Castle: Why You Should be Watching

I know television is subjective. Everyone has their own preferences and not everyone enjoys the same shows. But I can think of at least 6 reasons why you should give Castle a chance.

1. Nathan Fillion -- You might know Nathan from Desperate Housewives, or from Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog, or as Captain Malcom Reynolds from Firefly (the best TV show to ever be canceled after only one season). Nathan Fillion is one of the most charismatic actors on TV and Rick Castle, the loveable playboy, is the ideal role for Nathan's gleaming eyes and devilish humor.

2. The Chemistry -- Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) and Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) kindle heat with witty byplay reminscent of David and Maddie in the early years of Moonlighting, but theirs isn't the only chemistry among the cast. Castle's daughter and mother (Susan Sullivan) are delightfully charming, even if they are a bit too-cliched-to-be-true (in a comfortable, entertaining way).

3. The Premise -- Castle is not your regular cop show. You may have to suspend belief a little and not worry about those pesky details about police procedures for things like calling for backup or not questioning a suspect after they ask for a lawyer. (I'm not a cop, but they do things on Castle that wouldn't exactly fly on Law & Order!) But, it isn't supposed to be that kind of show. The idea is that Castle, a famous mystery writer, has gotten permission to tag along because he wants to base his next main character on Detective Beckett. He thinks of himself as Beckett's partner, while she tolerates being stuck with him. Of course, his fresh way of looking at a case compliments her style, which makes them an effective team. Pure fantasy, but highly entertaining!

4. The Writing -- Nearly every conversation has witty one-liners, double entendres, and clever little comments that can slip by unnoticed if you're not paying attention. The storylines often revolve around grusome murders, but the show manages to keep its humor (though sometimes dark) throughout.

5. The Unreality -- Real life is gritty and jarring, ugly, awkward, and emotionally wearing. Castle is fantasy with beautiful people who say all the right things, wear flattering clothes, and still manage to seem like real people with depth and complete backstories. Even the murders are over the top, often with strangely arranged corpses or odd twists that keep them from feeling too realistic. The clues are easy to follow, though twisted enough to be interesting. All that leads to a surprisingly lighthearted and entertaining show about grisly homicides.

6. The Free Episodes -- Castle airs on ABC at 10pm on Monday nights, but if that doesn't work and your DVR is full, you can catch the last few episodes at Castle's website. You do have to install a plug-in to use ABC's free episode player, but it's quick and easy. (The episodes are also at Hulu, but they link you back to ABCs player.)

If you haven't watched it yet, tune in tomorrow night, visit Castle's website, or set your DVR. There's a good chance you won't be disappointed.