Aside from the great character development of this series, this time I have to hand it to John Terlesky and his directing. This episode began rather slowly and I found myself thinking, for the first time, the series was really starting to get old and predictable. Then it happened, Great directing, acting, and story telling that keeps you plastered to the tube! This has got to be one of the very best episodes. I loved the series Firefly and followed Nathan Fillion to Castle, albeit 2 years after it premiered. Obviously, I wasn't expecting that same magic. I am happy to say that this series really invests in the characters. In turn, you can't help but find yourself investing in them too. If you are new to Castle, I highly recommend that you start watching from the beginning and catch up. You will not be disappointed!
12 Reviews
"Probable Cause" illustrates why Castle is a great show.
MichaelSeese10 November 2012
Warning: Spoilers
SPOILERS THROUGHOUT!
One word: intense.
I'll repeat a phrase I know I've used before. "Probable Cause" illustrates why Castle is a great show. You knew Castle wasn't guilty, even in the face of the video evidence. So the fun came from watching the events unfold and wondering exactly what was going on. And when exactly what was going on was revealed, it caught me completely by surprise. Also, I loved that the real culprit came forward halfway through, resulting in a tense cat-and-mouse game for the rest of the show.
And the villain is one horrifying cat. When I first watched "3XK," I said aloud that I hoped they'd bring him back; apparently the writers listened to me.
Though light on humor (I imagine "The Final Frontier" will remedy that), there were so many stellar moments.
The range of emotions portrayed on Beckett's and Castle's faces as she arrested him was spectacular acting. The scene at 2420 Nicholas -- 3XK's workshop -- was pure tension.
But the climax ...
When Beckett and Castle stopped to wait for the bridge, my wife said, "They're ..." Well, I won't repeat it. Suffice to say, the adjective she chose shares a lot of letters with "firetruck." The focused intensity on Beckett's face as she approached 3XK's car, firing, was amazing. So, too, was Castle's determination when he "manned up" and shot. (In sharp contrast to his milquetoast fight-esque in McCrawley's Bar in "Headhunters.")
The perfect coda came from one of the final exchanges.
Beckett: "He's dead." Castle: "For now."
My only gripe comes from that final scene. We know 3XK is brilliant. We know he's a consummate planner. So when Beckett marched toward his car, blasting away, I said, "He's wearing armor." In fact, I probably said it loud enough that Beckett should have heard me. Then when Castle picked up the gun, I thought, OK, you know Beckett shot him and he's still alive. He wearing Kevlar. Go for the head. Go for head! But of course, had they done that, he really would be dead, and not able to appear in any future episodes, which now we are guaranteed will happen. (Since I know the writers pay close attention to my ideas.)
One word: intense.
I'll repeat a phrase I know I've used before. "Probable Cause" illustrates why Castle is a great show. You knew Castle wasn't guilty, even in the face of the video evidence. So the fun came from watching the events unfold and wondering exactly what was going on. And when exactly what was going on was revealed, it caught me completely by surprise. Also, I loved that the real culprit came forward halfway through, resulting in a tense cat-and-mouse game for the rest of the show.
And the villain is one horrifying cat. When I first watched "3XK," I said aloud that I hoped they'd bring him back; apparently the writers listened to me.
Though light on humor (I imagine "The Final Frontier" will remedy that), there were so many stellar moments.
The range of emotions portrayed on Beckett's and Castle's faces as she arrested him was spectacular acting. The scene at 2420 Nicholas -- 3XK's workshop -- was pure tension.
But the climax ...
When Beckett and Castle stopped to wait for the bridge, my wife said, "They're ..." Well, I won't repeat it. Suffice to say, the adjective she chose shares a lot of letters with "firetruck." The focused intensity on Beckett's face as she approached 3XK's car, firing, was amazing. So, too, was Castle's determination when he "manned up" and shot. (In sharp contrast to his milquetoast fight-esque in McCrawley's Bar in "Headhunters.")
The perfect coda came from one of the final exchanges.
Beckett: "He's dead." Castle: "For now."
My only gripe comes from that final scene. We know 3XK is brilliant. We know he's a consummate planner. So when Beckett marched toward his car, blasting away, I said, "He's wearing armor." In fact, I probably said it loud enough that Beckett should have heard me. Then when Castle picked up the gun, I thought, OK, you know Beckett shot him and he's still alive. He wearing Kevlar. Go for the head. Go for head! But of course, had they done that, he really would be dead, and not able to appear in any future episodes, which now we are guaranteed will happen. (Since I know the writers pay close attention to my ideas.)
