Castle star Jon Huertas has a big Memorial Day weekend ahead of him! The former member of the U.S. Air Force will be flying backseat with the Blue Angels out of Republic Airfield in New York on Wednesday, May 23, followed by an on-stage appearance at the Jones Beach Airshow on Saturday.

It’s been over 20 years since he’s set foot in a fighter jet, so naturally, there’s a bit of trepidation.

“I don’t like roller coasters. And I think this is basically like a roller coaster on steroids, and HGH, and any other enhancement drug, so I feel like it’s just going to be crazy,” he admitted.

“I do have apprehension. It’s a dangerous vehicle. It’s a fighter jet. They fly at supersonic speeds and they do all these maneuvers that’s just unnatural. So as excited as I am, I’m also a little nervous.”

Although Jon admits he’ll have his hand on the eject button for the entire ride (thank goodness for parachutes!), he trusts in the Blue Angels, who have some of the best pilots in the Navy.

“Most these guys could probably fly with their eyes closed,” he said.

Scary as it might be, Jon couldn’t be more humbled to by the opportunity. Having worked with the entertainment liaison office of the U.S. Navy for a couple of years now, he’s fully committed to upholding the integrity and authenticity of Hollywood projects that have military storylines.

“Like Alexander Skarsgard’s movie Battleship, they let them use real Navy servicemen in the movie,” Jon dished. “They let them use real F-18 fighters and real ships — the real resources that the Navy has. They were allowed to use them, so the film has a feeling of reality, which supports the story a lot better. I worked with that office quite a bit.”

Ultimately, Jon hopes to continue raising awareness about the U.S. military and its relationship with Hollywood, which is a lot stronger than most people know.

“It’s just such a gift to me to work with them, and to continue doing good work with them,” Jon gushed.

To catch Jon Huertas speak on stage over Memorial Day weekend, visit JonesBeachAirShow.com. And look out for footage from inside Jon’s Blue Angels ride on his YouTube page.

There were a few different Castle related questions asked during this edition of TV Guide’s “Ask Matt.” While none of them really reveal anything new about the show, there is significant praise for the show. Just thought I would share, in case anyone else wanted to read it.

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.

Source: here

It finally happened! Castle has been officially renewed for season five! Thank you television gods and ABC for making all of us Castle fans extremely happy! I can’t wait to see what Marlowe and the crew have in store for us next season!

ABC just made its “no-brainer” renewals, picking up its strongest scripted series. That includes freshmen Once Upon A Time, Suburgatory and Revenge, comedies Modern Family and The Middle and dramas Grey’s Anatomy and Castle. (The renewal for Grey’s comes after the main cast signed new deals.) Surprisingly not on the list is sophomore comedy Happy Endings, but I hear that deal is closing, so the show will be back. Also expected to return are two freshman comedy series that didn’t make the first cut, Last Man Standing and Don’t Trust The B—-. Looking good is Shonda Rhimes’ midseason drama Scandal. Talks are still ongoing on a potential 13-episode pickup of Grey’s spinoff Private Practice, which logged underwhelming ratings this week after a promising start on Tuesday. The future of GCB and Body of Proof is unclear, with both having a shot depending on ABC’s new drama series choices. And of course, fellow bubble ABC series Cougar Town just found a new home at TBS. ABC is yet to make its unscripted renewals, which will likely come tomorrow, with Dancing With The Stars, The Bachelor/Bachelorette and Shark Tank certain to get the nod.

Source: here

Now that Castle (Nathan Fillion) and Beckett (Stana Katic) have finally done the deed, where will we find the two characters when “Castle” resumes for Season 5 in the fall? Creator Andrew Marlowe tells Zap2it that there won’t be any major time jumps, and the show will pick up soon after Castle and Beckett went to bed together.

“I haven’t quite nailed it down, but I do think everybody is going to want to see what the aftermath looks like,” Marlowe says. “They are going to want to see what it looks like when they wake up in the morning. And I think that’s a promise that we have to honor.”

Season 4 got a little dark and stressful with Castle and Beckett too wrapped up in secrets to have as much of their usual banter, but Marlowe promises Season 5 will have that trademark “Castle” playfulness.

