Well, if there was one thing that I have learned from “The Blue Butterfly” was that keeping my expectations to a minimum was the absolute best choice I could have made. You all know how I felt about the noir aspect of it and how I was expecting it to be a complete disaster (and I got a lot of backlash for that too), but for what it’s worth, I’ve learned my lesson.

It’s better to be pleasantly surprised than sorely disappointed.

In all honesty, “The Blue Butterfly” was not a bad episode. I wasn’t crazy about the noir scenes, even though the costumes and the setting were great. Maybe it’s just that I am not a big fan of the noir style, but the lines, the accents, those just didn’t work for me. That said, I really liked the case and absolutely loved the twist in the end when we found out that Joe and Vera made it out alive and lived happily ever after. I also liked the present day scenes a lot more than the 1947 ones and thought it was a nice build up to solving the case.

But my problem with this episode remains the same. I still stand by my argument that it doesn’t do anything for the overall story. They promoted this episode like crazy, saying that Castle and Beckett would be closer than ever; but if you stop and think about it, what we saw was not Castle and Beckett at all. Sure, they were played by Stana Katic and Nathan Fillion, but they were different characters altogether in a completely different story. So they lived a very nice love story and there was that kiss in the end, but what’s the point of it all if it doesn’t happen with Castle and Beckett, the characters we really care about?

You guys know I love the show and I am usually all for being patient and trust that TPTB know what they’re doing, but it feels like the overall story has come to a stop and all we get are those stolen glances and subtext and every episode feels like we’re watching the same thing over and over again, only with a different case. “The Blue Butterfly” was a good standalone episode, but that was it. It was just okay and we have had a good share of “just okay” episodes this season. Maybe I am in the minority here (in fact, I am pretty sure I am), but the only really, really good episodes so far this season were “Rise”, “Cops & Robbers” and “Kill Shot”. That’s three episodes out of fourteen. Those were the episodes that really felt like we were finally going somewhere, but  after that nothing happened and that has always been my biggest problem with this show.

Some of you said that I was a disappointment because I said I wasn’t looking forward to “The Blue Butterfly”. But here is the thing, guys: To love something or someone doesn’t mean you have to be completely blind about it and ignore its flaws. Nothing is ever perfect and Castle is most certainly not the exception to this rule. I love the show because of the characters not because of the procedural aspect and I never made a secret out of this. Lately, it has been more and more like a procedural with zero movement in the character arc front. And that’s what bothers me the most. Because what’s the point of having a super production of an episode if it doesn’t do anything for the story in the long run? Was it well produced? Yes, it was and I am sure the cast had a blast filming it. But it was the kind of episode that stands completely on its own and if you skip it, you won’t miss much. If a casual viewer tuned in for “An Embarrassment of Bitches” and then only came back for “Pandora”, they would be able to follow the storyline just fine because, as much as “The Blue Butterfly” was nice, it didn’t add anything to the show.

It has come to a point for me that something needs to happen in order to keep things interesting. Whether it will be movement forward or not, it doesn’t really matter, as long as something happens to shake things up. Because if a hardcore fan like me is starting to lose interest, then what is it doing to the casual viewer, you know?

It’s something to think about.

Castle: 4.14 "The Blue Butterfly" Review

The episode you have all been waiting for is right around the corner, Castle fans. After a two-week hiatus, Castle returns next Monday, February 6, with the highly anticipated noir episode, titled "The Blue Butterfly". This time, our favorite crime solving dynamic duo will  investigate the killing of a treasure hunter that lead to the discovery that the case is linked to a mysterious homicide from 1947 involving a hard-boiled private detective. Castle realizes the only way to solve the present-day murder is to solve the murder from the past. The 1947 case comes to life through stylized flashbacks, featuring Castle as the private eye and Beckett as a femme fatale.

I admit that after watching the sneak peeks and checking out the promotional photos that were released last week, I am finally starting to warm up to the whole noir episode concept. I am still not completely sold on it, but the clothes are fantastic and the whole setting just looks really, really cool. That said, I am still keeping my excitement to a minimum. I'd rather be pleasantly surprised than sorely disappointed, you know?

So what do you guys think? Are you excited about "The Blue Butterfly"? Tell me all about it in the comments below.

Castle Sneak Peeks: 4.14 "The Blue Butterfly"

Well, that was unexpected. New promotional photos for two episodes, two days in a row? Wow, you go, ABC publicity department. The photos for "Pandora", which will be the first part of the traditional Castle two-parter have just been released and things are looking pretty intense and mysterious, guys. The February 13 episode will have Castle and Beckett pursue a ruthless killer who is part of a sinister, international conspiracy. Castle and Beckett are joined on the case by Sophia Conrad (guest star Jennifer Beals, "The Chicago Code," "Flashdance"), a smart, sexy CIA operative who has a complicated past with Castle.

The title seems pretty ominous and I can only imagine it somehow refers to the infamous legend of Pandora's box. In case you haven't heard of it, it comes from Greek mythology and is supposed to be a box which contained all the evil in the world. If someone was to open it, it would unleash all kinds of evil that could not be undone. When you think about it, given all the secrets that both Castle and Beckett are keeping from each other plus an international conspiracy, the title seems very fitting.

So what do you think is going to happen? Sound off in the comments below.

Castle Photos: 4.15 "Pandora"

Oh, Castle fans, I can feel your excitement right now. Although I have my concerns about this noir episode, I have to admit that I am starting to get a little bit excited about it. Why, you ask? The promotional photos look phenomenal. You guys are all aware about how unsure I am about "The Blue Butterfly" - and even though it looks awesome from the pictures, I am still not one hundred percent sold on the idea - but I am willing to give it the benefit of the doubt and hope for the best. I have to say the clothes look spectacular. Have you seen that fur number Stana Katic is rocking? It's gorgeous!

