Wondering just how big CASTLE’s upcoming finale has the potential to be? Perhaps these just released photos and episode description will hold a clue or two. Ominously titled “Watershed”, the Monday May 13th season ender has an interview with a high-profile federal law enforcement agency force Beckett to reconsider what she wants out of her job. Scarier still, her professional prospects aren’t the only thing Beckett is reevaluating, with ABC Publicity also teasing that Beckett may want out of her relationship with Castle as well! First look photos of which have been handily posted after the jump.

CASTLE: "Watershed"

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New episodes of CASTLE airs Mondays at 10PM on ABC (CTV in Canada) and stars Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Susan Sullivan, Molly C. Quinn, Jon Huertas, Tamala Jones, Seamus Dever and Penny Johnson. Catch up with past episodes you may have missed for free online at clicktowatch.tv.

Good News: Ioan Gruffudd is guest starring on CASTLE. Bad News: The dashingly handsome and delightfully British actor will be guest starring as what ABC publicity deftly describes as a charming billionaire entrepreneur named Erik Vaughn whom Beckett is tasked with protecting, forcing her to reflect on her relationship with Castle that has begun to plateau. More first look photos of the April 29th episode, appropriately titled “The Squab and the Quail” can be found for yourself, after the jump.

CASTLE: "The Squab and the Quail"

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New episodes of CASTLE airs Mondays at 10PM on ABC (CTV in Canada) and stars Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Susan Sullivan, Molly C. Quinn, Jon Huertas, Tamala Jones, Seamus Dever and Penny Johnson. Catch up with past episodes you may have missed for free online at clicktowatch.tv.

On the eve of CASTLE hitting its one hundredth episode tonight on ABC (CTV in Canada), theTVaddict.com thought now might be as good as any to share a brief one-on-one with the show’s creator Andrew Marlowe. But just what did the affable showrunner have to say about the status of the series in a post-will-they-or-won’t-they-world, his cast and creative team’s complete and utter lack of award recognition and life after CASTLE? See for yourself, after the jump.

Since this interview is actually taking place during award season, I wanted to start off by first asking you about those pesky little golden statuettes. As someone who has watched some truly fantastic acting by Stana Katic in particular, does it bother you as a creator of a procedural to know that your show has very little chance of ever getting the recognition it deserves?
Andrew Marlowe: Yes and No. When you work in this industry and you see who’s giving the awards and what they’re for, you start to understand the politics of the process. I think in terms of people who are overlooked, Stana [Katic] and Nathan [Fillion] are in really great company with a lot of really great actors. Unfortunately I think it’s going to become harder and harder for the broadcast networks to compete because the shows that are more provocative, sensational and that are going to capture attention and give the press more to write about are on cable like BREAKING BAD, HOMELAND, GAME OF THRONES. That’s not to say what Stana and Nathan are doing isn’t of that calibre, they are turning in really remarkable performances week after week. But our gratification is that fans love the show, we’re on the air and we have great support. Would it be nice to have something bright and shiny on your mantel when you’re feeling low — as we all do in the business — yeah that would be great but it’s also great to be working and having a good time on set so we know know lucky we are.

This season, the show took the audacious step of bringing Castle and Beckett together after four seasons of will-they-or-won’t-they. Looking back on how season five has played out, are you happy with that decision?
To this point, yeah! We always wanted to be honest with this relationship, we always felt there was more storytelling on the other side of two people getting together and there are more mile posts and benchmarks in the future so we’re excited to see this couple achieve those. We know that there are going to be a lot of twists and turns and challenges along the way, some small ones that we like to mine for comedy and some bigger ones that by the end of the season will force the characters to take a hard look at what their life choices are going to be.

One of the things I really appreciate about CASTLE is the amount of time and energy it appears the writers put into the immensely creative cases of the weeks. In terms of writing, what’s easier: The relationship stuff, or coming up with the weeks whodunit!?
The Castle and Beckett stuff is definitely easier to write and find an interesting angle on, but this year, because they’re in a relationship we’re sort of reinventing the wheel which has been a bit challenge. That said, it’s still not as challenging as breaking procedurals! But we know we that we have a responsibility to deliver a really great case to the audience because that’s the string on which the pearls of character are strung on to make something that’s aesthetically pleasing. Without that structure, the other stuff won’t be as meaningful. So yeah, it’s a lot of work, probably 70% of our time versus 30% spent on the personal stories and weaving that in. But if the case doesn’t work, it doesn’t matter how bright and shiny and fun the personal stuff is, it just doesn’t play as well.

