Popular Culture Review Vol. 28, No. 2, Summer 2017 | Page 70

The use of a nom de plume is standard literary practice. Entertainment reviewer Steve Margolis claimed to know the name of the real author of the Heat series. He ruled out novelist James Patterson because of his inability to write a love scene. Margolis concluded a woman wrote the passionate romantic encounters in the Heat series. According to Margolis, the voice of the writer, particularly the tell of the use of the word “gumball” to describe the portable light police position on top of unmarked cars, pointed to one of the Castle writers, Terri E. Miller, wife of the show’s creator, Andrew Marlowe. However, no one has ever claimed authorship. The large amount of income generated by these ancillary products may account for the writers’ desire to continue the show long after the story line had run its course. Conclusion Networks do not cancel top fifty shows because of ratings alone. There are usually other contributing factors: falling viewership in a particular demographic group, increasing expenses, or conflict on the set. All of these played a part in the demise of Castle. Committed shippers would have continued to watch a show emphasizing the interaction between Castle and Beckett. Instead, the writers gave them separation, arcane plots, and superfluous characters. The writers somehow forgot that since the first episode of season one, when Beckett seductively whispered, “You have no idea” into Castle’s ear that the premise of the show changed from one about a writer and a detective who solved murder mysteries to one about two people falling in love who happen to solve mysteries. Why the writers wanted to return to a crime procedural drama enlivened by Fillion’s comic ability is a mystery. Perhaps they were like Castle in the first scene of episode 1, season 1. Gina, his first wife, berated him for killing off Derrick Storm, the lead character of his best-selling novels. Castle replied, “Derrick used to be fun. Now it’s just work” (“Flowers For Your Grave” 1.1). This paper described how the writers of Castle cultivated shippers, a loyal fan base devoted to the characters in the show. When the writers deviated from the established scenario, viewers voiced their displeasure on social media. A loud, public outcry after the network failed to renew Stana Katic’s contract forced network executives to cancel the show. The love, laughter, and suspense viewers found in Castle helped people escape from the trials and cares of everyday life. A multitude of relationships between kindred spirits captivated fans. What remains is the memory of a brilliant show, kept alive by reruns and DVDs. And, of course, 65