In case you're curious about what this highly anticipated (and by that, I mean fans counting the seconds to February 6) noir episode is all about, here's what we have for you: When Castle and Beckett investigate the murder of a treasure hunter, they find out the case is linked to a mysterious homicide from 1947 involving a hard-boiled private detective. Castle realizes the only way to solve the present-day murder is to solve the murder from the past. The 1947 case comes to life through stylized flashbacks, featuring Castle as the private eye and Beckett as a femme fatale. Mark Pellegrino guest stars as the bad guy and I have to say - as a hardcore LOST fan - I am super excited to see him on Castle.

Now go ahead and check all these amazing photos. I know you're dying to do it.

"The Blue Butterfly" is scheduled to air on February 6 at 10pm on ABC.

Castle Photos: 4.14 "The Blue Butterfly"

Well, The Powers That Be on Castle decided to really break tradition this season. Usually, episode 13 would always be about Beckett's mother's murder, but not in season 4. This time, they surprised us with a really good episode with shocking connections to Johanna Beckett's case, but it all happened earlier this week in episode 12. Next week, which will mark one year since that infamous kiss - and don't even try to deny it, guys, I know you all remember that as well - it seems that we will get a much lighter episode instead.

"An Embarrassment of Bitches" will have our favorite crime fighting dynamic duo investigating the murder of a famous dog trainer. As they get further into the case, every lead points to charismatic reality TV star Kay Cappuccio, played by guest star Hilarie Burton (White Collar, One Tree Hill). Kay, a favorite of tabloids and gossip websites the world over, has achieved stardom without possessing any discernible skill or talent. But there seems to be more to her story than she is letting on.

Meanwhile, the victim's dog will be homeless, so it seems like Beckett and Castle will share custody of the little guy.  Check out a squee-worthy sneak peek of that here. How much do you all want to bed the dog is going to interrupt their moment, huh? I'm calling it right now.

Castle is scheduled to air next Monday, January 23, at 10pm on ABC.  Watch three sneak peeks for the episode below!

Castle Sneak Peeks: 4.13 "An Embarrassment of Bitches"

How very, very sneaky of The Powers That Be.

For weeks they bombarded us with information about Ryan’s wedding and the upcoming noir episode and had everyone talking about both. They made us – at least it worked on me – forget all about this week’s episode and focus on the other two. The only information we had was that the mayor of New York City, Robert Weldon, who happens to be a close friend of Castle’s, would be implicated in a murder investigation. That was it.

Nothing prepared us for the intense hour that graced our televisions on Monday night. I admit that, having watched the episode twice already, I am still scratching my head at what exactly happened. Somehow, this one case that at first seemed to only put Castle and Beckett at odds – but not as intensely as I thought it would be; more on that in second – suddenly turned into this giant avalanche of vague information about the conspiracy that surrounds Beckett’s mother’s murder and, by the end of the episode, I was staring dumbfounded at my screen wondering just what exactly was set in motion, especially with that last scene.

This mysterious guy – let’s call him Mr. X for clarity’s sake – who seems to have a deal with these powerful people that apparently have control of what happens in New York, claims that Beckett is safe, but only while Castle is around to protect her. And by protecting her, he means keeping her from digging into her mother’s case. So the whole murder investigation this week was nothing but a ruse to frame Mayor Weldon and keep him from running for Governor as he had planned. If he ran for Governor, he would no longer be Mayor, which would automatically end the deal Castle had to an all-access pass to the 12^th Precinct. So if Wheldon remains in his current position, Castle’s place in the Twelfth is safe and so is Beckett.

Confused yet? I know; so am I.

What I don’t get is what Mr. X’s motivation is and I am still not sure if he is a good guy or a bad guy. Whoever he is, he has access to these powerful people or he is one of them. I think it was pretty clear to everyone that we should look at this whole conspiracy like it’s a game of chess. While I am not exactly a chess person – never bothered to learn – I know it is all about strategy and sometimes sacrifice. It seems to me that everyone who has been killed so far, including Johanna Beckett and Captain Montgomery, were nothing but pawns in a bigger, more complex scheme.

It all seems very interesting and mysterious, but I hope it doesn’t become so complex and convoluted that we won’t even care about it by the time it’s over. That said, it was really great to watch how amazing the character development in this show is. From Castle and Beckett’s relationship, to the boys and even Gates, TPTB have done an outstanding work at developing these characters and make them grow over time. I think one of the biggest examples we can take from this episode is that scene when Castle begs Kate to wait for another lead, but she says she doesn’t have any choice. When you compare it to last season’s big fight scene in “The Final Nail” (which was basically the exact same argument), it is so clear how far they have come. Even their fight this time around was more subdued and they laid more cards on the table. A year ago, I seriously doubt Kate would be so upfront about not wanting to do it, admitting that she knew what was at stake (and admitting that she was afraid to lose him as well, even if she didn’t say it out loud).

Another point that absolutely loved was Beckett’s interaction with Gates. It is no secret that I haven’t been a Gates fan since she was introduced in the season 4 premiere, but you know what, she’s slowly growing on me. I particularly loved that scene that she tells Kate about her dad being a cop and how she cares about them, but she needs to get her job done. Ryan and Esposito were pretty great as well, supporting Beckett when she needed to make a tough decision.

Once again, I didn’t particularly care about Martha or Alexis and I think they are both being ridiculously underused.

All in all, “Dial M for Mayor” was very, very good, even if it didn’t make it to my favorites list. A-

Castle: 4.12 "Dial M For Mayor" Review

You know, I have a feeling next week's episode will be really, really good. The case of the week will frame the Mayor of New York City as the prime suspect and, given Castle's friendship with the guy - the mayor is the sole reason he had an all access pass to the 12th Precinct - it will obviously put our favorite dynamic duo in opposite sides of the investigation.

Although, in theory, "Dial M for Mayor" sounds awfully like last season's "The Final Nail" with the suspect of murder being a friend of Castle's, the stakes are much higher in next week's episode. I have a feeling that we will finally get some backstory on Gates and, if the sneak peeks are any indication, I think I'm finally warming up to her. That said, Castle and Beckett will face one hell of a challenge together and individually because it is going to be a really tough decision to make on both counts.

