Castle Season Two Episode 12 – A Rose for Everafter

“He’s all yours”
Kyra (Alyssa Milano) to Detective Beckett (Stana Katic)

Castle Season Two Episode 12 – A Rose for Everafter: Air date January 11, 2010
Review by JAM

This episode finally give the fans a little more of what they were waiting for. Since the beginning of the show’s run, Castle (Nathan Fillion) and Beckett (Stana Katic) have played the game at feeling each other out, but not sharing much at the same time. Castle plays the smitten young knight on the quest for the princess’ heart and Beckett plays the indifferent princess watching as her knight completes greater and greater challenges in order to prove his worth. Funny thing is, in this episode we finally see Beckett realize some of what she might have before her.

As Castle works on envisioning the escape of Nikki Heat from his next novel, a new case arrives for the Beckett and her team. The death of a bridesmaid threatens to destroy a wedding in which the bride to be shares a deep past with Castle. Sounds like a soap opera! But instead we have a well-woven tale of sex, lies, and videotape (or Flip video to be exact) in which nothing is as it seems.

Kyra (Alyssa Milano) is the bride-to-be and Castle’s long ago forbidden love. The onscreen chemistry between Alyssa and Nathan was amazing, as you can truly feel that these two may have had something between them, yet Castle is slightly subdued (for him) as he explores the feelings he has for his former flame and his current infatuation, Kate Beckett. For the first time, Beckett seems to see Castle as more than just the annoyance who helps at times, but rather as an actual man with all his pluses and minuses. Subtle camera shots and dialogue show a subtle jealousy in Beckett’s voice as she sees Castle fawning over his past. She especially cautions him about getting to close to someone who could be a potential suspect or killer of the dead bridesmaid, but it seems more out of a need to keep him close and under her wing than an actual warning.

She needed not worry as Kyra and Castle share an intimate moment together, but nothing more as each returns to their life as it is. Kyra realizing that she has a man to love her forever, but not completely over Castle informs Beckett that Castle is hers to win or lose. Yet there seems to be that undertone of “Do not mess it up” that helps the viewer see the potential for the two weekly collaborators, Castle and Beckett. Oh yeah, and Beckett catches the bouquet. Subtle…

I don’t know if the show will ever establish the romance between Castle and Beckett, but this episode led their relationship further than it had been by establishing visions of what might be in both Beckett’s and the viewer’s eyes. The show itself is fun for the premise, but it will be interesting to see the development of the relationship between two people who may never fall in love, but have a mutual respect and a strong emotional bond to each other.

May the CASTLE stand strong!