I have realized something about my two favorite shows and probably me in general. I think I love action driven stories more than relationship driven stories. I mean, when you look at things, there are a lot of similarities between Castle and Hawaii Five-O.
Both Hawaii Five-O and Castle have a lead who has had a parent murdered and there is an over-arching mystery surrounding it.
Both of them have leads with witty dialogue between them.
Both of them have a core team of four.
Both of them are trying to add new characters this season that audiences aren’t warming up to.
Both of the leads had bosses who were corrupt and killed off last season.
Both of them have co-workers who are getting married.
Both of them have partners who are dealing with being single fathers.
Both of them are set in recognizable locations.
However, as last night showed, they are also very different. Both eps were promo’d to be intense edge of your seat stuff, which I love. I waffled between which show to watch first and I was so excited.
I ended up watching Castle first and I have to say I was disappointed. For a relationship driven show, they sure didn’t show much relationship. The sniper story was very much in the background of Beckett’s PTSD, which was fine, except that I had seen the previews of Beckett losing it and I really thought that we would be able to see Castle at least giving her a hug in that hallway, or touchage of some sort. But all we got was Castle running to Esposito every five minutes to ask how to deal with a snapping Beckett.
There was hardly any interaction between the two main characters, and I’m getting weary of Beckett treating Castle badly and never apologizing really, just thanking him at the end and expecting him to come back for more the next day. It just seems like they’ve done the “always” thing and it’s losing its shine for me. *sigh*
I’m sorry. I still love the show, but I feel like it’s a relationship driven show that is now being drawn out in unnatural ways. Yeah, yeah, she has to solve her mother’s murder first, she has to see her shrink, she has a million reasons why she can’t move forward with Castle, but sometimes it just doesn’t seem like she has any feelings for Castle at all, she doesn’t let him in on anything she feels, and it’s all very one-sided so it bugs me.
Then I turned to Hawaii Five-O. Holy. Cow. From the very start we have the adrenaline going. Murder, mayhem, witty banter between the leads, secret mission to North Korea, shades of 24 running through my head with the torture scenes and knee pins being dug out of dead bodies, yet not over the top (no one could match Jack Bauer), rocket launchers blowing up bridges, and then the emotions of the rescue, the team pulling together in the face of betrayal and possible loss of their team leader. It was awesome from the get-go. And I know some were bugged by Lori hugging Steve at the end, but I don’t mind because I like the potential love-interest story.
Anyway, this is what I’ve learned from last night. I think I love action driven stuff better than relationship driven stuff. Both shows are great and I still love them both. But for now, Hawaii Five-O is really shining with the action and a side of potential romance. Castle is still there, but seems stalled with Beckett working on her issues and Castle waiting around. Hopefully something moves forward soon.
Have you ever thought that your TV choices reflected what kind of stories/books you like?
I'm an award-winning romantic suspense novelist, but in my free time I love to review books and my fave TV shows, as well as pass along great book deals, and eat Canadian chocolate---not necessarily in that order.
8 comments:
Well, let's see. Which television shows have I watched regularly this last year? Doctor Who, Merlin, Fringe, Spooks (MI-5 in the US), The Walking Dead, Downton Abbey, Make It Or Break It, Silent Witness, A Game of Thrones. I see a lot of sci fi and fantasy here, but also medical or spy thrillers, and even a touch of YA.
So what do I read most? Sci fi, fantasy, crime and thrillers, a touch of YA. Yup, definite reflection here.
I like good characterizations, but also good action. I don't think I can really say that I prefer action driven over relationship driven -- in the best shows, the two are combined almost equally, or at least, in my mind, they are. Too much action or too much relationship, at the cost of everything else, and I start reaching for the remote.
I never thought I'd be writing this, but I don't watch that much TV. Castle is really the one show I carve out the time to lift my eyes away from the keyboard and pay attention to.
You're right. I really expected--wanted Castle to come around that corner and hug Beckett. She needed it. And I was disappointed he wasn't there for her. I can only assume the show's writers have a reason for this down the storyline someplace. I did hear a single line at the end of the show that gave me hope. It was when the councilor asked Beckett if she was ready to give up the search for her mother's killer. She said she thought she was! Now they just have to get Castle to stop his search--the search Beckett doesn't know he's doing. But this too is something that will come to a head later in the season.
Does Five-O and Castle come on at the same time?
Melanie, you make me smile. :)
Deb, yes they are on at the same time which is so hard for me. I only watch two shows and they are both on at the same time. Aargh! I just feel like last night had so many chances for Kate to really open up to Castle and it was wasted. Frustrating. Maybe next week it will happen since the previews look so good.
Thanks so much for your comments! You guys are awesome.
I'm thinking maybe Castle has to go on a real date with some other woman that he might be falling for first before Kate sees him as the catch he is. Then kate can confront him and ask how he can forget him saying he loved her. Which would bring up the whole amnesia thing. Oh, the fun dialog they could have with that!
But then Kate will inevitably see him as a flirt and not ready to settle down and be her one and done, so she'll just shut down even more I think. They've really written it into a little corner here and I wish they hadn't. Here's to hoping they get out of it soon. I honestly wonder if the next ep is where she will tell him she remembers what he said, just because of some of the spoilers I've read, but who knows. It's all a bit misleading, isn't it? :)
Well, all of us have at least one talent -- looks like I just found mine. *g*
If you like action-driven plotlines, Person of Interest is for you!
(sigh) I have yet to see Castle this week, first due to a DVR snafu and then I got a backup but the audio/visual synch was too off to be watchable. I'm hoping I get it right tonight.
H50 was pretty awesome, as you said, in a 24-like way. (The knee-pin scene was gross.) My favorite line was when Danny said, "I'm more of a Margarita guy." (to the character played by Jimmy Buffet)
Melanie, that is definitely a talent! :)
Jon, I'll have to look into that one. It did look good. I agree on the knee pin scene. That was all kinds of gross! I liked that when Danny saw Jenna they gave him a minute to process and sort of mourn a co-worker. That Jimmy Buffett moment was pretty awesome, too. And the chickens in the helicopter, and Danny being so worried for Steve. Such a good ep all the way around. :)
I hope you get to watch Castle soon, I'm interested to hear your take on it.
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