If they Mayor goes down, Castle's days as Beckett's shadow will be very close to an end so I think it will be really interesting to see how that will affect their relationship and what they are going to do to overcome it. I wonder if we are in for a big fight between them. What do you guys think?

Sound off in the comments.

Castle Sneak Peeks: 4.12 "Dial M For Mayor"

Did Pretty Little Liars creator Marlene King divulge A's identity? Will there be wedding bells for Glee's Will and Emma? And are secrets about to come out on Castle? Plus more scoop and teases from these three shows.

Pretty Little Liars | If there's one thing clear from the return of Pretty Little Liars, it's that the Liars are mad as hell and not going to take it anymore. According to series creator Marlene King's interview with The Insider, the winter premiere successfully "set the tone" for the rest of the season. "We really flipped things around and the girls are no longer victims. A's phone is going to provide them with a wealth of information to lead them on the hunt for A." But the discovery of A's phone won't be the only clue leading to some answers and finally the reveal of A's identity in the season finale: "There's something else the girls are about to find that are about to lead them to her." Wait, her? Did King just reveal that A is a girl?!

But that's not all, King then went on to drop a quick tease about Alison (Sasha Pieterse)."There's also two parallel paths the girls take in 2B. There's the Hunt For A but they also find out something about Alison that they didn't know and they start retracing her steps from the Halloween episode to her death. There's a big revelation about Alison that is shocking and filled with mystery and fun also." Hm, could this be the fact that Alison might actually be a twin? When asked, King coyly answers, "We live in the world of Rosewood, one Sarah Shepherd did a wonderful job of creating for us in her book series. So everything and anything is possible in this extraordinary world these PLL's live in." I'll take that as a yes.

Glee | It's been two years of on-again, off-again drama for Glee's Will (Matthew Morrison) and Emma (Jayma Mays), but when the show finally returns on Jan. 17 with the episode "Yes/No" will Emma say yes to Will's proposal? Speaking to Hollywood Reporter, Mays attempted to answer, "It's that game that you play with one person feeling like, 'Yes, yes, yes!' while the other one's like, 'I'm not sure.' Then the other is, 'Yes, yes, yes!' while the other is, 'I'm not sure.' That's a running theme throughout this episode." Sounds like they're going to keep us guessing right up until the end. Ok, so what about the proposal itself? Morrison recently told TVLine: "All I can say is it’s wet. And it involves a big dance." Curiouser and curiouser.

And fans of Glee's power couple Kurt (Chris Colfer) and Blaine (Darren Criss) can rest easy because rival Sebastian (Grant Gustin) will soon have bigger fish to fry at McKinley High. Speaking to TVLine, Gustin said, “It’s actually going less in a flirtatious direction [between Blaine and Sebastian], and more of [Sebastian] just being a d***.” In the upcoming Michael Jackson tribute episode airing Jan. 24 — and appropriately titled "Michael" — Sebastian will become the show's 'first male villain'. Then, just as any true villain would do, Gustin laughed about it to TVLine, "I do a majorly douche-y thing to one of the characters. So first off the fans are against me, and now the whole cast is against me.” I think we can all agree, there are just some characters you love to hate.

Castle | No matter how much progress Castle and Beckett have been making this season in their relationship, professional or otherwise, I can't help but feel like there's a dark cloud looming overheard. Beckett still needs to admit she remembers Castle's "I love you" from the season finale, and Castle needs to come clean about looking into her shooter on his own. So when might we see these two secrets revealed? Series creator Andrew W. Marlowe told TVLine that Castle's secret "will resurface" by season's end and "have an impact on their relationship." Ouch. Well, what about Beckett? Marlowe teases, "Beckett’s secret might resurface even earlier." I don't know about you, but the order of these events doesn't sound good at all.

Until that time, however, there is one thing we can be happy about, and that's an upcoming Caskett kiss. In the special 1940s film noir episode "The Blue Butterfly," set to air in Feb., Castle (Nathan Fillion) will have a delightful daydream about a detective who falls in love with a gangster's moll. I'm sure I don't have to tell you who'll be playing those two very important roles. Stana Katic gushed to TVGuide about the moment, "What fans will see is probably the fulfillment of what most any fan would like to see happen with the Castle and Beckett relationship. Fans will be seeing the ultimate expression of love for those two characters." Say it with me now: Aaw!

Spoilers: Did PLL divulge A's identity? Wedding bells for Glee? Secrets coming out in Castle?

Well, that was a fun episode, wasn’t it? I think the best description for this week’s Castle, “Till Death Do Us Apart”, is adorable. The winter premiere of the ABC hit crime drama delivered a solid episode with all the trademarks of what we all like to call classic Castle. It was fun, the case was actually interesting (although I did guess right who the killer was when she first showed up on screen) and the lead up to Detective Ryan’s wedding was hilarious.

This episode felt very reminiscent of last season’s “Nikki Heat”, but in the way that it was just an all around good episode with a nice balance of humor, drama and mystery. The only scenes that fell kind of flat for me were the ones with Martha and Alexis, but that is most likely because I just plain wasn’t interested in them during the episode. That said, I loved everything else. From Esposito trying desperately to find a plus one, to Ryan’s determination to finish the cleanse – and that green stuff looked really nasty – I had a really great time on Monday night. I dare say that it was – unpopular opinion alert! – even better than “Cuffed”.

Although I never really cared all that much about Lanie and Esposito’s relationship, I am glad that things seem to be on the mend for them and I hope all that romantic air during the wedding served to push them back together, even if it was crazy funny watching Espo freak out about Lanie having a date. I have to say, though, one of my favorite scenes was when Ryan completely snapped and attacked his partner because of a doughnut. Seamus Dever was particularly awesome in this episode and watching him slowly lose it because he was so hungry was hilarious.

