A number of fans and viewers of the American crime drama TV series “Castle” on ABC got disappointed when their favorite show abruptly ended during its Season 8 finale.
While it would appear that the show was only good for eight seasons, the abruptness of the Season 8 finale episode gave everyone the notion that “Castle” was indeed canceled for Season 9.
That is in addition to the fact that weeks before the Season 8 finale episode, it was already announced by ABC that “Castle” has been renewed for Season 9 minus its female protagonist Stana Katic, who plays Kate Beckett, and also supporting actress Tamala Jones.
The rest of the cast, including male lead actor Nathan Fillion, who plays Richard Castle in the TV series, were all given one-year contract renewals.
So, it came as a surprise to many fans that during the Season 8 finale episode of “Castle,” instead of a cliffhanger, they got a happy ending instead.
Not that they do not want Rick and Kate to have their happy ending but they certainly like having another season of “Castle” which would have been airing by this time already.
It’s all a business
Last month, Nathan Fillion shared his thoughts on the show’s cancellation. He said that it is a business more than anything else, refusing to say anything on allegations that the firing of Stana Katic had something to do with the cancellation of “Castle” for Season 9.
Fillion said that it was not the beautiful send-off that fans were hoping for but it’s the entertainment industry and it is business, reports Morning News USA.
He says he gets it as an actor and as a professional. He added that he does not take it personally when a show gets canceled, citing that all his shows get canceled.
The actor even challenged the interviewer to check his resume and he would see for himself the long list of TV shows that got canceled.
Too many demands?
There are also rumors saying that Stana Katic was fired by the producers from “Castle” because she was having too many demands in addition to asking for a hefty salary.
The actress allegedly received a higher pay going into “Castle” Season 8 and signed a one-year contract to reprise her role.
The series, however, failed to secure Katic’s return for the show’s Season 9. Speculations suggest that the show’s budget constraints led to the actress’s departure from the franchise.
Even so, these claims remain unconfirmed even months after “Castle” ceased airing. Neither Katic nor the producer of the series has commented on those rumors, details Chatt Sports Net.
He is not beating a dead horse but actor Nathan Fillion is just sad that for the first time in eight years, they no longer did filming for “Castle” immediately after the San Diego ComicCon held in July.
While the network was saying that the TV series was not canceled but merely ended, the fact that ABC switched its decision from a Season 9 renewal to eventual cancellation means that “Castle” was not extended after Season 8. That is the long and short of it.
It would have been surreal to have “Castle” airing a season without Kate Beckett on it, Nathan Fillion said that the show could still very well take off.
He said that prior to the switcheroo decision of ABC not to renew the show for a ninth season, there were already plans by the showrunners and the cast members to have that time jump after the Season 8 finale where Beckett would either die or simply disappear.
Fillion disclosed that all talks about Season 9 production ceased when ABC confirmed it will no longer be moving forward with the series.