CASTLE recap: “47 Seconds” – or – 47 Seconds in Heaven?

I’m fairly certain “[easyazon-link asin=”B007P1IPPE”]47 Seconds[/easyazon-link]” will be/is a polarizing episode when it comes to the Castle fandom. My twitter timeline seems to be all over the place – with some not liking the overall episode, some liking parts of it, and some that LOVE it. I’ve never shied away from angst, in fact, if done correctly, I think it can be an amazing story driver. This week’s episode was chock full of angst.

That being said, there were quite a few moments of funny, and some that were heartwarming. The scenes between members of the Castle household were some of the best. Susan Sullivan and Molly Quinn were amazing as usual. In fact, the work being done by the writers and Molly in regards to Alexis’ storyline this season are hitting it out of the park.

When it comes to my recap, I’m not exactly sure where to start. The ‘case of the week’ wasn’t truly the main story. It was more about the underlying themes – which were to live life as if you only have a few seconds left, and of course, lying.

Anyway, the main storyline started with a bombing at an “Occupy Wall Street” type of protest. The FBI and NYPD found a picture of the point of origin that was taken 47 seconds before the explosion, and the bomb isn’t there. Thus, Beckett’s team works to piece together the events that take place in that span of time.

Each person of interest they chat with leads them to another suspect / witness, and as the dots are connected – BAM says the lady, Castle has drawn a picture. As he would do, it’s a pretty lady. Turns out the reporter covering the event was working with one of the movement’s organizers – wanting coverage for a higher profile.

An opportunistic pickpocket is one of the suspects, and while Kate is interrogating him, she lets it slip that she remembers everything about her shooting. In front of Castle. Well, behind a one-way mirror ‘in front of’ Castle. Whatever! Castle finds out.

She's always there for Rick

Martha prods him earlier in the hour about confessing how he feels towards Beckett because life is short. The bomb kinda puts things into perspective for him. Before he can do so, they’re interrupted countless times, and then he hears her confession. It’s made even more hurtful because he never heard it directly from her. He tells Martha that she must have kept it from him because she didn’t feel the same way.

When he tells his mother that he’ll continue to work at the 12th precinct, she asks him if he’ll be able to put aside his feelings for Kate. He assures her that he will – because the work he does there ‘matters’. Very noble of him, but it certainly brings out the vindictive, angry Castle. I actually enjoyed seeing angry-Castle. Sometimes he puts up with a lot, and he gives 150% of himself to help where he can.

It seems like everything being said relates to his situation. In the opposite direction from the whole ‘when you’re in love all the songs make sense’ way. When Rick returns to the precinct after vowing to stay neutral, he throws out so many subtext-laden glances I thought Kate might end up drowning in a sea of words.

That’s pretty much it – the episode follows the standard twisty, winding road to an arrest, and the writers throw in a couple of subplots to flesh things out. However, the subplots meant a lot in “47 Seconds”. It’s the beginning of the official Caskett face-off. You guys should know by now that it’s the series-long arcs that appeal to me, so this episode definitely makes the cut in that department.

Favorite Quotes:

Castle: “It’s like trying to find Waldo in a sea of Waldos.”

Martha: “Honey, do you ever wonder why I never visited you at the precinct – the first year you were working there?”
Castle: “I always thought it was because of the harsh lighting.”

Alexis: “They say genius skips a generation.”
Castle: “Apparently, so does funny.”

The Castle angst-fest continues next Monday, April 2nd with “The Limey”. Bimbos and Nakedness abound! See you then!