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The Best Episodes of Castle

Every episode of Castle ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Castle!

Binge this in 5d 6h•Peaking at 8.5/10

After a serial killer imitates the plots of his novels, successful mystery novelist Richard "Rick" Castle receives permission from the Mayor of New York City to tag along with an NYPD homicide investigation team for

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    Castle Season 3 Episode 13 - Knockdown
    8.5/10(2130 votes)

    #1 - Knockdown

    S3:E13

    When the detective who investigated Beckett's mother's murder is shot before Beckett's eyes before he can give her new evidence in the case, Beckett's old wounds are reopened. The investigation of the detective's death leads the team to an old scheme which may provide the answer to why Beckett's mother was murdered and who ordered it. Beckett and Castle's relationship takes a new turn.

    Director:Thomas J. Wright
    Writer:Will Beall

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  2. Castle Season 3 Episode 24 - Knockout
    8.5/10(2530 votes)

    #2 - Knockout

    S3:E24

    Kate Beckett's investigation into her mother's death is reactivated when Hal Lockwood - a professional hitman with knowledge of Beckett's mother's murder - stages a spectacular escape during a court hearing. As police launch a manhunt for Lockwood, Castle and the team uncover evidence of a deeper conspiracy involving a mysterious figure with law enforcement connections who is linked to both Lockwood's escape and the killing of Johanna Beckett. The search for Lockwood and the quest to identify his co-conspirator leads to a shocking and deadly conclusion.

    Director:Rob Bowman
    Writer:Will Beall

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  3. Castle Season 2 Episode 17 - Tick, Tick, Tick... (1)
    8.4/10(2189 votes)

    #3 - Tick, Tick, Tick... (1)

    S2:E17

    Federal Agent Jordan Shaw, an insightful and accomplished Federal investigator teams up with Castle & Beckett to hunt down a cunning and elusive serial killer.

    Director:Bryan Spicer
    Writer:Moira Kirland

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  4. Castle Season 4 Episode 2 - Heroes & Villains
    8.4/10(1652 votes)

    #4 - Heroes & Villains

    S4:E2

    When an ex-con is mysteriously slain in an alley, Castle and Beckett believe a vigilante is behind the murder. But efforts to identify their suspect are thwarted when they discover that he roams the city in a Superhero costume – and may indeed be a Superhero. Can they capture and unmask the killer before he strikes again?

    Director:Jeff Bleckner
    Writer:David Amann

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  5. Castle Season 4 Episode 19 - 47 Seconds
    8.4/10(1646 votes)

    #5 - 47 Seconds

    S4:E19

    When a bomb explodes at a protest rally killing five people, Castle and Beckett realize the key to solving the case is to reconstruct the 47 seconds prior to the explosion. Using video and witness accounts, they uncover the shocking truth about who planted the bomb.

    Director:Paul Holahan
    Writer:Shalisha Francis

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  6. Castle Season 4 Episode 23 - Always
    8.4/10(3160 votes)

    #6 - Always

    S4:E23

    When the murder of an Army veteran puts Beckett on the trail of the man who shot her, Castle must decide how much he's willing to sacrifice to keep her safe. As secrets are revealed and feelings are put on the table, the lives of the detectives at the 12th Precinct may never be the same.

    Director:Rob Bowman
    Writers:Terri Edda Miller, Andrew W. Marlowe

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of Castle

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  7. Castle Season 5 Episode 5 - Probable Cause
    8.4/10(2297 votes)

    #7 - Probable Cause

    S5:E5

    While investigating a shocking ritualistic murder, Beckett and her team uncover surprising evidence linking Castle to the killing. As the evidence against him mounts, loyalties are tested. And when surprising revelations come to light, Beckett begins to wonder how well she really knows her new lover and partner of four years

    Director:John Terlesky
    Writer:Andrew W. Marlowe

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  8. Castle Season 3 Episode 17 - Countdown (2)
    8.3/10(1872 votes)

    #8 - Countdown (2)

    S3:E17

    With time running out, Castle and Beckett must put aside their differences with Agent Fallon to avert a city-wide catastrophe.