Let’s talk spinoff! Successful Showrunners like Shonda Rhimes and/or Hart Hanson have a history of leveraging the success of their current show into two or three on a Network. Has there been any thought to moving onto new projects now that CASTLE is running so smoothly?
Being a showrunner is a twenty-four-seven, three hundred and sixty five day a year job, which makes it very difficult to develop new stuff unless you take a step back. So, when the time is appropriate and I know I have good people that I can count on to continue to tell great stories — hopefully with me helping to steer the ship — maybe that’s something we will do. But the fact of the matter is that the TV landscape is changing so quickly now in terms of what works and what doesn’t. We’ve seen a steady ratings decline over the past couple of years in the overnights and the reality is just that while people are consuming content, they’re consuming it over multiple platforms. Right now there is a lot of trepidation in the business. Things have changed a lot since CASTLE first came on the air and it’s been interesting to work in these times and watch people we’ve partnered with over at the studio and the network address those challenges.

And finally, since I can’t let you go without snagging a little bit of scoop, how long until Victoria “Iron” Gates catches onto the reality of Castle and Beckett’s “partnership!”
The stress and strain of keeping Castle and Beckett’s secret from Gates will continue, which we plan on playing up both for serious and comedic effects. That said, I’m sure there is going to be some significant storytelling later in our run because inevitably she is going to find out. But how she is going to react to that, well you’ll have to stay tuned.

New episodes of CASTLE airs Mondays at 10PM on ABC (CTV in Canada) and stars Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Susan Sullivan, Molly C. Quinn, Jon Huertas, Tamala Jones, Seamus Dever and Penny Johnson. Catch up with past episodes you may have missed for free online at clicktowatch.tv.

Did your invitation to CASTLE’s 100th episode celebration get, err… lost in the mail? Well, never fear, theTVaddict.com is here. Specifically here with a look inside the cake-cutting ceremony that took place on Wednesday February 27th. See for yourself, after the jump. Read the rest of this entry.

CASTLE's 100th Episode Celebration

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CASTLE’s 100th episode airs on Monday April 1st at 10PM on ABC (CTV in Canada).

When the murder of an Irish gang member forces Detective Ryan to confront his somewhat murkier days as an undercover cop running with the Staten Island Mob, one of New York’s finest [dressed] will be forced to become one of New York’s most undercover to solve the case. In other words, tonight’s ninety-ninth episode of CASTLE is one Seamus Dever won’t soon for get and not just because it’s one away from the hit ABC series’ one hundredth [More on that later!] Or at least that’s the distinct impression we were left with following a recent one-on-one with the boy in blue who was only too happy to preview tonight’s pivotal episode, tease how said aforementioned episode affects his character’s marriage and reflect on his most memorable moment throughout the show’s hundred. See for yourself, after the jump.

Early on in CASTLE’s run, I remember interviewing you about the challenges that come with playing a character in a very limited supporting role. Now four years later, as one half of one of television’s favorite “bromances,” is it safe to assume that you’re pleasantly surprised with how your character has evolved over the course of the past five seasons?
Seamus Dever: Oh yeah. Ever actor wants to be the best advocate for his character, find their backstory and let some of it come to life. So as the series has continued, it has been really nice to break out of the utility role that you play almost every day and delve deeper into Ryan’s backstory. Which is the case with tonight’s episode that involves links to his past as an undercover cop in the Staten Island Mob where we get to find out a lot more about Ryan than probably most of us has ever known.

What surprised you the most about tonight’s episode?
How little Beckett and Castle are in it! [Laughs]. It’s one of those things where everything is told through Beckett and Castle and how it affects their relationship. And I’m glad after ninety-nine episodes, they trust the supporting actors to carry a lot of that weight. But in terms of Ryan specifically, it was interesting to find out that he used to be a bit rougher around the edges. Much more so than a guy who wears three piece suits all the time.

