"Castle" Countdown (TV Episode 2011) Poster

(TV Series)

(2011)

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9/10
Great Fiction When You Suspend Your Disbelief
Ladyeowyn3281 March 2011
Warning: Spoilers
I know, Castle fans, I did not give this a ten out of ten, and for that, I ask forgiveness. But if I was going to grade this based on all Castle episodes, I would say at the very least, Knockdown was better, but I didn't hate it. In fact, far from it. This was a great episode.

That said, we start this episode where the last one left off, with Beckett and Castle facing certain death in a freezer. But seeing as this isn't the end of the season, much less the end of the series, we're pretty sure they're gonna make it. And they do, but not without some shivery confessions of how sorry they are that they got each other in such a fix and one potential confession of love (but we'll never know for sure because Beckett passes out around "lo-"). After the grand rescue, they do some digging, figure out who the Bad Guy is, and run all over town after him.

And, oh yeah, Beckett's Honey Bunches of Lovin' Josh decides that his girlfriend is more important than Haiti and shows up just in time to use his medical expertise on the hypothermic pair. Damn Josh and his wild romantic notions! Doesn't he know that being there for his girlfriend only gets in the way of Castle being there for her?! Anyway, after the Bad Guy gets caught, we face a dilemma that very few Cop shows face these days, and that is that the suspect isn't talking. I know what you're thinking, and that is, "Wait, you mean when they sat him down and told him they knew he was guilty, he didn't just deflate and say, 'Oh, damn, you got me...'?" I'm totally thinking the same thing, but this guy even withstands a gun to his face, so we know he's not playing around. Because most suspects see the gun and go, "J/K. J/K!" So, back to square one, our group does some fancy out-of-the box thinking and they figure it out and get to the bomb just in time to see.... that they're about thirty seconds from dying. Seriously, the fact that Caskett got to it in time is a miracle on its own because Castle used some psychologicalness to figure out what route the bomber would use, and there's no bomb squad people with them.

So, Crap. What do you do when you're very certainly going to die in the next few seconds? They can't run, and I think the best part of the whole episode is what they did next: Much like the end of Toy Story 3, they grabbed hands and held on. No words, because let's face it, if you're in that kind of situation with no time to think, it's hard enough to breathe, much less talk. And then, in truly Castley fashion, our hero reaches out and grabs the fistful of wires and pulls. And we're stuck thinking "UM!....."

Yeah.

And then laughter. Because it totally worked.

The thing is, Caskett nearly died holding onto one another not once, but twice in a single day. I don't know about you, but I'd totally need a drink or seven, but they're cool with just laughing over it at the precinct. And even though this episode was a lot of fun, the writers had to stretch the truth quite a bit. But in the end, we'll overlook the ridiculously fast hypothermia recovery absent of frostbite, the sheer stamina and lack of Post-Traumatic breakdowns of our heroes, and all the science and reality behind industrial freezers and dirty bombs, and we'll focus on the most important thing:

Josh sucks.

Oh, and P.S. One way the writers could go, if they wanted to be especially daring, would be at the end of the series to flash back to the freezer or the bomb and have us realize that it was all just a dream or a flash of what could have been between Beckett and Castle as they died.
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9/10
You Know Castle and Beckett Save the Day!
ShelbyTMItchell18 February 2012
Warning: Spoilers
The two parter has Castle and Beckett thrown off a terror case due to Castle doing something that he shouldn't had done and Beckett supporting it. As they are locked in a freezer to begin with. But as the DHS and the NYPD come to rescue them, DHS agent Mark Fallon realizes how valuable the two of them are, and puts them back on the task force.

As the feds and cops must work together and try to prevent another 9/11 from happening of all places, NYC. An unemployed cab driver named Kevin is behind it. As he is the prime suspect as Fallon goes a bit overboard with his interrogation skills and Beckett signals him out for crossing the line.

Fallon tells her and Castle that despite knowing that they dislike him as a person which is understandable, he isn't there to make friends. And that he needs their help to prevent this.

And they learn from one of the cops, that Fallon's wife died on 9/11 and that is why he joined DHS. Fallon came off a jerk to begin with but in the second episode, he came off a really decent and understandable person.

Meanwhile, the two of them as anybody would know, would save the day. With Castle's wits and Beckett's no-nonsense and brawns, prevent another disaster from happening. Which they do as the NYPD celebrates with beers.

Fallon then says good-bye and wants them to understand being a jerk at times isn't who he is but, it is what he has to do in order to get results. As all three have a respect of one another.

Underrated but great show!
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9/10
Not As Good As I Thought It Would Be
jordanmcc181 March 2011
Warning: Spoilers
I thought being written from Andrew Marlowe, that "Countdown" would be an amazing hour for me but although I was hooked to the episode, I thought more could've been done. The ending seemed pretty bland from where I stand - Castle defusing the bomb by yanking out the cables - I found the scene humorous, yet not a very compelling way to end the episode.

The previous episode, "Setup" was a FANTASTIC episode of Castle in my opinion, I am very disappointed that "Countdown" did not live up to my expectations - I have repeated the episode 3 times, and I have to say, I am still not feeling the hype.

In comparison to last years "Tick, Tick, Tick..." and "Boom" - this did not live up to those standards, it was intelligent, frantic, and Dana Delany's character made the episodes, I do have to commend "Adrian Pasdar" though, for his well-played performance as Fallon.

This years 2-part CASTLE event, although brilliant - it did not live up to last years intelligent episodes and storyline.
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9/10
BS on Beckett defending suspect & let city blow up
tkjunkmail-340158 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
BS on Beckett defending suspect & let city blow up. Plot is ridiculous that Beckett would let city blow up to make sure a suspects rights are upheld. I know no cop that would do that. Not one, & I know plenty both from family and friends. Her actions would only make sense to some left wing Hollywood writer who ignores reality.
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9/10
Must Put Aside Differences to Work Together
shelbythuylinh11 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
DHS agent Mark Fallon puts aside his differences to work with Castle and Beckett in order to find the bomb before they have another 9/11 there

As they were in the freezer and about died until the NYPD colleagues came to rescue them. As both were reinstated and despite Fallon going overboard with that over in the prime suspect to stop this as Beckett tried to get him to stop.

But that later on he understands why both Kate and Richard must dislike him but he is not there to make friends as we learn from Kevin's DHS contact Fallon lost his wife on that fateful tragic day

As they now have to work with him and in the end, he comes off decent contrary to the typical jerk agent he was to begin with. Adding what he does is not whom he is but how he has to be.

Yeah you may not be there to make friends but should not rub people the wrong way. As the three come off with a mutual albeit grudging respect!
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7/10
It's ok, but not as good as previous seasons double episode
NatashaWM2 August 2022
I watched setup and countdown back to back, so this review is about both of them. In my opinion the plot is too complicated, and can be confusing at times. I feel like the writers did everything they could to make the original suspects seem guilty, and then were scrambling to prove their innocence, leaving several plot holes behind. What makes these episodes great is all the Beckett/Castle moments we get, the ending is hilarious too.
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