard Castle mythology was/is clearly something they threw on top of the character – as opposed to mining from the Castle they’d already built. As I noted in a review, we learned more about Castle in the season five episode, “The Wild Rover” than in 17 episodes of season 7. More importantly, the best episodes of learning about Castle, or Beckett, have come out of the Caskett interactions.
When I heard there was to be more focus on Castle I was elated. I thought we’d get more conversations, more intimate revealing. I was imagining heartfelt conversations about things in his childhood that made him into the character we first met and watched grow and change, or sudden funny outbursts of Castle’s history while on a case – like in season six’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” Instead we got a story completely disconnected to the rest of the series and a surface version of the funny witty man we once knew. The ratings for the P.I. arc speak for themselves.
With the focus on what Beckett’s next move is, the result likely won’t be it being all Beckett. The JB murder – especially in the first few seasons, served to illuminate both Beckett and Castle. It’s through the trials of Beckett that we’ve learned how much fierceness, heart, and integrity Castle has. That’s the structure the show started with. I hope that the recent return to this direction is where the show will continue to go this season, and, if we are lucky enough to get a season eight, that they will continue with this form so that we get their story. Their story – not just hers, not just his.
Well stana is the best kate beckett ever.and no one can ever do what she does no one can ever replace her she is the best ever.we need season 8 so much more left.to do with castle.stana is the best ever
This is not about screen time, regina. this is about who hold the series together, right now castle’s character hasn’t done that, the ratings are a proof of that.
My favorite Beckett moment from this season was Time of Our Lives when Richard and Kate got married.
Eh, aside from wardrobe I could never dig this character. Too Mary Sue, and more so in later seasons. These badass loner types admired by everyone around them are a dime a dozen on TV these days. She has her moments when something human appears for a sec, thanks to the actress I guess. But overall I just tune her out.
Castle è la migliore serie del momento…Beckett è interpretata da Stana Katic in modo eccellente…bravura UNICA…incrociamo le dita per la STG 8….Per finire in bellezza….hanno anona molto da dare….
For me Beckett has always been the best character of Castle. Now I wasn’t againt a “season of Castle” if it meant seeing an interesting side of him and seeing Castle and Beckett together but instead all we saw was Castle acting like a 5 years old (which is really not attractive or even funny) and apparently all they meant by “the season of Castle” was giving him more screentime. Because we didn’t see any development in the character, any develoment in his relationship with Beckett … nothing. It’s like last season and the useless wedding talks, except it’s even worse because we barely see Beckett.
je ne suis pas d’accord avec vous j’en ai eu marre, à partir de la saison 5 de subir un shwo beckett en continue, , “”du beckett toujours du beckett ras le bol””” on en fait une une overdose, le swho c’est des partenaires à égualité, la saison 7 a ete de nouveau équilibré et sa ete un bonheur. MAis plus du beckett a profision c’est insuportable surtout les preparations au mariage, et ses questionnements a longueur de temps et de journée , trop de beckett me donne des démengé et la nausé et je vais faire une alergie a la serie. Vous voulez que castle fasse de la figuration, ou qu’il aille pécher au bord d’une rivère en attendant que beckett fasse son swho, soyons raisonable la serie s’appelle castle et les deux protagonistes doivent etre ensemble, tout est question d’équilibre c’est comme une horloge si elle se casse plus rien ne marche, donc trop de beckett grippe et bloque le fonctionement de la serie
je ne suis pas d’accord avec vous j’en ai eu marre, à partir de la saison 5 de subir un shwo beckett en continue, , “”du beckett toujours du beckett ras le bol””” on en fait une une overdose, le swho c’est des partenaires à égualité, la saison 7 a ete de nouveau équilibré et sa ete un bonheur. MAis plus du beckett a profision c’est insuportable surtout les preparations au mariage, et ses questionnements a longueur de temps et de journée , trop de beckett me donne des démengésons et la nausé, on va faire une alergie a la serie. Vous voulez que castle fasse de la figuration, ou qu’il aille pécher au bord d’une rivère en attendant que beckett fasse son swho, soyons raisonable la serie s’appelle castle et les deux protagonistes doivent etre ensemble, tout est question d’équilibre c’est comme une horloge si elle se casse plus rien ne marche, donc trop de beckett grippe et bloque le fonctionement de la serie et castle est un homme responsable, il peu etre loufoque mais il c’est prendre ses responsabilités, car si il avait pas ete responsable attentif patient et adulte il n’aurait pas attndu pendant 5 ans beckett avec ses caprices ces questionnements, castle ne l’aurait pas aider a finir le travail au sujet de sa mère un autre homme a sa place il y aurait longtemps qu’il l’aurai laissé tomber a la beclett, je trouve qu’il ne ce comporte pas comme un enfant de 5 ans a voir quand on enléve sa fille alexis et quand il affronte x3k donc c’est une homme responsable dans tout les termes
My favorite season 7 Beckett moment(s) was in Driven.
