The WORST episodes of Castle (2009)

Every episode of Castle (2009) ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of Castle (2009)!

Rick Castle is one of the world's most successful crime authors. But when his rock star lifestyle isn't enough, this bad boy goes looking for new trouble and finds it working with smart, beautiful Detective Kate Beckett. Inspired by her professional record and intrigued by her buttoned-up personality, Castle's found the model for his bold new character whether she likes it or not. Now with the mayor's permission, Castle is helping solve crime with his own twist.

Last Updated: 8/7/2024Network: ABC (US)Status: Ended
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At Close Range
star
7.34
1948 votes

#1 - At Close Range

Season 7 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/23/2015

Detective Kevin Ryan is on the security detail of a charismatic congressman attending a charity event when shots suddenly ring out. Driven to apprehend the killer, Ryan must revisit the events that led up to the shooting, with the help of Castle and Beckett.

Directors: Bill Roe
Writer: Jim Adler
Watch Now:Apple TV
Tone Death
star
7.34
1775 votes

#2 - Tone Death

Season 8 - Episode 9 - Aired 2/8/2016

When a body is found in the theater of Martha's latest show, Castle and Beckett's investigation leads them into the unexpectedly dangerous world of competitive a capella.

Writer: Robert Bella
Much Ado About Murder
star
7.35
1710 votes

#3 - Much Ado About Murder

Season 8 - Episode 20 - Aired 5/2/2016

After a movie star turned theater actor is mysteriously killed, Castle and Beckett go backstage and learn the star had more to worry about than just his lines.

What Lies Beneath
star
7.36
1711 votes

#4 - What Lies Beneath

Season 8 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/12/2015

When Castle's idol, a famously reclusive author, turns up dead, Castle is determined to solve his hero's murder. But as he and Beckett dig deeper, they discover that truth is stranger than fiction.

Directors: Larry Shaw
Sleeper
star
7.37
1835 votes

#5 - Sleeper

Season 7 - Episode 20 - Aired 4/20/2015

A mysterious recurring dream drives Castle and Beckett to seek answers about the two-month period when he went missing. But their search for the truth has deadly consequences.

Directors: Paul Holahan
Writer: David Amann
Watch Now:Apple TV
And Justice for All
star
7.38
1637 votes

#6 - And Justice for All

Season 8 - Episode 13 - Aired 2/29/2016

Beckett and the 12th Precinct look into the murder of an English as a Second Language student. But when the victim's class won't talk to the police, Castle goes undercover as a French Canadian immigrant and learns that the victim was more than he seemed.

Directors: Kate Woods
Writer: Adam Frost
Cool Boys
star
7.39
1601 votes

#7 - Cool Boys

Season 8 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/9/2015

Detective Slaughter returns to enlist Castle’s help in solving a high-stakes robbery case. But when a body is found linked to the crime, Slaughter becomes the number one suspect in the heist turned murder, while Castle has to determine whether he’s guilty or help to prove he’s innocent.

Directors: Paul Holahan
Writer: Alexi Hawley
Crossfire
star
7.40
1844 votes

#8 - Crossfire

Season 8 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/16/2016

With their best lead in hand, Castle and Beckett are ready to take on LokSat. But an unforeseen twist puts their case – and their lives – in jeopardy.

Directors: Rob Bowman
Mr. & Mrs. Castle
star
7.42
1662 votes

#9 - Mr. & Mrs. Castle

Season 8 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/23/2015

Castle and Beckett investigate the murder of a cruise ship entertainer, only to find themselves trapped at sea with the killer.

Directors: Jeff Bleckner
Habeas Corpse
star
7.45
1810 votes

#10 - Habeas Corpse

Season 7 - Episode 19 - Aired 3/30/2015

When Richie “The Pitbull” Falco, a larger-than-life personal-injury attorney is found dead, Beckett and Castle investigate the many clients and competitors who had motive to kill him. But the mystery deepens when they discover a shocking secret that may be linked to Richie’s murder.

Directors: Kate Woods
Watch Now:Apple TV
Dead Red
star
7.45
1748 votes

#11 - Dead Red

Season 8 - Episode 11 - Aired 2/15/2016

When the son of a Russian diplomat turns up murdered, Beckett and Castle find themselves in a dangerous game of international crime and punishment, with Castle having to entertain a jovial Russian security officer who winds up more involved than anyone planned.

Directors: Jeannot Szwarc
Writer: Jim Adler
I, Witness
star
7.45
1634 votes

#12 - I, Witness

Season 7 - Episode 13 - Aired 2/2/2015

Castle takes on a routine P.I. case, but the investigation turns deadly when he witnesses a murder.

Directors: Thomas J. Wright
Watch Now:Apple TV
Dead From New York
star
7.45
1716 votes

#13 - Dead From New York

Season 7 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/4/2015

When Sid Ross, the powerful creator of a long-running sketch comedy show is killed, Castle and Beckett are called to investigate. But as they delve into the victim's life and the colorful world of “Saturday Night Tonight,” they uncover a shocking secret that may explain Sid's murder.