“[Season 4] we feel has been very creatively successful, but it’s also been a little angsty for our characters. [We're excited] to be able to get on the other side of that angst and to open that up into a little bit more of the fun that we had in [Seasons] 1 through 3,” he says. “We’re looking forward to getting to that and dealing with the two characters in a relationship, what that relationship is going to look like and the challenges that they’re going to have.”

Things won’t go smoothly just because the characters finally gave into their feelings for each other. “Castle’s not going to stop being Castle once they’re in a relationship, and Beckett is not going to stop being Beckett. Out of a relationship or in a relationship, they’re still going to drive each other crazy. There’s still a lot of fun to be had.”

Source: here

Warning: Do not read unless you’ve seen the season finale!

Castle creator and executive producer Andrew Marlowe knew that last night’s big moment would have fans buzzing. How could it not? After four seasons of ups, downs, and shameless flirting from both Castle and Beckett, the season 4 finale gave fans what they’d been hoping for: a chance to see the pair finally get together!

Bold? You bet. But not as bold as the alternative, says Marlowe. “Not doing it would have been even ballsier because I think the audience is near its breaking point,” he says. “And it’s 2012, people fall into and out of bed together all the time. If it had gone on any longer, we would have been bad storytellers.”

And this new path, which will find Castle and Beckett entering a relationship together in season 5? It’s full with opportunity, he says. “It was important to open up the storytelling. We had done as much storytelling as we thought we could do credibly with not having them together. So the characters either had to go their separate ways or get together,” he says. “We thought there was a lot of fun to be had mining their relationship once they were together because no relationship goes smoothly, and they’re fundamentally different people.”

Marlowe points to classic romances — like those featured in The Thin Man (1934), The Philadelphia Story, and Adam’s Rib (1949) — as his inspiration and the best reference point for the “romantic-comedy fun” that’s to come. “We think these guys can support and sustain that for a long time as we continue to evolve their relationship and both of them as characters,” he says. “We are absolutely convinced we’re going to have a lot of fun in the next several years with these guys as we see what that relationship looks like, because it ain’t necessarily going to be smooth sailing. I think the bumps that come along the way are going to be really fun and funny.”

In fact, he adds, that’s one of the main reasons the show decided to take the plunge now: fun. After a season that has had more than its fair share of angst and dark moments, he wanted a chance to “recommit” to the fundamentals of the show. “What we’re hoping is that getting over this hump of will-they-won’t-they will help us get back to some of the fun stuff we were able to do in the first couple of seasons — her grabbing his nose or grabbing his ear — and the back and forth. Them getting together will allow for that,” he says. “But the sexual tension of the relationship, I don’t know if that goes away when they’re together as long as you handle it well.”

But what of the rest of the story? Beckett’s resignation from the force? Esposito and Ryan’s falling out? And the big threat that we now know looms over Kate? “We’ll put the pieces back together in an interesting way,” he promises. “It gives us a natural launch point for next season — with both relationship stuff and [other] stakes that we’re going to enjoy playing with at the beginning of next year before we pick up all the pieces.”

Above all, he says, “We felt like it was time to get the characters together.” And we have to agree.

Source: here

Warning: Do not read unless you’ve seen the season finale!

So, CASTLE fans, are you still breathing?

(Take a second, I can wait.)

After all, after four seasons of dancing around each other, Castle and Beckett took a major step forward in their relationship at the end of “Always”…one of those relationship-altering steps that has likely broken a couple of social media sites.

To get some dish on why the timing was right for the duo now, what fans can expect in a probable season 5 and more, I spoke with CASTLE creator Andrew Marlowe to get the dish…

It feels crazy to say it, but Castle and Beckett have now gone there. What made the timing right for these two now?
Andrew Marlowe: Because it was absolutely time. And honestly, this was a decision that became clear to us about 2/3s of the way through last season when we made the decision of how we were ending last season. It’s impossible for Castle to say “I love you” and leave that hanging in the air and have the characters know that that’s out there and wait much longer to deal with that in an interesting and honest way.

We’re 81 episodes in, we’ve done a lot of storytelling having not gone there. And my personal feeling is we were on the verge of creating very artificial mechanisms of keeping them apart. And we were on the verge of rehashing storytelling in their relationship and we were in danger of not moving forward. So we had always aimed for this as being the end [result] of this season. And when people look back on this season, they will see the rhythm and they will look at the moments where they were really frustrated and understand why we did it then and what we were going for, because we always knew we were going to end up here.

