Jul 15, 2023
100 Reasons to Love "Castle"
To celebrate all 8 seasons of Castle now streaming on Hulu , we've put together a list of 100 reasons why we love the show. There are cool cases, clever quotes and unforgettable moments. We cover your
To celebrate all 8 seasons of Castle now streaming on Hulu, we've put together a list of 100 reasons why we love the show. There are cool cases, clever quotes and unforgettable moments. We cover your favorite mystery man and his muse from the beginning recalling a memorable moment from each of the first 100 episodes - even though there are way more. Did we mention that every episode of the hit TV show Castle starring Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic is now streaming on Hulu? Yes, Hulu is the best place to watch Castle the complete series from beginning to end. But for now, see how many special moments you recall from the first 100 episodes and then stream TV's Castle on Hulu using the link below. Whether you're new to the show or a longtime fan, Castle will be sure to add some romance, laughs, suspense, mystery and more to your TV binging... Always.
WATCH "CASTLE" THE COMPLETE SERIES ON HULU - GO NOW!
Season One
1. It all begins in "Flowers for Your Grave." Castle is a carefree playboy writer. Beckett is all-business with really short hair. Opposites attract. These two make for the perfect crime-solving team. Castle says, "There's always a story. You just have to find it." This is something real-life writers James Patterson and Stephen J. Cannell know, as they tell Castle to always keep digging.
2. In "Nanny McDead," Beckett is surprised to learn that Castle used to take Alexis to the park when she was little. She never figured him for Mr. Mom. Those were the best days of Castle's life. The park was a great place to pick up lonely single moms. When the case is over, Alexis thanks Castle for being her nanny. Castle says, "No sweat, kiddo." Best days of his life.
3. In "Hedge Fund Homeboys," we find it amusing that Castle's ringtone for when Beckett calls is "Dracula's Theme." He answers, "Who was murdered, and was it gruesome?"
4. In "Hell Hath No Fury," Castle can't stand the coffee down at the precinct, so he buys the squad an espresso machine. Beckett refuses to try a cup until no one else is around. Too bad Castle catches her in the act. He knows how she likes her coffee. And Beckett knows that the character he's naming after her is called Nikki Heat. She thinks it sounds like a stripper.
5. In "A Chill Goes Through Her Veins," we learn that Beckett puts on her dad's watch and wears her mother's ring as part of her morning routine. Castle learns that his partner's mom was killed when she was a kid. This has him curious about Johanna Beckett's unsolved murder. Note: It's Esposito, not Castle, who gives Beckett a coffee at the crime scene in this one.
6. The world learns that Castle really is "ruggedly handsome" in "Always Buy Retail."
7. In "Home is Where the Heart Stops," Beckett and Castle must attend a gala ball together. She's dressed to kill and he's, well, "ruggedly handsome." Heads turn as this stunning couple makes a memorable entrance. Other memorable moments include Ryan and Esposito giving Castle a long list of words they use other than "perp."
8. Beckett throws a poker game in "Ghosts" to help Castle save face. A rematch is forthcoming. Castle wants to play for clothes, but Beckett prefers the pot be filled with Gummy Bears.
9. In "Little Girl Lost," Beckett is upset that Nikki Heat is naked on her partner's new book cover. Castle counters that she's not really naked, as she's holding a gun "strategically." One other cool moment in this one is Castle waiting with two cups of coffee outside the crime scene. A tradition begins.
10. In "A Death in the Family," Castle continues to dig into the mystery behind Johanna Beckett's murder. He does so behind his partner's back even though he was warned that they'd be over if he ever touched the case. Season 1 ends with Castle telling Beckett he needs to speak with her. It's about her mother.
Season Two
11. Castle apologizes for violating his partner's trust regarding her mom's murder in "Deep in Death." Beckett says she'll see him tomorrow. It's just enough to let Castle know they are a team once again.
12. Castle is always a writer at heart. In "The Double Down," he says, "Whoever murdered her also murdered the English language."