    Director:Bill Roe
    Writer:Andrew W. Marlowe

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  9. Castle Season 2 Episode 13 - Sucker Punch
    8.2/10(1923 votes)

    #9 - Sucker Punch

    S2:E13

    While investigating the death of an Irish mobster, Beckett and Castle uncover a local turf war that may be connected to both a late-night infomercial guru and an international drug smuggling operation. But the case turns agonizingly personal when evidence emerges that the killer they're chasing may have had a hand in Beckett's mother's murder.

    Director:Thomas J. Wright
    Writer:Will Beall

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  10. Castle Season 2 Episode 18 - Boom! (2)
    8.2/10(2051 votes)

    #10 - Boom! (2)

    S2:E18

    In the second part of the story begun in "Tick, Tick, Tick," the serial killer remains at large and is taunting Castle, Beckett and Jordan Shaw to catch him

    Director:John Terlesky
    Writer:Elizabeth Davis Beall

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  11. Castle Season 3 Episode 16 - Setup (1)
    8.2/10(1749 votes)

    #11 - Setup (1)

    S3:E16

    Castle and Beckett investigate the apparent robbery-homicide of a New York cab driver, only to discover that the victim was involved in a mysterious conspiracy with unimaginable consequences. As the stakes continue to rise, hard-charging federal agent Mark Fallon takes over the investigation. Together, Fallon, Beckett and Castle must race to unmask the truth about the victim before it's too late.

    Director:Rob Bowman
    Writer:David Amann

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  12. Castle Season 4 Episode 10 - Cuffed
    8.2/10(1827 votes)

    #12 - Cuffed

    S4:E10

    When Castle and Beckett wake up in bed, handcuffed together, in a locked room with no memory of how they got there, they must piece together the mystery of where they are and why, all while trying to escape. But as the two of them adjust to being shackled together, what's the biggest threat they face... the people who abducted them or each other? Meanwhile, Ryan, Esposito and Gates are left to investigate their disappearance in a case where all is not what it seems.

    Director:John Terlesky
    Writers:Terri Edda Miller, Andrew W. Marlowe

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  13. Castle Season 4 Episode 21 - Headhunters
    8.2/10(1720 votes)

    #13 - Headhunters

    S4:E21

    With tensions rising between Castle and Beckett, Castle finds himself a new partner -- Detective Ethan Slaughter (guest star Adam Baldwin, "Firefly"), a tough and colorful cop from the city's gang unit. But Castle gets more than he bargained for when Slaughter shows him a grittier side of police work that puts Castle in the line of fire like never before

    Director:John Terlesky
    Writer:Alexi Hawley

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  14. Castle Season 5 Episode 1 - After the Storm
    8.2/10(2400 votes)

    #14 - After the Storm

    S5:E1

    Picking up the morning after, Castle and Beckett now have to decide if they're a couple or was it just a onetime deal. But before they can tackle that, they must deal with those responsible for Kate's mother's death who are now a threat to Beckett.

    Director:Rob Bowman
    Writer:David Amann

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  15. Castle Season 6 Episode 22 - Veritas
    8.2/10(1830 votes)

    #15 - Veritas

    S6:E22

    A secret investigation conducted by Beckett related to her mother's murder goes awry when a man she has been surveilling is killed. When evidence links Beckett to the victim, she and Castle become the targets of a manhunt that puts both of them in grave danger.

    Director:Rob Bowman
    Writers:Rob Hanning, Terence Paul Winter

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  16. Castle Season 7 Episode 11 - Castle, P.I.
    8.2/10(1367 votes)

    #16 - Castle, P.I.

    S7:E11

    After being banned from the 12th precinct, Castle works his first case as a private investigator.

    Director:Milan Cheylov
    Writer:Rob Hanning

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  17. Castle Season 3 Episode 6 - 3XK
    8.1/10(1800 votes)

    #17 - 3XK

    S3:E6

    When a beautiful woman is found dead in an alley, all clues point to her being a victim of the notorious Triple Killer. The Triple Killer, or 3XK, terrorized New York City four years ago, then mysteriously disappeared. Now he's back. In a deadly battle of wits, Castle and Beckett race against time to stop 3XK before he claims his next victims.

