Castle season 3 is the third season of the American crime comedy-drama television series Castle, which aired on ABC from September 20, 2010, to May 16, 2011. The season was ordered on March 30, 2010, originally with 22 episodes, but ABC extended the order to 24 episodes on November 11, 2010.
Overview
The series follows Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion), a famous mystery novelist who shadows NYPD Detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) and her team to research his new book series. The third season opens with Castle having been absent for months, only to be found standing over a dead body holding a gun. The season continues the procedural format while advancing the overarching storyline involving the murder of Beckett's mother, Johanna Beckett.
Cast
Main cast: Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as Det. Kate Beckett, Jon Huertas as Det. Javier Esposito, Seamus Dever as Det. Kevin Ryan, Tamala Jones as Dr. Lanie Parish, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as Captain Roy Montgomery, Molly C. Quinn as Alexis Castle, and Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers.
Recurring cast: Victor Webster as Josh Davidson, Ken Baumann as Ashley Linden, Jason Beghe as Mike Royce, Scott Paulin as Jim Beckett, Max Martini as Hal Lockwood, Adrian Pasdar as Mark Fallon, Brian Goodman as Gary McCallister, Lochlyn Munro as Kevin McCann, Judith Scott as Evelyn Montgomery, Arye Gross as Sidney Perlmutter, and Juliana Dever as Jenny O'Malley.
Notable Episodes
- "A Deadly Affair" (Episode 1) — The season premiere, in which Castle is found standing over a dead body after months away.
- "3XK" (Episode 6) — Introduces the serial killer known as the "Triple Killer," a recurring antagonist in the series.
- "Knockdown" (Episode 13) — Advances the investigation into the murder of Beckett's mother, revealing a conspiracy involving corrupt police officers and a figure known as "The Dragon."
- "Setup" / "Countdown" (Episodes 16–17) — A two-part story involving a dirty bomb plot and Homeland Security.
- "Knockout" (Episode 24) — The season finale, in which Captain Montgomery is killed, and Beckett is shot by a sniper. Castle tells Beckett he loves her as she lies in his arms.
Reception
The third season received mixed to positive reviews. It holds a 60% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 5 reviews. Critics praised the cast's chemistry and the season finale but noted the show's reliance on the lead actors' charm. The season averaged between approximately 7.6 million and 12.9 million viewers per episode.
DVD Release
Castle: The Complete Third Season was released on DVD on September 20, 2011 (Region 1), August 6, 2012 (Region 2), and October 12, 2011 (Region 4). Special features include bloopers, deleted scenes, audio commentary, and cast and crew interviews.
