Castle 4.08: "Heartbreak Hotel"

[icepixie]

Meh. I spent the entire episode thinking, "Oh, that was meant to be funny. I should laugh at that," and then not laughing. I guess the show has finally become a victim of its own success, because rather than being amusing, Castle and the boys in Elvis suits just felt de rigueur.

Although Esposito's "Elvis can't be brown? I'm Elvez" was pretty amusing, I must admit.

Over in Beckett's story, I felt like the show was basically shouting, "Here we are engaging in something called 'character development' where we humanize Captain Gates. Look how human and not-bitchy she is! Do you like her now? You should have new respect for her, because we said so!" I mean, I guess she's not terrible? But I'm still not a big fan, and I'm not thrilled with her being minced into bite-sized pieces for my delectation.

Alexis's party was kind of funny in the sense that it was completely accidental, but as a story it did absolutely nothing for me.

The next episode (two weeks from now) looks like it will be full of Castle lying to Beckett for her own good, which is sure to make me rage. I think I might give it a miss and see what the general online consensus is before I watch.

Comments

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

Okay, here goes, this is me choosing to ignore a new episode of Castle.... feels kinda good, actually? (Thanks for the warning!)

[icepixie]

Do it do it do it! Run away and don't look back! This was definitely the most boring episode in recent memory, and I doubt anything from it will come up in future episodes. (Well, except that Jenny's family forced Ryan to make her 16-year-old half-brother his best man, much to his and Esposito's dismay.)

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

(Well, except that Jenny's family forced Ryan to make her 16-year-old half-brother his best man, much to his and Esposito's dismay.)

NOOOOO!!!! This obviously calls for a second ceremony, to keep the bromance alive.

[rensong.livejournal.com]

There was sadness when I logged into Hulu and could not get the new episode to play. There was more sadness when I tried at ABC.com an also failed (everything else in my queue will play, so I'm thinking it's ABC's fault). So I decided to get a sort of Castle fix by reading your spoilers, and now I am not so sad that the episode won't load. Elvis costumes? Really?

And next week's episode sounds like it shall be made of lose. One of my BIGGEST PET PEEVES IN THE WORLD, OMG is other people lying to people they care about "for their own good". This is why I still refuse to read any of the Dresden series between book 2 and where I picked up the series again around books 4 or 5ish.

[icepixie]

Personally, I'd suggest just skipping this one. It was indeed made of lose.

I really hope next week will involve Beckett finding out that Castle is trying to protect her by keeping information from her, and her blowing up at him. I have a feeling it won't happen.

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

This is why I still refuse to read any of the Dresden series between book 2 and where I picked up the series again around books 4 or 5ish.

OMG, YOU MEAN HARRY EVENTUALLY STOPS DOING THIS?? I just started book 5 without much enthusiasm, but this gives me hope!

[rensong.livejournal.com]

Well, not *totally* stops, but once Karrin finds out about the whole Wizard thing (though it might take a bit - I skipped books 3-5, and only read book 2 once waaaaaay back maybe a year or two after it came out, so I haven't a clue when she actually does find out) he's less obnoxious about it.

Honestly, the only reason I decided to give the series another chance is because I read this highly amusing Dresden fic, where I was first introduced to Mouse. Mouse is awesome (Thomas was also in the fic, and he seemed pretty cool, too), so I decided to see if I could handle the series once Mouse (and to a lesser degree, Thomas) showed up in book six (Blood Rites), and lo, it was good! Or at least I didn't want to punch Harry in the face as much as I did when I tried to reread in the first one.

I will not spoil you on who Thomas or Mouse are (unless you want me to; in which case, I shall direct you to the fic I mentioned earlier. ;) ), but the long and the short of it is YES, it *does* get better! And I had no trouble hopping into the series at book 6 beyond the typical "who the hell are these people?" questions that come up with characters introduced and established in earlier books. And I was able to pretty much keep everything straight by finding some nicely detailed plot summaries of books 2 through 5 online.

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

Or at least I didn't want to punch Harry in the face as much

This is an urge I struggle with!

unless you want me to; in which case, I shall direct you to the fic I mentioned earlier. ;)

Fire away! Show me the light at the end of the tunnel! I'm usually a spoilerphobe, but I think it's time to make an exception.

