Castle Review: I'll Be Brian Dunkleman!

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Castle returned from a short hiatus with "A Dance with Death," an episode based on the murder of a reality dance show contestant. Like usual, the ABC hit brought some laughs, some longing stares and the twists/turns we have been missing over the past few weeks.

So let’s waste no more time and discuss the latest installment of Castle, shall we?

Reality Show Crime Scene

“I’d Be Brian Dunkleman!” Of all the great Castle quotes, easily the best of the night, the host of the competition show claimed that if he got fired he would become Brian Dunkleman. This was an instant classic and great writing by the Castle team. I know I’m not alone in having to think about who Dunkleman was before I realized he was the former American Idol co-host from season one.

The twists and turns that took over this case were pretty interesting. Although always enjoyable, sometimes the arcs to the cases are pretty outlandish. This episode? Not so much. Although finding someone who looks pretty similar to you and then paying them to have surgery to look more like you is pretty ridiculous, the fun surprises kept coming.

The Bromance Is Back. Unfortunately, Ryan and Espo have been out of focus in the past few episodes and they have been missed. These two have a great partnership and feel like real friends. Their theory on the wedding ring brought the other set of laughs, especially with Javi getting it stuck on his finger. Now if we could get Ryan to mention something about his wedding or honeymoon, it would be all good!

With a cast like this, there is bound to be some characters who get the shaft, always relegated to the B-List arcs. Obviously, the important and main stories should go to the four detectives, but Martha and Alexis should not be forgotten about.

These two deserve better stories. Putting Alexis in the morgue with Lanie seemed promising, but a 30-second scene here and there doesn’t cut it. Am I alone in thinking this? I haven’t always been the biggest fan of Alexis, but I have always enjoyed her father/daughter moments with Castle. What do you think, TV Fanatics? Should these two get some better scenes or are you happy with them having such small roles?

A Night of Dance Set

What We Learned:

  • Lanie wanted to be a ballerina! Not the dream job I would have guessed for her.
  • Beckett went to Stanford and was studying pre-law. 
  • Ryan is deeply in love with his wife and it is sweet!
  • Javi is liking being single. Is there still hope for Esplanie?
  • How great were the judges on A Night of Dance? I personally loved the “Len."
Overall, another enjoyable episode from the writers of Castle. We are heading toward the end of the season, with plenty of things left to come out. Was “A Dance With Death” a hit or a miss? Hit up the comments and let us know what you thought of the hour. And don’t forget to check back later this week for the Castle Round Table!

A Dance with Death Review

Editor Rating: 4.4 / 5.0
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User Rating:

Rating: 4.4 / 5.0 (194 Votes)
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Castle Season 4 Episode 18 Quotes

Ryan: Did you see that? She acted like I didn't even exist.
Esposito: You don't, not since you put that ring on your finger.

Odette was a lock to win this show. It was probably one of her jealous rivals!

Lanie