‘Castle’ season 9 won’t happen as ABC cancels show, airs ‘weird’ series finale
Well, it’s case closed for Castle. ABC has opted not to bring back their long-running procedural show as both Stana Katic and Tamala Jones were rumored to be out for a ninth season.
This meant meant the producers had to scramble to send off the show with a proper ending, especially considering it’s a show with a fiercely loyal, vocal fan base, particularly regarding the show’s main couple, detectives Castle (Nathan Fillion) and Beckett (Katic).
Their relationship was held dear and considered the heart of the show for many, including series creator Andrew Harlowe.
THR reports that the cancellation was made on the wire as talks for an abbreviated final season fell through when “ABC faced a more immediate deadline to make the decision as producers were up against the wall and tasked with editing the season finale.”
The Columbian described the series finale as “…well, kind of strange and disjointed. At the end of the episode, the series villain jumped out and shot at Castle and Beckett. They managed to fight back and kill the criminal, but they were both shot as well. The music swelled as Castle and Beckett collapsed on the floor next to each other, bleeding and looking very dead from gunshot wounds.”
The camera slowly panned from Castle and Beckett’s bodies on the ground and through an empty room. Then viewers heard audio of Castle and Beckett banter from the pilot episode. (Castle: “How about dinner? We can debrief each other.” Beckett: “So I can just be another one of your conquests?”)
Then, text flashed across the screen: “SEVEN YEARS LATER.”
Cut to: Three adorable children running around, and Castle and Beckett beaming at each other at a kitchen table as their little family happily eats breakfast. “Every writer needs inspiration, and I found mine,” the mystery novelist Castle intoned via voiceover, using a line from the show’s opening. “Always,” Beckett’s voiceover said. “Always,” echoed Castle.
Boo hiss. We loved the castle series. You could have made temporary changes. You have no imagination. As producers you all suck!