Castle

[Scavenger]

While I pretty much agree with your description of Castle, I actually like it for much of the reasons you point to..it's a throwback, it's Murder She Wrote done again, whichever, and it does completely hinge on Filion's charm. But as someone who refers to him as Nathan Showkiller, I think it works and makes for an enjoyable hour of TV.

[NatGertler]

I liked it better than Steven, but I think you're both missing more obvious throwbackedness. It echoes back more specifically to a number of series where a flamboyant man solves crimes and banters (with romantic undercurrent) with a more systemic, nose-to-the-grindstone (if not necessarily more competent) female, of which Moonlighting and Remington Steele are the successful examples. (And that form would seem to be a transformation of the already-in-love both-frivolous crime-fighting couples ranging from Nick and Nora Charles to Hart to Hart.)

[Steven Grant]

I wasn't missing them, Nat, but since the show yanks on so many "antecedents" (let's phrase it nicely) I either had to pick one or two or put a couple dozen more column inches in the column.

I imagine the pitch meeting went something like "imagine that Magnum..." (I can't remember his first name) " and Robin Masters were the same person!"

- Grant

[NatGertler]

"imagine that Magnum..." (I can't remember his first name) " and Robin Masters were the same person!"Nicely said. I didn't think of that link.