10 Best Episodes of ‘Castle,’ According to Fans

Dan Clarendon October 5, 2021, 2:00 pm

Ready to storm the Castle? You’ll now have two ways to watch or re-watch the cop dramedy, with reruns coming to Lifetime and the whole series coming to Hulu.

Lifetime will air Castle episodes at 2/1c on Tuesdays starting October 5, with a break next month for the channel’s annual It’s a Wonderful Lifetime holiday event.

And on Wednesday, October 6, Hulu starts streaming all eight seasons. “Hulu is thrilled to be bringing Castle to the service for the beloved series’ U.S. streaming premiere,” Brian Henderson, SVP of SVOD Content Programming & Partnerships for Hulu, said in a statement. “It’s a great addition to our vast TV library, and we can’t wait for subscribers to relive all eight seasons… or discover the series for the first time.”

In case you missed the show’s ABC run between 2009 and 2016, the show starred Nathan Fillion as murder novelist Richard Castle and Stana Katic as professional sleuth Kate Beckett, the NYPD detective Castle shadows (and eventually romances).

If you’re looking for a highlight reel, here are fans’ 10 top-rated episodes of Castle, as tallied by Showskimmer. Just beware of (years-old) spoilers ahead…

Season 2, Episode 18: “Boom!”

After surviving a bombing at her apartment, Beckett recuses herself from the investigation into serial killer Scott Dunn (Dameon Clarke). But she swings back into action when Dunn abducts FBI agent Jordan Shaw (Dana Delany).

Season 3, Episode 17: “Countdown”

Castle and Beckett’s efforts to track down a dirty bomb in New York City are put on ice—literally—when they’re trapped in a freezer. And during that alone time, they nearly confess their feelings for one another…

Season 3, Episode 24: “Knockout”

Hit man Hal Lockwood (Max Martini) escapes from custody in the Season 3 finale, and the ensuing manhunt not only uncovers new information about the murder of Beckett’s mother, but also claims the life of one of Castle and Beckett’s colleagues.

Season 4, Episode 23: “Always”

The Season 4 capper, meanwhile, has Beckett pursuing the man who shot her, against Castle’s emphatic wishes. But when a fight with sniper Cole Maddox (Tahmoh Penikett) has her dangling from a rooftop, Castle is the only person she’s thinking about…

Season 5, Episode 1: “After the Storm”

One episode later, Castle and Beckett evaluate their relationship and what that Season 4 finale hookup meant. Meanwhile, Beckett finally comes face to face with the man to blame for her mother’s murder, Senator William H. Bracken (Jack Coleman).

Season 5, Episode 4: “Murder He Wrote”

Castle and Beckett take a romantic trip to his Hamptons house—at least, it would be romantic if not for the dying man falling into Castle’s swimming pool. And with that twist, the couple ditch their vacation plans and investigate the murder.

Season 5, Episode 5: “Probable Cause”

The very next episode has the couple again looped into a murder investigation; only this time, Castle is the prime suspect. He denies any involvement, but the evidence against him seems insurmountable.

Season 5, Episode 15: “Target”

In the first hour of a two-parter, Castle and Beckett look into the death of a Columbia student mowed down by a van. And they realize the same van was used to abduct two other Columbia students, including Castle’s daughter, Alexis (Molly Quinn).

Season 5, Episode 16: “Hunt”

That two-parter concludes with Castle going rogue to rescue his daughter—and getting an assist from the kidnapper’s enemy, CIA agent Jackson Hunt (James Brolin), who eventually reveals he’s Castle’s father.

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Season 7, Episode 15: “Reckoning”

In this Season 7 two-parter, the 12th Precinct hunts down “Triple Killer” Jerry Tyson (Michael Mosley) and his accomplice girlfriend, Kelly Nieman (Annie Wersching), and ends their reign of terror.