***NO SPOILERS - SAFE TO READ PRE-WATCHING***
this episode came across to both my me and my wife as being tired, lame and trying too hard. the jokes seemed clichéd, the plot was razor- thin, and the references to jaded action actors made us feel as if the episode was trying to cash in on an overdone trope.
i didn't notice my wife laugh, giggle, chuckle or even smile at any point. castle normally has her in raptures, but not this episode. the humour was just... lame. as a guy who grew up in the 80s, i relate well to action heroes and action movies, but i found myself giving forced laughs - "oh, this is a joke! i am supposed to laugh now".
castle came across in this episode as juvenile (as opposed to his usual charming childlikeness), and kate seemed as if she were running through lines. ryan and esposito's gimmick for the episode was so lame i cringed every time it came up (instead of laughing at what was supposed to be goofy).
while castle plots are usually not overly solid, this one required an even greater suspension of reality to believe. it was also dreadfully transparent. we both knew who the culprit was from super early on, and were just waiting for the big reveal (surprise! NOT) so that the show would end :(
this episode could have been an awesome firefly throwback (because let's me honest, most guys probably watch this show for mal reynolds (and kate beckett for eye candy)), but this was only a nod in firefly's direction theme-wise. no in-jokes here.
we both love the show immensely, but we struggled to keep awake by three quarters of the way through (we usually watch an episode before turning in at night). this season (7) has picked up the standard considerably and that highlights the poor quality of this episode all the more.