On the Castle and Beckett front, I am kind of torn. There were a lot of interesting moments throughout the episode – the numbers scene and that final moment before the wedding were particularly great – but after thinking about it and watching the episode again, it feels like we have come to a halt in their relationship. It seems to me that they are at that stage in which they know how they feel about each other, but they’re just so comfortable that it feels like they are afraid of making the next move. I mean, with the way Kate looks at him now – and Stana Katic has really mastered the girl in love expression – there is absolutely no way Castle doesn’t know or at least suspect that his feelings are very much reciprocated by the detective.

A really good example to show how things have changed is to compare the numbers scene from “Till Death Do Us Apart” to that scene in season one when Castle tells her to pretend they’re married (in “A Chill Goes Through Her Veins, if I am not mistaken) and she resolutely says no. That alone illustrates just how far Kate has come. I know the objective of TPTB is to keep them apart for a while longer, but it feels like they need to show us a very plausible reason for why they are not together yet. Because, for all intents and purposes, they already act like a couple minus the physical aspect. So, either get them together already or show us why they can’t be together yet, because just cute moments with them (even if they are awesome to watch) will get old fast and people will start tuning out. But that’s just me.

On a last note, I can’t leave out the symbolism of that last scene of them walking down the aisle together. Let’s hope we actually get to see that for real some day.

All in all, “Till Death Do Us Apart” was a really good, solid episode. A-

Castle 4.11 "Till Death Do Us Part" Review

Well, I am usually not one to get overly excited about promotional photos - or at least I try not to; I'd rather be pleasantly surprised than disappointed - but from the pictures ABC released just now of episode 4.13 entitled "An Embarrassment of Bitches", I have to say I am teeny tiny little bit excited. I mean, they are holding hands (and I have just outted my inner fangirl). How often does that even happen?

This episode, scheduled to air on January 23, will apparently break tradition regarding episode number 13. Every season, that particular episode is usually reserved for Beckett's mother's murder, but it doesn't seem to be the case this season. "An Embarrassment of Bitches" will have Castle and Beckett investigating the murder of a famous dog trainer. As they get further into the case, every lead points to charismatic reality TV star Kay Cappuccio, played by guest star Hilarie Burton (White Collar, One Tree Hill). Kay, a favorite of tabloids and gossip websites the world over, has achieved stardom without possessing any discernible skill or talent. But there seems to be more to her story than she is letting on.

It seems, however, that the dog that was trained by the victim is now all alone. From the photos, I think it's safe to assume that Castle and Beckett will take him in and share "parenting" duties, which I am sure will be an absolute blast to watch.

Also, have I mentioned they are holding hands?

Castle Photos: 4.13 "An Embarrassment of Bitches"

Just like Castle itself, Seamus Dever has built a devoted following of fans for his work as Detective Kevin Ryan. Tonight's episode of Castle, Till Death Do Us Part airing tonight at 10PM Est on ABC, is not only a Ryan-centric episode, it also gives the actor a payoff few actors get to enjoy: Dever will be marrying his real life wife, Juliana Dever, on the episode; in character, of course. We had the opportunity to speak with Seamus about the episode, and as the conversation went on snagged some pretty cool hints on what is to come from the remainder of this season of Castle.

TVOM: If most folks brought their wife to work it would be pretty forgettable, you actually get to renew your vows in a fictional setting as characters – that has to be pretty unique memory-making for you guys.

Seamus: Yeah, it's one of those weird situations that actors go through, like when life starts inter-meshing with your character's life. It's one of those things that actors have to deal with. This is trippy, this is really meta. And you know, our show has never been scared of being meta. I know that was a word that Andrew liked to throw around in the second season a lot, when we started bringing out those books, the Richard Castle books, and all of a sudden Richard Castle was writing New York Times best sellers, and that was a very weird thing. I think it's totally in the realm of what our show's good at, by being very meta, and allowing real life to sort of be like part of the show. I think it's sort of a fun thing, and a pretty brave choice and I'm glad that we did it, because I don't know that anybody's ever done that before on TV, where a real life couple is getting married, is playing husband and wife on TV, and we're getting to see them be married.

Did the fact that you guys were married off-screen influence this, or did the story just call for it?

I have theories, so all I can do is posit theories with you. It, first of all, I think somebody has to have a stable relationship on the show, and my character is the only one with a stable relationship. Everyone else has broken up and Castle and Beckett are trying to figure out how they feel about each other, the will they/won't they - that eternal question on our show. I think that other than Captain Gates with the precinct, I think Ryan and Jenny are the only ones that are actually married. So I think they have that stable relationship that they're looking for, because they're causing everyone else to think about their relationships.

I think the other part with it is that Andrew Marlowe, he had to deal with two weddings last year. He's our series creator. He had to deal with his two children getting married. So he knows how that causes some things in people's life, and there's a lot of material there. So I can only guess that he was like, wouldn't it be fun if we dealt with a wedding? And so for the last part of this season, for the first part of this season, we've been dealing with Ryan heading down the road to marriage. That he's making decisions and doing planning and doing all these things and knows exactly how that affects someone. I think that's how it came about. I don't know the germination of it. I know this has been sort of a long march that we've been going on in the last couple of seasons with Kevin Ryan.

So on a show like Castle, thinks like this rarely happen in a straightforward manner. Should we expect any twists, or is it really just going to be a marriage?

Well, everything that happens on our show has to sort of interweave with the mystery that we're trying to solve. With the murder, in this case, that we're trying to solve. So it's one of those things that, what ends up happening, is that at a certain point, Jenny, they discover that she's involved with the case, and then some information comes out that might be damaging to Ryan's decision-making about going down the aisle or not. So Castle and Beckett have to decide if they're going to reveal this information to Ryan and maybe jeopardize his wedding. And in the end, something fun happens and Ryan gets to prove to them how childish they are about relationships. I think it's a nice sort of modern twist, and a very clever, bold decision that they made with that. It really surprised me when I first read it. I was like, oh my god, really? It's neat, and I think the audience is going to like it.

What else are you guys working on for this season that Castle fans might look forward to?

