Castle (TV Series) Driven (2014) User Reviews

Unbelievable for the sake of being unbelievable

[stanlaw1000 · 7/10 · 29 September 2014]

Unbelievable for the sake of being unbelievable -- for Castle to be missing for two months and not remember anything. Then there is a cornucopia of evidence pointing directly to Castle being responsible for his own disapperance. This big elaborate setup of Castle being the culprit -- and then that setup is explained away in a jumbled up, rushed up, last 5 minutes of the episode. But it's only partially explained away. The only thing that is revealed is that all the evidence leading to Castle being a runaway groom is discredited. Tune in next week to see who is behind it all. Hints were dropped that the mastermind behind it all could be 3XK, Senator Beacken (from prison, of course), or even somehow that Castle's Dad was involved. Pretty cheesy way to string everyone who watches the show along for one more week IMO. If the setup was this unbelievable, I dread that the episode explaining it all will be just as far-fetched. I hope I'm wrong.

Better Than it's Being Credited

[iamwatchinwho · 8/10 · 30 September 2014]

If anyone thought that after the long build-up in the Castle/Beckett relationship the marriage was going to just happen, they really don't understand the format of this program. I agree that the clues came out scattered and the biggest was late in the episode but they came out all through the last half of the episode, I went back and checked the time. Also, I doubt that the second episode will tidy things up with a wedding and a cherry on top - this is most likely going to be a major part of the season story arc even if it doesn't span the whole season. The mention of primary baddies just points this up, I thought it was Castle's dad since the season 6 finale but we'll just have to wait and see.

BIG SPOILER HERE: Having said that... I was disappointed in Nathan Fillion's emotionless attitude to what just happened to him! What's that about? A champagne toast and off to bed with Kate where she delivers with the tears she's held back and he's still as wooden as a table. Where is his shock and outrage at what's been done to him and his loved ones? I know I would be mad as hell. END OF BIG SPOILER

I for one am looking forward to season 7 to see how or if things get resolved. Be patient Castle fans, let's see if things pick up.

Great episode

[raggedlyhandsome · 9/10 · 1 October 2014]

This was the first episode with AWM not being the showrunner. And, I was looking forward to it, it had great potential. And it delivered. David Amann is a great writer, he wrote almost all of my favorite episodes, some being That 70's Show, Disciple, 3XK, Heroes and Villains.

I loved this episode. It was awesome. It gave us some answers, but, still, more questions. The plot was good, not incredible, or a masterpiece, but I enjoyed it. I see a lot of people complaining about the amnesia, but we still don't know that for sure. And if he doesn't remember the last 2 months, maybe he was drugged. We'll see. Now, the thing I disliked. I'm pretty sure that the whole Castle fandom hated Esposito. I just wanted to punch him. From the start, he thought Castle faked the whole kidnapping just to get out of the wedding. They are friends for 6 years, and yet Espo still doesn't trust Castle at all. I'm really curious if this was made on purpose, because there is some big secret, or if it was just bad writing.

So, to sum up, I liked this episode. Everything, but Esposito.

Great set-up for the rest of the season

[tiffadams3 · 10/10 · 6 October 2014]

I might have been the only fan of the show not upset with how Season 6 ended. I have 100% faith in Andrew W Marlowe and David Amann and the rest of the Castle family to deliver an excellent show. I was very excited to see what they had in store for us this season and how they'd set up a new mythology for Castle so we could really get to know his character.

I, for one, loved this episode! Had me on the edge of my seat the entire time! It was awesome! It left me asking "what in the world is going on" during every commercial break and that's just how I like it, build up my intensity, drop little tidbits keeping me guessing before you let me know what's really going on.

Fans need to stop complaining about amnesia because clearly that's not the case and they need to stop hating on Esposito! Of course Esposito doesn't want to believe Castle would just walk out on Beckett but this was about him being loyal to Beckett and a good cop first. Espo is like Beckett's older brother and his first reaction is to look out for her best interest and protect her.

All in all I loved the premiere and cannot wait to see what the rest of the season has in store for us!

Did the writers all quit?

[lakesbus · 5/10 · 28 June 2022]

This just wasn't a good episode. The doubting and lack of trust for Castle was ridiculous. The story line had so many gaps. Hope the rest of the season gets better.

