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Original Air Date: May 9, 2011

Alexis P – Sr. Reviewer
Alexis@thetwocentscorp.com

In this week’s episode Kate and Castle step backstage of All American Beauty Pageant and into a world of beauty, backstabbing and blackmail. When Ms. Illinois, Amber Middlebury, is found strangled with her own sash Beckett and Castle must sort through a string of suspects to discover who murdered the beauty queen.

As the episode opens a group of pretty finalists are rehearsing a dance number for Baron’s All American Beauty Pageant to Gaga’s Born this Way. A lighting truss is lowered with the pretty dead body of Amber Middlebury draped across it. That’s a show stopper all right.

Castle and Beckett are on the scene. Poor Amber was choked from behind and a black sequin is found in her hair. They talk to Victor Barons who owns the hotel and sponsors the pageant. He and his wife seem really broken up about Amber’s death, at least while the cameras are on them.

Back at the precinct the place is crawling with beauty queen contestants, Ryan and Esposito have no qualms about interviewing them all. Down boys. Kate is having flashbacks of a college roommate who was a contestant herself. Like Elle Woods on steroids. They interview one of the competitors who says she overheard Amber and some guy arguing backstage one night. After talking with Amber’s pageant consultant Justin they learn she didn’t have a boyfriend, they aren’t allowed. So who was she arguing with?

They get a hold of video footage from the welcome dinner and Bobby Stark, T.V sitcom star says something to Amber who looks disgusted. Turns out Stark thinks he’s a ladies’ man but has three restraining orders out against him for unwanted advances. The jacket he is wearing is covered in black sequins. Could he just not take no for an answer and killed Amber?

Back home Castle talks to Alexis about her boyfriend Ashley. Ashley was going to go to Stanford for school. But he gave up his dream to go to college in NY to be with Alexis. So she does the practical thing and breaks up with him instead of coming between him and his dream. Poor Alexis.

Bobby Stark alibis out but they notice Amber’s violin is missing. Ms Georgia, Joy Jones stole it in the hopes that it would make Amber choke and lose the competition. She found nude photos of Amber hidden in the violin case, complete with a note from the blackmailer on the back. The photos look professionally done so Castle and Kate go search for the photographer. They find a Mr. Latimer who took head shots of Amber. He denies taking the nude shots but remembers Amber and her boyfriend coming into his studio. Jeremy Kyper was Amber’s old boyfriend from Illinois.

A dispirited Ashley seeks out Castle at the precinct and asks him to advocate for him with Alexis since she won’t return his calls. He wants to go to Stanford and give a long distance relationship a shot. “Have you ever been crazy about someone who is determined to push you away?” He asks Castle. We all know you have Castle, don’t try to deny it.

Kate and Castle go to find Jeremy at his apartment. Seems the old flame moved to New York the month before. Are they about to find their blackmailer? His walls are covered with pics of Amber but lover boy is found hanging in his closet! He was strangled as well and half a day before Amber’s death. So they are back to square one. Someone doesn’t want those pictures to see the light of day.

Castle goes home to talk to Alexis about Ashley. Life is a journey and there is no predicting the outcome. All we can do is control the decisions we make and see the bigger picture, Castle tells his daughter in a warm heart to heart with some good fatherly advice. Then he gets an idea as Castle often does. The bigger picture. What if it wasn’t about the who in the photos but the where? Is there something in the shots that needs to be kept secret?

It is back to the Barons again and it is discovered that the photos were taken at their house in the Hamptons! Victor Barons didn’t take the pictures but Amber was blackmailing him! She told him if he helped her win the photos would stay a secret. Only one other person knew about the pictures, Candice the pageant director. Barons told her to take care of it. Did she take out Amber to ensure her success? But Candice alibis out since she was with Bobby Stark the night Amber died.

When does winning become more important than your soul? Who would lose the most if those photos came out? Someone they interviewed before is lying. So it is back to the pageant.

The remaining contestants are practicing a new dance number in honor of Amber. Castle and Beckett corner Justin, Amber’s consultant. Justin was desperate, his last three girls were losers and he needed Amber to win. Her old boyfriend shows up and it appears he is taking advantage of Amber so he confronts Jeremy. Amber had to win or he was through and those photos would have ruined him. He killed Jeremy and staged it to look like a suicide. Amber found out and to keep her quiet Justin killed her.

So with the case wrapped up Castle goes home to find Alexis and Ashley reconciled. But what he doesn’t see coming is Alexis’ announcement that she is going to graduate early and go to Stanford with Ashley. Castle has no words.

I thought this week’s episode was a good solid episode. Not as compelling as others this season but still an interesting plot, with a couple twists. They are saving the really good stuff for next week’s season finale! I can’t wait!