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The Worst Episodes of Castle

Every episode of Castle ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Castle!

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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 Worst Episode
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    Castle Season 6 Episode 23 - For Better or Worse
    6.1/10(18 votes)

    #1 - For Better or Worse

    S6:E23

    Castle and Beckett's long-awaited wedding is almost here, but when a shocking surprise threatens to ruin the big day, they are sent on a wild mission filled with masked men, angry bikers and a charming ne'er-do-well from Beckett's past.

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

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  2. Castle Season 8 Episode 10 - Witness for the Prosecution
    6.3/10(15 votes)

    #2 - Witness for the Prosecution

    S8:E10

    Castle finally gets his day in court when he takes the stand as the key witness to a murder from five months ago. But when new information suddenly arises, he and Beckett must race against the clock to prevent a miscarriage of justice.

    Director:Bill Roe
    Writer:Terence Paul Winter

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  3. Castle Season 8 Episode 3 - PhDead
    6.4/10(15 votes)

    #3 - PhDead

    S8:E3

    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.

    Director:Rob Bowman
    Writer:Chad Gomez Creasey

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  4. Castle Season 8 Episode 8 - Mr. & Mrs. Castle
    6.4/10(13 votes)

    #4 - Mr. & Mrs. Castle

    S8:E8

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

    Director:Jeff Bleckner
    Writer:Christine Roum

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  5. Castle Season 7 Episode 18 - At Close Range
    6.5/10(17 votes)

    #5 - At Close Range

    S7:E18

    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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. Castle Season 8 Episode 14 - The G.D.S.
    6.5/10(16 votes)

    #6 - The G.D.S.

    S8:E14

    Castle returns to the City of Angels in search of answers about his missing time. But things take a deadly turn when he’s recruited by the legendary Greatest Detective Society to help solve a murder.

    Director:John Terlesky
    Writer:Alexi Hawley

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  7. Castle Season 1 Episode 6 - Always Buy Retail
    6.6/10(27 votes)

    #7 - Always Buy Retail

    S1:E6

    A man is killing people and posing them in Vodun (Voodoo) tradition. Castle's ex-wife announces her plans to move back to New York.

    Director:Jamie Babbit
    Writers:Gabrielle Stanton, Harry Werksman

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  8. Castle Season 4 Episode 18 - A Dance with Death
    6.6/10(19 votes)

    #8 - A Dance with Death

    S4:E18

    When Odette Morton, a contestant on the hit competition show “A Night Of Dance,” is found murdered in her dressing room, Castle and Beckett must navigate the case’s many twists and twirls without stepping on each other’s toes. But as they delve into Odette’s past, they discover that this reality starlet was harboring a shocking secret that may have led to her death

    Director:Kevin Hooks
    Writer:Moira Kirland

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  9. Castle Season 7 Episode 21 - In Plane Sight
    6.6/10(16 votes)

    #9 - In Plane Sight

    S7:E21

    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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. Castle Season 5 Episode 23 - The Human Factor
    6.7/10(17 votes)

    #10 - The Human Factor

    S5:E23

    When Homeland Security inexplicably seals the crime scene of a car bombing, Castle and Beckett find themselves with two mysteries on their hands: who murdered the victim, a government whistleblower, and why are federal agents trying to take over the case? The plot thickens when they discover that the victim wasn't killed by a car bomb but by a missile from a military drone.

    Director:Bill Roe
    Writer:David Amann

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  11. Castle Season 7 Episode 10 - Bad Santa
    6.7/10(17 votes)

    #11 - Bad Santa

    S7:E10

    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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. Castle Season 8 Episode 2 - XX (2)
    6.7/10(14 votes)

    #12 - XX (2)

    S8:E2

    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.

    Director:Paul Holahan
    Writers:Alexi Hawley, Terence Paul Winter

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  13. Castle Season 8 Episode 11 - Dead Red
    6.7/10(15 votes)

    #13 - Dead Red

    S8:E11

    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.

    Director:Jeannot Szwarc
    Writer:Jim Adler

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  14. Castle Season 2 Episode 22 - Food to Die For
    6.8/10(26 votes)

    #14 - Food to Die For

    S2:E22

    A high profile chef is found frozen to death in the kitchen of a hot New York restaurant. Complications ensue when Castle and the restaurant owner, an old high school girlfriend of Beckett's, share an attraction. Meanwhile, Beckett's relationship with Det. Demming continues to grow.

    Director:Ron Underwood
    Writer:Terri Edda Miller

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  15. Castle Season 7 Episode 16 - The Wrong Stuff
    6.8/10(18 votes)

    #15 - The Wrong Stuff

    S7:E16

    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

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. Castle Season 8 Episode 22 - Crossfire
    6.8/10(12 votes)

    #16 - Crossfire

    S8:E22

    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.