We just finished up a really cool film noir episode, where basically we find an old murder is sort of dug up, relating to a body that we find, and there's a journal of a private detective from the 1940s, and Castle sort of becomes obsessed with this journal, because it's like a mystery. It's like he's reading a mystery novel. As he's reading it, we get to see life through his eyes as he's reading this journal in a really Raymond Chandler-esque way, where he's a gum-shoe, he's like a Sam Spade type character and we get to see his life and all the people that he deals with on the show. It was sort of like Opposite Day. I got to play an Irish thug gangster, Esposito gets to play a Cuban thug gangster and Tamala Jones gets to be a torch singer and everything, so it was really cool. I think the audience is going to look at that as a real interesting fantasy episode, because it's so different from anything we've done. So we just wrapped that yesterday, and now we're heading onto our two-parter which is going to be a big one. Our two-parters are really big, and usually we work really long hours, and there's lots of explosions and lots of accidents - purposeful accidents - but lots of things and lots of twists. So we're just starting that one right now. We have Jennifer Beals who's coming on to guest star for two episodes. She plays a CIA agent that Castle knows from his past, so it should be interesting to see what happens with that relationship. It's going to be a big one. I read the first episode yesterday, and it's got a nice cliff-hanger at the end of the first episode that fans are really going to like.

Don't forget to Tune In to Castle "Till Death Do Us Part" at 10:01PM EST, on ABC. Click here for photos from the episode, and here for a few sneak peeks!

Interview - Seamus Dever Talks Tonight's Castle, and Beyond

Well, looks like The Powers That Be on ABC heard about my birthday wish yesterday and decided to finally release the sneak peeks for Castle's highly anticipated return next Monday. The winter premiere will feature Detective Kevin Ryan's wedding with Jenny (played by Seamus Dever's wife Juliana Dever), but all will not be happiness on this episode as an apparently shocking twist will disrupt the festivities.

Meanwhile, Esposito will be freaking out just a little bit that Lanie is bringing a date to the wedding and Castle tells Beckett he is also bringing someone with him.

Either way, it looks like Castle and Beckett will have their banter back at full force, which is probably good considering the mayor arc that is coming up really soon that will put them at different sides of the fence. This episode, "Dial M For Mayor" is scheduled to air on January 16th, right after Ryan and Jenny's big wedding bash, so we shouldn't have to wait for too long.

Whatever happens, it looks like we are in for some intense episodes in January. So place your bets in the comments below. What do you think the shocking twist is going to be and hasn't this just been the longest hiatus ever?

Castle returns with all new episodes next Monday, January 9th, at 10pm on ABC.

Castle Sneak Peeks: 4.11 "Till Death Do Us Apart"

I have to say that ABC decided to grace us Castle fans with an onslaught of new information this week as the promotional photos for the episode that will kick off the highly teased about Mayor's arc, "Dial M for Mayor" were released last night and today ABC has released the sneak peeks for next week's episode, "Till Death Do Us Apart" - which we will post shortly, so stay tuned. All in all, it has been a fantastic birthday present for me, so I really appreciated it, ABC.

But let's talk about this already infamous mayor's arc that will supposedly put Beckett and Castle on opposite sides of the fence again. This time however, the prime suspect on the case they are investigating will be the mayor and that will just put them at odds, since Castle is really good friends with Mayor Weldon.

Putting it like that, it sounds like a do over of last season's episode, "The Final Nail", which had this exact same plot. Except in "Dial M for Mayor" the stakes will be a lot higher, considering that the Mayor himself is responsible for Castle's presence at the Twelfth Precinct. So if he falls, then Castle's arrangement to follow Beckett around will no longer be valid, which could bring some interesting issues up between our favorite duo.

What do you think the fallout of the this arc will be, Castle fans?

"Dial M for Murder" is scheduled to air on January 16th at 10pm on ABC.

Photos: Castle 4.12 "Dial M for Mayor"

2011 was most certainly a busy year for television, but some articles simply had more of an impact with you than others. We recently took a look at the rankings for the most-viewed articles of 2011, and here are TVOvermind's most-read articles of the year:

1. Game of Thrones: Meet the New Faces of Season 2
2. Game of Thrones: A Look at the Nudity Debate
3. The Walking Dead Season 2 Gets Premiere Date
4. Breaking Bad Season 4 Delayed
5. Christina Hendricks wants to play Wonder Woman
6. Photos: Castle 4.07 "Cops & Robbers" 
7. Game of Thrones Slide-Show: Where Have We Seen Them Before?
8. Dancing with the Stars 2011 (Season 13) Cast Announced
9. Supernatural Slide-Show: Best Villains
10. 8 Characters Still Left Uncast for Game of Thrones Season 2
11. Gaming for Primetime - Six Video Games That Would Conquer TV
12. Glee Season 3 Spoilers
13. Fall 2011 TV: The Top New Shows
14. Photos: Castle 4.09 "Kill Shot"
15. Castle: Season 4 Promo Cast Photos
16. Pretty Little Liars Spoilers for Season 2
17. Game of Thrones - What to Expect in Season 2
18. Game of Thrones Slide-Show: Season One's Most Shocking Moments
19. Two and a Half Men: Angus T. Jones Officially Highest Paid Kid in Hollywood
20. Photos: Castle 4.05 "Eye Of The Beholder"

HBO's new fantasy drama Game of Thrones was quite obviously the most buzzed about show by our readers, though ABC crime series Castle and the CW's supernatural Supernatural were also major draws for you guys as well.

What do you think? What shows would you like to see us cover more in 2012? We want to hear your feedback, and we look forward to another great year of bringing television news to you.

The Top 20 TVOvermind Articles of 2011

Well, I guess I can consider this an early Christmas present, Castle fans. I was honestly losing hope that they were going to release anything about the much anticipated winter premiere - in which our very own Detective Kevin Ryan will finally tie the knot with Jenny, played by Juliana Dever who happens to be Seamus Dever's wife - but what do ya know, the promotional photos for "Till Death Do Us Apart" just popped up in my inbox.