1. Beckett rushed into the hall after viewing Castle on the video putting something in the trash bin. Stana made you feel her pain, her creeping doubts that she did not want to experience. Covering her mouth to muffle herself and her doubts. Even her stance, her body language, played out her fear and desperation. And she didn’t say a word.
2. Driven again- When Beckett over heard Espo and Ryan expressing doubts. Stana again showed the audience that she had to face the reality of the situation and she had to maintain her composure in front of her colleagues and she did, without saying so. Stana showed this in her face and her demeanor. Also when she had to question Castle’s commitment by seeking out Alexis and Martha. Here she showed us her questioning and hoping, simultaneously.
3. Driven again- Trying to face Castle after he had been found , showing Beckett’s mixed emotions by almost leaving the room and yet wanting to inquire, needing answers.
4. Driven- the last scene where Beckett and Castle are alone in the bedroom and Stana’s hesitation, and her physical and emotional distance from Castle initially and then folding into Castle arms. Stana showed Beckett’s determination and wish to try.
I really did not get much from Nathan in all of this. Stana kept stealing the scenes without saying very much.
D…m, that girl can just act and give us memorable scenes, over and over.
I depend on this. Without Stana, I am done. Without Stana, there is no show.
Since Stana hasn’t had much to do this season, I’m very grateful that she was given Driven. As always, she elevated the script to another step up. And, without her character front and center, I’ve lost interest in the show.
IMO Driven was the best episode of this season!
I adore Beckett and I adore Stana. She fuels all the storylines in my opinion. Nobody embraces her job like Kate Beckett and Stana Katic. I find Stana’s portrayal of Kate mesmerizing, and spellbinding. Castle is the name of the show, but for me it is Beckett. We need more KB in every episode.
Bridget, great article. I agree with you so much. Why does Beckett always have to be the aggressor in the relationship? Because Stana portrays a woman in love so well. Her eyes, her looks, her body language. Castle has been written to be an aloof boyfriend/husband who wouldn’t know romance if it hit him in the face. Beckett has grown 360 degrees since the show started and Castle only half of that. KB is easy to root for and I have been rooting for her for 7 Seasons.
Bridget, kudos!! You really nailed it.Very well thought out and superbly written.My take on Beckett is that she is so much more “real” than Castle in that we get to see so much more of what makers her “tick”. For whatever reason Castle only on rare occasions allows us to catch a glimpse of his soul — Becket, on the other hand shouts out to us: ” Here I am,like it or not”!! and I like it a lot! Another thought has been nagging me for a time now: We all know that Becket has found some closure when she arrested Bracken — but has found the HEALING that is needed to really move past the pain of her mom’s murder ??? And does healing require forgiveness ???? Does anybody out there have any thoughts about this ?? Myself,I think at least 1 episode could explore this idea. In the meantime though I’ with all of you: Let’s get it straight, we NEED a season 8 !!!
Stana makes the show. They wrote Season 7 based around Castle, meaning no romance, no signs of loving Kate. Very cold between the two of them. To me Season 7 is boring. Story lines are terrible. I watch it for Beckett expressions. I thought they were suppose to be married. Hardly any scenes to show that. I agree that basing this Season around Castle was definitely not a good idea. The show is Stana, all Stana. Also did they take Molly and Susan out of the whole season ?
Joe, am I right in sensing that you are seeking a reason for season 8 and that reason should include having Stana front and center again? I am for that, a storyline like that would demand a heavy display of emotions and we all know that Stana could handle it and keep us interested and identify with the character.
If they could translate the storytelling to follow the progression of Beckett healing, I am down with that.
We are just missing Beckett I think.
