Castle 5×07 “Swan Song” aired last night and was possibly the funniest episode this season. Castle, Beckett and the gang find themselves the center of a documentary after the murder of a guitarist.

One of this highlights of this episode was the way it was filmed. The actors clearly had fun playing to the cameras, especially Castle and Esposito. Once James Swan is discovered dead, the documentary switches gears and follows Castle, Beckett, Ryan and Esposito has they search for the killer. Beckett is clearly unhappy about the interference in the case but the captain insists they do it for the publicity.

Both Esposito and Laine seem to be enthralled by the cameras and start to behave differently in front of them. Castle tries to calm Beckett down and adjust to the cameras and a private moment is caught on tape. Ryan is the only one who seems unaffected by the cameras. As the case progresses, Ryan and Esposito bring in a man who has been following James Swan. Turns out the man is only trying to find his daughter, who quit her job to become a groupie. She happens to be the woman who was found in the victim’s closet, passed out.

With little to go on, Ryan starts researching James Swan’s background only to discover he didn’t exist before a car accident in Ithaca. Laine also discovers that he didn’t have any of the normal vaccines most people have. Further investigating finds that James Swan was once involved with a cult. This sends Beckett and Castle out to find the leader of the cult who could easily be the murderer.

While the cult leader could definitely be the murderer, he has an alibi. Castle and Beckett continue the investigation only to discover that James had paid the cult leader $25,000, presumably for his freedom from the cult. But as they dig deeper, they discover that James Swan was actually trying to help free his friend Buck Cooper, who just happens to roadie Hank Rogers. He is also the guy who taught James how to play guitar. This new knowledge helps lead Castle and Beckett to the real murderer. It seems in order to repay his friend, James was going to include him in the band and fire another member. The bassist, Zeke, couldn’t handle being fired and killed James with his own guitar.

The end of the episode sees Eposito following through on his threat to show everyone how well he sings and Hank the roadie takes his place in the band. Castle and Beckett are also called into Captain Gates’ office, presumably to be called out on an intimate moment they shared accidentally on film, but in the end the director had ‘lost’ that tape but did show one of Castle and Beckett making fun of the Captain behind her back.

So once again Castle and Beckett manage to keep their relationship a secret from Captain Gates, but how long can this go on?

“After Hours” airs on November 19 at 10PM EST on ABC.

Episode Description:

Castle and Beckett’s unsuccessful meet-the-parents dinner leaves them arguing, even as they must head out to recover a murder witness. A surprise attack leaves them and the witness on the run without a phone or a gun. The two must find a way to keep the witness safe, if they don’t kill each other first.