Five Reasons to Watch "Castle" on ABC

ABC's website says that "Castle" is a "comedic crime procedural," but "Castle" fans know the series, now in its third season, is much more than that. If you watch it, you already know that, but if you don't, here are five reasons that may just get you watching this series.

1. Chemistry. While there's great chemistry between Nathan Fillion's mystery writer Rick Castle and Stana Katic's police detective Kate Beckett, there's also a beautifully played sexual tension between them that hasn't lessened from the series premier. Whether Castle is rushing to save Beckett from a bomber, as he did in Season 2's episode "Tick, Tick, Tick," or Beckett is stunned to see Castle kissed by the actress set to play the Nikki Heat character in a movie, in the appropriately titled episode "Nikki Heat" earlier this year, it's always there. Expect that tension to heighten after their first kiss on the January 24, 2011, episode. While some pundits think that a hook-up would ruin the series, fans have been rooting for the pair from the start. Hey, it worked for "Hart to Hart!"

2. Supporting Cast. "Castle" is blessed with one of the best supporting casts currently on television. Detectives Esposito and Ryan, played by Jon Huertas and Seamus Dever, respectively, have the "buddy" relationship that cop movies strive for; check out their interplay on the steam-punk episode, "Punked." Susan Sullivan, who plays Castle's mother Martha Rodgers, is note-perfect as the fading but fighting stage actress who lives with her son and still sticks her nose in his life, and Molly Quinn is just as great as teenaged daughter Alexis Castle. A stand-out moment was in this season's episode 8, "Murder Most Fowl," when she was taking care of a rat for her very first boyfriend, Ashley.

3. Writing. The terrific team of eleven writers (and two writers assistants) create seamless scripts week after week. They craft the lines that crack you up (no laugh track necessary) or keep you on the edge of your seat, whether you're waiting for the bad guy to get caught or hoping that this week either Castle or Beckett will spill their feelings. None of the characters is ever "out of character" on "Castle." Don't believe it? Just look at episode titles like "He's Dead, She's Dead;" these writers can pun and write car chases!

4. Two Crimes in One. "Castle's" crime procedural angle is a joy, because the crime they think they're solving always leads to a second one. In this season's episode "Murder Most Fowl," the team started by looking into the murder of a bird-watcher. With plenty of suspects and plenty of alibis, they finally realize that he was killed because he witnessed a kidnapping, and had to be removed. More recently, in "Poof, You're Dead," Beckett and company begin by investigating the murder of a magician who died in a Houdini-escape-trick water tank, but clues lead them to a crooked billionaire, a Ponzi scheme, and a faked death-by-plane-crash.

5. Nathan Fillion. Let's face it, this guy has lit up the small screen since he played Dorian's boy-toy Joey on "One Life to Live," and he's only gotten better. As his character Castle put it, "I really am ruggedly handsome!

So if you haven't been watching "Castle," pick one or all of the reasons above to give it a shot! "Castle" airs Mondays at 10 pm ET on ABC.

(Sources: http://abc.go.com/watch/castle/SH559040?CID=google_sem_1 , http://castletv.net/ )