Breach in the Castle
hellraiser74 May 2021
It's always the last thing we want to happen, most likely it wouldn't but there is always that looming possibility of having the sights of the law targeting at you for a crime non committed. What makes it all the scarier isn't so much having the cuffs slapped on you but that no one believes your telling the truth.
This is one of my honorable mention episodes of the show, it's pretty much the old suspense thriller wrong man/fugitive motif, but this is one of the one's done right as this wrong man is our main man himself.
I really like how everyone reacts. From Castle whom I feel acts like how any ordinary civilian would and we're asking the same questions as him, I remember thinking, "What the hell is going on?!" We just see everything for Castle and company unraveling faster than they can solve mysteries. But as a cardinal rule in mystery's goes, "Nothing is that positive." Kate and company know despite the evidence they found and what it makes Castle look like, it's not entirely adding up, except for one thing "Set Up."
Castle and we already can tell this whole thing was one elaborate set up, from how easy Kate and company found that bag, in any investigation it's never that easy. Let alone if you we're a perpetrator wouldn't you do a better job hiding your tracks? However, from all this what worried me even more other than Castle going to jail was who was setting him up.
We of course see who it is and it's of course the 3K Killer rearing his ugly head, there is a scene where both Castle and him have a conversation. What 3K says about observing Castle, Kate and even Alexis closely really made my skin crawl, knowing what he's capable off I don't doubt this may be true.
And of course, there is the suspense near the end seeing Castle and Kate both racing against time to prove Castle's innocence. Even like the ending which left one big unsettling question mark in the end, an answer only time alone can solve.
Rating: 4 stars.
This is one of my honorable mention episodes of the show, it's pretty much the old suspense thriller wrong man/fugitive motif, but this is one of the one's done right as this wrong man is our main man himself.
I really like how everyone reacts. From Castle whom I feel acts like how any ordinary civilian would and we're asking the same questions as him, I remember thinking, "What the hell is going on?!" We just see everything for Castle and company unraveling faster than they can solve mysteries. But as a cardinal rule in mystery's goes, "Nothing is that positive." Kate and company know despite the evidence they found and what it makes Castle look like, it's not entirely adding up, except for one thing "Set Up."
Castle and we already can tell this whole thing was one elaborate set up, from how easy Kate and company found that bag, in any investigation it's never that easy. Let alone if you we're a perpetrator wouldn't you do a better job hiding your tracks? However, from all this what worried me even more other than Castle going to jail was who was setting him up.
We of course see who it is and it's of course the 3K Killer rearing his ugly head, there is a scene where both Castle and him have a conversation. What 3K says about observing Castle, Kate and even Alexis closely really made my skin crawl, knowing what he's capable off I don't doubt this may be true.
And of course, there is the suspense near the end seeing Castle and Kate both racing against time to prove Castle's innocence. Even like the ending which left one big unsettling question mark in the end, an answer only time alone can solve.
Rating: 4 stars.
Had me watching the commercials, no channel surfing
nitecruzr23 February 2022
With Castle now in reruns on Lifetime, I have to channel surf during the commercials.
This episode, as soon as I realised what was going on, I sat patiently through every commercial, so no chance of missing the next section of the plot.
This episode, as soon as I realised what was going on, I sat patiently through every commercial, so no chance of missing the next section of the plot.
cliché after cliché
klassenmtim26 June 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Don't the people who found this episode interesting watch ANY other movies. There were too many clichés to count. The serial killer Jerry Tyson could come and go ANYWHERE without leaving clues. All of the evidence found was intended to make Castle and everyone act as they did but no one could plan it that exactly. The drawbridge was a cliché, Beckett and Castle not even suspecting that after all Jerry Tyson was capable of had a police escort or even paid attention to what was happening behind them and allowed their car to be rammed from behind. First Beckett shot Jerry several times then he over powered her then Castle shot him numerous times and allowed him to back up and fall into the water to allow him to escape and appear dead. I've seen this scenario too many time to count. I knew what would happen the second I saw the drawbridge but had too much respect for the show to this point to expect them to really go through with it. There was only one other episode where I was as disappointed as I am with this one. The writing is great normally but this episode really sucks.
Love it or Hate it episode
VetteRanger7 January 2023
People who like this episode REALLY like it, and people who hate it REALLY hate it. LOL We enjoyed it a lot. One thing writers are encouraged to do is mire their heroes deep into difficulties and get readers or viewers very concerned about the hero's fate. The writers of this episode accomplished that about as well as you can.
A murder victim is left in a strange and bizarre pose. Castle's fingerprints are found on the scene. An expensive earring is found in her couch. Castle is seen on security footage buying the ring. Props from the murder are found in a valise in his penthouse. A damning sequence of emails is on his computer, and other files wiped out in a manner similar to files on the victim's computer.
