Касл Swan Song (2009–2016) Online
A rock band finally reaches fame, but one of its members, James Swan is found murdered in his trailer. Due to the inevitably high media profile, the city orders full cooperation with a TV crew which was already filming the band in reality-style. That makes Javier show off, Kate camera shy, while Castle pulls the strings, almost like a director. The team finds conflicts within the band. Roadie Hank Rodgers also proves a link to John Campbell, from whose abusive cult Swan escaped and whom he recently met and paid a small fortune in cash.
| Episode cast overview, first billed only: | |||
 | Nathan Fillion | - | Richard Castle |
 | Stana Katic | - | Kate Beckett |
 | Susan Sullivan | - | Martha Rodgers |
 | Jon Huertas | - | Javier Esposito |
 | Seamus Dever | - | Kevin Ryan |
 | Tamala Jones | - | Lanie Parish |
 | Molly C. Quinn | - | Alexis Castle (as Molly Quinn) |
 | Penny Johnson Jerald | - | Captain Victoria Gates |
 | Andrew J. West | - | Keith |
 | C. Thomas Howell | - | John Campbell |
 | Daniel Roebuck | - | Joe Silva |
 | Nick Thurston | - | Buck Cooper / Hank Rodgers |
 | Chris Coy | - | Zeke |
 | Amir Talai | - | Sam Spear |
 | Kristen Miller | - | Caroline |
In the background of the video and pictures of the victim's Q&A about the band, you can see Molly Quinn (Alexis Castle), right in front of the father of "Ms. Butterfly".
Castle identifies the murder weapon as a 1959 Gibson Les Paul "flame-top" electric guitar. This model is one of the most highly prized and collectible guitars in the world.
Every time Castle "directs" the cameramen to do a hard fade to black and hums the sting, there is an actual hard fade to black.
Although Castle criticizes Zeke's self comparison to Pete Best, and suggests that Stu Sutcliffe would have been a better comparison, given that Pete was a drummer, not a bassist, Stu Sutcliffe actually left The Beatles on his own in order to pursue a career as a painter. Pete was let go and replaced with Ringo Starr, making Pete Best the better comparison.
Actors Andrew J. West (Keith) & Chris Coy (Zeke) appear as band members in Swan Song. They also appear together on The Walking Dead (2010) as group members Gareth and Martin of Terminus, Season 5.
Pete Best was the drummer for the Beatles who was replaced by Ringo Starr. Stu Sutcliffe was the original bassist for the same group, replaced by Paul McCartney, who had been the rhythm guitarist.
When Castle tells the cameraman to "fade to black" and "add a hard sting" he hums a few notes. Those notes are the opening score shown with the Castle title card at the beginning of each episode.
When Castle says to the team that "pure speculation would be Swan purchasing thermonuclear technology to have a scientist make him an amplifier that went all the way to 12". It's a reference to the movie/mockumentary Spinal Tap, in which band guitarist Nigel Tufnel has a guitar amplifier that goes to 11 instead of the normal of 10. With the argument that they are "one louder".
Title reference: "Swan song" is an idiomatic final performance before an artist's retirement or death. As the episode deals with an up and coming rock band, it could also loosely refer to Swan Song Records, the recording label created by Led Zeppelin in 1974.
Stana Katic plays record producer Genya Ravan, who was also the lead vocalist for rock bands including Goldie & the Gingerbreads and Ten Wheel Drive, in CBGB (2013).
User reviews