When you and I [last] talked and you said “Are you worried about strong fan reaction?” I said, “No, because I know where we’re going.” So, it really is time. And I have to tell you, it’s really exciting for all of us who write on the show, because this opens up a world of possibility in the storytelling. And this season has been a season of secrets, and I think that has caused the season — which I was very proud of, creatively, I think there were a tremendous amount of excellent shows this season — but we paid for some of the angst with a little bit of fun. Inevitably, when these characters are keeping secrets, it’s going to be a slightly more angsty year.

And there were opportunities for fun that we couldn’t take because of what the characters were each holding back from each other. And I think by doing this, what it allows us to do is re-embrace the core values of the show and embrace what CASTLE is all about — that Castle and Beckett relationship and the two of them having fun. Because it’s not like the challenges go away. He’s still going to be Castle, she’s still going to be Beckett. To a certain extent, there’s going to be a higher level of scrutiny that they each put each other under because of where they’ve gone.

Dealing with that is going to be a lot of fun. It’s going to open up new avenues of storytelling, not only for them, but for the people around them. When they decide to let people know, how long they decide to keep it a secret, and all that sort of fun stuff. How they both feel about it the next morning.

I know we’ve talked about this before, but I hear a lot — and I’ve heard a lot in the past couple of years — when are Castle and Beckett going to be in a relationship? And my opinion is they’ve been in a relationship for a really long time. This is just the next step in the relationship and it’s going to cause its own complications. We’re not arriving anywhere — we’re just getting to the next place in the journey. And the journey is going to continue. And it’s going to be fun and it’s going to be challenged.

Where are these two headed? Were all Beckett’s fears about being just another notch on his belt well-founded? Or is she going to be concerned about where the relationship is going given the fact that this guy has been divorced twice? Now that Castle has consummated the relationship, how is he going to feel about Beckett? There’s some really fun stuff for us to play with and we’re looking forward to it. We don’t think this resolves anything, we think this puts them into the next set of fun, friction-y, cool, storytelling that we’re looking forward to playing with.

How much is it a relief for you personally to not have to answer the “When are Castle and Beckett getting together?” question? Or have you not thought about that yet?
AM: I know how life is. And life is, when you’re in any sort of relationship, when you’re hanging out with somebody, your friends are like, “So when are you going to get together?” And then when you get together, it’s like, “When are you going to move in?” And then you move in and it’s like, “So when are you going to get married?” And then you get married and it’s like, “So when are you going to have kids?” The questions aren’t going to stop — they’re just going to become different questions.

And we’re really happy to have people asking those questions. And the reason why we’re really happy is because that means they’re invested in the characters. We want folks to continue being invested in these characters and we want them to continue rooting for these characters when they face challenges. And inevitably, they’re going to face challenges. Hopefully the next question is going to be, “What’s going to happen in the relationship? When is he going to propose? When are they going to get married?” Those kind of questions and the complications that inevitably arise and those things that happen between the two of them will hopefully carry us another 3, 4, 5 years.

While I’m not asking you to reveal your grand plan, do you see a show with them being married and taking that step? Or is that further down the pipeline than you’ve given thought to?
AM: That’s further down the pipeline than I’ve given thought to. And I wouldn’t want to advertise my intentions to fans. I want them to have something to root for. I want them to be rooting for these guys. If you take a look at any great Shakespeare play, even when characters are together, even when they’re sneaking off into the woods at night together and they’re trying to figure out how to conduct their relationship, crazy stuff happens. This is not the end of the Castle and Beckett fun. This is, by the way, not even the end of the tension between the two of them because one tension leads into another tension. These guys have a lot of work given the betrayal and given where we end up with, re-earning each other’s friendship and all that. So that’ll give us a lot of stuff to play with.

I know it was touched upon earlier in the season that Alexis wasn’t as comfortable with the relationship as fans hoped she might be. Will you guys be touching on that next season?
AM: Of course!

Well, given the fact that she was going to college, I wasn’t sure how much she would be around to object to that and playing into their dynamic…
AM: I think it’s an inevitable part of it. And it’s something I’m also very aware of being a stepparent. Both of my kids were really great when I came into their lives. When [Marlowe's wife and CASTLE writer] Terri [Miller] and I got together, the kids were 9 and I was in my mid-20s, and they were incredibly welcoming. But I also know that that can create some really interesting weirdness. [Laughs] So no doubt we’ll be dealing with that.

