TV Review: CASTLE – Season 4 – “A Dance With Death”

By ANNE LOUISE BANNON / Contributing Writer

Posted: March 21st, 2012 / 10:54 AM

Tim Ransom, Lauralee Bell, Braeden Marcott and Adam Harrington in CASTLE - Season 4 - "A Dance With Death" | ©2012 ABC/Ron Tom

Stars: Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Susan Sullivan, Molly Quinn, Tamala Jones, Seamus Deaver, Jon Huertas, Penny Johnson Jerald
Writer: Moira Kirland
Director: Kevin Hooks
Network: ABC, Monday nights, 10 p.m.
Original Telecast: March 19, 2012

As Tom Bergeron noted in his sign-off on DANCING WITH THE STARS Season 14 premiere this week, that “A Dance With Death” aired after DWTS‘ season premiere was probably not a coincidence. Because this episode of CASTLE just happens to take place at a dance competition show. Synergy, indeed, Mr. Bergeron.

And, as CASTLE episodes go, it’s pretty much business as usual. Author Richard Castle’s (Nathon Fillion) mother, actress Martha Rogers (Susan Sullivan) has a scheme in place – this time trying to get theater critic Oona Marconi (Millicent Martin) to endorse Martha’s acting school. The mystery focuses on a bizarre twist that Castle’s fertile imagination almost comes up with until more evidence pops up, then he and Det. Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) figure it out together. In this case, one of the finalists in the TV dance competition “Night of Dance” turns up dead moments before she is to go onstage for her big final.

As it happens, Odette was the poor little rich girl whose story of turning to dance after turning her back on the wild life wasn’t the actual story. Turns out Odette wasn’t Odette, but a look-alike that Odette had turned her into so Odette could party while doing her community service. The only thing worse [spoiler alert] was that I fingered the financial advisor as the culprit, though I couldn’t say why. This is not a usual occurrence, so I’ll give the writers a pass. This time.

What made the episode is the banter between Beckett and Castle, Martha’s silliness and a reasonably cute bit between Ryan (Seamus Deaver) and Esposito (Jon Huertas), in which all the women they talk to are hitting on Espo and ignoring the newly-married Ryan. Esposito says its Ryan’s wedding ring, or actually, that Ryan is too obviously happily married – something it appears Ryan will have to deal with. It’s all the things we love about CASTLE – the strong character relationships that we can relate to and enjoy.

Now, be aware that we’ve been teased that next week’s episode is going to be a lot more intense, relationship-wise, so also can’t wait for that, because those are the pay-off episodes. Still, it’s nice to have a little fluff in between the intensity.

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