It has become my goal to recruit as many people as possible to this fantabulous show. Therefore, I will start off by saying that I have never squeed so hard in my life as I did for this episode of Castle. Just throwing that out there. Yet again, all signs pointed to this episode being epic, and yet again, it did not disappoint. I love not being let down by my show! 

The episode started off with a few really great things. First, Castle now calls Beckett when he’s bored. Because that’s just what couples do, man. And it’s adorable. Second, the bank Castle is in gets taken over while they’re on the line together, and Beckett is freaking out right off the bat. Notice how fast Ryan and Esposito are on the phone when they realize Castle’s in danger? But yeah, Beckett is clearly having an aneurysm and is willing to do hostage negotiations, AKA anything they need her to do, to ensure Castle’s safety. Stana Katic’s facial expressions are flawless. FLAWLESS, I tell you. As is the rest of her, which leads me to great thing No. 3: oOur weekly dose of Beckett hair porn.

I think I’ve found a new favorite. I’m loving the messy bun!

This episode was great because, while it was chock full of shippy moments, the Castle ladies had ample time to shine. Alexis was fabulous, and I cheered for her when she broke up with Ashley. If your boyfriend isn’t willing to talk to you when you leave him a tearful voicemail, he ain’t worth it, sweetie. And I was obnoxiously happy to finally have some Beckett/Alexis interaction! I mean, if Beckett is going to be marrying Castle someday, she should really get to know her future stepdaughter. 

Martha, too, gets all of the awards, even though she interrupted some serious eye sex after Beckett rescued everyone. I completely forgive her for her transgressions of a few weeks ago, when she wanted Castle to date other women. We finally got to see her in the role of worried mother, and the interaction between her and Castle was beautiful. Her mama bear came out when Castle had a gun pointed at him; she had to be physically restrained. And she ended up leaving the hostage situation with a date! LOL, that woman. Then, of course, there was this:

Hugging her future daughter-in-law at family dinner. Le happy, happy sigh. :)

But can we focus on the Castle/Beckett stuff for a moment? Because I can’t even handle my emotions about them right now. If I learned one thing from this episode, it’s that you do NOT mess with Kate Beckett’s man. She may have been sent into the bank to do recon, but all I saw her look at was the man on the ground and the man in her heart. Say it with me now: AWWWWWWWW! Even the bank robbers knew she and Castle were “together,” and I love all the usage of “boyfriend”/”girlfriend” flying around. She was so devastated when the explosion went off, and did you see the look on her face when she realized Castle was still alive? DID YOU SEE IT?

 

I was, however, rather crushed that they didn’t even hug. But she stroked his lapel. And held his hand. And good god, the eye sex. Everything is shippy and nothing hurts.

The final scenes were far and away my favorite of the episode. Not only did Martha hug Beckett and Alexis break up with Ashley, but Beckett asked Castle to go out for drinks to The Old Haunt (the bar he bought last season!), he invited her over for dinner with his family, AND he referenced times he saved her life back in seasons one and two. THE CONTINUITY, GUYS!

The subtle foreshadowing has been freaking out of this world. When Beckett was in the bank, she was telling Sal that she promised she’d get him out OK, but her eyes were on Castle the whole time. One of the robbers, getting impatient, said, “Don’t talk about it, BE about it!”

 

I see what you did there, writers. I see you. Epic show is epic.

Oh, and did anyone else think that Castle should’ve survived the explosion by jumping into a bathtub just for lulz? Because if so, we need to be friends.

What did you think of the episode, Lovelies?