Castle (TV series)/Heartwarming

• The ending of "Deep In Death", when Castle finally works out how to win Beckett over after he's pissed her off by opening up her mother's murder case: a heartfelt and sincere apology for opening up old wounds and betraying her trust.
• In "Inventing the Girl", Castle flirts with Rina, a young model who is clearly nursing something of a crush on him -- until he realizes that she's Katrina, an old babysitter of Alexis who "did the ugly-duckling-became-a-swan thing and became a model". Castle comes in for a bit of teasing and a few disapproving comments when it looks like he's planning to hook up with her anyway -- until at the end when he reveals he's actually been putting her back in contact with Alexis, because he was concerned that, like the model who was the victim of the week, she might not have anyone to turn to for support if she needed it:

Castle:: Colour me shocked, but apparently the modelling world isn't all sexy clothes and fun parties. It occurred to me that if Jenna McBoyd had had someone looking out for her a little bit she might still be alive today. So if Rina needs a friend, she knows she's got one.

Martha: Oh, my son -- the big softie. And don't worry, I know you have an image to protect, your secret's safe with me.

• • Also a bit of Fridge Brilliance: All the teasing stopped once Beckett revealed that Rina used to be Alexis's babysitter. They understand perfectly that it'll never happen and why.
• Another one, after they find the man who killed Beckett's mother--and are forced to kill him before he can tell them who hired him. Castle goes to apologize for costing Beckett her shot at finding out who ordered the hit on her mother, and says that he's through with this exercise. Beckett tells him that he has nothing to apologize for, as he was the one that allowed them to find the actual killer in the first place, and that she doesn't want him leaving, as he makes her high-stress job easier to deal with and also that "I've kind of gotten used to you pulling my pigtails." The grade-school metaphor just made it the cutest moment ever.
  • Castle/Beckett shippers rejoiced everywhere.
• And again in "...Boom", where Beckett's apartment has just gotten blown up. Ordered to go home, Beckett retorts, "I have no home!" Castle, sitting behind her, just says calmly, "Yes, you do." No argument, no long speech - just a simple statement of "Of course you're coming home with me, how could you ever think otherwise?" Beautiful.
• "Den of Thieves" goes a bit more into Esposito's backstory, and involves his old partner Ike Thornton. Near the end of the episode Ike has taken a bullet and while Esposito sits with him, he introduces Ike to his team:

"This is my partner Ryan...and this is my other partner, Castle."

• • The bit where Ryan tries to follow Esposito claiming they are together "...till the wheels fall off".
• At the end of "The Third Man": Beckett and Castle finally go out to eat together, and she's holding onto his arm and twirling her hair in a schoolgirl way. Which Castle had noticed previously she did when she was speaking on the phone with a guy she liked and was going to have a date with.
• He's Dead, She's Dead. Martha Rogers: "Richard. Whatever mistakes I've made in my life... I raised a good man." It looks like Castle's tearing up a little after that.
  • The entire climax of "He's Dead, She's Dead": both with Castle telling Beckett his real name and Castle comforting his mother after the loss of Chet.
• At Castle's book release, he tells Beckett: "I meant it. You are extraordinary." The smile that lights up Beckett's face is absolutely adorable.
• The end of Anatomy of a Murder. Giving the cute couple burgers in jail because their love story was worth it, and Beckett telling Castle she'd get him out of jail.
  • Also, when reading the suspects' love letters, Castle accidentally says "I love you" to Beckett, resulting in an adorably awkward moment between them.
  • Beckett saying she'd get Castle out is made even better by the fact that earlier, Martha had called that (breaking a loved one out of jail) an act of true love and asked him if he'd do that for Gina. Plus, the look on Castle's face is priceless.
• The end of "3XK" where Castle and Beckett hold hands after Castle's near-deadly brush with the Triple Killer. It was an amazingly sweet moment to end on, especially considering how dark the storyline became.
• The closing scene from Last Call, where everyone goes off for a celebratory drink together, singing Billy Joel's "Piano Man."
• In "Nikki Heat", one of the minor subplots involves Ryan's nerves about how to propose to Jenny, and the tension that arises between them after a misunderstanding involving part of his plan. At the end of the episode they not only make up, but he spontaneously pops the question in front of the entire precinct and she accepts, of course. It even made Beckett tear up.
  • Not just Beckett. Look carefully and you can see Esposito wiping his eyes.
  • The scene is even more adorable when you remember that Jenny's actress is Seamus Dever's real life wife.
• The end of "Poof! You're Dead". Beckett handled Castle's break up with Gina in the kindest, classiest way possible. What a sweetheart.
• In "Famous Last Words", we meet Skye, the bitter, jealous, drug-addicted sister of murdered rock star Haley Blue. Haley had tried to help Sky get off the drugs just like she had, but Sky had always rejected her, partly because Skye was convinced that Haley was still using. Beckett informs her that Haley was actually 100% clean at the time of her death, and later, Beckett and Castle come across Skye in her usual hangout, apparently drugged up -- but she's actually suffering withdrawal symptoms:

Skye: [Her sleazy ex-manager] gave us a signing bonus. He told us a place we could fix for cheap. I couldn't do it. No, Haley didn't want me to. [She holds up a crumpled heap of cash] I'm clean. She's gonna help me, right? Wherever she is? She's looking out for me, right?
Beckett: She's already doing it.

• Pretty much every single thing Castle does in "Knockdown", from bringing Beckett flowers after she gets kicked off her murder case to taking down the shooter with his bare hands. Fuck yeah, Richard Castle. Seriously, this episode is pretty much one scene after another of Castle proving that there's nothing he wouldn't do for Beckett.

Beckett: I need you to do something for me.
Castle: (automatically) Anything.

• The very end of "Lucky Stiff," where Castle finally figures out what Beckett would do if she won the lottery: honor the memory of her mother. So he decides to set up a scholarship trust in her mother's name. And it is awwwwwwww-some.
  • Even better because at first it looks like she is going to be pissed because he can't stay out of her personal life, then she smiles, says thank you, and is almost moved to tears.
• In 'The Final Nail', Beckett questions why Castle trusts an old friend so much, even though all the evidence in their current case points towards the old friend. Castle talks about how when he was at boarding school, new and alone, the friend in question read a story Castle wrote about being alone. The friend published the story in the school paper, told Castle he had a great gift for writing, -something Castle hadn't heard before- and generally critiqued and advised on Castle's work. Which, given that Castle wrote his first bestseller in college, must have been a crucial time. It was a really emotionally naked moment for Castle - writing isn't just a job; it is who he is.
  • Which makes the sense of betrayal at the end all the more intense.
• Doubling as a 'Set Up' - Castle intially helps Alexis get out of going to a spa with her grandma. Later, Castle learns that there maybe a dirty bomb aboard in the city. He sends Alexis off with her grandma, with a 'It'll be good for you.' The way his benevolent face freezes when she turns away, with tears welling up in his eyes, makes it clear Alexis is the single most important thing in his life. The rest of the detectives describing how they tried to do the same with their significant others also count.
  • Indeed, kudos to both actors. You can tell Alexis is confused and angry and wants to ask (but doing so would hurt Martha's feelings). Castle wants to tell but doing so would panic Alexis and Martha. And when Alexis goes upstairs, you can tell Castle wants to say "I love you" in case this is the last time they get to see each other but that would -also- give away that something is really really wrong.
• There are quite a few of these in 'Countdown'.
  • When Castle and Beckett hug after the bomb does not go off. Also when they were locked in a freezer together.
  • Then Esposito, ex-military, emphasizes that they don't know how lucky they were. Castle looks at Beckett and says, "Yes. I do."
• The end scene of "Law and Murder": earlier in the episode, Castle has noted that Forbidden Planet, a favourite movie of his, is playing at a nearby cinema. At the end, Beckett casually mentions that she's planning on seeing it. Castle lets her believe that he's never seen it before to give Beckett the opportunity to 'educate' him about one of her favourites for a change (and, of course to accompany her in seeing it).
• The small part in the poker scene in "The Dead Pool" when Dennis Lehane tells Alex Conrad that he couldn't sit at one particular chair because said chair was where the late Stephen J. Cannell sat. As a tradition, the chair is empty for a year. Note too that one of the reasons Alex started to move to the chair is because the group set up a drink and a stack of poker chips for Stephen as if he were still coming to play. The camera also lingers conspicuously on the empty chair when Alex moves away rather than on Alex himself.
• The end of "The Dead Pool" when Castle reveals his jealousy outright to Beckett and Beckett declares that she's a "one-writer girl." The last shot of the episode is with Beckett and Castle hanging out at the precinct together. Not just any shot but they're sitting at one of the most commonly used establishing shots in the series - Beckett at her desk with her back to the camera, Castle sitting at the chair to the side. Preceded with a shot of Castle basically just staring fondly at Beckett. Mirroring and as with the poker scene above, much of the effectiveness of the scene isn't in the strict action or dialogue.
• Beckett reading the last paragraph of Royce's letter then turning to watch Castle sleep on the flight back from LA to NY. Not to mention when she changes her mind in LA and goes back out of her bedroom to find Castle after they share an electric moment only to find him gone.
• Most of the scenes in "Knockout" are of the Tear Jerker variety, but the moment when Martha grabs Castle's hands and tells him not to waste another minute holding in his feelings for Beckett is one of the sweetest, most heartfelt moment in the show's entire run.
  • Also, in a way, the ending; Montgomery cares deeply enough for Beckett to sacrifice himself to protect her, Castle cares deeply enough for Beckett to bodily carry her away from danger (and then apologise for doing so) and then, when Beckett's been shot and Castle confesses that he loves her, it looks very much like Beckett is trying to smile at him before she loses consciousness.
• In "Nanny McDead", Castle remembers when Alexis was five years old and he brought her to the park every day. And he shows a photograph of the both of them walking towards the park to Beckett. It is a very cute moment, the first time it is shown how much Richard Castle loves his daughter.
• It's a low-key moment, but the bit in the pilot where Castle is discussing the case with Alexis and they're playing around, which ends with Castle pushing her down the hallway as she leans back against him. It's only the second time we've seen them interact, but it's an early indication of how close their relationship is.
• When Alexis catches Castle watching videos on the dominatrix website in "The Mistress Always Spanks Twice." Castle's fumbling attempts to close his laptop and explain himself are priceless.
• At the end of "A Deadly Affair", when Castle and Beckett turn around and realize what's happened. Could also double as a Crowning Moment of Awesome.
• In Season 4's "Heroes & Villains", the journalist that writes and draws the "Sword of Lone Vengeance" comic decides to take the heat for the Lone Vengeance killing of the victim, believing it was his girlfriend, an officer named Hastings. When it is finally discovered who did it, the journalist and the officer leave the precinct and kiss as the elevator's door closes. Castle compares the journalist and officer with himself and Beckett (someone who earns his pay through writing and his policewoman muse whose adventures he writes about) and the detective smiles at him as he leaves.
• Castle and Alexis bonding over father-daughter movie time during "Demons", and the heartfelt advice he gives her over relationships and specifically about her and Ashley. Made of d'awwwwwwwww.
• Kate getting Castle and his mother out of the bank after the hostage situation in "Cops and Robbers". Even with Martha playing Moment Killer at the end, your heart still melts right out of your chest upon seeing the look on Beckett's face when she sees Castle face to face after the explosion.
  • Not to mention that when the police are storming the ruins of the bank, until she sees him Beckett only yells out "Castle!", making it very clear that for all the innocent people in that bank, at that particular point of time there is precisely one person who she gives a shit about. When they're reunited, well... ain't nobody else in the world. Martha has to gently remind Beckett that yes, there are people who are not Castle in that bank.
  • Martha and Castle get a nice moment when the hostages are being herded into the safety deposit box vault and there's a very real possibility (for the characters, anyway) that everyone will die:

Castle: Mother, I find I'm no longer satisfied with the customer service at this establishment. I think we should take our business elsewhere.

Martha: [Tearfully] I'm so sorry...

Castle: No...

Martha: Can you forgive me for dragging you into this --

Castle: [Interrupting gently] It's okay, it's okay. I love you, mother.

Martha: Right back at you, kiddo.

• • Basically, everyone but Ryan and Esposito gets a chance to act their butts off during the episode, is the idea.
    • They both at least get a CMOH though, when Beckett alerts them to the robbery. Ryan is initially reluctant to act, because their department only does homicide. The second he and Esposito learn Castle is in the Bank, they immediately kick into action.
• Everything that happens between Beckett and Esposito during "Kill Shot."
  • The moment betweeen Castle and Beckett at the end, when she thanks him for letting her have the space she needed.
• In "Cuffed", Gates remarks that two of her people are missing. She's definitely warming up to Castle.
• Everything involving the dog in "An Embarrassment of Bitches".
• The last ten minutes of "The Blue Butterfly." Kate's face says everything.
• The last scene of "Linchpin". In this chapter and the previous one, Beckett has clearly felt disturbed after hearing that CIA agent Sophia Turner was the inspiration for a character in Derrick Storm's books, that Castle slept with Sophia and that the relationship between Castle and Sophia got screwed up as soon as they slept together. Castle later tells her that the character based out of Sophia actually ended up being more like Beckett, which is why he chose her as her muse. In the end, Beckett playfully bumps into Castle, showing that, perhaps, there is still hope for them.
• "Always". Holy hell.

Castle: Beckett, what do you want?
Beckett: You. [she kisses him] I'm so sorry, Castle. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.
Castle: What happened?
Beckett: [My mom's killer] got away, and I didn't care. I almost died, and all I could think about was you. I just want you. [cue The Big Damn Kiss]

---

Back to Castle (TV series)