Last night on Castle season 7, episode 16, we learned that confinement can be a good and bad thing depending on who is with you. Read the full recap for more.

Castle got to go to Mars last night and was able to solve a murder in the process. Let’s dive in!

The premise for the episode is that a man is murdered in a simulated Mars expedition, complete with noxious gas and the astronauts being unable to leave the test area. Castle is filled with glee at the idea of being able to “go to Mars” and the episode is worth the first ten minutes alone to see his joy. The murder victim has some enemies it seems but their alibi’s all check out.

After being told that no one could leave or get into the simulation, Rick and Kate find a hole underneath it. They were given this information by a man who our murder victim beat out for a spot on the mission. Turns out he was working with someone on the inside to give a rival mission pictures of their progress. The man on the inside is able to give proof he was taking pictures at the time of the murder and Castle finds the murder weapon in the picture.

As part of the mission there is a computer, explained to Kate and Castle that she is more Siri than Hal but she acts as a sixth member of the mission. The man behind the mission, Dr. Jensen, Castle, and Kate go to “interrogate” Mira, the computer. As they question her she becomes increasingly agitated and says that the murder victim was a threat to the mission. When Jensen tries to reboot her system to get the data that has been hidden and that she won’t release to them, she ends up locking them in the pod and releasing the noxious gas. While not deadly in small doses, this amount will surely kill them if they don’t find a way out.

Luckily Kate remembers she has her cell on her and calls Espo. While they are getting oxygen Castle reveals there is only one explanation for how Mira was able to override her instructions and essentially lie to Jensen. The remaining three astronauts reprogrammed her and were each others’ alibi. Mira would have been forced to kill the victim because they told her he was a threat to the mission and that is her primary directive.

Back on the home front, the loft is feeling pretty crowded. At the start of the episode, Alexis had a guy over (playing lazer tag no less) and so did Martha. After coming home during the case to a house full of Alexis’ friends, Castle decides a family meeting is in order. Upon solving the case, Martha tells the two of them that she has decided she is moving out. She is in a better place in life and they deserve to have the space to themselves and the children that they might have. It was not what Castle was going to suggest but they take the gesture. However, that much silence so soon is too much for them so they head out to a nosy restaurant for dinner.

Notes and Quotes:

– “You signed up to go to Mars?” “A couple years ago.” “Where was I?” “We were fighting.”

– Castle’s “Best Case Ever!” exclamation is total perfection: his head turn gives you whiplash and his face is the most excited he’s been in a while. Watch the episode just for that, really.

What did you think of ‘Castle’ season 7, episode 16?

Castle is off for a couple weeks but when it comes back it looks like Kate has a mini-me and that does not sit well with her. Check back in for more info on Castle later!