How was it for you and Terri to cowrite this episode? There are clearly some parallels between the two of you and Castle/Beckett and this was such a major episode for that relationship.
AM: Absolutely. And it was incredibly gratifying for me to have the opportunity to work with her on this one. This is the stuff we do so well together because she brings such a clear perspective from her point of view that is invaluable. And she also brought great clarity and perspective to the Castle and Alexis material in this, with Alexis facing graduation and dealing with the issues that she’s dealing with in this episode.

Given how the episode ended, are we going to be picking up immediately when the show returns next season? I know season 5 hasn’t been officially ordered yet, but I’m guessing you guys have thought some things out.
AM: We have given a lot of thought to how the next season is going to start and we have a pretty clear plan as to how to deal with all the stuff that is brought up in the finale and where we want to take the storytelling.

And as an overall season, one of the things we’re looking to do is re-embrace the fun of the show, so there will certainly be some heavy elements we are dealing with in the season finale, but I don’t want the audience to think that’s going to be the experience of all the fifth season. That’s not going to be the case. We want to deal with the issues that we’re dealing with in the finale openly and honestly, both in terms of the case that Beckett’s investigating and what happens in the Castle/Beckett relationship. And we’ll certainly be dealing with those aspects when we come back next year, but we do want to let our audience know that what they can expect is more of the CASTLE they know and love.

But is this technically the first part of a two-part episode?
AM: We don’t have a “to be continued” at the end of it, but we will be dealing with…when we come back next year, we will still be dealing with elements that are hanging over our heads from this episode.

Before I let you go, do you have any regrets about the season? Or any moments that stood out to you?
AM: You know, I’m really proud of the whole CASTLE team. I’m really proud of the cast — I really think they brought it this year. I’m really proud of the work the crew did; I’m really proud of the writers. Like I said, I get a lot of credit, especially for this past season, it was a great season — but it really is teamwork. There are a lot of dedicated folks doing a lot of hard work. In terms of regret? I don’t think we’ve done anything disastrous, and I really like the shows that we’ve done. Certainly, some are stronger than others and that is inevitable in any TV season. But I was really pleased with the way this season went. And I know some fans got frustrated at some points, but since I knew where we were going, it was never an issue for me. [Laughs] And they were supposed to be frustrated at those points. I just hope we can continue to bring the folks that are watching the show a really great hour of television, week in and week out like we have for the last few years.

Source: here

CASTLE has its fourth-season finale tonight, Monday at 10 PM on ABC, but never fear – the Nielsen Top 20 series has been renewed for a fifth season. Created by Andrew W. Marlowe, CASTLE follows the adventures of Nathan Fillion’s character, popular mystery writer Richard Castle, who has teamed up with NYPD homicide detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) and helps her solve cases while the two deal with their growing deep personal interest in one another. However, Castle and Beckett wouldn’t get very far in their investigations without knowing how the victims died.

Enter medical examiner Lanie Parish, played by Tamala Jones. According to IMDB, the Pasadena, California native was voted one of the “10 Sexiest Women of the Year” two years running by readers of Black Men Magazine. Jones was a regular on FOR YOUR LOVE and THE TRACY MORGAN SHOW, and has had recurring gigs on series including ER and MY NAME IS EARL, but by next season, CASTLE will be her longest-running gig so far. In person, Jones is charming and enthusiastic as she talks about getting to the guts of CASTLE – literally.

ASSIGNMENT X: Did you imagine when you got the CASTLE gig that it would go for this long?

TAMALA JONES: I honestly had no expectations. When I went up for Lanie, she was only a guest star with a [possibility of] recurring during the pilot, and when the show got picked up, I was granted a blessing – Andrew Marlowe decided to make me a series regular. So I’ve just been filled up with love the entire time I’ve been there.

AX: Throughout fourth season, Lanie has been in an on-again, off-again romance with Jon Huertas’ character, NYPD Detective Javier Esposito. When the idea of that romance was first mentioned to you, what was your reaction?

