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Series Not 'Moonlighting,' But It Has Potential

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By WALT BELCHER wbelcher

@tampatrib.com

Published: March 9, 2009

ABC would like for us to believe that "Castle" brings back the romantic charm of "Moonlighting," but it's not quite there yet.

This new mystery series, debuting at 10 tonight, isn't even up to "Bones" speed as far as the chemistry goes. But it has potential. And after "The Bachelor" and "True Beauty," anything is an improvement on ABC's Monday night lineup.

"Castle" is appealing enough to hold the audience from "Dancing With the Stars," which begins a new season tonight at 8.

Canadian actor Nathan Fillion stars as wisecracking flirt Richard Castle, a crime novelist who becomes a crime solver.

Another Canadian, Stana Katic, plays no-nonsense NYPD detective Kate Beckett, who, at least on the surface, is not wowed by the rakish playboy.

They meet when a series of murders mimic the fictional murders in Castle's books. Suffering from writer's block and boredom, Castle begins to stick his nose into the investigation. And we have the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

The murder mystery is paper thin and the banter is cute but has a been-there, done-that feel to it. The plots on "Moonlighting" weren't all that clever either, but it had Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd as a great bickering couple.

DANCING STARS: With TV host Nancy O'Dell and singer Jewel sidelined with injuries even before the season starts, "Dancing With the Stars" opens another run tonight.

Not to worry. Playboy Playmate Holly Madison, from VH1's "Girls Next Door," and Melissa Rycroft, the jilted winner from "The Bachelor", apparently will take up the slack. Madison, 29, who left the "Girls" series and the Playboy mansion, could make things interesting.

Also dancing are actress Denise Richards, rapper Lil' Kim, comic David Alan Grier, Belinda Carlisle of The Go-Go's, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, rodeo star Ty Murray, country singer Chuck Wicks and reality star Steve-O.

But I predict the final three will be teenage Olympic gold-medal gymnast Shawn Johnson, actor Gilles Marini and former NFL star Lawrence Taylor. Taylor stays in because football players are always viewer favorites. Johnson and partner Mark Ballas will have great physical prowess while Marini and partner Cheryl Burke ooze sex appeal.

CHANNEL FLIPPING: Nobel Laureate George Smoot, the scientist who actually developed the big bang theory of creation, has a cameo tonight on CBS's "Big Bang Theory." It starts at 8:30.

KING IAN: NBC's ambitious "Kings" drama series begins Sunday night. It is loosely based on the Old Testament story of David. But the character who represents King Saul steals the show.

The retelling is set in a modern-day kingdom that looks like New York. King Silas Benjamin (Ian McShane) believes he rules by divine right. Saul was changed to Silas, but other names are more obvious.

A farm boy, David Shepherd (Chris Egan), follows his brothers into a seemingly endless war and becomes a hero when he defeats the Goliath tank.

David is then smitten by Michelle (Allison Miller), the daughter of King Silas, and is soon caught up in palace intrigue. The first four hours are entertaining, whether viewed as futuristic fiction or biblical allegory.

But McShane, who was riveting as a villain in "Deadwood," is so commanding in his Silas role that Egan's David comes off as a wimp.

TUNE IN TONIGHT

"House," 8 p.m., Fox

A book editor falls ill after insulting co-workers at a dinner party.

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