I know this five-week hiatus (five whole weeks!) must be torture for all of you, but let's think of it this way: at least we have the holidays to distract us from the agonizing wait, right? So here is what "Till Death Do Us Apart" will be all about. A lothario is killed and our favorite dynamic duo will think it has most likely something to do with the double life he was leading. Apparently a shocking twist will disrupt the wedding, so I am guessing that Jenny is somehow involved in this? Maybe a witness, a suspect? What do you think?

Also, you should take a look at the promo below that ABC released earlier this week. Looks like Castle and Beckett will have their banter at full force, which is probably good considering the mayor arc that is coming up really soon that will put them at different sides of the fence.

Whatever happens, it looks like we are in for some intense episodes in January. So place your bets in the comments below. Sorry I have been MIA for a few weeks, but you all know how life gets in the way sometimes. I really appreciate all the messages you guys sent my way.

Castle returns with an all new episode on January 9th at 10pm on ABC.

Castle Photos: 4.11 "Till Death Do Us Apart"

Those one-week hiatus sometimes are the worst, aren't they, Castle fans? I know the wait for next week's midseason finale "Cuffed" has been nearly unbearable, especially after that mindblowing hour of television that was "Kill Shot" last week. In case you haven't checked out my glowing review, you can do so here.

But that was last week, right? Let's talk about what's ahead for our favorite dynamic duo instead. What we know so far is that "Cuffed" will have Castle and Beckett handcuffed to each other for most of the episode. There aren't many details on what exactly is going to go down, but it looks like they will be drugged and abducted and left in a confined space (a basement of sorts, maybe) with no way of getting out and absolutely no memory of how they got there.

According to Stana Katic, who plays Detective Kate Beckett, "Cuffed" will a fun, light episode that shippers will love. Way to get our expectations through the roof, huh? Castle and Beckett stuck together for hours on end... the possibilities are endless and the fandom (and shippers) are going crazy with this mini hiatus. Whether our dynamic duo will finally get their acts together and do something about their non-relationship or not remains to be seen, but it looks like we are in for an awesome episode, penned by Castle's creator Andrew Marlowe and Terri Miller. To help you endure these next few days, you can check out the promotional photos and an interview with Stana Katic here. Also, check out the sneak peeks below.

"Cuffed" is scheduled to air next Monday, December 5, at 10/9C on ABC.

Sneak Peeks: Castle 4.10 "Cuffed"

Well, that was definitely worth the wait, wasn’t it?

In last night’s Castle, Detective Kate Beckett had to face her own demons when a sniper on the loose in New York City triggered her dormant Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. I know the fandom was insanely excited about “Kill Shot” and I think it is safe to say that the episode delivered the epicness that had been promised. From what I have seen around the internet this morning, it looks like the episode was incredibly well received and that is just great news for the show.

For the past few weeks, I have been getting comments about how people are disappointed in the character of Beckett, how much the dynamic has changed and that they miss the flirty banter from the first two seasons. While I understand where they are coming from – but not entirely agree – I think “Kill Shot” has helped cement what the other team (the ones who are so rooting for Beckett to pull herself together, like me) has been trying to get across since season 4 started.

Last night’s episode was all about Beckett, yes, but that was also character development at its very best. Watching Beckett fall apart and then slowly put the pieces back together, to the point that she was able to admit to herself and to her therapist that she is ready to change and she doesn’t want her life to be defined by her mother’s murder anymore was a huge, gigantic step forward for her. And if you compare this Kate Beckett to the detective we met in season 1, it is nothing short of remarkable how far she has come.

I was really excited about this episode when we first heard about it because it was bothering me that they were not addressing her possible PTSD after the shooting in “Knockout”. We saw a glimpse of it during “Rise”, but then it seemed that everything had gone back to normal. And the way they dealt with it – plus the out of this world performance by Stana Katic – felt very real and compelling. The editing, the music, the direction, everything served to heighten the level of confusion and terror Kate was feeling and those emotions came across loud and clear. I think that scene when Esposito confronts her with the rifle is probably one of the most powerful moments I have had the pleasure to watch on TV in a really long time and it is now my favorite moment of the series, hands down. Was it heartbreaking to watch? Yes, but it was also so moving and powerful and Stana Katic and Jon Huertas delivered it beautifully. I admit a few tears were shed – and I’m willing to bet a lot of you bawled like babies as well – but the pay off of seeing Beckett go through so much was so rewarding.

Castle 4.09 "Kill Shot" Review

Well, after the excitement about next week's Castle episode, "Kill Shot", we will have to endure another one-week hiatus to watch the midseason finale "Cuffed", scheduled to air on December 5. As most of you know, the excitement about this one is rivaling the one for "Kill Shot" because, one, there is pretty much no information about it; two, parts of this episode were filmed in a closed set and that usually means something important is going on; and three, the only thing we know about "Cuffed" is that Castle and Beckett will be handcuffed to each other for most of the episode.

Now just imagine our favorite dynamic duo stuck to each other, literally, for a long period of time.  Oh, the possibilities. Trust me, I am super excited about this one too. What's even more interesting is that ABC released very few promotional photos of the episode, which begs the question: what exactly is going to go down on December 5 that they are being so secretive about?

Place your bets in the comments below and stay tuned for more Castle news. Meanwhile, don't forget to check out the promotional photos, sneak peeks and a teaser article for "Kill Shot".

"Cuffed" is scheduled to air on December 5 at 10/9C on ABC.

Photos: Castle 4.10 "Cuffed"

I know the excitement about this Castle episode is reaching an insurmountable high and your expectations are most likely through the roof. Trust me, mine were too before ABC released a screener for the press to review yesterday. I tried watching it last night, but I had my two nieces with me (the oldest is 6 and the youngest is 3) and they were demanding my attention while I was trying to watch it. So basically the only thing I took from watching bits and pieces of that episode last night was that Stana Katic was brilliant.