JONES: I actually loved it, because Jon kept campaigning for this love affair to go down, from first, second, all the way to third season, and Andrew finally decided, “Okay, let’s do it.” So I thought it was cool, because I never thought it was going to happen, because it was coming from Jon – it was all on Twitter –  “Come on, guys, write in, vote, tell Andrew that’s what you want to see.” And it happened. So I was happy for him and I was happy that they actually gave Lanie something else to do outside of being a medical examiner. So that was cool.

AX: And Esposito’s partner Ryan, played by Seamus Dever, has been engaged and finally got married this season. The actress playing Ryan’s wife is named Juliana Dever. Any relation?

JONES: She’s his real-life wife. And she’s such a sweetheart and she executes her character very well.

AX: Obviously, it’s broadcast TV, so there are some things we’re definitely not going to see, but did you have any discussions with the producers about how they show you when Lanie wakes up next to Esposito?

JONES: The only thing they said was, “There might be some partial nudity, so make sure that you have worked out and that you’re in shape if you really care about how you look.” And I do, so I did [laughs]. That was it. They really don’t tell you too much – they’re very secretive. They’re like ninjas on the set of CASTLE. You don’t really hear them or see them coming, but when they’re here, they’re here.

AX: Did you research anything about being a pathologist – cutting oranges open for practice, things like that?

JONES: I didn’t do the cutting part, but I do my research. I watched DR. G: MEDICAL EXAMINER, I watch FORENSIC FILES, I have my medical encyclopedia/dictionary. So I’m always learning about the terminologies and what they mean and how I’m supposed to be describing things, from either that dictionary or – we also have anm.e. who comes down and helps me on the proper things to say and do.

AX: Have you ever been grossed out by anything they asked you to do?

JONES: I did get grossed out – I know it’s just actors and I know it’s just makeup, but there was a guy who was sliced in half. By a katana sword, in half, and to me that was the grossest thing I’ve ever seen on CASTLE. Normally, [the dead bodies are] real [actors] with prosthetic makeup on, but this one was fake. I mean, the organs, the blood, the brain matter – these makeup artists that we have are freaking amazing. And it’s very real-looking.

AX: Did you have to touch any of the very real-looking stuff?

JONES: I think I would have vomited [laughs] if I had to touch it, but I just was taking notes at that point. That’s the most I’ve ever been grossed out to where I was gagging.

AX: Did you have trouble at first with speaking the medical jargon?

JONES: Oh, God. Did I ever. First and second season were the very, very hardest ever. And thank God I have a sweet cast that was willing to sit through that with me. It was so funny, the costar of DANCING WITH THE STARS [Bruno Tonioli] was a guest star on the show and he was on the set, he was one of the dead bodies and I had all of this medical jargon to get out, and he happened to be there that day, I got it out right and [the cast and crew] applauded. [laughs] He got up off the slab, he was supposed to be dead, and he was like, “They’re clapping for you!” I was like, “Because I didn’t mess up for the first time!” It was very difficult, and now I’ve got it – I’ve got it down now.

AX: As one of their people has now been on CASTLE, might you ever be on DANCING WITH THE STARS?

JONES: I would love to. I love to dance. I think dancing is the best workout ever, I hate working out, but I love to dance.

AX: Do you have a dance background?

JONES: I do. I used to do jazz, modern jazz, and also ballet and I guess now it’s just straight dancing, because it’s usually at the club [laughs].

AX: Well, when CASTLE is filming, you don’t have a lot of time to do other things.

JONES: No.

AX: Last season, Ruben Santiago-Hudson’s character Captain Montgomery was written out, dying to save Beckett. Penny Johnson Jerald has joined the cast in Season Four as Captain Victoria Gates. How did you feel about those changes?

JONES: Mixed emotions. I was sad [about Santiago-Hudson’s departure], because I never, as my character on the show, got an opportunity to really work with Ruben, and I think that he is a genius. I mean, he is an excellent writer, an excellent actor, director and he even helped me with Lanie’s medical jargon, helping me get it down and get it to a rhythm where I was comfortable talking, just asking him, “How do I …?” It was because of him [that the tongue-twisters were conquered]. But at the same time, I’m very happy for him that he’s gone on to do more things. I loved Penny from 24 – I think she’s freaking amazing and she’s awesome. The way that she executes her character, as being a straight by-the-book, very powerful entity, maintaining her feminine side and being able to protect the masculine side as a captain, she balances it so well, you hate her and love her.