How will Ryan reconnecting with his “previous life,” affect his marriage?
Ryan is the one guy in the precinct that has settled down, married and is on his way to having children. Unfortunately, this episode really does shake up the foundation of that marriage. Ryan’s wife Jenny [played by Dever's real-life wife Juliana] isn’t pleased that a women from his past [played by MAD MEN's Cara Buono] has returned. She’s left wondering who she is, why Ryan has to go back undercover and what does this mean for their future? Ryan is going to be tested as he attempts to make amends for what happened seven years prior and dole out some justice.

Actors love to talk about the off screen camaraderie, but looking towards next Monday’s episode, do you have a favorite Ryan moment on screen?
I think the episode where I proposed to Jenny, it was just a really honest truthful moment that I got sort of swept up in. I look back at those few seconds and think that was just pure truth, something that an actor always strives for. That — and the laughter between takes, which is an everyday occurrence on a show like CASTLE — is probably my favorite moment.

And finally, fans never seem to fail to be impressed with Ryan’s wardrobe! Which raises the slightly awkward albeit painfully obvious question: Who dressed better between yourself and your character?
Ryan… Because he has a better budget because ABC pays for it! I tend to be a lot more casual than Ryan actually. It used to not be that case, but now Ryan has far outclassed me with his Bespoke suits. I think I have five suits in my wardrobe so it’s got to be Ryan!

New episodes of CASTLE airs Mondays at 10PM on ABC (CTV in Canada) and stars Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Susan Sullivan, Molly C. Quinn, Jon Huertas, Tamala Jones, Seamus Dever and Penny Johnson. Catch up with past episodes you may have missed for free online at clicktowatch.tv.

In celebration of CASTLE hitting its hundredth episode next month, ABC has just released a slew of photos previewing the April 1st episode. Appropriately titled, “The Lives of Others,” CASTLE’s milestone event is marred by a murder mystery hitting our titular hero a little too close to home. What follows, is a “Rear Window”-esque adventure that finds a hobbled Castle enlisting the help of his friends and family to solve what he believes to be the murder of a young woman in the apartment across the street. First look photos of which can be found after the jump.

CASTLE: "The Lives of Others"

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New episodes of CASTLE airs Mondays at 10PM on ABC (CTV in Canada) and stars Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Susan Sullivan, Molly C. Quinn, Jon Huertas, Tamala Jones, Seamus Dever and Penny Johnson.

Earlier this year I suggested ABC move NASHVILLE to Sunday. Many others far smarter than me also suggested it and there were rumors that ABC was considering it. ABC smartly didn’t do that. First of all their Sunday dramas have all come down this winter while facing big events (Golden Globes, AFC game, Grammys) and while tonally it would have been a great fit, it probably would have dropped itself. Plus ABC would have had to start over on Wed again and odds are whatever they put there wouldn’t garner the consistent numbers that NASHVILLE has. So they would have likely had two 10p slots that need fixing and it possibly would have damaged their one freshmen show that has carved out an audience.

At this point, all 3 nets have a show that’s bringing in an audience Wed at 10 which is a rarity these days and I think it’s quite possible that all 3 will return to that slot in the fall – an even bigger rarity these days. 

NASHVILLE has been getting a high 1 (in Jan there were 2 weeks it had a low 2.0) and there still seems potential for it to grow. It is strongest in the 18-34 and W18-34 demo where it is regularly number one Wed at 10, while falling behind CBS and NBC in total viewers (and the upper demos). 