Tonight, I finally got some free time to sit down and watch it properly with no interruptions and let me tell you, "Kill Shot" is amazing. It is right up there with "Knockout" and "Cops & Robbers". That said, we should get something out of the way so the shippers won't expect too much. It is not a shipper episode. It is all about Detective Kate Beckett in "Kill Shot" and you know what? It was much, much better this way because with everything she had going on, adding a romantic conflict would just break the poor girl.

As most of you know, in "Kill Shot" a sniper will be on the loose in New York City and that is going to trigger severe symptoms of Beckett's apparently dormant Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). As the team tries to put the pieces together to catch the bad guy, Beckett slowly falls apart and it is absolutely heart-wrenching to watch. Honestly, I may be a little biased because I have been a Stana Katic fan for a while, but she has really outdone herself this time. Remember her performance in "Knockout"? Yeah, that was nothing compared to what she delivered in "Kill Shot". There is one particular scene with Jon Huertas, who plays Detective Javier Esposito, that is going to break your heart in tiny little pieces and I am pretty sure there will be a lot of tears shed.

Castle: 6 Things You Need To Know About 4.09 "Kill Shot"

I think it is very safe to say that are all incredibly excited about this Castle episode. I know the one-week hiatus is darn near unbearable - trust me, the suspense is killing me too - but from the sneak peeks and the promo they released last week, it looks like the wait will be entirely worth it. In next week's episode, "Kill Shot", a sniper will be on the loose in New York City, killing apparently random people. Castle, Beckett and the rest of the team will assigned to this case, but it will immediately trigger Detective Kate Beckett's apparently dormant Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and will make her face her inner demons.

This episode will probably be a great journey into Beckett's psych and maybe this is the chance to finally find out what is going on inside her head since the shooting. The brief therapy scenes have been great in past episodes, but it looks like this time she is going to have to confront this issue head on. I am willing to bet this is going to be a very intense ride and hopefully a set for the midseason finale "Cuffed".

"Kill Shot" is scheduled to air on November 21 at 10/9C on ABC. Don't forget to also check out the promotional photos for this episode here.

Sneak Peeks: Castle 4.09 "Kill Shot"

Well, it had to happen eventually, right? Things just seemed entirely too good to be true and we all knew that sooner or later we would get a filler episode. And that's exactly what last night's "Heartbreak Hotel" was. For the first time this season, I found myself completely uninterested in a Castle episode and I just wanted it to end. It wasn't bad, per se, really. It was just... I am not even going to say boring because it had its moments, but it was just... not interesting, maybe?

The victim of the week was a casino owner, which led the boys - including Castle - to do a little investigating in Atlantic City. Meanwhile, Beckett stayed behind in New York with Gates breathing down her neck to see how well she worked without her shadow. It had potential. It really did, but I guess the way the episode was handled didn't really work out. I admit I laughed out loud with the boys dressed as Elvis and I actually liked Alexis' storyline for once, but that was just it. Moments. And those were not enough to save the episode.

I really liked the Gates/Beckett scenes and it made me warm up to the new Captain just a little bit more and it was refreshing to see Beckett standing up for Castle. Other than that, it was just a weak episode all around.

That said, can we please talk about the promo for the next episode - which will only air in two weeks - and how awesome it looks? I am so glad they finally dealing with Beckett's PTSD and "Kill Shot" looks like it will be downright amazing. I am honestly counting the seconds until November 21. You can already check out the promotional photos for "Kill Shot" here and the promo below.

Castle 4.08 "Heartbreak Hotel" Review

ABC has just released the clips for next Monday's Castle episode and I have to say it looks like it's going to be one of those light, fun episodes. I, for one, am actually glad that we will have a breather of an episode to give us time to absorb the awesomeness that was "Cops & Robbers" this week. You can check out my review here.

In "Heartbreak Hotel", the team will be investigating the murder of a casino owner from Atlantic City. The case will split them up as Gates will send the boys - including Castle. I know I am shocked too - to Atlantic City while Beckett stays in New York to work with Gates. I am actually looking forward to seeing more of that dynamic and hoping that this will be the one that will make me like Captain Victoria Gates a little bit more.

Meanwhile, Ryan, Esposito and Castle will be doing their own investigating in Atlantic City and having an impromptu bachelor party for Detective Ryan, especially after Ryan drops the bomb that neither Castle or Esposito will be the best man.

All in all, looks like it's going to be a fun one. It's a good thing we will get to relax because the next two episodes after that look like they will be super intense.

Don't forget to check out the promotional photos for "Heartbreak Hotel" and "Kill Shot".

An all new Castle is scheduled to air on November 7th at 10/9C on ABC.

Castle Sneak Peeks: 4.08 "Heartbreak Hotel"

Well, I have some good news and some bad news. Which one do you guys want first?

The good news is that ABC has just released the promotional photos for episode 9 "Kill Shot" and it looks like it's going to be pretty intense. The bad news is that it is scheduled to air on November 21st, which means we are going to have to suffer through one week with no new Castle to make us smile. I know, I'm depressed too.

That said, let's talk about the upcoming episode. A sniper is on a killing spree in New York City. In a race against time and having absolutely nothing to go on except a killer with no apparent motive but to instill terror, this could be the team's toughest case yet.Things just get even more complicated when Beckett begins to experience increasingly strong moments of PTSD, which she obviously tries hard to hide from Castle and the boys.

I think it will be really interesting to finally delve into this part of her trauma because we only got a glimpse of it in the season premiere and then it suddenly disappeared. It will be great - and heartbreaking, I imagine - to see Kate dealing with the symptoms and trying to keep a strong façade, but ultimately failing.

This one looks like it's going to be a great one, guys.

"Kill Shot" is scheduled to air on November 21st at 10/9C on ABC.

Photos: Castle 4.09 "Kill Shot"

Before we start, can we please take a moment to soak in how mind blowingly awesome “Cops & Robbers” was? It is no secret that I was extremely excited to watch this episode – as I am sure most of you were, especially after those promotional photos were released – but I do admit I was a tad afraid that it wouldn’t live up to my expectations, just like others have failed to do in the past.

