With a long, hot summer looming ahead, TV Fanatic is going back and grading the best - and worst - of the 2012-2013 season.

Having submitted our report cards for The Mentalist Season 5 and Once Upon a Time Season 2, we're taking out our proverbial red pen and moving on. It's time to grade this season of Castle.

Did Kate and Rick's romance work for you? Did the season finale leave you yelling at your TV? Check out our report and then tell us what you thought about Castle Season 5.

Best Episode: "Still" Yes, it was a clip show but is was the best damn clip show ever! Watching all of the love, laughs, and drama from all five seasons was a treat. Having Castle stand by Kate even as a the bomb ticked down was a bonus. Finally hearing Beckett tell him she loved him and that they were just beginning…sigh. I'll be rewatching this episode all summer long.



Worst Episode: "Swan Song" While there were some fans that enjoyed this episode's unique mockumentary style, I felt the entire concept fell flat. Watching Castle and Esposito mugging for the cameras while Beckett and Ryan shyly tried to avoid them worked…for about the first ten minutes. Then it quickly became an annoying gimmick and I found myself wishing it would all be over.

Biggest Improvement: Caskett. After four long seasons of its audience wishing, hoping, and begging, the show finally made our dynamic duo an official couple. Nothing was better than watching these two smile at one another over their coffees…while in bed. It's about damn time.

Most Frustrating Moment: Plenty, I'm afraid. The most annoying thing about this show is that these two incredibly intelligent, likable characters rarely talk to one another. At times it feels as though every important conversation gets interrupted never to be finished. Like in "After Hours" when Castle begins to address Kate's concerns about them being so different only to be cut off. And did anyone else have their fingers crossed during "Significant Others" hoping that Kate would find out that Meredith cheated on Castle during their marriage? It's the missed opportunities on Castle that make me crazy.

Character We Saw in a Whole New Light: Detective Kevin Ryan. Yes, Ryan has always been adorable and good at his job. We love his bromance with Esposito and his relationship with Jenny, but "The Wild Rover" was a revelation. Who knew Kevin Ryan could be such a bad ass? In one episode he went from sweet sidekick to an undercover cop with a dangerous streak. Seriously hot!

Character We Need to See More Of: Dr. Lanie Parsh. It's been five seasons. Why don't we know more about this sassy, sexy lady besides she's Kate's best friend and Esposito's on again/off again booty call? Lanie Parish is far too dynamic to be kept in the background.

Hopes for 2013:

Less Fear: Or at least have them deal with their fears together. I have loved Kate Beckett since Castle's season one premiere but even I found her frustrating over the last few episodes. Deep down, Kate is afraid that the moment she's all in, Castle will get bored and leave. And Castle has kept things status quo all season because he's terrified that if he pushes for more he'll scare her off. I get it…but that doesn't make it fun to watch. No matter what the answer is to the proposal at the end of "Watershed" I'm hoping it pushes these two to open up and face their fears…together.

More Down Time: Yes, I know Castle is a crime procedural but to be honest, I don't tune in for the murder of the week. It's the characters that keep me coming back for more and the scenes I love the most are the casual scenes outside of the precinct. Let's see the gang hanging out at the Olde Haunt or another poker game at the loft where Martha can flirt with Esposito. Those type of scenes from season 1 were huge fun and I miss them.

More Romance: There were some episodes where we didn't even see our favorite couple holding hands and more kisses were cut short than completed. Thankfully things picked up over the last few episodes and I hope that's a trend going forward. I'm not asking for sex scenes (although I honestly wouldn't complain) but it's the small, intimate moments that make this show and this couple such a joy to watch.

Castle Season 5 Report Card: A-



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C. Orlando is a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.