13. In "Inventing the Girl," Castle learns that the girl who used to babysit Alexis is now a fashion model. They used to watch High School Musical together. The babysitter and Alexis. Not Castle. At least, we assume not Castle.
14. "Shut the front door" is uttered by Beckett for the first time in "Fool Me Once…" Castle responds, "No time for dirty talk." Love it!
15. In "When the Bough Breaks," Castle is tapped to re-launch a franchise about a British secret agent, He says, "I don't know that I'm ready to walk away from Nikki Heat." Also, Beckett learns that Castle called her "extraordinary" in his book dedication.
16. In "Vampire Weekend," Castle considers dressing up as a space cowboy for Halloween. It's a role Nathan Fillion could certainly play with a certain degree of serenity.
17. Oh, the banter. In "Famous Last Words," Castle asks, "Do I look like a killer to you?" Beckett responds, "Yes, you kill my patience."
18. More banter. This time it's from "Kill the Messenger." Martha asks, "How superficial do you think I am?" Castle answers, "Intensely."
19. In "Love Me Dead," Castle says, "Check out this guy. Archibald Spinx. Five counts of attempted murder. One count of indecent exposure. You don't suppose he tried to kill him with his…"
20. In "One Man's Treasure," Alexis gets an internship down at the station. When she finds a crime victim's sentimental photo album, she tracks down the owner's grateful daughter. Castle was happy having his daughter working near him, but this moment also made him very proud.
21. Banter from "The Fifth Bullet":
Ryan: "C.S.U.'s re-swept the scene twice. No sign of our fifth bullet.
Castle: "I'm telling you…ice bullet.
Esposito: "Nah, bro, an ice bullet would still make a bullet hole."
Ryan: "You mean ice hole."
Castle: "What did you call me?"
22. A bridesmaid is murdered in "A Rose for Everafter." The bride happens to be Kyra Blaine. For Castle, she's the one that got away. He perks up when the blushing bride tosses her bouquet only to have it land in Beckett's hands.
23. In "Sucker Punch," Beckett says, "If you tell anyone what I'm about to say, there's going to be another shooting, but I've gotten used to you pulling my pigtails. I have a hard job, Castle, and having you around makes it a little more fun." Love the "pigtails" part.
24. In "The Third Man," Castle and Beckett solve the case, but realize they bailed on their dates before eating dinner. So when Castle suggests they grab a burger, Beckett thinks it's a good idea. You could even say…it's a date!
25. In "Suicide Squeeze," Beckett gets super-giddy when she meets Joe Torre. It's nice to see that side of her. Another cool moment is when Alexis offers to play catch with Castle since this is something he never got to do with his own dad.
26. In "The Mistress Always Spanks Twice," Beckett says, "Hi, my name is Kate and my boyfriend has been a very bad boy. His name's Ricky." Gulp!
27. In "Tick, Tick, Tick…," Esposito says, "Pancakes is not just breakfast. It's an edible way of saying thank you so much for last night." Pancakes come up often in Castle. Of course, the big moment in this episode is when Beckett's apartment blows up as Castle watches helplessly from the street.
28. In "Boom!," Castle covers Beckett's naked body with his coat (he didn't look) to escape her blown up apartment. Later, the FBI's Jordan Shaw says, "He cares about you, Kate. You may not see it. You may not be ready to, but he does."
29. In "Wrapped Up in Death," Castle thinks he's cursed especially after an attack dog chomps out the back of his pants. Beckett shoots a furtive glance at his exposed backside as he walks away.
30. In "The Late Shaft," Castle believes he and Beckett should have a signature line. His thought is "She's armed. He's dangerous."
31. In "Den of Thieves," Tom Demming, is brought in on a case. He's a handsome detective who gets hot and sweaty with Beckett while… kickboxing. Best moment of the episode is when Espo introduces an old acquaintance. He says, "Ike, this is my partner, Ryan. And this is my other partner, Castle."