A real strange episode

[rubenvanbergen · 5/10 · 5 October 2014]

Two things wrong with this episode. First off, the time between Kate being mad as hell at Castle and then everything being resolved was *way* too short. Too much happened off-screen there to provide a satisfying resolution.

The second issue was Castle's underwhelmedness at all of it. He should have been more affronted to be accused this way, more incredulous, and more desperate when Kate continued not to believe him. And that champagne toast at the end was just weird. Way too nonchalant again, especially how Castle talked about "untangling the web of conspiracy", as if it was just the plot of his latest novel and none of it had any bearing on his life.

All in all this made for a really odd season starter. A lot of build-up, mystery and emotional conflict in the first half, and then in the second half it all just evaporates. I'm secretly hoping that it was all done on purpose, and the Castle that was found adrift in a dinghy isn't in fact the real one. Or maybe he's still under some kind of influence. Or maybe this *is* just a novel or a dream or something. But I'm afraid it's more likely that this was just a (rare) slip-up.

Best show on TV - but not this episode - hopefully this season will be righted.

[bsmith11082 · 2/10 · 2 October 2014]

Castle is still my favorite show on TV but this is the first episode where I could hardly make it through, and the only one I would never want to see again. The "police" work in the beginning had my hands in the air asking out loud if they had new writers ( they didn't ). One hallmark of the show is the intelligent writing but that was sorely missing. I lost count of how many times I said " he or she or they wouldn't say or do that" - even my wife who was getting on to me in the beginning started saying the same. I'll still be watching and hoping for the smart, and fun individual episode; also hoping that the next "they wouldn't do that" doesn't have to come out like the previews suggested.

Use suspension of disbelief.

[jamellbest · 5/10 · 27 August 2023]

That is the only way to enjoy this episode and I couldn't. Javier instantly believes Castle is dirty just because he dumped the money off. As if the kidnappers couldn't have told him to. Beckett thought he just didn't want to get married when he was the one pushing for it the most. Just horrible. I'm getting mad just writing about this dumbness. They are really running out of ideas it seems like. I don't understand how he wasn't mad as hell at Beckett for disbelieving him after he had been in a traumatic event. This must be around the time they were hating each other on set. He acted so bland in this episode. I can act better then that.

Far-fetched premise with promise of more of the same

[jmpiazza · 1/10 · 1 October 2014]

The entire premise is very far-fetched and all the plot points with it. There's only one amusing line in the entire episode. And worst of all, it promises that we are only going to see much of the same for the rest of the season.

The main attraction of Castle (the show) is comedy; its snappy dialog, humorous situations, and exquisite comedic timing. The core cast just exudes comedic talent and shares wonderful chemistry. This episode tosses it all in the trash. The one amusing line delivered by Nathan Fillion was humorous because of his talented delivery.

For some bizarre reason I can't fathom, these breathless drama episodes garner higher ratings than the excellent standard episodes.

Overwrought drama is easy. Comedy is hard.

An improvement over last season's abysmal finale, but not up to snuff

[rich-494 · 3/10 · 30 September 2014]

I guess I just expected more. "Castle" has been so good for so many seasons that I have come to hold it to a higher standard. At least the writers broke away from the cliché-bound tripe that ended last season. I was hoping that they would finish up this plot line, so that we could get back to the fun stuff that has made "Castle" such an epic show. In my opinion, that did not happen. What the writers did demonstrate was just how flat this show can be when Nathan Fillion is not driving it. Don't get me wrong. I think Stana Katic did an admirable job trying to carry this episode. "Castle" needs them both, full time, to be the great show it has consistently been in the past.

Lame, lazy writing

[curehalo-866-252635 · 3/10 · 30 September 2014]

There was way toooo much left to clichéd tropes and unbelievable behavior from the characters in this episode. They just wouldn't act that way if this was a real situation. I don't have a great feeling about where this is going. I wanted SO much for it to be better, and to believe that the season 6 ender was just an aberration. Sad. Why on earth do the writers think they are suddenly writing a lame soap opera? I came to Castle after dismissing television shows for much of the past decade, because so much of it is SO bad. I want Castle to be awesome, I want clever plots, sparkling wit and excellent writing. Please writers, make it better. You have great directors and an excellent cast, please give them something great to work with!