TV Recap: Castle 6-6 - Get a Clue

Castle must be loving life right now.  The first two cases back at the 12th have been right up his ally with strange suspects (last week) and real life conspiracy theories (this week).  Frankly, I’ve been loving it, too.  Yes, I enjoy the show when it does something serious, but I love it even more when it is fun.  And you can’t argue that these last couple of episodes have not been that serious overall.

The victim this week is found in an ally with markings on her hands that look like the stigmata.  However, it’s the wound in her throat that actually killed her.  Back in her apartment, she has books on the Middle Ages and pictures of weird symbols on her wall.  She was an accountant who had taken a week off work for something personal, but that was all that was unusual about her life.  Her cousin confirms that when they interview him.

Tracking her movements the night she was killed, they find video of a weird monk following her.  They manage to track him down, and he’s an ex-con.  But he says she got into a taxi and there was someone else following her.  At this point, Castle is in his element spinning theories related to The Da Vinci Code.

While tracking down the monk’s alibi, they visit a church, and this church has some of the same symbols in it that were in the victim’s apartment.  Furthermore, one she had written on her hand was on the wall.

They have also found a letter in her apartment that is from the Revolutionary War period.  The letter contains clues that lead to some of these symbols.  They consult an expert who had talked to the victim and leads Castle to believe they might really be on the trail of something like National Treasure.

Castle figures out one of the clues is related to an old blacksmith shop.  While they are investigating, someone comes out and Castle must fight him in a sword dual.  (How did Beckett not hear it and come running?  That aside, I loved this scene.)  However, when Castle bests the man and they start questioning him, they learn he’s an actor.  It’s all fake.  The victim was participating in a fund raising game based on a real life letter.

A sad Castle goes home and keeps playing with the symbols.  He soon figures out that they all go together around the symbol that was on the victim’s hand.  And that connects to the wall of the church.

Meanwhile, tracing the participants in the game, they find one who registered with a fake name, address, and a cashier’s check.  He matches the man the monk claimed to have seen.

Back at the church, Castle finds a secret room.  Inside is the crime scene and a collection of silver half dimes that are extremely valuable.  When he picks them up, the door closes, but Beckett is able to get cell phone reception and get back up.

Bringing in the director of the “game” again, he explains that it is a game, but that whole based on a real letter thing comes into play.  He was hoping someone could figure out where the half dimes were so he could use them to fund the historic society putting on the game.  They do desperately need money.

But it turns out the victim was a direct descendant of the letter writer.  These half dimes were family lore.  And remember, our victim does have family.

Yep, it’s the cousin.  He knew the victim had been tracking these for months, and he really needed the money (valuable rare coins and all), so he followed her and killed her.  Why he moved the body and didn’t take the money is beyond me.  Maybe he didn’t figure anyone else would find the money and he could go back and get them after things had died down.

My favorite moment of the episode?  Castle is spinning one of his wild theories and Beckett comes up with one of her own.  She’s doing it just to see what his reaction will be (and maybe because she’s a little sick of them), but it so befuddles him it’s quite comical.

On a more serious note, there’s Alexis.  Castle and Martha show up at Alexis and Pi’s new place for dinner.  (Remember, Pi is a fruitarian.)  We also learn that Pi has a new job – counting bees to see how the population is doing.  Castle does nothing but roll eyes and mock the entire time we’re there.

Alexis isn’t happy, and when Castle goes to apologize at the end, she unloads.  Pi makes her happy, and Castle needs to accept that just like Alexis accepts Beckett.  Yes, I do think that Pi might be a reaction to Castle and Beckett getting engaged and Alexis not knowing where she fits in.  But she also has a good point.  Castle has not tried at all with Pi.  At all.

Once again, things end on a downer as Castle offers make up ice cream, but Alexis closes the door in his face instead, saying she needs time to get over being angry and Castle needs time to accept things.

Of course, since it looks like Alexis is driving the cast next week, I’m very curious to see how that comes about and who this friend of hers on death row is.

Still, I like this sub-plot with Alexis.  I don’t see her sticking with Pi long term, but it is really giving them a chance to grow her character and her relationship with Castle.  I’m certainly curious to see how it ultimately gets resolved.

Oh, and counting bees?  Yes, that is actually important because of the part they and their pollination plays in producing food.

I feel like I am the only one who is okay with Pi (in fact, Alexis’ lecture at the end could have been aimed at the fans as much as Castle).  So feel free to let me have it in the comments.