Product Details

• Actors: Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Susan Sullivan, Molly C. Quinn, Ruben Santiago-Hudson
• Format: Box set, Color, NTSC, Subtitled
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 3
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: ABC Studios
• DVD Release Date: September 22, 2009
• Run Time: 430 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (476 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001XRLWPQ
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #314 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • #27 in Movies & TV > DVD > Drama
• Learn more about "Castle: The Complete First Season" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

One of the best shows to emerge midway through the 2008-2009 TV season, Castle has a cast and a sense of humor that set it apart from the normal police procedural. Nathan Fillion plays Rick Castle, a bestselling author of pulpy crime novels who's called in to assist the New York police when a serial killer begins committing copycat murders based on situations in his books. Castle helps crack the case, then decides to kill off his longtime character and create a new one, named "Nikki Heat," and research her by shadowing Det. Kate Beckett (Stana Katic). Much to her irritation, he pulls strings with the mayor's office to embed himself in the department, and helps her solve a wide range of whodunits, including a woman drowned in a bath tub full of motor oil, another frozen and suspended at a construction site, and a corpse stuck in a clothes dryer. To alleviate the grim proceedings, Fillion is in his element as the wisecracking Castle, while adding another ray of sunshine is Castle's impossibly likeable teenage daughter, Alexis (Molly Quinn), who lives with Castle and his mom (Susan Sullivan), a former Broadway star. Castle's circle of poker buddies includes veteran TV writer-producer Stephen J. Cannell and author James Patterson playing themselves. Like many (or most) he-and-she cop shows, there's an element of "Will they or won't they…?", but the beautiful Katic keeps Castle at bay by radiating cool. Clearly she's a woman who wants to separate herself from her emotionally draining and predominantly male job, so it makes it all the more enjoyable when she momentarily steps out of that mode, such as an impromptu appearance at his book signing. Much to the relief of Fillion fans who feared their man was a show killer after the aborted runs of such shows as Firefly and Drive, Castle was renewed for a second, full season. --David Horiuchi

Product Description

They are partners, whether she likes it or not. Castle: The Complete First Season is the romantic, clever dramedy that is reminiscent of Moonlighting with romantic tension between Castle, a crime novelist and Detective Beckett as they work in a unique way to solve crimes and mysteries.

Bonus Feautres Include: Hardboiled: Genesis of the show, Chemistrry: Experience Nathan and Stana's chemistry on and off the screen, bloopers, deleted scenes, commentaries

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

209 of 216 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling, inspired. Fillion/Katic get five stars. April 1, 2009

By M. Carter

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Nathan Fillion is brilliant as ABC's new world famous author-turned-pseudo-cop Richard Castle. Behind the veneer of an arrogant celebrity, who seems to have let dozens of best sellers and world acclaim go to his head, Castle is truly a kind-hearted man and a compassionate father. Besides writing, his favorite hobby seems to be irritating Kate Beckett (Stana Katic), the NYPD detective who was in charge of a investigating a string of copy-cat murders modeled after Castle's own murder mystery books. Since he's killed off the main character of his last series, Castle needs new inspiration for his next set of novels, and he finds his muse with the charming but difficult-to-crack detective. The chemistry between Fillion and Katic is astounding, leaving the audience with more to follow than just the murder cases. Unlike most criminal investigation shows, Castle has a heavy focus on humor and the strong development of its characters and their relationships. Not quite a drama and not quite a comedy, this primetime series has elements that appeal to any sensibility. The twisted murder storylines will keep you guessing for the full hour until the conclusion you never expected.

Bonus material for the DVD includes behind the scenes interviews with the stars, out takes, deleted scenes, and more. Strong first season. I'm greatly looking forward to watching this show thrive and burgeon into big-name status.

104 of 108 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars It's not reinventing the wheel, but it's almost perfect entertainment! May 24, 2009

By James Donnelly VINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD

CASTLE is one hell of an entertaining piece of light, fluffy cop television. It's the perfect antidote to those who are wallowing in the dark sewers of cop shows like LAW AND ORDER SVU or CRIMINAL INTENT or the brilliant but extreme THE SHIELD. Creator Andrew Marlowe, perhaps best known as the screenwriter for AIR FORCE ONE, has created a very breezy and incredibly fun cop show that's primary purpose is to counter the altogether too intense police procedurals that the public seems to inhale like cigarette smoke (you know it's not good for you, but you can't help it). He's also added the perfect actor for a show like this: Nathan Fillion. Many people weren't familiar with Fillion's work until he became a cast member of the horrifically awful DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, but before that, he was a key player in what's known as The Whedonverse, starring in the all-too shortlived FIREFLY and also guest-starring in the final season of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER. He was also featured in one of Whedon's more recent and brilliant creations, DR. HORRIBLE'S SING-ALONG BLOG, where he wonderfully plays a shallow, over-confident superhero. He also appeared in another VERY shortlived Fox television show called DRIVE, which was cut down before it could reach its potential. He's been featured in films like the FIREFLY sorta-sequel SERENITY, a wonderful indie splattergore comedy called SLITHER, and some unfortunate direct-to-DVD fare like WATER'S EDGE and WHITE NOISE 2: THE LIGHT. But as he proved with FIREFLY, he has more than enough talent and charisma to carry a show on his own if necessary (even though it wasn't necessary with how great FIREFLY was).

And that's very much the case with CASTLE. As mystery writer Richard Castle, this is his show. Despite some strong supporting performances by actors like Susan Sullivan, who plays his flamboyant, vibrant, and at times, annoying mother, and a sometimes over-her-head Stana Katic as his professional and personal foil, NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, this show and everything great about it is planted rightly and firmly on the charm and talent of Fillion.

The show is very much in the vein of a program like MOONLIGHTING, pitting the goofy yet irrestistably charming lothario against the by-the-book, stalwart, intelligent and sassy and undeniably sexy-but-sexless woman as the two of them get into one wild adventure after another. The thing about this show that gives it perhaps an even stronger catch than a show of this type should is that it has a specific "mythology" arc that will carry it for at least another season; namely the unsolved murder of Beckett's mother, and Castle's determination to solve it, even if it means that he will lose a friend and potential love interest in Beckett.

So I say bring on Season Two, and continue the tone that the show has given us, and don't let it conform to what the "hitmakers" see trending with the too-upsetting cop shows. Keep it easy breezy. And hopefully the show will get the audience it deserves, and Fillion will get more of the opportunities he deserves.

48 of 49 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Earns a TV "Snob"s Approval May 4, 2009

By Sheila Maclean

Format:DVD

I never watch television. I'm something of a TV snob and the only show I ever watched "religiously" was "The West Wing" because I found it intellectually stimulating. When my mother raved about "Castle" I didn't take it too seriously because she is of the "American Idol" school of thought and watches whatever is on. Imagine my surprise when I found this show to be a deliciously witty, clever hour of television. The dialogue crackles and Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic have incredible chemistry. There's no hint of two-dimensional personalities on this show, and the one liners leave me laughing for days afterwards. "Castle" has wide appeal, and it's an all-around good show. There is no gratuitous violence, the writing is intelligent and sharp, and the actors are phenomenal. I'll be recommending this show to my TV snob and non-TV snob friends because in either case, "Castle" is a fun show for whomever watches it.