32. In "Food to Die For," Beckett's old friend, Madison thoroughly embarrasses her. She says, "You're hot for Castle. You want to make little Castle babies." Of course, Castle is bummed in this one when he sees Beckett is already sharing a coffee with Detective Tom Demming.
33. In "Overkill," Castle and Demming do their best to one-up each other to solve a case. It's all about the never-ending pursuit of justice. Actually, it's all about the never-ending pursuit of Kate Beckett.
34. In "A Deadly Game," Beckett abruptly breaks up with Demming. She may finally be ready to open up to Castle. Then she looks like she's been punched in the gut when she learns that her partner is spending the summer with his ex, Gina. Thankfully, they both say they'll see each other in the fall.
Season Three
35. In "A Deadly Affair," Castle bets Beckett that he can crack a case before she does. He wins, so she has to take him back as his partner even though it appears she solved the case first. And so begins a new season of coffees for two.
36. In "He's Dead, She's Dead," Martha says, "Richard, whatever mistakes I made in my life…I raised a good man." Don't you love that she's the only person who addresses him by the name on his books?
37. Bromance banter from "Under the Gun':
Ryan: "You know if this were a horror movie, we'd be the first ones killed splitting off like this."
Esposito: "Yeah, except we're not a couple of top-heavy coeds out looking for fun. We're highly-trained officers of the law with enough firepower to take out a hoard of undead."
Ryan: "Hispanic and cocky. Yeah, you'd definitely die first."
38. In "Punked," Castle's latest creation isn't a new book. It's a s'morelet! That's a graham cracker, marshmallows and a chocolate bar wrapped inside egg. That's not the only thing new in New York. There's a handsome man named Josh walking Beckett out of the station at night.
39. In "Anatomy of a Murder," Beckett details why Josh is impressive and Castle responds.
Beckett: "He did an emergency bypass on someone this morning. Saved the patient's life. What'd you do this morning, Castle?"
Castle: "Made waffles."
40. The elusive, sadistic Triple Killer makes his first appearance in the aptly titled "3XK." The nice reflective moment Castle and Beckett share after Jerry Tyson gets away is just one more example of the bond these two share.
41. In "Almost Famous," the team comes across a male stripper named Hans Von Mannshaft. Castle loves this guy's stage name.
42. In "Murder Most Fowl," Castle asks, "What's the strangest pet you ever had?" Beckett's response: "You."
43. Lyle Lovett guest starred in "Close Encounters of the Murderous Kind" as Agent Westfield. Lance Henricksen also made an appearance as UFOlogist Benny Stryker. Castle calls him the "Tony Robbins of alien abduction."
44. Castle buys a bar called The Old Haunt in "Last Call." He invites the gang out for a drink after the case and even gets Beckett to join in as they sing "Piano Man."
45. Natalie Rhodes has been cast as Castle's latest literary creation in "Nikki Heat." She wants to experience the passion her character feels for her leading man. That's why Natalie/Nikki is caught kissing Castle in the elevator.
46. In "Poof! You're Dead," Castle, Beckett and Ryan share a little chuckle. They are amused because Lanie and Esposito still think nobody knows about their not-so-secret relationship.
47. In "Knockdown," Castle and Beckett act like drunken lovers to distract a bad guy. To sell the act, they engage in "The Kiss." Castle says, "That was amazing!" And he wasn't talking about Beckett's takedown of the bad guy. This is also the episode where Castle tells Beckett he's her "plucky sidekick."
48. In "Lucky Stiff," Castle realizes Beckett would want to honor her mother's legacy if she ever hit the lottery. That's why he puts the wheels in motion to start a law school scholarship fund in her name. Castle just can't stay out of Beckett's personal life and, for that, she's most grateful.
49. In "The Final Nail," Castle is crushed to learn that his old boarding school pal was involved in murder. Beckett helps him through this difficult time. It happens to be Valentine's Day, so it's fitting that the two of them are together.
50. In "Setup," Martha asks, "You haven't heard of the Serenity?" She's speaking of a retreat, but Nathan fans know better. It's not the first subtle nod to his old show Firefly and it won't be the last.
