Castle: Are You Glad the ABC Series Was Cancelled?

This evening, ABC aired the series finale of Castle. After eight seasons and 173 episodes, the Monday night drama came to an end. While fans of the show will surely miss Rick (Nathan Fillion) and Beckett (Stana Katic), it turns out that the cancellation might have been a good thing for the show’s legacy. SPOILERS AHEAD.

In the final moments of the last episode, Rick and Beckett were shot by Caleb (Kris Polaha). While Beckett was able to take out their assailant, the beloved couple was gravely injured. It looked like this could be the end but the finale’s final moments flashed forward seven years into the future and showed the couple with their three children. A happy ending.

The final scene was an alternate ending. Had ABC renewed Castle for a ninth season, the episode would have ended quite differently — and likely not happily.

Due to budget cuts, Katic (and Tamala Jones) wouldn’t have been a part of season nine. Based on the rest of tonight’s series finale, it seems likely that Rick Castle would have continued on in season nine — as a widower.

Considering that the relationship of Rick and Beckett has always been at the core of the series, it’s hard to imagine that many fans would have embraced that development and it could have ended up being a sad finish to a beloved series. For once, perhaps a show’s cancellation was a good thing.

But, what do you think? Would you have liked to see a ninth season — without Beckett? Was the cancellation a good thing? Would you like to see the characters return some day?