Castle: Teasing 7×01 “Driven” – SEASON PREMIERE **SPOILERS**

So Castle viewers, as we all know – Kate’s wedding day was a memorable one, but not as she would’ve liked. Her soon to be hubby, and the titular character was seemingly lost in a fiery car crash. *cue the dramatic music*

Well, it wasn’t a huge stretch to figure out that Rick wasn’t going to be truly dead, and that the Season Seven premiere would initiate the ‘search for Castle’.  And thus it is done. It takes almost no time for Kate to figure out that the car doesn’t contain any body, so the hunt is on very quickly. I was actually a little disappointed that the Hamptons’ police Captain from “Murder He Wrote” didn’t show, since they were in the area. But I get it, the tone of this episode was light years away from that one, and we needed a serious officer here.

Kate, Javier, and Kevin follow a fairly even path until they finally come up against a very startling brick wall. A familiar face or two pop up, Kate is comforted – not hindered by Captain Gates, and the FBI even steps in to help. Tory Ellis is back and eager to help them – but she unfortunately gives them some news they don’t want to hear.

It’s not the first time we’ve seen Castle’s face on the murder board, and it’s never pleasant, no matter the circumstances. Kate starts to research leads while her closest friends help and comfort her. However, as all Castle fans know, she takes the bulk of her problems on her shoulders whether she’s offered help or not.

Time passes, and leads come from very strange places. Faces from the past have passed through Beckett’s hands to haunt her, but nothing seems to take hold.

Meanwhile, Kate has a whole new world to deal with. She should’ve been married, she – for all intents and purposes – has an extended family. A ersatz Mother-in-Law and Step-Daughter that already consider her those things, and depend upon her to help them find their missing loved one.

Of course, Beckett knows what this type of investigation can do to a person. She takes the burden mainly on herself while the official investigation slowly falls away. But as we all know, Kate doesn’t give up easily.

There are moments of angst, doubt, confusion, misdirection, destruction, and some seeds are planted that look like we’re going to be in for an interesting new mystery.

However, I have to confess that I had a couple of ‘eye-roll’ moments – nothing super-serious, but there nonetheless. Some vacillation that shouldn’t exist after some of the things this pair have already been through.

Otherwise, it’s a very solid season opener, and I’m happy that it looks like we’re heading in a new and interesting direction. The powers that be made sure to let us know in the first episode of season seven that we’re deviating from the norm, and I’m already hyped up to see where they’re going to take us.

Memorable Moments – teased, probably to your utter dismay, but so ABC will continue to let me review the show.

• A scene that mirrored a very significant part of most every wedding – but in a heartbreaking way.
• Kate’s behind-the-scenes sleuthing takes on a familiar form – one that is chilling and tearjerking.
• A lot of interaction between characters that the fans have been asking for.
• A misdirect that doesn’t lead the viewers on, but reminds us of a symbolic show gesture.
• The theories that have been mentioned all summer were discussed – in interesting ways.
• I admit, there were some things said (in a serious context) that I took in a different way – and it made me giggle.
• Oz is brought up, as well as some airport lingo – and apparently, time may be a key.