The return date for "Castle" Season 8 has been pushed to a later date, as the ABC crime drama is all set to air new episodes on Feb. 1. What is the reason for the delay? Is the series really headed towards its finale?
"Castle" Season 8 is rumored to be on the brink of cancellation, as the ABC series continues to experience a drop in ratings this season. While the show's writers and executive producers remain optimistic about the show's future on TV, Carter Matt reported that the show's return date has been moved to a later date.
According to the publication, news about new episodes of "Castle" often take place during "The Bachelor" premiere; however, it looks like fans of the Stana Katic - Nathan Fillion-led series will have to wait for another month. The outlet noted that this delay may mean that the network will air a new episode every Monday.
Several fans expressed their sentiments on the show's delay via the article's comments section. A user named "Microgrey" shared that the "extended hiatus would be a good thing 'IF' the showrunners were using the time to rewrite the scripts..."
Many fans became increasingly disappointed over "Castle" Season 8, as fan-favorite couple, Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) and Rick Castle (Nathan Fillion) broke up. While the showrunners said that there is a good reason for the breakup (protect Rick from Beckett's Loksat investigation), many fans believed it was completely unnecessary.
Meanwhile, a recent interview with EP Alexi Hawley revealed that the showrunner remained optimistic about the show's future while also entertaining the possibility that Season 8 will be its last, International Business Times reported.
"The reality is that [the network execs] won't make that decision until very late. So our plan is just to tell a satisfying story and try to wrap up the reason in an exciting way," she said.
"Castle" Season 8 returns on Monday, Feb. 1 on ABC.