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Castle Season 5 Episode 6

The Final Frontier

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AIRED: Nov 05, 2012

9.2

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121 votes

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Episode Summary

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Drama, celebrities with big egos and diehard fans dressed in costume are all part of Castle and Beckett's investigation when a body is found at a sci-fi convention.

TV.com Episode Review

Castle "The Final Frontier" Review: Nerdgasm

By Alex Navarro, Nov 06, 2012

"The Final Frontier" was pure, unadulterated, in-jokey fan service for sci-fi dorks everywhere.

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SUBMIT REVIEW

Finally!

10

By JohnMangan, Nov 08, 2012

I complained, all through the last series, about how annoying the whole "will they/won't they" thread had become when it was obvious the writers had run out of ideas on how to keep them artificially apart. I argued that coming out as a couple would enhance the series and this wonderful episode proved my point.

Yes, the CHARM is back and then some. Castle and Beckett make a fabulous couple.

Yes it was CASTLE meets GALAXY QUEST but nothing wrong with that when director Jonathan Frakes (ST-TNG) was clearly having so much fun with the tropes (and turning in a hilarious cameo as Castle's "Number One fan"). Just like GQ, there was a danger that the whole fanboy/cosplay convention story would degenerate into a lazy clichefest but, like GQ, it soared high above with Beckett's wonderful defence of her old favourite TV show. We all know exactly how she feels.

Incidental delights? The Shatner "song" at the end. Nathan Fillion almost referencing his old series FIREFLY as one of his favourite TV series. Castle doing quite a passable Shatner impersonation at one point (more in the sense of the rhythm than exact intonation) though he should be kept away from EVER trying Jean-Luc Picard ever again.

Just a final thought. Anyone else think Christina Moore was channeling Jeri Ryan?moreless
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5x06 - Epic!

10

By JDML23, Nov 08, 2012

It isn't often that I give a show a perfect ten rating, but this episode was so good that I have to bestow it. Not only did I spend a lot of my time laughing, I also genuinely enjoyed the mystery and I didn't even call the killer's id like I usually do. Go show.

The show did such a great job of gently teasing the geekery in the viewer (a total sci-fi geek here!) but it also dished a lot of love not only for the sci-fi genre but also for the geeky fans who love it. I adored that they had Beckett be a mega fan for a terrible show and they backed up her love by explaining why the show had such meaning for her. Something which all sci-fi fans can say, although not necessarily with her level of eloquence. I just loved that!

I found this a brilliantly funny episode! So many things cracked me up: Castle teasing Beckett over her mega fan status, his freaking out about losing his hair, his shriek of horror over seeing Alexis all dressed up as a sexy assassin (this one in particularly made me pause the show until I could get over my gigglefit); Alexis and Castle 'not talking about it' non-coversation and the last scene!

I was also surprised by how much I ended up liking Nebula 9's 'Captain'! The man may have been a 'washed up actor' but he clearly loved the role a ton to go out and spend money to get himself a working blaster. It brought a huge grin to my face.

Great episode! I don't always rewatch this show but I'll happily see this episode again. It was so well done! Now that's the way to make a shout out to fandom!moreless
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This was a total delight to any sci-fi geek

9.5

By yoyo, Nov 08, 2012

This is what I love about Castle, that it gives us lots of quirky and colorful stories and characters. It has heavier material, like the on-going story of who killed Beckett's mother, but for me it really shines when it is being fun and off-the-wall. I especially loved all the meta references to sci fi culture, and in particular Firefly. And it was a good murder mystery, it kept me guessing until the end.moreless
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Out of this World

10

By sh811a, Nov 07, 2012

I'm a sci-fi fan I've been one ever since I was six, most of my favorate movies and TV shows are sci-fi. For TV shows it's "Battlestar Galatica" (revival version) and "Doctor Who"; movies "Blade Runner", "Aliens", and "Star Wars" (the trilogy with episodes 4 though 6). So you can imagine how much of a treat this episode was and is probably one of my favorate episodes of the series.

What I like about this episode is that it's not so much focused on the mystery, by it's nature the mystery is just a clothesline for the comedy this epiosde delivers. It was just great how much this episode saturized, parodyed, and had homages and injokes to the sci-fi genere. From all of the elements, cleches, and even fandom, it will take more than one watch to get all the jokes.

There were lots of comidic silver and gold moments, one moment I liked was seeing Alexis and a group of girls wearing what looks like "Sailor Moon" like outfits. Or even seeing Castle worrying about the side effects shooting the Phazer Gun would do to him. Then there was a verbal joke about the "Nebula 9" TV series how it only had 12 episodes but is so popluar, which or course is a reference joke not just to "Firefly" but I feel most other sci-fi series that have been taken too soon like one underrated fav of mine "Space, Above, and Beyond".

But what was really funny was seeing how much of a "Nebula 9" fan Kate truely is. I've always know Kate was a geek at heart and here we see another shade of it. From hearing both Castle say he dislikes the show which I can empahize with I don't like or love every sci-fi show like "Star Trek Voyger" and "Enterprise" some people love those sequels but I'm not one of them, but that's me. Kate defending it as well as have some bemused looks on Castle's opinion of the show, that I can also emphasize with because negative opinion is a bitter pill to swallow. Down to seeing a photo of Kate in a "Nebula 9" uniform, which she looks so hot in, I don't know why but females in uniforms is a turn on for me.

I really liked the character that was an egosentric actor that plays a Captain Kirk like character. I really loved how he stole the show which is something I've never seen in Castle, he is just hillarous he has some of the best lines. This charcter is obviously one of those people in their own little world; it's just funny seeing how self absorbed he is, how detached from reality he is from seeing him maintaining his ego (or what's left of it) from not breaking character.

