Castle Round Table: What's Your Wish?
Christine Orlando
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Rick Castle thought he’d found a genie in a bottle when a victim was killed over Aladdin’s lamp on Castle Season 8 Episode 17.
Below, TV Fanatics Jim Garner, Stacy Glanzman, Robin Harry and Christine Orlando are joined by Jennifer from A Possibility For Joy a Castle fan forum to debate the possibility of genies, what they’d wish for, and Ryan and Jenny’s baby’s name after “Death Wish.”
Did you ever think that Lindsey/Genevieve could have been a genie?
Jim: Only her "disappearing" act was out of the ordinary. Last time they had a "is he" or "isn't he" for the time traveler, at the end of the episode they gave viewers the answers by being very sly. I wish they had done the same here.
Stacy: I was suspicious of her only appearing to Castle, but no, I'm too much like Beckett to actually believe she was a genie. I really liked how they played up the possibility and how convinced Castle was.
Robin: I didn't think she was, but I did enjoy the ambiguity of her appearances. Like Jim, it reminded me of Joshua Gomez' guest appearance as the time traveler, and I liked that it was left slightly open-ended.
Jennifer: Yes and no. There is evidence for both sides in regards to her character.
Christine: No but it was fun. I liked that Castle was able to reference 1001 Arabian Nights because the only thing Castle likes as much as his crazy theories are his books.
What wish would you ask from a genie?
Jim: My wish would be to be able to have a conversation with my mom and find out if she is proud of the person I've become since she passed away and find out if she is able to hear me when I talk to her..
Stacy: If I am playing by Aladdin's rules and can't wish someone back from the dead, I would go with superpowers, specifically the ability to teleport. I would love to be able to travel all over the world without having to spend hours on planes and lots of money. Plus, I'd never have to sit in traffic again.
Robin: Someone asked one of my favorite comedians, Bård Ylvisåker, what he would change about the world, and I never forgot his answer. He said that he'd make it so that nobody was afraid, that children didn't live in anxiety of things like grenades and abuse. How awful it must be to be afraid all the time. That resonated with me, and I'd wish the same thing.
Jennifer: World peace. Hands down.
Christine: Doesn’t a genie grant three wishes? Then I’m piggy backing Stacy’s, Robin’s and Jennifer’s. I’d love to teleport because so many people I love are so far away, and a world where there was no fear but peace would be pretty epic.
What did you think of the name for Ryan and Jenny’s baby?
Jim: Name seemed fine, but I was surprised he left Castle out of the loop after all the years he's been friends with them.
Stacy: I thought it was cute, and it made sense because Ryan was planning to name the first baby after Espo if it was a boy. Plus, I kind of love that a little Irish boy is going to have the middle name of Javier.
Robin: One of my favorite moments between Espo and Ryan was back on Castle Season 6 Episode 11, when Ryan wanted to name the baby Javier and Espo made fun of him for it. I love that the continuity remained, and that Ryan actually did name him Javier.
Jennifer: Its a nice call back to the episode "Under Fire," and highlights that friendship between Ryan and Esposito.
Christine: Like Robin, I really appreciated the continuity and I thought Nicholas Javier Ryan was just perfect.
Was there anything in “Death Wish” that disappointed you?
Jim: I was really hoping for a little more reveal on if she really was a genie or not. I'm not a fan of "leaving it to the viewer" type of situation.
Stacy: Nope, nothing. I loved this episode from beginning to end. I've always been a fan of Castle's whimsical side and his crazy theories.
Robin: I don't expect Castle to be The X-Files and come up with somewhat scientific explanations for mythical, fantastical or unexplained phenomena, and I don't mind when Castle believes fantastic things. However, it does bother me that he becomes completely irrational; he falls head first into believing the magical/mythical explanations without actually considering the facts or other explanations of the case. It just sets up the whole Castle-is-a-bumbling-fool schtick that they've been running with these days.
Jennifer: Not really. I really enjoyed the episode, felt more like the classic episodes of seasons past.
Christine: Yes, Castle always believing in the crazy stuff can get a old but for me this episode played it off as more fun than dumb so I’m willing to roll with it.
What was your favorite quote or scene from this episode?
Jim: I loved the I Dream of Jeanie nod in the folder... made me laugh pretty hard.
Stacy: That's tough because like I said, I loved it all. If I have to choose, it would either be the boys comparing their wishes or Beckett asking them to let Castle have the first rub and then her "I can't believe I just said that!"
Robin: My favorite scene was the same as Jim's. I grew up watching reruns of I Dream Of Jeannie, so seeing the picture of Barbara Eden in the folder completely made my day. Well played, Ryan and Espo!
Jennifer: Any scene with Caskett together. Though an honorable mention goes to Castle testing the rugs to see if any were magic carpets.
Christine: There were so many wonderful moments in this episode that it was hands done my favorite of Castle Season 8. But I’ll go with the team gathering at the hospital for the birth of Ryan and Jenny’s baby. It had the camaraderie that I’ve been missing plus some really sweet moments between Rick and Kate. This episode really made me smile.
Check back on Monday for our review of Castle Season 8 Episode 18 and if you can’t wait for more, you can always watch Castle online here at TV Fanatic.
C. Orlando was a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.