Sue,thanks for the reply;and you are correct- we,all of us, are missing Beckett! The GREAT news is that there is still so much room for growth in the Castle/Beckett paradigm – and it would be wonderful to have a front row seat to witness it happen; if only the cast and crew would allow us to do so.What would I like to see?? Here is another thought that has just come to me: In order for Beckett to “heal” Castle needs to become a little bit more like Eric Vaughn. Castle needs to unload some of the “it’s all about me” behavior and become more of the romantic – which means more than just delivering that morning cup of coffee ! Love is not about Castle feeling good but rather it’s about Castle feeling good because HE MADE KATE FEEL LOVED !! Then it would be great fun for us to see Kate’s response!! Now if the writers could do all this and still maintain both the story line of who-done-it murder and the always present Castle humor —- WOW—- we would have enough story lines for several more seasons ! Right now, I’d be happy to have a season 8 thiugh.
Second thoughts about what I just posted:
Castle and Beckett cannot be perfect.That would kill the show. They must remain flawed. Beckett with her “sort fuse” and pit-bull temper at times and Castle with his naivete when it comes to relationships.All the baggage that they come with needs to remain so that we can all see them as imperfect guys just as we are imperfect and flawed guys.Works in progress we all are. I just would like to see a softer side of Castle, at least occasionally. Help me out here guys,where am I going with these thoughts???? And what about Gates andCastle’s dad and Kate’s dad and Castle’ mom and daughter — how do they fit into the story???Can Gates help Castle become a better lover? Can Alexis help Kate to understand her father??? Need help here!!
Beckett is by far my favorite character but I wasn’t against finding out more about Castle. But let’s be honest, we didn’t find anything about Castle this year except that he is immature.
I will never understand why Castle act like a scared virgin everytime Kate wants to kiss him but seems very interested in every other women. It’s the man who was bragging about his “hundreds of super-hot girlfriends” in 5×03 (in front of Kate, it shows how respectful to her he’s portrayed in their relationship), and he acts completely clueless most of the time. I’m really disappointed in the writers for what they’ve done to Castle’s character since they got together.
And honestly, I love the guy but Nathan’s acting doesn’t help in the “romantic” scenes (if we can call them like that), he doesn’t seem to make any effort, I understand that this is uncomfortable but if Stana can do it, I’m sure he can too. Seriously, I’ve never seen a TV couple with physical scenes that awkward to watch.
Even Beckett these past two seasons has been reduced to “the woman in love”. All we see is her watching Castle with a smile 2 or 3 times each episodes to show she finds him sooo adorable, And it’s even more annoying because we never see Castle looking in love, or very very rarely.
Great article. Thank U. More Beckett, pleaaasssse…
I watched Castle when it first came on but have only occassionally watched it in the last 2 or 3 years. At the beginning I though Beckett was a real bore. I thought Katic didn’t bring much to the part she was given and the humour of Castle was the thing that attracted me to the series. But I have to admit, when I watch it now I MUCH prefer Katic’s performance. The subtlety of Katic is so much more intertesting than the in your face Castle.
Bridget,
Look at what you started!! I can’t believe the response from your blog . More than 30 responses – is that not GREAT or what !!! This can only mean 1 thing — YOU need to finish the job. You can be a champion to all of us.Some how you need to get this message to ABC as well as Nathan and Stana.Some how you need to convince them that THEIR gift to us would be at least 1 more season (their 8th) ; and OUR gift to them would be our loyalty to watching the show move forward. I KNOW you can do this as you are so good with words as proved by how well you wrote your article. Please consider being our “voice” as we may be running out of time. Oh, and THANK YOU !!!
Saw the link on a Stana thread of the Castle forum, wasn’t hard to predict the resulting bashing of the Castle character and the actor playing him. This kind of articles always result in this kind of comments as knows everyone in the fandom. Was especially neat that it was posted on Fillion’s bday. To make it sting more or just a happy coincidence?
Give me a break. As a long-time watcher of the show, Beckett has been every episode. So, if there was anymore Beckett, they would have to change the name of the show. Personally, I would like to see better acting from Beckett. So maybe that could be the focus of your next article.
Of course Beckett has been in every episode, she’s the main character with Castle. I will never understand this argument about the name of the show, Grey’s anatomy isn’t just about Meredith Grey for example. From the first episode, “Castle” has been about Castle and Beckett, the show doesn’t exist without one of these two.
Great article ! I miss Beckett too. Seeing Castle clowning around on his own is totally boring, it’s sad but this season I skip parts everytime he’s investigating on his own. I wish they would get back to the essence of the show, Beckett and Castle TOGETHER, but for whatever reason they are doing everything they can to separate them every episode.
We just need one reason to want more Beckett : she’s the best character ever 🙂