I think what really irritates me about the books so far (besides Harry being an idiot) is that Karrin will pop up and then disappear for giant chunks of book! I absolutely love her to bits, and it keeps looking like she'll get a bigger role for once, but then... we get D&D-playing werewolves instead. Arg.

[icepixie]

This is an urge I struggle with!

I never quite managed to get over my urge, so I had to stop reading. (Both times, even! I tried book one, didn't like it, was encouraged to try...book five? The one with the porno shoot, anyway, and I liked it better but still not enough to subject myself to more Harry. Though some of the short stories were fun.) He's just so obviously Jim Butcher's cooler, spiffier self-insert, and ARRRRGGGHHH, his chauvinism drove me batty.

I also had issues with Karrin disappearing for most of the books. SHE IS THE ONLY REASON TO READ THE DAMN THINGS, YOU COULD AT LEAST KEEP HER ONSCREEN FOR MORE THAN HALF THE BOOK.

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

He's just so obviously Jim Butcher's cooler, spiffier self-insert, and ARRRRGGGHHH, his chauvinism drove me batty.

....have you seen this photo (http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/b6/3c/4923810ae7a0d9abe55d0210.L._V192430478_SX200_.jpg) of Butcher? It's in the back of all the editions I've read. Every time I look at it I GUFFAW. I think it tells you a lot about Jim Butcher.

SHE IS THE ONLY REASON TO READ THE DAMN THINGS, YOU COULD AT LEAST KEEP HER ONSCREEN FOR MORE THAN HALF THE BOOK.

FOR SERIOUS, WHY ISN'T SHE THE MAIN CHARACTER??

[icepixie]

I think it tells you a lot about Jim Butcher.

SO MUCH about him, yes. He doesn't even need to wear the D&D T-shirt.

FOR SERIOUS, WHY ISN'T SHE THE MAIN CHARACTER??

He did actually write a short story from her POV. She sounded...exactly like Harry, but with female pronouns. It was a little creepy, actually.

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

She sounded...exactly like Harry, but with female pronouns. It was a little creepy, actually.

GAH. With the publishing industry as cutthroat as it is, how is it that such mediocre people get published??

[icepixie]

Because there are a lot of D&D players who like this kind of thing, I think. *sigh*

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

*BIG DRAMATIC SIGH I HOPE THE PUBLISHING WORLD CAN HEAR*

[rensong.livejournal.com]

That Time Rancid Squirrels Invaded My Living Room (http://www.yuletidetreasure.org/archive/51/thattime.html) - and yes, I totally just read it for the title, and now it is one of my favorite stories ever!

Dresden Files doesn't seem to have the pulling power over me like other similar series do, so even after jumping into it at book six, I think I only managed to make it up to book 8 before I moved on to another series. Butcher seems to be the kind of author I can only tolerate in small doses, so unlike most books, I have little desire to re-read a year or so later, which means my memory is sketchy on a lot of what happened in the few books I did read. I do recall that Karrin gets a bit more opportunity to shine in at least one of the books, but there is still a sad lack of her awesomeness. :(

[rensong.livejournal.com]

I'm with Becca as far as Dresden is concerned - the fic is just SO MUCH BETTER because the writers see the awesomeness that Karrin represents and take shameless advantage of the face. Or a least that's how it seems in the few fics I've read.

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

I can see the fans of the series being all, "DEAR MR. BUTCHER: WE'RE GONNA FIX THIS FOR YOU." And then filling the internet with Karrin epics!

[icepixie]

...Sadly, no. Dresden fandom, at least that I've run into, seems to think Harry/Marcone is the best thing since sliced dragon meat. Runner-up is assorted fics about the Carpenters, Thomas, and other characters I haven't run into in what little canon I've read.

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

Marcone as in the gangster guy? But...but... internet, why so lame??

[icepixie]

One and the same. I think it has something to do with hatesex. That seems to be very popular in lots of fandom places.

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

I understand that fic is cheaper than therapy, but... bleck. ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE COULD BE KARRIN EPICS INSTEAD.

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

Bwahaha! That is indeed a quality, quality title!

Dresden Files doesn't seem to have the pulling power over me like other similar series do

Yeah, there are good bits, but also lots and lots of frustrating bits that the good just can't quite overcome. I'm reading them because they're a gift from a friend (and I like laughing at Butcher's misrepresentations of Chicago), but I don't think I'll be rereading them, especially after I determine once and for all that, no, Karrin is not going to get the level of awesomeness and screentime that she deserves.