AX: Have you noticed any overall changes on CASTLE over the seasons?

JONES: Yes. I think that we’ve all gotten comfortable with our characters and the roles that we play and I think with us being that comfortable, for the writers, it makes it so much easier for them to write even more and go even deeper into our characters, which is what we want, which is what the audience wants. So I think that we’re seasoned now and we know what we do and we just depend on the writers to give us the greatness.

AX: Did you do Comic-Con last summer?

JONES: I did.

AX: How did you like being a rock star?

JONES: Oh, my God! For two nights, it was awesome! I had a good time. I really did. Really seeing how well [the attendees have] held on to their imaginations as adults is so important to me. Because we lose it. Once we grow up and we get all fancy-schmancy, we don’t play any more. But what’s so great about Comic-Con is, they still are playing. And yes, there are some kids there, but I think those kids are going to grow up and be like the adults and keep that wild imagination and always be fun and always be playful, and I think that’s a major part of being happy in life.

AX: Did you get to meet anybody there that you were excited about?

JONES: I did. I got to meet the entire cast of TRUE BLOOD, one of my favorite shows. I got to meet Peter Dinklage, who plays the Imp on GAME OF THRONES. He is amazing. He is my first little person crush ever. Because he is sexy on GAME OF THRONES [laughs], oh, my God. So when I met him, I was like [shy], “Hi …” [laughs] He was really sweet, though. And just to see the shows that I love to watch and see all the actors there was gift enough for me.

AX: Do you have any other projects coming up that we should know about?

JONES: Yes. I finished an independent movie with Shanola Hampton, who’s on SHAMELESS. She’s amazing. And the project is called THINGS NEVER SAID and it’s about spoken-word, but it’s about so many other things in life and it is a wonderful film and I cannot wait to see the finished product.

AX: Is there anything else you’d like to say about CASTLE?

JONES: I just love all the viewers and Twitter fans and everybody that has gotten us this far. It is because of the fans and the viewers that we are where we are and I am truly grateful.

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Warning: Spoilers! Do not read if you wish to remain spoiler free!

This Monday at 10/9c, in the Season 4 finale of ABC’s Castle, the murder of an Army veteran puts Kate (played by Stana Katic) on the trail of the man who shot her – meaning she’s perilously close to revisiting the murder of her mother. But Rick (Nathan Fillion) has privately vowed to steer his partner away from that conspiracy-laden powder keg, lest he lose her — forever.

Will Castle be forced to reveal the secret agenda by which he has been operating – and thus be punished by Beckett for a perceived betrayal? Could this finale serve up the biggest blow to the “Caskett” relationship… or, somehow, bring them closer than ever?

Circling back to the unsolved case of Johanna Beckett’s murder for the Season 4 finale is by design, says series creator Andrew W. Marlowe, since that story point always goes hand-in-hand with significant movement – sometimes for better, other times for worse — on the Rick/Kate front.

“Beckett is at her most raw when she’s dealing with her mother’s murder,” Marlowe tells TVLine. “That’s when she’s most emotionally vulnerable, even from the first time we touched this ground in Episode 10 of our first season, where Castle starts looking into [Johanna's] murder and causes their first rift. And at the end of Episode 213, ‘Sucker Punch,’ we have a very nice scene where Beckett accepts Castle’s presence – like, ‘I kind of want you around. I like you pulling my pigtails.’ Their emotional trajectory has always been intertwined [with the Johanna Beckett case].”

The big difference this time around, however, is that to temper Kate’s dog-with-a-bone nature when it comes to this case, Rick may have to reveal what he knows – that she will get herself good and dead – if she doesn’t back off. And to let loose with that secret could be devastating.

“In a lot of ways, it is Rick’s greatest fear,” Marlowe says of Kate’s pursuit of the sniper who shot her. “Not only for her safety, but because it might press him to reveal something that could blow up their relationship. He’s been keeping this pretty big secret from her and he knows what the stakes are. But he also knows it’s the only way to save her life.

“So that’s what we wrestle with in the finale,” the show boss continues. “Whether a relationship or even trying to have a relationship with somebody [who keeps secrets] is going to be worthwhile, and how Beckett, once she learns of that betrayal, is going to process it.

