Ask Matt

Question: This is my first time writing in, but I read your column every week. You've turned me on to some amazing shows! Notably, Fringe. But I wanted to ask you about Bones and Castle. I've watched Bones since the beginning, and I couldn't peg my recent discontent with it, but after watching the Castle finale, I did. Booth and Bones getting together (AFTER 8 EXCRUCIATING SEASONS!!!) felt like going from appetizers straight to dessert, and skipping the main course. I just felt so "meh" about the relationship after having waited so long, only to get so little payoff. I mean, I find it so hard to believe that one night of off-screen shenanigans would lead them to being a couple when literally nothing else has! I know, I complained about how long it took to get there, but now it feels rushed and really inorganic. If there is any Moonlighting curse, it's in forcing your main couple together inorganically. I still watch, but it's not Must See TV for me like it used to be.

Now Castle on the other hand, I just kept saying "OMG. YES! FINALLY! YES! YES! YES!" after watching the finale. I felt it was executed perfectly. We've only had to wait four seasons, and we actually see growth on Beckett's part, which enabled her to finally accept Castle's love, baggage and all. I guess, in sum, I feel like there was no growth with Bones. It feels like they were forced together due to her pregnancy, without her recognizing that she is capable of being in a loving relationship. She is still the same person she's always been, just now a mother. Thoughts? — Alexis

Matt Roush: I prefer to stay out of the Bones-vs-Castle fan battle as best I can, while noting that I'm not the least surprised that Castle's finale, with the passionate Beckett-Castle clinch, was more satisfying for fans than the way so many Bones fans reacted to the similar situation a year ago, and how those consequences continue to play out on that show. (Now if Beckett becomes instantly pregnant, all bets are off.) These shows operate within the same genre — light mystery with romantic subtext — but the characters are so different. Bones is such a bizarre creation, almost as divorced from human connection as The Big Bang Theory's Sheldon Cooper, while Beckett may be damaged by her past but is much more part of the real world around her. I don't expect Bones, even after motherhood, to change any more than I've expected Dr. House or Sheldon to have sudden character-altering epiphanies, whereas Beckett's emotional journey is much more relatable. If they were both telling the same story the same way, I'd probably be fielding charges of plagiarism. There's no pleasing all constituencies here, but I don't think these game-changers will harm either show in the long run. For what it's worth, I thought Castle's finale was a model example of how to do it right.

Question: I've been a Castle fan since Day 1. I get that this show is essentially a love story wrapped around a TV crime procedural premise; however, I think most people are missing the nuances that the show-runners have infused into their storytelling. Although the pace of the romance has been unrealistically slowed down for TV, I believe the Castle/Beckett dynamic — with apologies to Booth/Brennan, Tony/Ziva, and House/Cuddy — is the most adult depiction of the will-they-or-won't-they couple I've seen since Remington Steele. Because of that, I've been able to suspend my disbelief that people who want to be together would behave this way for four years, because I'm invested in all of the characters and having fun watching them get to where we know they're headed. This is my way of complimenting the superb acting by Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic, particularly this season. They consistently display deft, natural subtlety in their non-verbal expressions, and I'm stunned that the Emmy voters haven't yet noticed. OK, so Fillion received a People's Choice award, as did the show. That's fine. Being popular with fans is one thing; being recognized for your craft by peers is another. What's your take on this? — Brian

Matt Roush: They're both very appealing, but this is not the sort of show (rightly or wrongly) that's likely ever to factor into the Emmy race — not when there are so many powerful dramas out there, especially on cable, which are taken so much more seriously. Dramedies like these tend to suffer when it comes to awards recognition. They'll just have to settle for popular success.

Question: Great Castle season finale, but will this ruin the series? Why don't they have Kate quit the force, become Mrs. Castle and together they can be this generation's Nick and Nora/Hart to Hart? They will have to get an Asta or Freeway. (Maybe you can put a bug in someone's ear — we certainly have enough cop shows!) — Joanne

Matt Roush: For the real skinny on where Castle is heading after the game-changing finale, check out Adam Bryant's interview with the show's creator. But I like your idea a lot. Especially the dog part.

Fonte: TV Guide