He's charged with murder. It's a pretty bad hole the writer's dumped him into. :-) Watch to see how they give him a way back out.
A murder victim is left in a strange and bizarre pose. Castle's fingerprints are found on the scene. An expensive earring is found in her couch. Castle is seen on security footage buying the ring. Props from the murder are found in a valise in his penthouse. A damning sequence of emails is on his computer, and other files wiped out in a manner similar to files on the victim's computer.
He's charged with murder. It's a pretty bad hole the writer's dumped him into. :-) Watch to see how they give him a way back out.
Egotistical Writers
scottstigall8 February 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The whole 3XK storyline is just a bunch of writers thinking they are so smart but, in reality, so stupid to believe someone can be so smart and everyone else so stupid. No one sees him at the jail and no one is smart enough to figure out the video has been turned off. This guy is a master murderer, computer genius, cat burglar and master of disguise. The whole plot line throughout the series was the only weakness until the seventh season shenanigans.
Juvenile writing.
demodokos17 August 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I suppose one has to forgive a show for one of the two unforgivable plot sins. #1 is the Evil Twin episode, and #2 is the hero/heroine accused episode. This is the latter. While it is marginally possible to make a good hero accused story, this isn't one. The episode begins with an interesting murder but rapidly becomes unwatchable. The worst part, however, comes after Castle has been exonerated. Yes, the real villain is the nauseating recurring super villain 3XK, or Xzzzzzzzzz. Naturally only stopped but not jailed, and you can be sure he wasn't killed after being shot in the chest half a dozen times and then falling off a bridge. Seriously? Thank God or the blue TV pixie for a fast forward button!
What a load of crap
GatormanTN4 February 2023
This is hands down the absolute worst episode of this series. It's a typical cop show where you have to accept some gaps and unbelievable things, but this just shows that writers can truly be awful when they don't know what else to write.
The premise in this is so far beyond belief it is just annoying to even watch. A pack of tripe. Some of the sinister stuff from the main backstory can be a bit much, but this just keeps throwing more and more stupid stuff that is impossible.
Anyone associated with this episode should be ashamed to have even participated in this one. It's beyond horrible. Just skip this episode from an otherwise very good show.
The premise in this is so far beyond belief it is just annoying to even watch. A pack of tripe. Some of the sinister stuff from the main backstory can be a bit much, but this just keeps throwing more and more stupid stuff that is impossible.
Anyone associated with this episode should be ashamed to have even participated in this one. It's beyond horrible. Just skip this episode from an otherwise very good show.
Totally Unbelievable
zombiemockingbird2 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Maybe I've just seen too many police shows and have become jaded. Nothing about this episode from beginning to end was believable. This guy is so, so smart, he can just do anything he wants, impossible as it seems, and no one sees him or suspects a thing. And he set up this whole scenario just to make it appear that he's dead? Because someone this smart couldn't figure out an easier way to disappear? Yeah, right. Nothing that happened was a surprise because it was all so cliched. I thought Nathan Fillion did a really poor job acting this episode because Castle walked calmly through the whole thing like he wasn't the least bit concerned. I did learn one thing; if you walk into a police station wearing a uniform, no one questions you, and you can do whatever you want. Again, yeah, right.
The worst episode of the whole series.
jeanbal6 April 2024
Silly beyond silly. Nothing is believable from start to finish. Nobody trusts Beckett, even though she beats the worst NY criminals every week. She is sad one moment, and then she forgets everything. Nothing explains how the killer could put the victim's corpse up in the air. And the DA is nothing but a caricature. A constant mess. There will be some better episodes in the minths that followed, but this one was the beginning of the end. I understand what they mean by « suspension of disbelief. » But here, it's a case of « suspension of intelligence. » I fell insulted by the scriptwriter.
I can't understand how so many viewers liked this dumberie festival.
I can't understand how so many viewers liked this dumberie festival.
Twists and turns
lor_28 July 2023
A terrific story puts Castle in the hot seat as the prime suspect for murdering a woman, with ritualistic details of the crime a key factor.. The dramatic issue of Beckett and all the other cops following a load of clues that point toward Castle while none of them believe he could possibly be the guilty party make for an edge-of-the-seat suspense entry, well-constructed and directed.
As I waited for the other shoe to drop (Nathan Fillion has to be innocent and come back as our hero next week), I was impressed by the skillful creation and sustaining of tension and suspense in "The Wrong Man" tradition.
As I waited for the other shoe to drop (Nathan Fillion has to be innocent and come back as our hero next week), I was impressed by the skillful creation and sustaining of tension and suspense in "The Wrong Man" tradition.
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