ABC'S "Castle" and Beckett Begin a New Chapter

Will they? Or won't they? That is an age old question about television romances. From the early days on T.V., romance between the top stars in a show has been tricky.Looking back on many of them, with the help of Avclub.com, there is no clear answer on how the romance ended up affecting the show.

Looking back on the shows that I remember, there was "Taxi," when Alex (Judd Hirsch),and Elaine (Marilu Henner), seemed starry eyed for each other, but I don't remember them getting together. Of course, we had Sam Malone (Ted Danson), and Diane Chambers (Shelly Long), on "Cheers," and my favorite television romance, Dave (Bruce Willis), and Maddie (Cybil Shepherd) on "Moonlighting." Now we can add Rick Castle (Nathan Fillion), and Kate Beckett (Stan Katic), to our list.

In the last three new episodes, Castle and Beckett seem to be becoming a definite "item." We first saw the story of an actress, who was portraying Nikki Heat, a character in Rick's book, based on Kate Beckett. She showed up to shadow Kate, and get a feel for her personality and way of thinking. She had no clue who Rick was, which totally frustrated him. The screen writer was getting all of the credit for writing her character. While they worked on a murder case, the actress (played admirably by Laura Peppon), not only began to act and think like Beckett, she also to a shining to Castle. Nikki ends up throwing herself at Castle, and in an elevator at the station, plants a kiss on him, as Beckett watched from the squad room. Nikki goes further, and Castle gallantly pushes her away. Nikki ends up telling Beckett of the details, or lack of them .As a tease, ABC was showing previews of this episode with Castle holding an engagement ring, while talking to Beckett. It turned out that the ring belonged to Detective Ryan, (Seamus Denver), who was planning on proposing to his girlfriend. She said yes by the way.

Also during the month, we learn that Castle has finally ended his on again, off again relationship with his Agent/ex-wife. Although Beckett still seems to have a boyfriend, he is conveniently out of town a lot, leaving the two to keep thickening the story line. Wrapping up the month, Castle and Beckett are working a cold case, which involves the murder of Beckett's Mother, stabbed to death in an alley. When a retired cop meets with Beckett and Castle, to come clean on what he knows, he is shot by a sniper, right in front of Castle and Beckett. Castle becomes concerned when he sees blood on Beckett, but it's from the victim. When Beckett is taken off the case, she tells Castle to stay away, which, of course, he does not.

During the episode, Castle's Mother Martha (Susan Sullivan), tells Castle how concerned she is for his safety. She explains that he wrote 22 books prior to meeting, and working with Beckett. Castle admits that it isn't about his writing any more, it's about his feelings for Beckett. As the show continues, Castle and Beckett are trying to locate two of their co-workers, Detectives Esposito and Ryan, who have been taken hostage by the man who killed the cop in front of Castle and Beckett. While trying to distract a thug guarding the door to the location of Esposito and Ryan, Castle and Beckett act as a couple, and embrace in a passionate kiss. Finally, we all say, they kiss. They rescue their friends, and Castle ends up saving Beckett's life, by knocking the bad guy down, just before he shoots Beckett.

So, what does this all mean? The writers of the show are building toward Castle and Beckett finally getting together. I'm always rooting for them to become a couple, as I did for Dave and Maddie on "Moonlighting." But then what? Does it wreck the chemistry of the show? According to the Nielsen ratings, "Castle" won it's time slot again at the end of the month. The show seems to be appealing to more women than men, but I'm hooked. How will all of this play out? Stay tuned!