CASTLE: SECRET SANTA (TV)
Summary
One in this comedy-drama series about a New York Police Department detective who grudgingly lets a rugged mystery-books author help solve murder cases. In this episode, a dead man dressed as Santa Claus falls from the sky, while elsewhere Castle is dismayed to learn that Alexis has made other plans for Christmas, in conflict with their usual tradition. At the crime scene, Castle is convinced that "Santa" fell from his sleigh, though the others are skeptical, and Ryan reports that no commercial planes flew over the area at the time. Lanie reveals that the man was shot before falling to Earth, and they identify him via his custom-made boots as one Edmund Smith. Learning that Ryan is spending Christmas with Jenny, Esposito appeals to Lanie, but she dismisses the idea of a "sad, desperate holiday hookup." Beckett and Castle learn that Smith was particularly close to his neighbors, the Cabots, but was recently threatened by a licensed pilot with a record, David Dunne. They track Dunne to a "Santa school," where he firmly denies being the murderer, though admits that he accosted him after Smith took an important Santa job from him and adds that Smith used to be "a totally different guy."
The detectives find that Smith was formerly a wealthy equity manager and, wondering why he gave up a lucrative career to be a low-paid Santa Claus, learn that he visited his estranged ex-wife Gwenn on the night of his death. Gwenn explains that Smith apologized for abruptly leaving her on Christmas Eve five years previously, adding that he seemed nervous and was tailed by a motorcyclist as he left her home. They then learn that Smith was aiding the Cabots with a class-action suit against a lending firm, SunCove, that left them broke, finding that he needed a quick $25,000 to save the case from being dropped. Castle is upset to learn that Beckett has to work on Christmas Eve, and Beckett traces Smith's movements to an airfield in Long Island City, where she and Esposito quickly find the red helicopter in which he was killed, though the airfield owner does not know who flew it. Alexis admits that she is spending Christmas Eve with a new beau, Max, and Castle learns from Gates that Beckett in fact volunteered for the holiday shift. Beckett figures out that the chopper likely landed on the Case Commerce Building and finds that Smith was the Santa at their recent Christmas party, during which a $30,000 clock was stolen in a "heist." Learning that Smith took the party job from another Santa, they guess that he stole the clock to cover the Cabots' lawsuit.
When Castle questions her, Beckett admits that she routinely works on Christmas because of bad memories associated with her mother's death. Dunne's pipe tobacco is found on the helipad, and Esposito and Ryan bring him in with some difficulty. He again denies killing Smith, but admits that he accepted $2,000 to be Smith's "getaway flier" and that someone shot at them on the roof as Smith absconded with the clock. They then find that young Tim Cabot, the errant motorcyclist, was actually at the party, and that Smith himself was the SunCove employee who bankrupted the family, leading to Mr. Cabot's accidental death. Castle observes that Smith left his family and resolved to help the Cabots in "a tale of redemption," and Tim admits that Smith told him the truth and asked his help in recovering incriminating files for the lawsuit from the Case Commerce building. Beckett accuses Mr. Case of killing Smith, his former colleague, noting that the clock was the Cabots' collateral on their loan, but Case points the finger at Gwenn instead. Gwenn admits that she killed Smith out of resentment when he confessed to her that she was likely to lose her comfortable "lifestyle" once SunCove's criminal dealings were revealed. Ryan admits that he is nervous about trying for a child with Jenny, but Esposito encourages him to consider it. Alexis and Martha cancel their plans to spend the evening with Castle, and he is thrilled when Beckett joins them after all, deciding that she needs "a new tradition." Elsewhere, Esposito returns the expensive clock to the Cabots, and they invite him to share the holiday with their family. Includes commercials and promos.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: December 3, 2012 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:59:55
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 109715
- GENRE: Drama, police/detective
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, police/detective; Comedy; Writers
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 2009-2016
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - AT&T cellular services
- TV - Commercials - Apple iPad devices
- TV - Commercials - Apple iPhones
- TV - Commercials - Arbor Day Foundation
- TV - Commercials - Campbell's Healthy Request soups
- TV - Commercials - Droid HTC cellular phones
- TV - Commercials - Enbrel rheumatoid arthritis medication
- TV - Commercials - Famous Footwear shoe stores
- TV - Commercials - K-Mart stores
- TV - Commercials - Kay Jewelers
- TV - Commercials - L'Oréal Revitalift Triple Power wrinkle cream
- TV - Commercials - Macy's stores
- TV - Commercials - Maybelline Colossal Cat Eyes Mascara cosmetics
- TV - Commercials - Mercedes-Benz automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Microsoft Surface computers
- TV - Commercials - Nespresso coffee machines
- TV - Commercials - Net10 Wireless cellular services
- TV - Commercials - Olive Garden restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Olympus cameras
- TV - Commercials - Pam cooking spray
- TV - Commercials - PetSmart stores
- TV - Commercials - Progresso soups
- TV - Commercials - S.C. Johnson Ziplock food storage bags
- TV - Commercials - Shingles information website
- TV - Commercials - Swanson chicken broth
- TV - Promos - "Castle" upcoming episode
- TV - Promos - "Christmas With Holly"
- TV - Promos - "Grey's Anatomy"
- TV - Promos - "Happy Endings"
- TV - Promos - "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"
- TV - Promos - "Les Misérables" motion picture
- TV - Promos - "Modern Family"
- TV - Promos - "Nashville"
- TV - Promos - "Private Practice"
- TV - Promos - "Shark Tank"
- TV - Promos - "Suburgatory"
- TV - Promos - "The Bachelor"
- TV - Promos - "The Bachelorette: Ashley and J.P.'s Wedding"
- TV - Promos - "The Guilt Trip" motion picture
- TV - Promos - "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" motion picture
- TV - Promos - "The Neighbors"
CREDITS
- Rob Bowman … Executive Producer
- David Amann … Executive Producer
- Laurie Zaks … Executive Producer
- Armyan Bernstein … Executive Producer
- Andrew W. Marlowe … Executive Producer, Created by
- David Grae … Co-Executive Producer
- Rob Hanning … Co-Executive Producer
- Howard Grigsby … Producer
- Marc Kahn … Producer
- Elizabeth Beall … Producer
- Terence Paul Winter … Producer
- Joan Van Horn … Co-Producer
- Jason Wilborn … Co-Producer
- Lisa Schomas … Associate Producer
- Paul Holahan … Director
- Robert Duncan … Music by
- Christine Roum … Supervising Producer, Writer
- Nathan Fillion … Cast, Richard Castle
- Stana Katic … Cast, Kate Beckett
- Susan Sullivan … Cast, Martha Rodgers
- Jon Huertas … Cast, Javier Esposito
- Seamus Dever … Cast, Kevin Ryan
- Tamala Jones … Cast, Lanie Parish
- Molly Quinn … Cast, Alexis Castle
- Penny Johnson Jerald … Cast, Captain Victoria Gates
- Dakin Matthews … Cast, Dave Dunne
- Leslie Hope … Cast, Gwenn Harwin
- Steven Eckholdt … Cast, Michael Case
- Tembi Locke … Cast, Beth Cabot
- Titus Makin Jr. … Cast, Tim Cabot
- Andrew Borba … Cast, Mr. Mudge
- Christine Lucas … Cast, Denise McKay
- Laura Parker … Cast, Mom
- Emily Sandifer … Cast, Receptionist
- Luke White … Cast, NYPD Cop
- Hannah Swain … Cast, Little Girl