A Fan of “Castle”? Claudia Dain talks Alpha heroes and Rick Castle!
Claudia Dain joins me today to talk about Alpha characters, the show “Castle,” and Rick’s descent into Beta-status. Leave your thoughts on her review below!
I write Alpha heroes. I can’t help myself. My dad was an Alpha and my husband is an Alpha; I’ve been surrounded by Alphas my whole life!
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I write Alphas. Alphas of every shape, size, and type. I don’t think it’s necessary for Alphas to be pushy and arrogant, though some are. (Lord Dutton in Much Ado About Dutton is the arrogant type, and am I having fun watching the heroine pin his ears back!).
I do think Alphas are strong and stoic and unflinching. They are successful, driven, and decisive. No one pushes an Alpha around. Alphas are sexy. Alphas are Alpha, and everyone in the room knows who the Alpha male is.
So, let’s talk about Castle. Rick Castle. Castle and Beckett.
I used to love that show. Adored it. Loved everything about it. First, I’m a Nathan Fillion fan (still mourning Firefly); the guy is golden. Sparkle, wit, charm: in spades.
I’m a big fan of cop shows. I have watched every Law and Order episode at least three times (conservatively). I watch NCIS and NCIS:LA and I watched Detroit whateverthenumberwas (good show, sad loss); the point being, I like the template of a cop show and I liked that Castle broke the mold. It wasn’t serious! It was light and silly and charming.
His “Writer” bulletproof vest is a stroke of comic brilliance.
But here’s my problem. As the show has progressed, Castle has become less Alpha. He should be a true Alpha. He’s rich and handsome, a self-made man who rose to the tippy top of his field. He’s the Donald Trump of crime fiction. He’s a famous New York personality. And he’s acting like a Beta.
He is cowed by his mother, by his daughter, and by Beckett.
It’s killing the show for me. It’s killed the show for my Alpha husband, who loved it at the start and now mumbles, “Wuss,” when Castle does some wimpy thing while Beckett does the Alpha thing.
Beckett is Alpha, and I love that. But a Beta man and an Alpha woman? It doesn’t work, not for me. Castle should be Alpha! He was Alpha to begin with and now he’s Beta to the max. When even his daughter rides roughshod over him. . . well, that’s too much.
I can’t love Castle unless he’s an Alpha. Can you? What’s your position on Alpha males, Alpha females, and the Castle/Beckett storyline?
Claudia Welch/Claudia Dain graduated from the University of Southern California with a BA in English. While there she became a member of Alpha Phi, one of the oldest sororities in America.
A two- time Rita finalist, she has won numerous writing awards and honors since her first novel was published in 2000.
She has lived for most of her life in Los Angeles, called Connecticut home for a decade, and currently lives in North Carolina with her husband.
If you’d like to see more from Claudia Dain, see her website.
Many thanks to Claudia for her post! Are you a fan of Castle? Is he too beta? Are you all about alphas or do you love the beta boys, too? Who’s your favorite television or literary alpha male?
P.S. - I have a new Protector (Superhero) novella out! Check out Aphrodite's Embrace (currently only on the Kindle, but coming soon to other etailers!)
And in super fab news, Bantam has moved the pub date for the next two books in the Stark Trilogy even sooner! Claim Me will be out April 23, and Complete Me out July 30. WOOT! (And if you missed book 1, Release Me, grab your copy now!)
P.P.S. And why not scroll down and share the post? After all, sharing is sexy!
XXOO
--J.K.