    Director:Rob Bowman
    Writers:Alexi Hawley, Terence Paul Winter

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  17. Castle Season 3 Episode 7 - Almost Famous
    6.9/10(24 votes)

    #17 - Almost Famous

    S3:E7

    An "Officer Down" call turns out to be a male stripper dressed like a cop. Castle and Beckett explore the world of male strip clubs and struggling actors, all people in pursuit of fame. They need to determine if the murder was because of the victim's dreams of stardom or something more sinister.

    Director:Félix Alcalá
    Writer:Elizabeth Davis Beall

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  18. Castle Season 3 Episode 23 - Pretty Dead
    6.9/10(22 votes)

    #18 - Pretty Dead

    S3:E23

    During rehearsal for "Baron's All-American Beauty Pageant," the contestants are shocked to discover the body of Miss Illinois - strangled, but by whom? As Castle and Beckett delve into the cut-throat competition of the pageant world, they learn that a number suspects had motive for murder, including jealous fellow contestants, the pageant's larger-than-life millionaire sponsor, Victor Baron, and the show's host -- hedonistic TV personality, Bobby Stark.

    Director:Jeff Bleckner
    Writer:Terri Edda Miller

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  19. Castle Season 7 Episode 4 - Child's Play
    6.9/10(16 votes)

    #19 - Child's Play

    S7:E4

    When an ice cream vender is shot, evidence leads Beckett and Castle to believe that an unknown second-grader may have vital information about the case. Castle goes undercover at an elementary school to try and identify the second-grader but nothing goes as planned.

    Director:Rob Bowman
    Writers:Rob Hanning, Andrew W. Marlowe

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  20. Castle Season 7 Episode 5 - Meme is Murder
    6.9/10(17 votes)

    #20 - Meme is Murder

    S7:E5

    When a web celebrity is murdered, Castle and Beckett explore the flashy world of internet fame. But when the killer posts pictures from the crime scene on a photo-sharing site, they realize they are up against a social media sociopath who may strike again.

    Director:Bill Roe
    Writer:Jim Adler

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  21. Castle Season 7 Episode 8 - Kill Switch
    6.9/10(16 votes)

    #21 - Kill Switch

    S7:E8

    When subway passengers, including Detective Esposito, are taken hostage by a mysterious gunman, Castle, Beckett and the team must uncover the gunman's agenda before it’s too late.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. Castle Season 2 Episode 12 - A Rose for Everafter
    7.0/10(25 votes)

    #22 - A Rose for Everafter

    S2:E12

    When Castle and Beckett are called to a wedding to investigate the death of a bridesmaid, Castle is stunned to discover that the soon-to-be bride is his old flame, Kyra, "the one that got away". Complications ensue as Kyra, caught off-guard by Castle's reappearance in her life, wonders if she's marrying the right guy. With the nuptials forestalled and the entire wedding party under suspicion, Beckett questions Castle's ability to be objective about the case. But when it looks to Beckett like Castle and Kyra might rekindle their romance, her judgment may be compromised as well.

    Director:Bryan Spicer
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. Castle Season 3 Episode 15 - The Final Nail
    7.0/10(22 votes)

    #23 - The Final Nail

    S3:E15

    Castle and Beckett find themselves on opposite sides of the case when Castle's old school friend emerges as the prime suspect in his own wife's murder. As they work to solve the crime, Castle comes to realize that one of two terrible things must be true... Either Detective Beckett is about to arrest an innocent man for murder, or his old friend is a cold-blooded killer.

    Director:John Terlesky
    Writer:Moira Kirland

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  24. Castle Season 5 Episode 14 - Reality Star Struck
    7.0/10(20 votes)

    #24 - Reality Star Struck

    S5:E14

    Castle & Beckett get an up-close-and-personal view of a "Real Housewives"-esque reality TV series, "The Wives of Wall Street," when they investigate the murder of the show's rising young star. Meanwhile, Castle's attempt to give Beckett a Valentine's Day gift goes horribly wrong.

    Director:Larry Shaw
    Writer:David Grae

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  25. Castle Season 6 Episode 6 - Get a Clue
    7.0/10(20 votes)

    #25 - Get a Clue

    S6:E6

    As Castle and Beckett investigate the ritualistic murder of a young woman, they find strange symbols in the victim's apartment; Castle struggles with Alexis' decision to move in with Pi.

    Director:Holly Dale
    Writer:Christine Roum

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Worst Episodes Summary

"For Better or Worse" is the worst rated episode of "Castle". It scored 6.1/10 based on 18 votes. Directed by John Terlesky and written by Terri Edda Miller, Andrew W. Marlowe, it aired on 5/12/2014. This episode scored 0.2 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Witness for the Prosecution".