Castle Review: A Complicated Family

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James Brolin returned in Castle Season 6 Episode 12 and managed to change our perception of Rick's long lost dad once again. 

The murder of Ted Rollins had all the earmarks of a spy game. His body was moved. He kept a hidden laptop under the floorboards. There was even a secret Iranian coin tucked into his shoe. So Beckett was understandably perplexed when Castle didn't utter a peep about CIA conspiracies. 

Does Kate Know?

That's because it really was one and he knew it. 

I really felt for Castle when he came face to face with dear old dad once again only to have to pretend he'd never met the man. It's simply not in Castle's nature to lie to someone he loves so keeping that information from Kate was wearing on him.

I was proud of Castle for not rolling over and giving Hunt the information he practically demanded from him on the park bench, at least not right away. It had been a year since their interaction in Paris and he never thought he'd see his father again. Of course Jackson Hunt wasn't quite so sentimental as seen in this Castle quote...

Hunt: You're getting emotional and now's not the time.
Castle: Really cause it's been about 40 years. When would be a good time?

When Castle headed back to the precinct, Kate took one look at him and knew something was wrong. She just didn't know what to attribute to that distressed look on his face.

When Rick heard that his father may have been a rogue agent who had murdered three people to escape, you could see the panic rising within him, and he went to the one person he knew would understand. 

Martha.

It's no secret that I love Martha. She's bold and vibrant. Those who don't know her well might call her flighty but the woman's got a backbone of steel underneath. And nine times out of ten, she's the one person Castle goes to when he feels the foundation start to shake under his feet. 

Her advice was spot on. She told him to go to Kate and explain everything. Unfortunately before he had the chance to do that, a bleeding Jackson Hunt showed up at his door.

I had no doubt Kate wouldn't be happy but thankfully she seemed to understand the position in which Castle found himself. Better still, she didn't give Jackson an inch. She wasn't about to take his word for anything.

When Castle and Beckett headed off to find the Gemini mole, I expected Hunt to ditch Martha. I just wasn't certain what his plan was.

Watching his father kill a man in cold blood, no matter what the reason, was hard on Castle. Up to this point, Jackson Hunt was his long lost father, a spy working for the good of his country, and the man who helped Rick save his only daughter.

Now he can add professional manipulator and stone cold killer to that list.

When Rick spoke with Martha afterwards, he was still reeling from that revelation. Martha seemed to have the better perspective. Jackson Hunt was the man who briefly flitted into her life and gave her the greatest gift she's ever had. Her son. No matter what the trials and tribulations of being a single mom, she'll always cherish that.

And now she finally knows who that mystery man was. She has her closure.

Rick gained a different type of perspective on his father. As he told Kate at the precinct…

I keep making the mistake of thinking he's family but he's not. You are.

Castle

A few extras I don't want to leave out…

  • Ryan showing off pictures of his perfect, little Sarah Grace. The proud pop was pretty darn adorable himself.
  • Beckett joking that the baby looked more like Esposito. I love it when the team pokes fun at one another.
  • Lanie telling Castle and Beckett that their "shared brain" thing was creepy.

But best of all…..we've got a wedding date! Well, at least it's a wedding month and September never sounded so beautiful. 

So tell us what you think TV Fanatics. Did Jackson Hunt move that body to make contact with his son, or to use him for information?

Deep Cover Review

Editor Rating: 4.6 / 5.0
  • 4.6 / 5.0
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User Rating:

Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 (169 Votes)

C. Orlando was a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.

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Castle Season 6 Episode 12 Quotes

Martha: A little unsolicited advice.
Castle: Do you give another kind?

Castle: How about we have a winter wedding?
Beckett: Didn't we say we wanted to do it outside?
Castle: Oh, right. Frostbite isn't very festive.