51. Castle holds Beckett's hand as he rips all the wires out of a dirty bomb that was set to level Manhattan in "Countdown." Never send the bomb squad to do the job of a mystery writer.
52. In "One Life to Lose," the head scribe of a long-running soap opera is found dead on the set with an axe to the back. Castle wonders, "Why would anyone want to kill a writer?"
53. The best part of "Law & Murder" is how Castle plays dumb about the genius of Forbidden Planet in order to score a movie date with Beckett. Well played, Mr. Castle. Well played.
54. You have to love the fact that the murder victim found dead in a pizza oven in "Slice of Death" is named Gordon Burns!
55. In "The Dead Pool," Castle gets jealous when a new novelist appears to making a move on his muse. Beckett puts his worries to rest. She says, "From now on I am a one writer girl."
56. Castle and Beckett almost get together in "To Live and Die in L.A." before retiring to their separate hotel rooms. Castle says, "You know what I thought when I first saw you? That you were a mystery I was never gonna solve." Nice.
57. In "Pretty Dead," Captain Montgomery is stressed about what to get his wife for their anniversary. Castle says, "The best thing to give a woman is something she said she wanted when she didn't think you were listening." Pretty astute, Ricky boy.
58. Captain Montgomery's questionable past comes out in "Knockout" before he's ultimately shot dead. Beckett is also gunned down by an unseen sniper. Castle cradles her in his arms as she falls into unconsciousness. We're left wondering if Beckett heard him say that he loves her before her eyes closed.
Season Four
59. In "Rise," Captain Victoria "Iron" Gates takes over the squad, but the really big news is that Castle doesn't think Beckett remembers him say he loves her even though she does. The episode's biggest chill moment has to be when Alexis and Martha go after Josh when he blames Castle for what happened to Beckett.
60. In "Heroes & Villains," Beckett tells a good cop that she has someone who cares about her. She warns this person to not be so driven by the past that she throws away the future. If only she'd follow her own advice.
61. The concept of cryogenics is the focus of Season 4's "Head Case." Castle wonders if two deceased parties will reunite in the future. Beckett says, "That's what the great love stories are about, right? Beating the odds."
62. In "Kick the Ballistics," the gun Ryan had taken from him by the Triple Killer is used for a murder. The case makes Castle realize he truly doesn't know what it's like to be a cop. He takes on a restrained demeanor while still helping to solve the case. At the end of the day, the team gives a poignant toast to honor one of their own: Detective Kevin Ryan.
63. Sexy insurance investigator Serena Kyle lets Beckett know that she doesn't steal things that belong to someone else. She's speaking of Castle, who was caught in a lip-lock with Serena all for the good of solving the case, of course.
64. When a paranormal activity expert is found dead in "Demons," Castle gets absolutely giddy when Beckett tells him "I ain't afraid of no ghosts."
65. The best moment in "Cops & Robbers" had to be when an undercover Beckett secretly clutches bank hostage Castle's hand to him know that she'll get him out of this. The second best moment had to be when Beckett promises to put a bullet through the bad guy's skull if he hurts Castle. She's an excellent hostage negotiator.
66. In "Heartbreak Hotel," Castle, Ryan and Esposito dress up as three kings—as in three Elvises. Uhh, thank you. Thank you very much.
67. Esposito helps Beckett through a bout of PTSD in "Kill Shot." He shows her the rifle that was used to shoot her. Esposito says she should embrace what happened and use it to give her strength. This little talk is just what Beckett needed.
68. Some "gimme a break" banter from "Cuffed":
Beckett: They both want to be together but neither of them wants to admit to it.
Castle: Why do people do that to themselves?
Beckett: Maybe they just don't see it.
Castle: How could they not? It's so obvious.
69. Ryan is getting married in "Till Death Do Us Part." As fate would have it, Castle and Beckett are dateless come the big day. So they walk down the aisle together…for someone else's wedding, of course.