    Director:Bill Roe
    Writer:David Amann

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  18. Castle Season 4 Episode 15 - Pandora (1)
    8.1/10(1850 votes)

    #18 - Pandora (1)

    S4:E15

    Castle and Beckett pursue a ruthless killer who, they discover, is part of a sinister, international conspiracy. Castle and Beckett are joined on the case by Sophia Conrad, a smart, sexy CIA operative who has a complicated past with Castle.

    Director:Bryan Spicer
    Writer:David Amann

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  19. Castle Season 5 Episode 6 - The Final Frontier
    8.1/10(2269 votes)

    #19 - The Final Frontier

    S5:E6

    When a body is found at a sci-fi convention, Castle and Beckett are warped into the heart of fandom -- a world of egotistic celebrities, diehard costumed fans and enough drama for two galaxies.

    Director:Jonathan Frakes
    Writer:Kate Sargeant

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  20. Castle Season 5 Episode 15 - Target (1)
    8.1/10(2229 votes)

    #20 - Target (1)

    S5:E15

    In the first of a two-episode story arc, Castle and Beckett begin a murder investigation that also exposes a plot to kidnap the daughter of a wealthy Middle Eastern businessman. FBI Agent Harris, an even-keeled professional is brought in to help find the kidnappers.

    Director:Bill Roe
    Writer:David Amann

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  21. Castle Season 6 Episode 17 - In the Belly of the Beast
    8.1/10(1546 votes)

    #21 - In the Belly of the Beast

    S6:E17

    Beckett is recruited to assist on a Narcotics investigation, but a routine mission turns deadly when an undercover operation goes awry. To survive, Beckett must engage in a battle of wits against some of the most dangerous men in the New York underworld – including a powerful enemy from her past.

    Director:Rob Bowman
    Writers:David Amann, Andrew W. Marlowe

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  22. Castle Season 3 Episode 1 - A Deadly Affair
    8.0/10(1735 votes)

    #22 - A Deadly Affair

    S3:E1

    When Beckett and her team burst into an apartment on a murderer's trail, they see Castle standing over a dead woman's body holding a gun; Beckett arrests Castle as he asserts his innocence.

    Director:Rob Bowman
    Writer:Andrew W. Marlowe

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  23. Castle Season 3 Episode 4 - Punked
    8.0/10(1587 votes)

    #23 - Punked

    S3:E4

    Castle and Beckett look into the murder of a young mathematician gunned down with a 200-year-old bullet, sparking some wild theories by Castle about a time-traveling killer. When their investigation uncovers a tricked-out DeLorean and a suspect in Victorian clothing, is it possible Castle's crazy idea has some validity? This winding tale twists through the towers of Wall Street and into the world of a secret steampunk society that embraces the romance and simplicity of the past, while coupling it with the hope and promise of the future.

    Director:Rob Bowman
    Writer:David Grae

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  24. Castle Season 3 Episode 9 - Close Encounters of the Murderous Kind
    8.0/10(1718 votes)

    #24 - Close Encounters of the Murderous Kind

    S3:E9

    Castle's latest theory is alien abduction after an astrophysicist's death is found to be from explosive decompression. A well know alien abduction expert gets involved in the case. To complicate things more, a government agent wants to shut down their investigation.

    Director:Bethany Rooney
    Writer:Shalisha Francis

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  25. Castle Season 3 Episode 22 - To Love and Die in L.A.
    8.0/10(1709 votes)

    #25 - To Love and Die in L.A.

    S3:E22

    While investigating the shooting death of her ex-partner in New York, Beckett comes to believe the suspect has fled to Los Angeles. Against orders, she travels to L.A., going renegade to track down the killer, with Castle unexpectedly along for the ride. As they dig deeper into the motives, they uncover a trail that leads from a rooftop pool in Hollywood to the sandy beach of Santa Monica. Along the way, they visit the set of the "Heat Wave" movie (based on Castle's book) and enlist the cast to help break the case. But as they get closer to apprehending the killer, Castle begins to wonder whether Beckett is out for justice or revenge.

    Director:John Terlesky
    Writer:Alexi Hawley

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Best Episodes Summary

"Knockdown" is the best rated episode of "Castle". It scored 8.5/10 based on 2130 votes. Directed by Thomas J. Wright and written by Will Beall, it aired on 1/24/2011. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "Knockout".