One thing is for certain: This season finale stands to be a formative one for the ABC drama, so I asked Marlowe what sort of reaction he got from his series leads upon laying out the story before them.

“Late in the season, I sat down with both Nathan and Stana to talk to them about the trajectory of the end, starting with ’47 Seconds’ and Kate’s secret coming out, so they had context for all those scripts, what the basic moves would look like and how we were going to resolve this season,” he recounted. “And when the [finale] script came out, I checked in with both of them to get any and all reactions, because at that time in the season we want the performances dialed in. If there are any questions ahead of time, we want to make sure we address everybody’s comfort levels and concerns, all that sort of stuff.”

All told, Marlowe shares, “There was a lot of discussion about what we were choosing to do, and everybody felt really good about it – that the way were handling it was the right way to handle it for our show.”

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Warning: Spoilers! Do not read this article, if you wish to remain spoiler free!

With the Castle Season 4 finale, “Always,” airing Monday, May 7, Wetpaint Entertainment caught up with showrunner Andrew Marlowe to get the inside scoop on the episode — and what exactly goes down between Castle (Nathan Fillion) and Beckett (Stana Katic).

In Andrew’s words, “Just stick with it till the end to see where the characters end up.”

In bed, perhaps?

Wetpaint Entertainment: So we can expect a big Castle/Beckett episode?

Andrew Marlowe: Yes. Castle and Beckett have been talking around a lot of stuff for a long time and they’re each been keeping significant secrets from each other and it’s not just how they feel but Castle having made this deal for Beckett’s life with a mysterious character and Beckett knowing that he said, “I love you,” but not knowing that he knows — in the finale all that gets put on the table and they’re forced to confront it in an open and honest way. And I think the fans have really been craving for the two of these people to have that dialogue, have them confront it directly, and this is the moment where we allow them to. And then of course, it’s colored by the fact that each one has kind of betrayed the other and they have to deal with those issues as well.

Let’s talk about the mystery. So we’re going back to Beckett’s mother’s murder. Will we get closure?

Yes and also to her shooting. You won’t get closure. But here’s the thing. Up until now, every time we’ve taken a step into this territory it seems to have gotten more complicated. But what we’re not doing now is complicating it. What we’re doing now is giving us momentum to closure. But this last episode, it’s not so much about that. It’s about it being a catalyst in the Castle/Beckett relationship and what it does to these two guys.

When it comes to the development of these two characters, were you always building towards this episode or did it just happen to feel right at this point?

This season has actually been a trajectory that we had clarity on about two-thirds of the way through last season, when we decided to end last season the way we did, with the death of Montgomery and Castle saying, “I love you” to Beckett. I think we talked about how it was always my intent to deal with the situation from Beckett’s point and not have her really not remember, and not do a TV fake-out. Once we knew that we were laying those cards out on the table I knew that I was going to land here at the end of this season and we knew what moment we were working for, to get to at the end of the season.

I take it, it won’t be as simple as an embrace and the sun setting on them. What should we expect when these people profess feelings for each other?

Well, again, expressing their feelings is also talking about how each has betrayed the other, and I think what you should expect is something a little emotionally messy. Something a little difficult and challenging for both characters, where the conversation doesn’t necessarily go the way each of them expects or each of them wants.

Should fans panic?

No! I don’t think there’s ever any point in panicking over an open and honest relationship, or open and honest conversation in a relationship. And just stick with it till the end to see where the characters end up.

There’s another relationship at odds apparently. Ryan [Seamus Dever] and Esposito [Jon Huertas] are going through something?

Yeah, the decisions that the characters have to make, based upon the case, do put Ryan and Esposito at odds and really challenges their relationship in a way that we haven’t seen.  

Is that something that will carry over into Season 5?

You know… watch the show and find out.

You also set up a lot of nuggets this season, like Castle’s father potentially being a CIA agent. Is that something we’ll revisit in the finale?

Not in the finale, but it’s something we’re going to be looking at next year.

And then Alexis [Molly Quinn] getting into Columbia. Is that something we have time to explore in the finale or is that for Season 5?

