"Castle" Season 6 Episode 17, "In the Belly of the Beast," is one of the best episodes of this season. It had its intense, tense moments, as Beckett stared at death, again. Castle, however, did not get to play his fiancée's saviour. Beckett's old enemy cleared his debt by stopping her killing.

In the episode, Castle and Beckett are discussing the font on their wedding invitations -- the venue and date have yet to be fixed -- when Beckett gets a call from Captain Gates. The federal narcotics department needs her help to catch the man, Lazarus, behind the new drug ring. She has to impersonate a Russian speaking drug courier and attend a meeting. The meeting, however, does not turn out to be a regular meeting, as Beckett gets abducted. Beckett's colleagues and Castle are unable to contact her, or find her location. The lady that Beckett is impersonating is soon revealed as a contract killer, and not just a low-level drug courier.

The drug business is just a cover for an extensive money laundering business. Lazarus turns out to be Vulcan Simmons, the man who was once accused of killing Beckett's mother. It does not take too long for Beckett and Simmons to recognise each other. Simmons subjects Beckett to ice cold water treatment to know what she knows about his business. Beckett does not say a word and Simmons orders her killing.

The original contract killer arrives right on time to save Beckett, saying that Lazarus wants her to stay alive. Later, Beckett figures out that it is Bracken who must have saved her life, as she had once saved his. They are even now. The man responsible for the killing of Beckett's mother, Senator Bracken, announces his intention to run for the President of U.S. The money laundering business is funding his big political aspiration. "In the Belly of the Beast" indicates that it is not the last of Bracken we have seen in this season. Will Beckett finally get a closure? It seems possible.

The new episode of "Castle" seems to be lighter in tone. The episode 18 is titled "The Way of the Ninja." A Japanese battle dancer will get murdered under mysterious circumstances, according to the brief synopsis released by ABC. Castle and Beckett will investigate her death, and become the target of a ninja assassin.

 [Youtube/TVMania]