First Impressions - Castle

Castle is a procedural. Yup I've been taken in. Whilst the Mentalist is apparently quite good and I've watched the first episode, I didn't continue. Okay I will say I love serial dramas. In fact most shows that I watch which are procedural have elements which make it necessary to watch other episodes (Veronica Mars and Pushing Daisies). Castle is the first time I've gone for a completely serialised show like CSI. And it's purely because of Nathan Fillion.

Nathan Fillion was the lead actor in Firefly and was great in that. He was a bit lick Han Solo but for the 21st Century. Ever since then he's been showing his great charm off in Lost, Desperate Housewives and Dr. Horrible. Now his own show and its honestly the only reason I'm watching.

The show is about a best selling murder novelist getting roped in by the police to help solve a copy cat murder of his books and then staying around because there is romantic tension between him and the leader female police officer. The concept might be oh so cliche (down to the hidden past of the female police officer, alcoholic grandmother and serious 15 year old child), but Nathan Fillion saves it.

Fillion is so, so, so great in the lead role that I want to keep watching despite the mehness of the rest of the show. The murders aren't interesting and the other characters, whilst not bad, are just not interesting. Fillion elevates to another level with his great charm and some genuinely quite funny moments.

I'm going to give Castle its 10 episodes purely because I miss Fillion a lot, but if the show doesn't elevate above cliche stories which have been found in other tv shows, I won't tune in after (that is if the show gets picked up for a second season).