Actually what we have time to explore in the finale are Alexis’s feelings about graduating and moving on in life and leaving stuff behind. That’s a big issue for her. She is the valedictorian and she’s struggling to write her speech and trying to figure out how she feels. She’s somebody who always does a lot of homework for anything and she’s comparing her speech to Steve Jobs’s address at Stanford. She’s like, “I’m 18 years old — what the hell do I have to say?” So she’s going through a little mini-crisis in the finale as well. It comes together in a really beautiful way towards the end of the show. It’s really something for fans to look forward to, especially fans of Alexis and the Castle/Alexis relationship.

Can you tease the big emotional cliffhanger?

When we get to the end of the episode we have to deal with the culmination of all the cards that we’ve put on the table, all the secrets coming out, and in this episode we don’t fully resolve the case issues and those end up hanging over our heads when we get to the end. And, I think, in a really interesting and compelling way given the choices that all the characters have made throughout the piece.

On a very detailed note, is Beckett sitting in the same swing set that Castle and Beckett sit on in the Season 4 premiere.

Very observant. Was that in the promo? For our loyal fans that’s a symbolic callback and in terms of the way we handle it, that’s something for them to pay attention to in the episode.

Warning: Spoilers! Do not read if you wish to remain spoiler free!

Castle‘s much-hyped-about Season 4 finale “Always” is right around the corner, and we couldn’t be more excited (read: biting our nails in fangirl anticipation). Although much of the focus is currently on Richard Castle and Kate Beckett, we can’t ignore Castle‘s other dynamic duo: Detective Ryan and Detective Esposito.

Wetpaint Entertainment recently caught up with series star Seamus Dever, who dished about what’s in store for our favorite wise-cracking sidekicks.

Wetpaint Entertainment: We’ve got to talk about the big finale!

Seamus Dever: Yeah. A lot of stuff happens. It was a big episode to shoot. It was so big that we went over the allotted eight days, and it was more like 10 days for me, at least. I only wrapped last week, and I did ADR [dubbing] on Tuesday. So, yeah, I just finished.

What happened to make it go past eight days? Are there big action sequences?

Yeah. There’s some action stuff that happens. So whenever you do the action stuff, you’ve got to film little parts and little things. I feel like we shot the same scene for about three days. So it’s big.

Rob Bowman’s directing it. He’s our best director. He’s a wonderful director, and he really wanted to get the most out of it. He took his time with the things where he really felt it needed it, and I think people are going to like it.

Aside from that, the writing’s great. Some crazy stuff happens. Stuff that, I guess, we can recover from, but some interesting shifts in relationships. So I think for one relationship, the audience is going to be real happy, and I think for another relationship, they’re going to be devastated. So it’s going to be interesting to see how people respond.

Wow. Let’s take this in increments then. I heard you tease earlier that Esposito and Ryan’s relationship is going to go through something shocking. And I’m hoping that’s not the word you’re attaching devastated to.

I can’t say. I think you’ll see it. I think that would be hinting too much. When you see it, you’ll be like, “Oh, that’s what he meant.”

For Ryan, there’s been a question that was left open-ended from last season’s finale. And I think it’s important that we’re finally getting back to addressing it because I think there was a line sort of divided in the finale last year. And I think it’s going to come back, and Ryan and Esposito find themselves on either side of that line. They both make choices, and that affects the relationship.

I assume this opens up a whole other story line for next season? Does it seem like you guys will get a little more to do, maybe?

I hope so. Jon and I are always very hopeful of doing exactly that. We’ve been lobbying and suggesting and pleading and cajoling and urging for a long time now, and there’s been some progress made on Ryan and Esposito this season.

There could always be more, and I think that leaves this for things that could happen next season because it will end in a way that people will be like going, “Oh, crap. What now?” And that’s sort of what you want for a cliffhanger finale. So some stuff happens that Ryan and Esposito are going to have to work out next season, yeah, for sure.

What is the emotional cliffhanger?

You’ll see. There’s something interesting. We all make choices about right and wrong and what our right is, doing the right thing. And we find Esposito and Ryan on different sides and having different opinions about things. So some stuff happens.

Any hope that Jenny might return?

I think she’ll be back. Of course, we’re a married couple. I’d like to see some progress in that.  We show some things outside of our life in the precinct. I think that’s always a lot of fun, and I think the audience gets a kick out of seeing our lives outside of the precinct, as much as we can cram in there with still getting back to that whole murder thing.

That pesky crime that must be solved?

That pesky procedural thing, yeah.

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