You remember that “Nikki Heat” movie the Castle characters were talking about earlier in the season? Well, it’s happening — in the world of Castle anyway. And how could any decent, fictional movie make its debut without the presence of the source book’s author? Or without an associated murder? It couldn’t, of course.

That is exactly why, in an upcoming episode of Castle, Richard Castle and Kate Beckett find themselves in Hollywood. The episode brings the duo in Los Angeles for some purpose related to the “Nikki Heat” movie. And then there’s a murder.

Why are both Castle and Beckett in Hollywood in the first place? No idea, but I’m sure there’s some sort of “We needed the ‘real’ Nikki Heat” reason. In any case, Beckett will certainly have activities to entertain her once the murder happens.

According to TV Line, we’ll also get a further glimpse of the “Nikki Heat” cast in the episode. Creepy-Beckett will not, alas, be there — Laura Prepon, who played Natalie Rhodes earlier in the season, is now busy filming a pilot. Her absence will be explained away by that old Hollywood standby, rehab.

In Natalie’s place, we will get our first look at the “Ryan” and “Esposito” actors. What am I bet that they will be horribly miscast, bumbling and useless jokes of detectives? Not that the “real” Ryan and Esposito are jokes, but that would be the standard Hollywood interpretation of the sidekicks.

There’s no word yet as to whether we’ll get to see the actor playing Jamison Rook, the character Castle based on himself. We can only hope so, since what could be better than Rick Castle looking in a (hopefully unflattering) mirror?

TV Line also reports on a major guest star appearing in the Hollywood episode. Dominic Purcell, best known for playing the character of Linc on Prison Break, is scheduled to appear as a Hollywood businessman with a possible connection to the episode’s murder.

What will that murder be? How will Castle and Beckett investigate so far away from home? Who should play Castle’s character? And just how much of the “Nikki Heat” movie can we expect to see? Leave us a comment with your theories and opinions!

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(Image courtesy of ABC)

Laurel Brown

Senior Writer, BuddyTV

Laurel grew up in Mamaroneck, NY, Grosse Pointe, MI and Bellevue WA. She then went on to live in places like Boston, Tucson, Houston, Wales, Tanzania, Prince Edward Island and New York City before heading back to Seattle. Ever since early childhood, when she became addicted to The Muppet Show, Laurel has watched far too much TV. Current favorites include ChuckModern FamilySupernaturalMad Men and Community. Laurel received a BA in Astrophysics (yes, that is possible) from Colgate University and a PhD in Middle Eastern Studies and History of Science from Columbia University before she realized that television is much better than studying.