Currently THE BACHELOR is having one of its best seasons in years and in those same young female demos, its owning the competition. CASTLE has been hanging around the low 1s and high 2s all season, which outside a smash like SCANDAL is the current norm for most hit 10p dramas. But even last night with THE BACHELOR getting a season high at 9:30 of a 3.3, CASTLE only increased .2 from last week to a 2.2. It tied a season high for the show and was number 1 in its timeslot (and at 10:30 it beat HAWAII 5-0 handily 2.2-1.8) and yet I can’t help but feel it didn’t totally capitalize on the increased lead, especially with NBC not providing 10p competition unlike on Wed. CASTLE’s overall 18-49 number was only .4 ahead of last weeks NASHVILLE (1.8), and the latter show’s lead in was a 2.1 at 9:30 (Suburgatory) not a 3.3. It’s a much weaker lead than THE BACHELOR, especially with W18-34. NASHVILLE only lost .3 from its lead while CASTLE lost a full point. It’s worth noting that last month NASHVILLE got the same 2.2 CASTLE had last night when its Suburgatory lead in was only a 2.4 and it increased on it with total viewers, so I can’t help but wonder what it would have done with the bigger and more compatible Bachelor lead in.

(I should point out that CASTLE is one of ABCs strongest 10p players even in its 5th season. It has a strong core audience regardless of its lead in. Its ABCs highest 10p show in total viewers and last nights total viewers were higher than every other ABC drama last week. Reruns of the show are currently kicking ass on TNT and it’s more than a lock to return for a 6th season and likely beyond. This article is more to talk about the growing potential of NASHVILLE and how to harness that, not at all to diminish CASTLE. Okay, disclaimer over).  

I  would assume that more of the young female Bachelor viewers in the 18-34 demo might stick around for NASHVILLE. It got me thinking that CASTLE would likely get its regular Mon numbers on Wed and NASHVILLE would most likely grow even more after THE BACHELOR. If I were ABC I’d be a bit reticent to just move 2 shows around, but in this case I think it might actually have potential to benefit NASHVILLE while not hurting CASTLE and keeping Wed at 10p solid for ABC.
It’s s moot point because THE BACHELOR ends in 3 weeks and CASTLE is a much better fit with the older skewing DWTS than NASHVILLE is (though with 16 million viewers, it might actually help ABC grow in the upper demos and its overall audience number). Plus NBC will be a player again Mon at 10p next month when REVOLUTION returns following the mighty THE VOICE.

There was no way of  knowing going into it that this season of THE BACHELOR was gonna grow to the extent it has for ABC to even contemplate a move like this before. Plus the way Nielsen numbers have gone lately, I would be worried NASHVILLE would be hurt anyway. Right now ABC has a solid Wed player that clearly has a devoted audience after only 13 eps (and one of TVs biggest DVR gainers regularly increasing 1.3 in the demo after 7 days). For the second time in 2 years they have a Wed 10p show that people want to watch after years of failing to find an option there that would last beyond 13 eps. If ABC wasn’t likely scheduling Mistresses for Mon at 10p this summer, I might suggest they rerun NASHVILLE after THE BACHELORette. But that is also likely a moot point.

Going forward, my gut right now says ABC should leave NASHVILLE Wed at 10 next season. They have a Wednesday show that’s working and they already moved their Wed show last year to another night. If I were them, I’d want to give the night and the show some stability. Plus it’s a bit too soon to even speculate about next fall. We don’t know yet how this season of DWTS will fare. Yes the last 3 seasons have each trended down and yes it will face The Voice unlike this season of THE BACHELOR, but it’s not unprecedented to see it grow. Look at the growth of THE BACHELOR now when many last year had insisted its best days were behind it. They cast someone people like and viewers are invested again. It’s not impossible for a similar thing to happen to DWTS.

If, however, ratings for DWTS remain where they were last fall, it won’t be surprising to see ABC move it to a once a year airing – maybe in between two seasons of THE BACHELOR. Should that happen and THE BACHELOR is airing Monday nights next fall, I might suggest that ABC flip NASHVILLE and CASTLE but that’s a lot of ifs between now and May.

To Be Revisited.

BigTVfan has been analyzing the business of show since September 2010. Visit his blog at bigtvfan.wordpress.com or follow him on Twitter @bigtvfan.

Can’t wait until Castle comes face-to-face with mysterious and hereto unforeseen father? Never fear, theTVaddict.com is here… Here that is with your first look at CASTLE’s February 25th episode ominously titled “Hunt.” Taking place during what ABC is calling “the powerful conclusion of a two-episode story arc,” Castle’s search — which presumably kicks off during the preceding February 18th episode involving a plot to kidnap a wealthy Middle Eastern businessman’s daughter — reunites him with his father played by none other than James Brolin. More first look photos of which have been handily posted after the jump.

