A woman has just been murdered. Only these aren’t under “normal” circumstances. The killer left the victim nude covered in rose petals with sunflowers covering her eyes. NYPD detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) doesn’t think it was a crime of passion. The victim knew her killer and the crime scene was planned out, seeing as it greatly resembles a scene straight out of mystery novelist Rick Castle’s book. Castle (Nathan Fillion) has climbed to the top of the bestseller lists by writing some of the more popular mystery novels. His final book has killed off his lead hero and ever since he’s struggled to write, something his publisher/ex-wife is pressuring him to remedy. It just so happens that Kate is a fan of Castle’s stories so she brings him in for questioning in regards to deranged fans and winds up being stuck with him during the course of a triple murder investigation.

Ultimately, the “team” of Castle and Beckett prevail, which relieves Kate, who now no longer has a curious citizen tagging along. Unfortunately for Kate, she has become Castle’s latest inspiration and is the lucky person his latest character is based on: the fun is just beginning. Said to be a mix of Murder, She Wrote and the 80’s Moonlighting, (it does resemble both for different reasons), initially I didn’t think this was anything particularly unique but there is something about it that makes it irresistible. By the finale I was convinced this was a fantastic if not unusual show. No doubt this is greatly due to the characters who while not very complex are still an interesting study. Kate has had a painful past which we learn more about as the show furthers and while we automatically assume especially after meeting him that Castle is an idle playboy, the more viewers see of his private life, the more you grow to like his character. Being a single father gives him a great dimension that otherwise wouldn’t have been there. The scenes between he and daughter Alexis (Molly Quinn) are precious albeit subtle; scenes of them sliding down the hall floor or talking late into the evening are special and well filmed. The relationship that screenwriters developed between them is based on respect and genuine love and Alexis isn’t disrespectful towards her father as is so often depicted in teenage characters.

Typical for a show of “today,” Castle has its share of sexual references and innuendo and problematic language. “Nanny McDead” tells the story of two nannies; both of who were having affairs with married men and employers. It’s suggested one of the women had sex immediately preceding her death; when Kate questions the ME about the proof, Castle glibly remarks he’ll “explain how that works later." “Hell Hath No Fury” involves a highly paid prostitute (blackmail photos are seen). “Always Buy Retail” opens with Castle and his wife having a brief tryst complete with frames shattering; there’s a lot of heavy breathing and rolling around in bed before they wind up on the floor and discuss whether or not that was in the “top 10." Episode four deals with a teen triangle. Castle’s mother is constantly seen with a drink in her hand and suggests she may get “lucky” yet. As a rebuttal to Castle suggesting they might have had “fun,” Kate gives a whispered saucy reply. At a party Castle orders his daughter a drink (for the “wild stories” she’ll someday tell), she refuses it. Victims die in a variety of ways; some are shot, another bashed in the head and stuffed into a dryer while another has numerous bones broken to fit into a safe. A mentally unwell woman thinks of committing suicide and cuts a knife into her thigh. Generally the episode opens with the murder victim; some are shown in more detail, mostly in tight, close shots. One episode (“Always Buy Retail”) deals with voodoo ceremonies, where the victims were first tortured (implied) then stabbed. Some episodes imply drugs (one deals with teenagers) and extra-marital affairs. For the most part everything is pretty well filmed, in that none of the content is either shown or implied in any great excess. Drinking is also a part of the show at various different times.

While not being as funny as I’d assumed, humor does play a significant part in the story without becoming slapstick. One of the most hilarious sequences involves Castle sneaking along with the team wearing a vest that proclaims his occupation; it was one of those “laugh-out-loud” segments. Moments of serious conversations and hilarity ultimately lead to tense crime situations. The casting was well done. Stana and Nathan play their parts convincingly well, while newcomer Molly Quinn is the scene-stealer. Kate and Castle’s interaction is brimming with sparks, same as their dislike of one another is hard to miss; each eventually see the attributes in one another until they have a tolerable relationship. Despite it all, they still equally annoy the other. Initially, Kate intrigues Castle because he can’t quite crack what’s driving her. Throughout the series their partnership is often the brunt of many barbs and much of the series is based off that. Castle’s brilliant observations and sudden epiphanies are pure entertainment -- his breaking a suspects role in the crime or alibi made for laugh-out-loud comedy that if missing, would have made an otherwise dull show.

As the ten-episode arch gets further into the season, it ultimately (and surprisingly enough) does become a slightly stronger show without the range of cleverness of other shows of its genre. Still despite its unrealistic premise (allowing a citizen to come along on murders, drug busts, etc.), it remains clever and engaging. It ends far too quickly with a shocking cliff-hanger. Certainly not the most intelligent series on television, present or past, Castle is simply a fun forty plus minutes that offers mystery interspersed with comedy. The crimes are clever, the characters interesting enough to keep one curious and I enjoyed what they each brought to solving the murders. If you don’t mind overlooking misguided morals, this is one modern sitcom I’ve thoroughly enjoyed.