Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, here comes Castle Season 8 Episode 6.

Let me preface this review by answering a few questions I’m sure some fans will ask.

I am a huge fan of Firefly. I like Adam Baldwin’s work, especially his role on TNT’s The Last Ship. I knew Beckett wasn’t going to be a part of this episode and was hoping to enjoy it anyway.

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

That’s not to say there weren’t a few moments that I enjoyed but they were few.

Castle Photos from "Cool Boys"

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Unsolicited Advice by Martha Rodgers sounds like a best seller to me. I want to buy a copy even though I couldn’t quite agree with her advice to Rick. The last thing he and Beckett need is more time apart.

Alexis calling a Def Con One when Slaughter came into the office looking for Rick was cute, but Castle turning into the equivalent of the wimpy kid on the playground was not. I know Slaughter can be intimidating, but Rick was practically hiding behind his mother and daughter. That was taking things too far.

Then after all of the melodrama, Castle runs after the guy because he mentioned chasing cartels through sewers. Is Rick really that desperate for inspiration since his wife left?

Castle telling Slaughter his “mommy” was on the phone was an eye-roll worthy moment. I don’t think Rick has used that word in over seven seasons, but being around Slaughter appears to turn him into a blathering idiot.

But the worst was how he turned on Ryan and Esposito. Yes, I get that he believed that Slaughter was innocent, but was that really reason to lie to the two men he’s worked with side by side for years? Has their relationship deteriorated as much as his marriage?

Then he stole their police car with Slaughter, the man they just arrested, inside. Was that supposed to be funny because I really wanted the boys to arrest Castle and throw his butt in jail for making them look like fools and putting their jobs in jeopardy. Yes, Beckett is their Captain, but she’s not there, and that stupid prank could have gone horribly wrong.

Here’s my question. When did this show decide to go from being smart and witty to stupid funny? When did Rick Castle become a man who lies to his closest friends instead of working with them?

To put it bluntly, I didn’t like Rick Castle very much in this episode.

There was a moment when I almost did. When he began to talk to Louis to find out more of the kid’s story and show him some compassion, but then Louis took off on him, leaving Castle to look the fool once again.

I didn’t even like the West Side Story song and dance number, although I’m willing too see how some fans might. It felt like the kind of thing either you loved or hated. The reason I didn’t like it was that it felt like I was watching Adam Baldwin and Nathan Fillion fooling around. Not that that isn’t entertaining, but it’s not why I tune into Castle. I want the fantasy of being invested in the characters, if that makes any sense.

The funny part about it all was that I didn’t hate Detective Ethan Slaughter. He was still the rough, gruff detective we met back in Castle season 4, except now he had an ex-wife and a couple of softer edges. It was a twist I might have enjoyed a lot more if I wasn’t lamenting this new version of Castle, both the man and the show.

Rick Castle has gone from being Beckett’s partner, consulting with the NYPD, and working as a team with Ryan and Esposito, to being a P.I. who is separated from his wife, lies to his friends and works with Hayley.

What has happened to my favorite show?

In the end, Slaughter tried to give Rick some advice about his marriage in this Castle quote…

I lost my wife because I wasn't man enough to put her needs ahead of mine. Don't make the same mistake.
Slaugher

Permalink: I lost my wife because I wasn't man enough to put her needs ahead of mine. Don't make the...

That sounds great…unless you’ve watched the show for the last seven seasons and seen Rick Castle put Kate Beckett’s needs ahead of his own time and time again.

Am I being too negative? I’m sure there are fans out there who enjoyed this farcical episode. I just wasn’t one of them.

Check back later in the week to see what our Castle Round Table team has to say and then next Monday for our review of Castle Season 8 Episode 7.

If you want to watch more, you can always watch Castle online here at TV Fanatic.