Well, after finally watching it last night, I have to say that my concern was completely unfounded. Because “Cops & Robbers” has not only lived up to my expectations, but it surpassed it by miles. I think it is safe to say – especially after the very strong and enthusiastic reaction on Twitter – that last night’s episode is definitely in the top 5 of the series. For me, it has reached the top 2, only losing to the spectacular season 3 finale “Knockout” and by a tiny thread.

So we knew what the episode was going to be about and that Castle and Martha would be held hostages during a bank heist. Even with that information, the episode turned out completely different than what I was expecting. For one, I didn’t expect Beckett to be the one solely handling the negotiation; and second, I thought the hostage situation would go through the entire episode, so I was really surprised when they were released with still 10 minutes until the end of the episode. That said, I confess I was on the edge of my seat, holding my breath for the entire hour.

I really loved that we jumped right into the action, as opposed to the usual the usual formula of having a scene at the loft in the beginning and so on. The fact that Beckett felt completely helpless in this situation, knowing that the guy she loved – and there is no need to even discuss that, right? Did you see the look on her face during the entire episode? – could die at any moment was so telling and so reminiscent of “Rise”. The tension, pace, acting, writing, directing, everything in “Cops & Robbers” was fantastic. It had been quite a while since the last time I was so into an episode like I was last night.

So let’s talk about all the good stuff, shall we?

First, I absolutely loved seeing more of Martha and Susan Sullivan was stellar. She is such a talented actress and so criminally underused in this show that I was really glad that she finally got her chance to shine. Second, I was expecting to see more of Alexis, but I think it worked that she wasn’t as involved as I thought she would be. And the breakup? Saw it coming at least four episodes back and I am really glad it finally happened.

Third, I was hoping to see more of Ryan and Esposito, but the little bit we got was great all the same. Particularly loved Esposito teasing Ryan about his outlandish theories and calling him Castle Jr. Also really enjoyed the twist in the end and definitely didn’t see it coming, although I am curious as to what happened to the bank robbers. Did they really die in that explosion? Is it strange that I really hope they didn’t?

Castle 4.07 "Cops & Robbers" Review

Castle fans, the sneak peeks you have all been waiting have finally been released. I think we are all extremely excited for next Monday's episode "Cops & Robbers", which will have Castle and his mother held hostages during a bank heist. Beckett will be pretty much powerless to help, even though the sneak peeks point to the fact that she will be involved with the negotiation to free the hostages.

This episode marks the beggining of the November Sweeps and, as most of you know, that is when the must-see episodes air. In "Cops & Robbers" we will have a never seen before situation, as Castle and Beckett will be separated for probably most of the episode in life threatening circumstances. Hopefully, that will encourage some significant movement forward in the Castle/Beckett front. Let's not forget that we will finally get a Beckett/Alexis scene that I know most fans - me included - have been waiting for longest time. And if that sneak peek below is any indication, it looks like Alexis won't be so trusting and friendly where Beckett is concerned.

All in all, it looks like we are in for a really intense episode, guys. Let's just hope it'll be as awesome as it looks.

"Cops & Robbers" is scheduled to air next Monday, October 31st, at 10/9C on ABC.

Castle Sneak Peeks: 4.07 "Cops & Robbers"

So that was the epitome of an incredibly fun episode, wasn’t it? I must confess that what I was really looking forward to about last night was the fact that we would finally get a glimpse of episode 4.07 “Cops & Robbers” that we have all been so excited about. From the promo and sneak peeks about “Demons”, however, I figured it would most likely be one of those funny episodes with lots of one-liners and puns about ghosts and Ghostbusters.

And, well, I wasn’t wrong. But what I wasn’t expecting was that it was going to be so much fun. I’ll be the first to admit that I am not a comedy kind of girl, but “Demons” really got to me and I found myself genuinely enjoying all the ghost stories and theories. What I really loved about this episode, though – and it’s something I have been noticing for a couple of episodes now – is how they are mixing up the team a lot more this season.

Up until season 3, we had a very clear division in the homicide team with Castle and Beckett doing their own thing and Ryan and Esposito doing theirs. But lately, it seems like they are trying out different combinations and, as much as I absolutely loved Ryan and Beckett working together in “Kick the Ballistics”, Castle and Ryan chasing ghost leads in “Demons” were just a whole new level of awesome. Maybe it’s because I have a new found love for Detective Ryan – I have always liked him, but he just seems to get exponentially more awesome and sweeter this season – but I just thought that it really worked having him and Castle paired up with their belief of the supernatural, while Beckett and Esposito stood on the other side of the spectrum being completely skeptical.

There are just way too many aspects I loved about last night’s episode, but I have to say one of my absolute favorite moments was watching Castle screaming like a girl when that corpse fell on him. Nathan Fillion just pulled that off so well, that I was genuinely laughing out loud with that scene. In fact, that whole sequence of him and Beckett exploring the haunted house was hilarious. When she started telling him about her experience with the supernatural, I knew from the get go that she was yanking his chain. And that alone says so much about how far she has come since season 1, when she didn’t even laugh at his jokes, let alone joke with him. Also, am I the only one who has noticed that Castle seems to go to Beckett’s apartment a lot now? She didn’t even look surprised to see him at her doorstep.

About the double date, I just really felt bad for Jenny. Poor thing was just trying to be nice and friendly and ended up causing Lanie and Esposito to break up. I really hope they talk this out and get back together soon. Although I am curious as to who was in favor of marriage and who wasn’t.

Speaking of relationships, can I just say that I see Ashley becoming a thing of the past in the near future? I really liked Alexis in this episode and how she is dealing with the fact that being in a long distance relationship is not easy and sometimes said relationship is just not strong enough to survive the time apart.

To sum this up, “Demons” was by far the funniest episode in a really long time and I thoroughly enjoyed watching it. A+

Castle 4.06 "Demons" Review