The Season 8 finale of the American crime drama TV series “Castle” aired on May 16 on ABC and it surprised a whole lot of fans because it seems that the happy ending was abrupt and a bit forced.
Weeks before the final episode of Season 8, there have been reports saying that ABC has renewed the show for a ninth season minus Stana Katic, who played Kate Beckett, and Tamala Jones, whose contracts were not renewed.
The decision of the network to have a Season 9 for “Castle” came about because Fillion, who played Rick Castle, and other stars of the TV series including Molly Quinn, Toks Olagundoye, Susan Sullivan, Seamus Dever, and Jon Huertas all have one year left on their respective contracts.
However, some five days before the airing of the final Season 8 episode of “Castle,” the network has told the producers that they are reconsidering their decision to extend the TV series to a ninth season.
As a result, the executive producers had to scramble to come up with an improvised episode to show that “Castle” would have a happy ending. So keen viewers would have noticed that after the LokSat mystery was solved during the Season 8 finale episode, there was a time jump of seven years to show that Rick Castle and Kate Beckett, were already enjoying their happily ever after as a married couple along with their three kids.
No proper send-off to the characters
Shortly after the Season 8 finale, there came reports that a Season 9 is once again being reconsidered by ABC for possible airing in the fall of this year.
However, with the way the executive producers forced the happy ending on Rick and Kate, it is no longer possible to undo what was already done.
Unfortunately, there was no truth to those rumors as “Castle” remains canceled to this day and there are no efforts to bring about the rescue of the show from cancellation from any other network or streaming service.
In an interview during the San Diego ComicCon, Nathan Fillion said that there was no proper send-off given to the characters of “Castle” but it is way better than outright cancellation for a TV series that lasted eight years, notes TV Line.
He said that he has worked with amazing people that he has loved so very much and that he would surely miss them.
The actor also confirmed during the same interview that had there been a Stana Katic-less Season 9 of “Castle” it would have picked up after a meaningful time jump.
Still enjoying good ratings
Despite reports of a significant drop in its ratings during the early goings of Season 8, “Castle” actually managed to stay above the six million viewership mark during its final season.
That was the reason why executive producers Alexi Hawley and Terence Paul Winter, confirmed that they actually filmed an alternate version of “Castle” Season 8 just in case the show gets renewed for Season 9.
The alternate version would show that Rick Castle and his family and colleagues will already be thinking that Kate Beckett is already dead, notes Chatt Sports Net.
When “Castle” abruptly ended in Season 8, fans and critics assumed that it was forced in such a way to have a happy ending.
After all, previous to its sudden happy ending, ABC has confirmed that “Castle” was renewed for Season 9 minus its female lead star Stana Katic.