For months Castle fans have been wondering if ABC would be renewing Castle for a season eight. The speculation – from viewers and those in the television industry – was fueled by a number of questions such as a ratings decline and the ending of two major story arcs. However, the biggest issue has been knowing that the contracts for Castle stars Nathan Fillion & Stana Katic – as well as for the rest of the cast – would be up at the end of season seven.
From Castle Season 5
Yesterday morning TVLine (among several online publications) dropped a few bombshells that has Castle fans reeling. Fillion has signed on for an eighth season of the show, but Katic is still in negotiations. Also announced was the departure of showrunner David Amann. As for the husband and wife team of Castle creator Andrew Marlowe & executive producer Terri Edda Miller? TVLine says they “would likely step away from their producing/writing duties to focus on development.” Talk about a major shakeup!
Before getting to the actors, I wondering if anyone is surprised that Amann isn’t coming back? I assumed as much when the announcement of the X-Files reboot came out. Amann was with the X-Files for its last four seasons, first as a writer and later a producer (X-files.wikia.com). What I’m really waiting to hear about is what Castle executive producer, and director extraordinaire Rob Bowmen is going to do. He was with the X-files from its first season through season seven (x-files.wikia.com). He’s also been with Castle from it’s first year through season seven. Which one will he choose?
Both Marlowe and Miller have been working on developing new TV shows. Seven years is a long time to work on one project. Marlowe is said to have stepped down as showrunner last season because he wanted to work more on development, and Miller also has stepped away from the show before to work on projects. This move isn’t completely out of the blue for either. If ABC is looking for a new showrunner, I hope they consider promoting the writing duo of Dara and Chad Creasy to showrunner and executive producer (in either order).
Like Marlowe and Miller, the Creasys often write together and see themselves as creative partners. Castle is a show that has really benefited from having a male and female perspective in its conception and execution. It would be a plus to continue that dynamic with the new showrunner. The Creasy’s came on board the Castle writing staff for season six but have shown a great feel for the material. Their previous experience includes the ABC show Mistresses and the whimsical murder-mystery rom-com Pushing Daisies. That covers funny & wacky, hot & sexy – and murder. I don’t think you could get a better combination of what a show like Castle needs!
Here’s the big question about these announcements: why is ABC choosing to release all this information now? The Hollywood Reporter noted that Fillion was “rumored” to want to leave the show, which is the first time I’ve ever heard that even mentioned. Even the entertainment business publication Variety implies that the renewal of the show was tied up in whether or not Fillion signed on for another season. There’s a certain logic to this idea because without Fillion there’s literally no Castle. He’s the title character – but it’s never been suggested before.
This scenario certainly would explain why all the other actors – including Katic – have been acting like they thought it was the last season and posting nostalgic group photos on Instagram and Twitter. They didn’t know if Fillion was interested in doing another season.
Other signs that the show’s renewal hinged on Fillion were out back in November. TVline did an interview with Katic about her future on the show. While that article focused on the actress’s point about her decision would be based on “art over finance,” within the same article she says this:
I feel like there are a lot of things that other people have to decide before I really have to decide — do you know what I mean? So, I’m not first in line for having to worry about that. I think that there are conversations probably on some other level, but I don’t know exactly what yet, because I haven’t had any conversations personally.
Then in March Seamus Dever (he plays detective Kevin Ryan) also did a TVLine interview. He was promoting the episode”At Close Range” which featured him, but he was also asked about a possible season eight:
It’s just a matter of getting everybody at the table and finding out. [Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic, as well as other original cast members, have yet to sign new contracts.] Nobody’s talked to me about [re-signing for] Season 8, so that’s where I’m standing.
It seems clear that before anyone else’s contracts were up for discussion, ABC was dealing with Fillion’s contract first. That would mean her contract talks wouldn’t have started until after Fillion’s was nailed down. Again, this part makes perfect sense.
This brings me back to my original question: why is ABC now releasing where they are in the negotiating process? From my perspective it’s obviously to pressure Katic into signing, and likely at a figure lower than Fillion’s. Before Fillion signed the renewal was said to depended on the actors’ contracts – but the only actor they likely were negotiating with was Fillion. Saying they were waiting on him would have publicly made him the guy with the show’s future in his hands and subject to the court of public opinion while deciding what he wanted to do. Katic is not being given the same consideration as Fillion. Not only is she being painted as the one holding out – when really she’s probably just started negotiating – but there are questions being put out about Castle continuing without her. Such questions are based on the idea that she’s less important to the show and therefore worth less money.
Considering that Hollywood is one of the most sexist places to work I can’t say I’m shocked by this. Don’t believe me about Hollywood? This Time.com article states that “prime-time television is still very much a boys club,” You can also try this piece from Slate. Even the The Federalist weighs in on the subject. By all accounts the discrepancy in wages, on-screen roles, and overall value of women vs men in the entertainment business is dismal.
Still, knowing the landscape of the entertainment business doesn’t make this situation with Castle less disheartening. From this morning’s TVLine I read the author’s final question to his readers:
Can you imagine a Castle without his Beckett? If need be, how would you write out Katic’s character?
Why would you even ask that question? The show has been about both characters from day one. You might as well ask if you could imagine Castle without Castle. Put it this way: would Castle have worked as a show had he not met Beckett. The answer is no. It was pitched as “a writer and his muse,” not “a writer.” Without Beckett, Castle is just a goofy rich guy who’s interested in murder mysteries. A quick look at the Castle P.I. arc ratings should give any TV executive an idea about how well Castle on his own could carry a show.
TVLine isn’t the only one asking about the show continuing without Katic. I couldn’t believe this tweet from Variety:
The article itself is straightforward in it’s reporting, but using social media to float the idea of the show continuing without Katic is about courting public opinion and preparing an audience for the possibility. Such thinking gives ABC leverage in the negotiating process. However, ABC should give thought about how undervaluing the contributions of the central female character worked out for the FOX medical drama House.
There were three contracts up for renewal come the end of the seventh season of House: actors Robert Sean Leonard, Omar Epps and actress Lisa Edelstein. All three started at the same time, Leonard played the title character’s best friend, Epps was once House’s intern but had become colleague, and Edelstein played the title character’s love interest. Going into it’s eight season the show would be more expensive to make – in part due to studio licensing fees. (ABC does not have the issue with Castle because they own the show.)
According to Deadline all three – who made the same salary – were asked to take a seventy-five thousand dollar pay cut. Epps – whose role was easily replaceable – took the cut. Leonard refused and was rehired at his old salary. That left Edelstein. FOX apparently didn’t value the importance of the love interest as much as the best friend – or maybe they thought Edelstein would take the lower salary because it’s a Hollywood norm to pay actresses less anyway. In either case they took the negotiations down to the wire and Edelstein did what some thought unbelievable. She didn’t renew her contract and left the show. Subsequently the show’s ratings and viewership went into a steady decline and was canceled mid season eight.
A far better model for ABC to consider for Castle – at least in terms of paying their actors and valuing their input – is the FOX series Bones. The stars of that show are Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz – with Deschanel playing the title character. Due to his name recognition and fan base Boreanaz initially made significantly more that Deschanel when the show started. (Sound familiar?) However, when their contracts ended in season eight, they were renewed with equal salaries for seasons 9-10 (www.businessinsider.com). Both were also given full producer status back in season 4 – which allowed them to have some input on their characters USA Today. Being that the show recently celebrated its 20oth episode and is currently considering a season 11 it seems like co-star equality is a smart move for success.
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