Close Encounters of the Murderous Kind

**Writer**: Shalisha Francis

**Director**: Bethany Rooney

#### DUSTJACKETS BLURB

When a prominent astrophysicist is found in her car, murdered by exposure to a zero-atmosphere environment, Castle insists on aliens as the culprit. Beckett scoffs, but the further they investigate the more the evidence seems to point to alien abduction and a secret government conspiracy. Will Beckett and Castle uncover the truth, or will they be abducted and killed themselves before they have the chance?

### Guest cast

* Lyle Lovett - AGENT WESTFIELD
* Lance Henrickson - BENNY STRYKER
* Jeanette Brox - AYYANA HOLDER
* Karl T. Wright - DR. CHUCK VAUGHN
* Nicole Bilderback - JOY HARRISON
* Neil Hopkins - TED CARTER
* J. David Krassner - BOB LINDEN
* James Ellis Lane - AGENT EASTMAN
* Will Leong - UNG KYU

### Literary and other references

* This whole episode is basically a reference to *The X-Files*, a long-running TV show revolving around two FBI agents, Mulder and Scully, who investigate paranormal phenomena. There are several X's scattered throughout the background scenes of the episode. The tune Castle whistles at several points is *The X-Files* theme song. Castle's comments about the aliens being grey, not green, about Beckett dying her hair red and calling him 'Mulder', shape-shifting aliens who only look human, and calling the Chinese spy the 'cigarette smoking man' are all *X-Files* nods. Beckett's comment about the real truth being out there is a reference to the show's tagline, which was 'the truth is out there'.
* Castle's comment about learning Chinese from a TV show he used to like is a reference to *Firefly*, a TV series he starred in which took place in a future where China and the US were the two superpowers that had spread their cultures across the galaxy. Most of the characters spoke some Chinese.
* *Men In Black* was a sci-fi comedy film about government agents trying to cover up the existence of aliens.
* Klingons are a race of aliens from the Star Trek universe.
* Jefferson Starship was a 70's rock band.
* Friends and Family plan is a service from Verizon Wireless where you can make unlimited calls to certain people.

### Memorable moments

* Beckett's advice about meeting Ashley's parents.
* Marie's furniture disappearing.
* Castle and Beckett's abduction.
* The moment when the boys realize that Beckett might believe in the aliens.
* Using the bugs to contact the Agents.
* Beckett's accidental double entendre about the CD viewing.
* The 'cyanide capsule'
* The ending.

### Quotable quotes

* BECKETT: That is not called an alien abduction. That is called a hangover.
* CASTLE: So, all the horrible effects of outer space, without the view.
* CASTLE: Where do you come down on deficit spending in an economic downturn?
BECKETT: I take the theory that's held by most economists - that deficit spending is acceptable as long as it focuses on public investments like infrastructure, defense, education, research.
CASTLE: Wow, where did that answer come from?
BECKETT: Semester of economic theory at NYU. Where did that question come from?
CASTLE: Trying out conversation starters.
BECKETT: Well, we started a conversation, so I guess it worked. Sort of.
* CASTLE: Killer aliens is a reach, even for me. But government agents covering up the truth, not so crazy.
* BECKETT: Do you honestly expect me to believe a theory - any theory - that ends with 'like Benny Stryker said'?
* RYAN: Those hickeys?
ESPOSITO: Yes.
BECKETT: No.
CASTLE: I wish.
* CASTLE: (in Chinese) *My partner is crazy and may start firing at any moment.*
BECKETT: Semester abroad?
CASTLE: Nah, TV show I used to love.
* BECKETT: Memories of being poked and prodded.
CASTLE: I believe the word you're looking for is *probed*.
* ESPOSITO: Castle, please, just prove E.T. did this, okay?
* CASTLE: We need to pause and savor it.
BECKETT: Please, let's just stick it in and get this over with.
* CASTLE: These guys are trained agents. They probably have cyanide caps in their teeth.
AGENT WESTFIELD: We'll worry about their teeth when the time comes.
* CASTLE: Cyanide caps! (*he reaches into Ung Kyu's mouth. He looks at it funny.)* Ew! Gum! False alarm.
* RYAN: Think we'll get a medal for this?
AGENT WESTFIELD: This never happened.

### Just the facts

* Castle times himself when doing crosswords.
* Ashley's father is a professor of economics. In this episode Ashley's parents meet Castle for the first time - he thinks they're boring, but they loved him.
* Beckett got a Lego stuck up her nose when she was six.
* Beckett probably went to NYU for her undergrad degree, as she took a semester of economic theory there.

### Oops

* Beckett is driving with the windows open, at night, in November, in New York, so it's about 40F outside.
* The bugs that Beckett uses to contact the agents were in the car when Beckett and Castle got hit with the EMP, so why are they still working?

### Branch libraries

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* Reviews
	+ CliqueClack - Castle--The Truth Is Out There (16 Nov 10)
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