CASTLE is a funny crime series.   Nathan Fillion is an underappreciated character actor.  He breathes life into the flawed characters he plays where it is crime novelist Richard Castle or Captain Malcolm Reynolds (of FIREFLY/ SERENITY).  Castle is a novelist who wants to create his next big character and he decides to model his character after Detective Beckett (Stana Katic).   He teams up with her and starts solving homicides with her.   He also has a smart teenage daughter and a crazy Broadway actress mother to deal with. 

CASTLE is witty and charming with fantastic mystery plots.  I love moments like Castle playing laser tag with his daughter in the apartment, or when Castle puts on a custom Kevlar vest that says Writer.The show was a welcome rescue from CSI: MIAMI which wasn't thrilling me in its seventh season.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Audio commentaries were recorded for several episodes with cast and crew.

FLOWERS FOR YOUR GRAVE with Executive Producer/ Creator Andrew Marlowe/ Exec Producer Rob Bowman, and Actors Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, and Jon Huertas

A CHILL GOES THROUGH HER VEINS with Executive Producer/ Creator Andrew Marlowe/ Exec Producer Rob Bowman, and Actors Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Jon Huertas, and Molly Quinn

A DEATH IN THE FAMILY with Executive Producer/ Creator Andrew Marlowe/ Exec Producer Rob Bowman, and Actors Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Jon Huertas, and Molly Quinn

A DEATH IN THE FAMILY with Actors Seamus Dever and Jon Huertas

The pilot audio commentary reveals many details about the making and casting for the show.

The blooper reel on disc 3 is funny.  Then there are three featurette that don’t shed much light on the show.

WRITE-ALONG WITH NATHAN FILLION is a tongue-in-cheek featurette as Nathan learns what it is to be a writer from Stephen J. Cannell.

CASTLE’S GODFATHER has executive producer/ director Rob Bowman and the creator of CASTLE tell stories of how Stephen J. Cannell had an impact on them.   Rob even started in the business working for Stephen and Stephen tells part of that story.

WHODUNIT: THE GENESIS OF CASTLE tells how CASTLE came about which turns into a short promo fluff piece that features interviews with cast, crew, and Stephen J. Cannell (he gets around in the extras).

FINAL ANALYSIS:   CASTLE is one show you should check out and it is a great alternative to CSI: MIAMI or Leno.   I do wish they had featurettes that actually focused more on the show’s behind-the-scenes.  Also the packaging is incorrect by saying they have deleted scenes (the sticker says it).

This DVD review is (c)9-17-2009 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  Send all comments to lord_pragmagtic@hotmail.com