70. In "Dial M for Mayor," Castle gets a call from the mystery man who first contacted him in "Rise." He's told that powerful people will come after Beckett if she continues to look into her mother's murder's case. It's up to Castle to keep her out of harm's way.
71. In "An Embarrassment of Bitches." Castle shows Beckett how a cute dog likes to be rubbed by making circles with his thumb on the back of her hand. It starts out as a perfectly innocent moment, but the look the two of them share lets us know this hand-holding exercise stirred some feelings inside.
72. It's a trip back to the 1940s in "The Blue Butterfly." Songbird Betsy Sinclair (who looks a lot like Lanie) wows the crowd at the Pennybaker Club. But the best moment of the episode comes when Vera Mulqueen asks Joe Flynn to tell her he loves her. He responds, "Always." They share a passionate kiss before heading off on their future together. Castle was right. It's the stuff dreams are made of.
73. We meet Castle's inspiration for Clara Strike in "Pandora." She's a smart, sexy CIA operative named Sophia Turner. She has a special bond with Castle, who alleviates any concerns Beckett may have about this. He says, "She isn't my partner. You are."
74. In "Linchpin," Castle and Beckett survive a scary moment in a submerged car. They learn Sophia is a double agent before literally saving the world from certain destruction. But the biggest moment for Castle comes when Sophia reveals his unknown father had a connection to the CIA. Was papa Castle a spy?
75. Fairy tales are front and center in "Once Upon a Crime." Our favorite moment was a subtle shout-out to The Princess Bride. When Beckett asks Esposito to check out a lead, he responds with a simple "as you wish."
76. Lanie reveals she once wanted to be a prima ballerina in "A Dance with Death." Her plans changed when she felt the world wasn't ready for such a top-heavy dancer.
77. In "47 Seconds," Castle learns that Beckett remembers everything about the day she was shot. That means she knows about his "I love you." The emotionally draining episode ends with Castle becoming somewhat detached with his somewhat confused partner.
78. In "The Limey," Beckett orders a handsome Scotland Yard man to reach for the sky as the guy's towel drops to the floor. Castle tries to cover Beckett's eyes, but his partner still sneaks a peek at her naked prey.
79. Castle teams with a tough homicide cop named Ethan Slaughter in "Headhunters," The guy is scary. Still, Castle decks Slaughter when he makes an indecent remark about Alexis. Never mess with a mystery man when it comes to his daughter.
80. There were lots of cool zombie moments in "Undead Again," but it's the one that tugged at our heartstrings that was most memorable. Alexis is upset when a laser tag game she's been playing with her dad since she was five ends. She's growing up and moving away to college. Thankfully, she's staying local at Columbia.
81. In "Always," Castle and Beckett finally, finally, finally get together. 'Nuff said.
Season Five
82. In "After the Storm," Beckett learns that the man behind her mother's murder is the powerful Senator Bracken. The guy is pretty much untouchable. Well, Beckett touches him when she whacks him across the side of the head with her gun. His scar serves as a reminder that she's out there.
83. Beckett wants to keep her new relationship a secret in "Cloudy with a Chance of Murder." That's hard to do when Castle shows up at a crime scene without her coffee since he knew she already had it. Oops!
84. Captain Gates warms up to Castle in "Secret's Safe with Me" right up until the moment he smashes her prized collectible figurine. As far as the case, Castle gets to utter a phrase he's wanted to say for many, many years. He exclaims, "The butler did it!"
85. Castle and Beckett head off to the Hamptons in "Murder, He Wrote." Ryan learns the two of them are a couple, but keeps mum. In other news, Castle believes "Caskett" is a nice new couple nickname for him and Beckett. Sorry, Ricky boy, we've been using that one for awhile now.
86. In "Probable Cause," Castle is the prime suspect in a brutal murder. 3XK has set him up brilliantly. As bad as it looks, Beckett refuses to believe Castle is the monster he appears to be. Castle is eventually cleared, but the Triple Killer appears to have escaped yet again.
