Castle – Recap & Review – Sucker Punch

photo: abc

Castle
Sucker Punch

Original Air Date: Jan 18, 2010

Karen Belgrad – TwoCents Reviewer
karenbelgrad@thetwocentscorp.com

The underlying mystery of Castle has always been the murder of Detective Kate Beckett’s mother. Beckett has tried to put it behind her, but the unanswered questions often lingered around her. How would she deal with possible resolution, being as close to the answers as she’s ever been?

The hour opened with a mob enforcer (Jack Coonan) being discovered stabbed (over 30 times) to his death. His apartment is very unassuming, with the exception of some get rich quick DVDs hosted by a very stereotyped Asian named Johnny Vong.

During the death notification to his brother, Dick Coonan, Beckett over-shares about being on the receiving end of such news to try and get Dick to point in the direction of his brother’s killer. He points towards our next stereotype, Irish mobster Finn Rourke.

And where else would they find an Irish mobster but at his Irish Pub. A humorous scene ensues shows that Castle, trying to be intimidating, can not handle his pickled eggs. Rourke is none too receptive to Beckett’s intimidation tactics and is told to “pound sand”.

They discover another mob enforcer, Trucho, being beaten to a bloody pulp in the backroom. Perhaps his beating is retribution for killing Coonan? They bring him into the precinct (not the hospital?) and he is uncooperative with the detectives. Parrish clears him of being the murderer, as he stands 5’6” to the killer’s 6’+.

Castle: Maybe instead of using a stiletto, he was wearing stilletos?

Their next lead comes courtesy of Jack Coonan’s cell phone, which shows recent calls to a local FBI office. Their new assumption is that Roark had him killed for talking to the FBI. Returning to the pub during Coonan’s wake, Roark informs them that his gang does not traffic in drugs and that Jack Coonan was reporting drug dealings to the FBI.

A crying woman in the back of the wake seeks them out. She was Jack’s girlfriend. He gave her a bus locker key which they (too) quickly locate. It’s full of Johnny Vong DVD’s. Which, under their false casing, contain heroin.

Now, not too overly nitpick, but Beckett identified the heroin by tasting it. Do the police really do that? Wouldn’t they have it tested? Tasting it seems awfully dangerous and unrealistic!
However, Castle thought the tasting was impressive…

Castle: That was so cool just now!
Backett: You like that?
Castle: Yeah, it was very Miami Vice!

Their next step is to bring in Johnny Vong for questioning. They quickly realize his stereotypical Asian, poor immigrant done well routine is all an act for a Harvard educated business man. He knew Jack Coonan and knew that he was aware of the drug trafficking. Out of fear for his own life, Vong would rather go to jail than name the drug lord. Beckett and Castle wonder how to get him to talk.

Castle: We could force him to watch Paris Hilton videos.
Beckett: You want to be brought up on charges?

At this point, Parrish arrives with a forensics expert. The murder weapon, a military special ops knife, is so specific that that it is able to be linked to five other murders… including Beckett’s mother.

She is appropriately upset by this information. The Captain wants her to stay on the case (Really? Conflict of interest alert!), but she admits she can’t handle it and leaves. She meets up with her father to talk about the developments. Her convinces her that the truth is her weapon and to continue on the case.

They scare Vong by threatening to release him, making it look like he has turned informant. Scared, he reveals the drug dealer is… Dick Coonan, the victim’s brother.

Dick is very blasé about their case, taunting them to “prove it.” Once Castle threatens to open his book, he goes for immunity and starts talking about his hired assassin, Rathborne. He’s cocky and refuses to give any information to Rathborne’s whereabouts. He laughs at Beckett, knowing she only cares because someone close to her was killed. For immunity, he offers up the means to contact Rathborne.

They realize they have to have Dick pretend to hire him to kill Johnny Vong and that comes with a hefty $100,000 price tag, which the police can not front. So Castle steps in and pays the money. They stage an elaborate set-up, but Rathborne doesn’t show. They assume he was spooked by something.

Back at the precinct, a quick realization leads them to the fact that there is no Rathborne. Dick himself is the killer. They go to confront him and he taunts her with the fact that someone hired him to kill her mother. He grabs an officer’s gun and Castle and attempts to lead them from the station, threatening to shoot Castle.

The Captain realizes what is going on and draws his gun. In quick succession, Castle back head butts Dick and Beckett shoots him. In a heartbreaking scene, Beckett tries to give him CPR, knowing he holds the additional knowledge of her mother’s murder. He dies before she can learn any more information.
Later, Castle, upset at the events, decides he’s going to stop shadowing her, as he blames himself for Dick ending up dead. However, Beckett has a surprising revelation…

Beckett: If you tell anyone what I’m about to say , there’s gonna be another shooting. I’ve gotten used to you pulling my pigtails. I’ve a hard job, Castle, and having you around makes it a little more fun.

Castle: Your secret’s safe with me.

All in all, a good episode for building the friendship of Beckett and Castle without going down the will-they-or-won’t-they path last week seemed to lean towards. But, as I’ve said before, they really need to lay off the “family member did it” resolutions.

That’s my TwoCents! What’s your TwoCents?