Directors: Jeannot Szwarc
Watch Now:Apple TV
PhDead
star
7.46
1792 votes

#14 - PhDead

Season 8 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/5/2015

When the body of a local college fraternity student is found gruesomely murdered, Castle has to go undercover as a professor in order to gain access to the victim's world. However, he and Beckett soon discover that behind the fun and games of college are some darker secrets the university wants to keep hidden.

Directors: Rob Bowman
Private Eye Caramba!
star
7.47
1582 votes

#15 - Private Eye Caramba!

Season 7 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/19/2015

When a young Latin telenovela actress is murdered, Beckett and the team delve into a case that is as flamboyant and full of intrigue as any telenovela. Meanwhile, Castle is hired as private investigator by the show's sultry star to pursue the case from another angle.

Writer: Adam Frost
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Wrong Stuff
star
7.48
1633 votes

#16 - The Wrong Stuff

Season 7 - Episode 16 - Aired 2/23/2015

When an astronaut, training for a trip to Mars, is mysteriously killed inside a Mars simulation, Castle and Beckett don spacesuits to investigate. But when they discover no one inside the sealed simulation could have committed the murder and no one from the outside could get in, the case takes a shocking turn

Directors: Paul Holahan
Watch Now:Apple TV
Backstabber
star
7.48
1852 votes

#17 - Backstabber

Season 8 - Episode 18 - Aired 4/18/2016

When Hayley finds herself being implicated in a cyber-terror attack after doing an old friend a favor, Castle and Beckett rush to clear her name.

Directors: Jessica Yu
Writer: Robert Bella
In Plane Sight
star
7.48
1871 votes

#18 - In Plane Sight

Season 7 - Episode 21 - Aired 4/27/2015

As Castle and Alexis travel to London, their routine flight turns deadly when the plane’s Air Marshal is found murdered. With the help of Beckett on the ground, Castle and Alexis race against time to find the killer before he carries out his fateful plan.

Directors: Bill Roe
Writer: Dara Resnik
Watch Now:Apple TV
XX (2)
star
7.48
1890 votes

#19 - XX (2)

Season 8 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/28/2015

In part 2 of the premiere, Beckett's side of her abrupt disappearance is revealed. After receiving a mysterious tip from her past, Beckett is launched into a fight for her life, with a team of mercenaries hot on her trail. While Castle investigates why his wife is on the run, Beckett must figure out who wants her dead, before they can finish the job.

Directors: Paul Holahan
Hong Kong Hustle
star
7.50
1906 votes

#20 - Hong Kong Hustle

Season 7 - Episode 17 - Aired 3/16/2015

After a man is mysteriously murdered in a park, Castle and Beckett team up with a competitive, high-powered female detective from Hong Kong, who has information about the victim. But as Beckett digs deeper into the case, she realizes neither her Hong Kong colleague nor the victim may be quite who they seem.

Directors: Jann Turner
Watch Now:Apple TV
Bad Santa
star
7.50
2079 votes

#21 - Bad Santa

Season 7 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/8/2014

When an ER physician is gunned down in the street, Castle and Beckett soon discover that the victim was a mob doctor to a Mafia family run by an old friend of Castle's. Also, against this backdrop of Christmas, Esposito and Lanie reach a defining moment in their relationship.

Directors: Bill Roe
Watch Now:Apple TV
Heartbreaker
star
7.53
1762 votes

#22 - Heartbreaker

Season 8 - Episode 16 - Aired 4/4/2016

A clue at the scene of the death of an armored-car driver leads Beckett and Castle back to an old case solved by Esposito. But complications arise when they learn that Esposito might not have been telling them everything about his past with the culprit.

Directors: Tom Wright
Fidelis Ad Mortem
star
7.53
1730 votes

#23 - Fidelis Ad Mortem

Season 8 - Episode 15 - Aired 3/21/2016

When a recruit officer at the NYPD Academy is killed, Beckett and the team go back to their old training ground to investigate. Meanwhile, Castle must reckon with a decision with profound consequences for him and Beckett.

Directors: Rob Bowman
Writer: Chad Creasey
Death Gone Crazy
star
7.54
3385 votes

#24 - Death Gone Crazy

Season 5 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/21/2013

When Beau Randolf, the founder of hit adult video franchise "College Girls Gone Crazy," is murdered, Castle and Beckett are confronted with a lengthy list of husbands, fathers and ex-college girls who all have motive. So to find the killer, they must delve deep into the victim’s life, where they find surprises at every turn. Also Alexis starts a video blog, but Castle is not happy that personal and intimate details about her life are being made public.

Directors: Bill Roe
Under the Influence
star
7.55
3373 votes

#25 - Under the Influence

Season 5 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/14/2013

When an up and coming DJ is killed at a pop star's album release party, Beckett and Castle must dive into the raucous world of New York's music industry. Then, when the investigation leads to a troubled teenager, Esposito takes the kid under his wing, hoping to put him on the right track before it's too late.

Directors: John Terlesky