Castle's Stana Katic leaves the show; a die-hard fan gets nostalgic

Late one night back in October 2009, in my hostel room in Pune, I started watching Castle. I remember the month clearly as my semester-end exams were less than three days away. I thought I'd watch one episode of this new show before starting my exam prep.

Of course, as is the case with the best laid plans of men and mice, I binge-watched all 10 episodes of the first season that night. And I've been hooked ever since.

I've seen detective shows before. But I had never seen a detective show that I enjoyed this much, or seen characters I fell in love with to this extent. I've never rooted for an on-screen romance as much as I did for Castle and Beckett.

We women love gorgeous male characters on TV shows (think Harvey Specter). But I couldn't get enough of Kate Beckett. The fierce, ass-kicking, smart, sexy, incorruptible, and tall NYPD detective (now Captain) with a heart-breaking back story. She is New York City's finest and brightest homicide detective. And she has the best companion in Richard Castle.

Beckett, fantastically portrayed by Stana Katic, may be strong, but she's not perfect. In fact, Beckett's strength comes from the fact that she is imperfect, deeply flawed and emotionally broken. But in Castle, we are meant to see her flaws. She doesn't always do the right thing, but who in reality does? Instead, she is given the ability to make mistakes, have emotional baggage, and still be a character that we love.

I was with her on her quest to bring her mother's killers to justice that lasted 6 seasons. Or solving the 3XK murders and finally stopping the dangerous serial killer Jerry Tyson.

She is the 'hero' in the show; a survivor and saviour.

Her absence from a few episodes in season 8 hasn't gone unnoticed. So the news that she is leaving the show due to financial differences with the producers, hasn't really shocked me.

But I can't imagine the show without her. I can't imagine Castle without Beckett. She is his. As much as she's the show's inspiration.

I'll really miss Kate Beckett.