CASTLE: "Hunt"

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New episodes of CASTLE airs Mondays at 10PM on ABC (CTV in Canada) and stars Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Susan Sullivan, Molly C. Quinn, Jon Huertas, Tamala Jones, Seamus Dever and Penny Johnson. Catch up with past episodes you may have missed for free online at clicktowatch.tv.

As they are wont to do each and every February, ABC’s CASTLE will kick off this always pivotal sweeps period with a big episode that sees the return of the man responsible for the murder of Beckett’s mom. No, you’re reading that correctly, Senator William H. Bracken is back which means Detective Kate Beckett will have some potentially life-altering decisions to make tonight. And here to preview some of those decisions is none other than the former hero-turned-villain himself, the delightful Jack Coleman. See what he had to say about Kate’s dilemma and what role Castle has to play for yourself, after the jump.

What was it like returning to the show for a second go around this season?
Jack Coleman: It was great to return to the set of CASTLE because there’s now a familiarity. There’s none of that first-day-of-school syndrome — which as you get older is less-and-less-fun — being the new guy on set. It also helps that the CASTLE set is a very cool one to work on, from Nathan [Fillion] and Stana [Katic] down the call sheet, everyone is really nice and there are no egos or power-plays. It’s just very accommodating and welcoming and Stana and I really have fun working together. If Castle is Beckett’s light, my character Senator Bracken is her dark. Which is really fun for her to play because she’s pulled in two different directions. I think that it’s always a good thing for an actor to have these forces pulling you in different directions and I think she’s done it really beautifully.

What does the return of your character mean for Kate Beckett tonight?
Kate will have to decide who she is and what she is willing to do to exact vengeance on this guy. Is she really willing to be that person? That pretty much sums up Kate’s dilemma in an nutshell.

Last time we saw Senator Bracken he was pretty much painted as an outright villain. Is he really as bad as he seems, or might tonight’s appearance reveal a different side of him?
No… I think he is a villain! But like most villains he doesn’t see himself that way. Most people have many dimensions to them, and I think that’s true of Senator Bracken as well. He’s a bad guy who has done a lot of bad things, but he has a justification for all of it. He has done a lot of good for the people of New York City and the state and I think he sees himself as just a guy who is willing to do what needs to be done.

Much of the Senator Bracken storyline has kept Castle on the sidelines. Will he play a larger role in tonight’s episode?
It’s actually kind of cool, Senator Bracken and Castle have a moment tonight that’s fraught with tension. That said, Castle knows this isn’t his story, it’s Kates. It’s a little bit like being with your spouse’s family, you just have to bite your tongue! Even though he makes it quite clear how little he cares for my character and what he would love to do to Senator Bracken, Castle also knows that it’s not his battle to fight!

What one word would you use to describe Senator Bracken?
Machiavellian: If I have to do it in one word, I chose the one with as many syllables as possible!

New episodes of CASTLE airs Mondays at 10PM on ABC (CTV in Canada) and stars Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Susan Sullivan, Molly C. Quinn, Jon Huertas, Tamala Jones, Seamus Dever and Penny Johnson. Catch up with past episodes you may have missed for free online at clicktowatch.tv.

Additional reporting by Tiffany Vogt

Good News: On Monday Ferbruary 11th Castle and Beckett will be celebrating their first Valentine’s Day as a couple. Bad News: If a recently released episode description is to be taken at face value, Castle’s attempt to give Beckett a Valentine’s Day gift goes horribly horribly wrong. What’s more, before they get to celebrating they’ll be tasked with investigating the murder of a rising young star of a “Real Hosuewives”-esque reality television series. More first look photos of which can be found after the jump.

CASTLE: "Reality Star Struck"

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New episodes of CASTLE airs Mondays at 10PM on ABC (CTV in Canada) and stars Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Susan Sullivan, Molly C. Quinn, Jon Huertas, Tamala Jones, Seamus Dever and Penny Johnson. Catch up with past episodes you may have missed for free online at clicktowatch.tv.