One great moment of the episode was hearing the speach Kate made about why she loves the show "Nebula 9" series, she admits the show isn't perfect it has it's problems, but past those problems to her the show was one of the things that brought her great joy in her life, the content it presented and has brought inspration to get to where she is now. I've loved that speach it's how I honestly feel about the sci-fi movies and TV shows I love but I feel says how important this genere or even any other entertainment genere is.

I only have a couple of small quibs about the episode, one the lacking of sci-fi alumni, granted you did have the actor that played Quark in "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" (my second favorate Star Trek series on a side note) but one isn't enough, it just would of been really funny seeing a few more familar faces in the sci-fi arena make cameo appearances. I could imagine how funny it would of been to of seen Nathan and Stana interact with Karan Gillian and Arthur Danvill (the actors that played Amy Pond and Rory Williams from "Doctor Who") or heck have Nathan run into a Joss Weadon aluni or two. The fact this was never utilized I felt was a lost opportunity but this could of been because of time and budget limitations so I can let it slide. Another was I felt the ending was kinda a let down and silly, it felt almost like it was some dream sequence, I wish they just ended on a straght note where Kate does have the costume one without the mask and there would be some banter which was all they needed to do.

But overall this episode goes to space, above and beyond.moreless
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Nice one

9.0

By Dev07, Nov 06, 2012

A nice trip into the fun side and viewers needed that after the heavy drama in last week's 'Probable Cause'. There were some really funny moments and a few subtle hints of the developing relationship. However, the episode was hyped up a bit too much. We have had better (and lesser hyped) ones this Season. Enjoyed it nonetheless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

EDIT

Nathan Fillion	Richard Castle
Stana Katic	Det. Kate Beckett
Susan Sullivan	Martha Rodgers
Molly Quinn	Alexis Castle
Penny Johnson Jerald	Captain Victoria Gates
Tamala Jones	Lanie Parish

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Armin Shimerman	Benjamin Donnelly	Guest Star
Ed Quinn	Gabriel Winters	Guest Star
Christina Moore	Stephanie Frye	Guest Star
Arye Gross	M.E. Sidney Perlmutter	Recurring Role

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Episode Photos

Nathan Fillion on Castle from "The Final...

© 2012 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.
Ed Quinn, Stana Katic, and Nathan Fillio...

© 2012 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.
Ed Quinn, Stana Katic, and Nathan Fillio...

© 2012 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.
Stana Katic and Nathan Fillion on Castle...

© 2012 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (0)
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QUOTES (7)
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- Beckett: So I was Nebula-9 fan. Big deal.
  Castle: Oh, you were beyond a fan. You dressed up in costume. You.
  Beckett: Okay, yes. I was a sci-fi loving, costume wearing geek. And you know what? Not ashamed of it or of Nebula-9. Despite what you think, it was an awesome show.
  Castle: Hmm. I'll tell you what. I'll forgive you your terrible taste, if you (Castle eyes Beckett) try on that Nebula-9 costume for me.
  Beckett: In your dreams.
  Castle: Look at my life. My dreams come true.
  EDIT SHARE
- Beckett: Are you saying...
  Castle: She was killed by a phaser?
  Perlmutter: Well, as much as it pains me, Mr. Castle is marginally correct. She was killed by a high-intensity laser beam.
  Castle: A real sci-fi murder, at a Sci-Fi convention. Just keeps getting better.
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- Castle: Tell me, you guys, do you think my hair is thinning?
  Beckett: You're not losing your hair, Castle.
  Castle: Okay, so if I wake up bald tomorrow, you'll still be attracted to me? (Beckett pauses) Oh, my God. You wouldn't.
  Beckett: I didn't say that.
  Castle: No, but you were thinking it. I can see it in your ...
  Esposito: With that pumpkin head? Dude.
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- Beckett: Just goes to show you, sometimes people aren't what they appear to be.
  Castle: For Alexis' sake, I hope you're right, given what she was wearing.
  Beckett: Castle, she is a full-grown woman.
  Castle: Who, as we speak, is being ogled by thousands of sweaty, lecherous fan boys. It's just so ... wrong.
  Beckett: Can I just point out the fact that the costume that she was wearing is not so different from the one that you are asking me to wear?
  Castle: Don't say that! That ... it's confusing and disturbing.
  EDIT SHARE
- Castle: Let's go back to the e-mails of the crazed Nebula-9 fans. And when I say crazed fans, I'm, I'm not referring to you. You ... are a mega fan.
  Beckett: Nice one coming from the guy with a life-size Boba Fett in his bathroom.
  Castle: Point taken.
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- Beckett: Perlmutter.
  Perlmutter: Detective Beckett.
  Castle: Perlmutter.
  Perlmutter: And non-detective Castle.
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- Castle: Perlmutter, good to see you.
  Perlmutter: Ah, if only the feeling were mutual.
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NOTES (3)
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- Featured Music:
  "Tesla Girls" by Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
  "So Sexy" by Radio Free America
  "Ideal Woman" by William Shatner (end scene)
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- Although credited, Susan Sullivan (Martha Rodgers), Tamala Jones (Lanie Parish) and Penny Johnson Jerald (Captain Victoria Gates) do not appear in this episode.
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- Original International Air Dates:
  Canada: November 5, 2012 on CTV
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ALLUSIONS (1)
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- Castle: I'm a fan of good sci-fi. StarTrek, Battlestar, that Joss Whedon show, but Nebula 9, nah, nah. It's all phony melodrama and lifeless acting.
  
  That Joss Whedon show alludes to the television series Firefly (2002-2003) by writer and creator Joss Whedon in which Castle actor Nathan Fillion portrayed the main protagonist, Captain Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds.
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