About the Show

When viewers first met Richard Castle -- a famous mystery novelist and divorced father raising his teenage daughter, while being kept grounded by his Broadway diva mother -- he was creatively blocked. But when the NYPD questioned him in connection with a series of murders staged to imitate crime scenes from his books, Castle found inspiration in NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, a bright and aggressive homicide detective with a fascination for odd and offbeat cases stemming from the years-old unsolved murder of her own mother. Though they instantly clashed, sparks of another sort began to fly, leading both to danger and a hint of romance as Castle stepped in to help find the copycat killer. Once that initial case was solved, Castle and Beckett continued to investigate strange homicides in New York, combining Castle's writer intuition and Beckett's creative detective work.

Then, after four seasons of “will they” or “won’t they”, Castle and Beckett finally gave into their feelings towards each other in the much anticipated season finale. The season five premiere episode picks up the morning after with Castle & Beckett facing new questions about their relationship. Was this a onetime thing? Are they a couple? Will this change their professional relationship? And how much can they afford to reveal to their NYPD co-workers? The fun and conflict escalate as the crime-solving dynamic duo navigate a whole new chapter in their relationship.

Season 1: Mystery writer Richard Castle abandons his successful Derrick Storm book series. He’s found a new muse in Detective Kate Beckett. She’s the inspiration for his character, Nikki Heat. As he helps the police solve New York’s toughest murder mysteries, Castle learns that Beckett’s mother was killed when she was younger. He can’t help but look into the case. Castle discovers that Beckett’s mom was not the victim of a random act of violence. She was targeted. For detailed recaps please visit Castle’s Season 1 Episode Guide.

Season 2: Castle enjoys success with his Nikki Heat novel, but also feels the backlash of looking into the murder of Beckett’s mom. Highlights of the season include a North Pole murder, a scary Vampire Weekend, a dalliance with a dominatrix and Castle’s daughter, Alexis, scoring an internship at the precinct. Castle is flustered when his partner dates the handsome Detective Demming and Beckett isn’t thrilled to see Castle getting chummy with his ex-wife. For detailed recaps please visit Castle’s Season 2 Episode Guide.

Season 3: Things kick off with a bang when Castle is arrested for murder. Spoiler Alert: He didn’t do it. In ensuing cases, Beckett goes up against her former training officer. She and Castle also encounter a vicious murderer known as 3XK, or the Triple Killer. Hollywood’s version of Nikki Heat shows up at the precinct. There’s a dirty bomb set to go off somewhere in New York and there’s a trip to L.A. on the set of Naked Heat. Finally, Captain Montgomery is gunned down by killers who then set their sights on Beckett. For detailed recaps please visit Castle’s Season 3 Episode Guide.

Season 4: Beckett fights for her life after being shot by a sniper. She recovers only to keep secret that she heard Castle say he loves her. Captain Victoria “Iron” Gates takes over the squad and Detective Kevin Ryan’s gun is used in a murder. The case has ties to the elusive Triple Killer. Castle is held hostage during a bank robbery and the team is seen in 1947 for the case of “The Blue Butterfly.” There’s a CIA showdown with rogue agents and a woman from Castle’s past. Beckett gets dangerously close to the truth of her mom’s murder just before she and Castle finally give in to their passion. For detailed recaps please visit Castle’s Season 4 Episode Guide.

Season 5: Castle and Beckett try to keep their new relationship a secret as they learn the man responsible for Johanna Beckett’s murder is the powerful Senator Bracken. Until they get the evidence they need to take this bad man down, they continue to fight for others who have been wronged. Castle is framed for murder at the hands of 3XK, who again eludes capture. Alexis is off to college and is kidnapped by thugs who bring her to Paris. Castle heads off on his own to save his daughter. He gets assistance from a man he’s never really met before—his father. For detailed recaps please visit Castle’s Season 5 Episode Guide.

Castle is produced by ABC Studios. Andrew Marlowe is the show's creator/executive producer, along with executive producers Rob Bowman, David Amann, Laurie Zaks and Armyan Bernstein.

View ABC.com's favorite Caskett (Castle and Beckett) moments»