87. There are a lot of inside sci-fi jokes in "The Final Frontier" including episode director Jonathan Frakes making a cameo as Castle's #1 fan.
88. In "Swan Song," Castle and Beckett worry that Captain Gates will see some documentary film coverage of the two of them getting chummy. Thankfully, the only thing she notices is Castle goofing off behind her while she was giving a speech.
89. It's time to meet the parents in "After Hours." Actually, it's time to have the parents meet when Castle's mom and Beckett's dad swing by for dinner. Worlds collide, just like they did when their kids first met. But, hey, that worked out.
90. Castle's castle is a winter wonderland in "Secret Santa." Our favorite mystery man is truly feeling the holiday spirit when his family cancels all Christmas Eve plans to be with him. Beckett shows up, too. No mistletoe needed for them to share a nice kiss this Christmas.
91. In "Significant Others," Castle's tornado of an ex-wife, Meredith, moves in with him for a few days. Beckett is staying there, too. She wonders why things didn't work out between Castle and his ex. Meredith says it's because her hubby was always a mystery to her. But he's a changed man now. Right?
92. It's an Espo-friendly episode in "Under the Influence" as Javi befriends a young boy who is headed down a bad path. The kid has heard that people will help in the past, but this time he hears it from someone who means it.
93. Ryan has a fun line in "Death Gone Crazy" during the investigation of a soft core porn man's murder. He says, "Well, um, I never thought I'd say this after the sixth grade, but our bra research is in." At one point, Esposito asks, "Yo, how is the in-breast-igation going?"
94. In "Recoil," Beckett is forced to save the life of the evil Senator Bracken. Castle lets this bad man know that he wouldn't have done it. He'd have stood by and watched him blow up.
95. Castle accidentally slips the gorgeous earrings he got for his girlfriend into Captain Gates' jacket in "Reality Star Struck." Beckett didn't have to worry about such a gaffe happening with her Valentine's Day gift. Her present is an empty drawer, one Castle can use at her place.
96. Castle's worst nightmare comes true in "Target" when Alexis is kidnapped. Beckett sees a darker side of him when he asks for a few minutes alone with a suspect in the case. It's obvious he's a father who will do whatever it takes to get back his daughter.
97. In "Hunt," Castle takes matters into his own hands when he travels to Paris alone to rescue his kidnapped daughter. He's on his own until help arrives in the form of his long lost dad, who happens to be an elite spy. Father and son rescue Alexis, but the only thing Castle has left to remember his dad is a copy of Casino Royale. It's the book that made him want to become a writer.
98. In "Scared to Death," Castle calls horror movie maven Wes Craven for help on a case where he believes he's destined to die. He doesn't. Beckett is pleasantly surprised to see that the number one item on Castle's bucket list is "Be with Kate." Mission accomplished.
99. "The Wild Rover" is all about Ryan thanks to the undercover life he led before joining homicide. He reassumes his role as an Irish mob man to help save a woman he once loved. Once the case is closed, Ryan learns that the love of his life now, Jenny, is pregnant with their first child. Woo hoo!
100. Fans' Choice! Go watch "The Lives of Others" on Hulu to pick your own favorite moment from that episode and all the others that follow. Binge Castle from the beginning on Hulu!
WATCH "CASTLE" THE COMPLETE SERIES ON HULU - GO NOW!
To celebrate all 8 seasons of Castle now streaming on HuluWATCH "CASTLE" THE COMPLETE SERIES ON HULU - GO NOW!Season One1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.Season Two11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19.20.21.22.23.24.25.26.27.28.29.30.31.32.33.34.Season Three35.36.37.38.39.40.41.42.43.44.45.46.47.48.49.50.51.52.53.54.55.56.57.58.Season Four59.60.61.62.63.64.65.66.67.68.69.70.71.72.73.74.75.76.77.78.79.80.81.Season Five82.83.84.85.86.87.88.89.90.91.92.93.94.95.96.97.98.99.100. Fans' Choice!WATCH "CASTLE" THE COMPLETE SERIES ON HULU - GO NOW!