Castle for Hard-Core Nathan Fillion Fans? (New Series, Mystery/Police Procedural, ABC)

I want to love Castle. I was really excited to hear that Nathan Fillion, of Firefly fame, was getting another show.

The pilot was entertaining — the banter was more witty than in most police procedurals, and the dialogue in the mystery writer's poker game scene was the best scene in the premiere, and is worth tuning in to for that. My fellow watchers and I agreed that the writer's voice swung from the conventional older style of police procedural television to flashes of wit and sometimes it was even a little meta. Of course, we wanted it to push a lot farther.

Now that I've seen the second episode, I think that Castle is going to settle into a conventional mystery/police procedural, which is less than what I was hoping for. I think it has more depth than Mentalist, only because of Castle's relationship with his teenage daughter. His mother sets my teeth on edge, however.

Of course, the publishing industry is totally romanticized here, and the view of writing and book publishing is totally unconnected with reality. Hey, I've worked in Canadian publishing for a while now, and, trust me, book signings are rarely that glam, and most writers don't have the mayor on speed dial.

If the second episode is any indication, it seems like this show is going to move into the classic murder-per-week style of older shows, rather than having a larger season plot arc.

Basically, this is a show with Nathan Fillion doing Nathan Fillion with competent scripts from a seasoned TV writer. I like this show just fine. But I don't love it.

No More Navel-Gazing for Kyle XY — Is Season 3 Looking Up? (Episode 10 Recap, Sci-Fi, ABC Family)

I don't watch Kyle XY for the sci-fi. I watch because the teenagers act like actual teenagers, the parents are intelligent and human, and most of the teen's friends play with the usual high-school stereotypes and offer some pleasant surprises, like Josh's girlfriend, who has two mothers and is a teen cancer survivor. Or the blonde bombshell fashionista who is actually an amazing cook with all the area chefs on speed dial.

This show had the worst pilot I've ever seen. It was pure suckitude. I don't have words for how bad it was. But, over two seasons, it turned into a pretty good YA drama/family sitcom with sci-fi elements. Season two was on fiiire!

However, Season 3 has fallen into that trap in which many young adult (YA) shows fall — the angsty "I can't decide who I love" piss and moan that is sooo boring to watch. When the main focus of the season is just on whiny non-romance or conflict instead of also moving other plot points forward, all the tension goes out of the show.

Also, it was looking like Latnok, the antagonists, were doing that other annoying thing that sci-fi shows do — the old "really, they're not all bad, just misunderstood."

Thankfully, episode 10 has us back on track. Jesse and Amanda (Kyle's love interests, and the two hottest people on the show) teamed up Bad Boys-style to do some spying on Nate and Amanda proved that she can be tough too and not only a goody-girl band nerd. Nice!)

We got some action, the Latnok baddies are coming out of the woodwork again, and there was a really great reveal at the end of the episode that changes the whole direction of the season.

I'm relieved because I was about to give up on Kyle XY. Now I can't wait for next week.