Castle is definitely back in its stride, when Castle goes undercover at an English language school after the murder of a school teacher. Very funny, with Nathan Fillion on top form, this episode also features the worst Geordie accent in the world, crazy mix of Irish/Scots/traveller.
12 Reviews
Decent Episode marred by a single ATROCIOUS performance
happy_hangman17 November 2016
Warning: Spoilers
I'm sure it's been asked many times before...but who on earth told actor Greg Bryan that he was doing a Geordie accent?
Re-watching this episode, recently, I was astounded that this verbiage was allowed to go on screen. If anything he was attempting - very VERY poorly - to adopt a Glasgow accent, not one remotely similar to that of Newcastle. As a Glaswegian it reminded me of the awful gabbling normally adopted by tourists who believe that they can 'do' a Scottish accent.
American viewers - check out the internet for reactions to Bryan's performance.
Producers, Glasgow and Newcastle may LOOK comparatively close on a map, but they are actually in different COUNTRIES, and are utterly dissimilar. That's really rather insulting to your UK fans.
The plot of this episode was fairly lightweight, rather like much of this final season, but it would have been...okay, had it not been marred by the terrible performance of Mr Bryan, which made it cringe-inducing.
Re-watching this episode, recently, I was astounded that this verbiage was allowed to go on screen. If anything he was attempting - very VERY poorly - to adopt a Glasgow accent, not one remotely similar to that of Newcastle. As a Glaswegian it reminded me of the awful gabbling normally adopted by tourists who believe that they can 'do' a Scottish accent.
American viewers - check out the internet for reactions to Bryan's performance.
Producers, Glasgow and Newcastle may LOOK comparatively close on a map, but they are actually in different COUNTRIES, and are utterly dissimilar. That's really rather insulting to your UK fans.
The plot of this episode was fairly lightweight, rather like much of this final season, but it would have been...okay, had it not been marred by the terrible performance of Mr Bryan, which made it cringe-inducing.
Where do I start?
lyndseysedgwick12 February 2022
What have I just watched??? As an English woman I have heard some terrible attempts at British accents. But this "geordie" accent is something else. I couldn't tell if the character was Irish/Scottish or speaking a different language. The episode itself was one of the worst I've watched.
Top laughs
evans-154753 April 2022
Only came here to see reviews of the geordie accent and wasn't disappointed probably the most bizarre thing I've seen on a mainstream tv show and could well be the first time a so called geordie accent has been deployed on usa tv as a plot device and I'm sure the last.
Unwatchable
cpcox-0856111 July 2019
The Geordie Accent...
thebconstant-856759 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I'm watching Castle for the first time and I'm near the end. It does seem to be going downhill as it gets to the end but I'm still enjoying it generally.
However, the Geordie stereotype is not cool.
1st of all that soundbite wouldn't be used for a Geordie. It's an Irish or Scottish instrument. My Irish husband says Irish haha
2nd a Geordie wouldn't need English classes. They would know to dial down the dialect when speaking to someone who isn't from the area. Geordies are English from England
3rd Hayley wouldn't need to speak Geordie to him to be understood, again English from England
If I think of more I will add it (if I remember) Main thing is it's not very well researched. You could find all that info with one click
It seems like they couldn't be bothered towards the end.
However, the Geordie stereotype is not cool.
1st of all that soundbite wouldn't be used for a Geordie. It's an Irish or Scottish instrument. My Irish husband says Irish haha
2nd a Geordie wouldn't need English classes. They would know to dial down the dialect when speaking to someone who isn't from the area. Geordies are English from England
3rd Hayley wouldn't need to speak Geordie to him to be understood, again English from England
If I think of more I will add it (if I remember) Main thing is it's not very well researched. You could find all that info with one click
It seems like they couldn't be bothered towards the end.
Actors who can't act and script-writers who can't write
charleshp26 June 2021
I usually really enjoy Castle but this episode was a real low. The plot is pretty poor (but then the crime plots have been getting poorer). However, the 'Geordie' accent was excruciately unlike any real Geordie accent. And why would a native English speaker be in a class for non-native speakers of English? If this is the best story and the best actors they can find, I'm not surprised that this is the last season.
Not just the Geordie problem
akicork7 March 2020
Apart from the execrable storyline involving a Los Angeles born actor trying to represent a Geordie, there is a fundamental problem with geography. Beckett says "We know you were in Thailand, so Korea's not a stretch." Really? Thailand is the other side of China (the third largest country in the world) from Korea, which is nearly in the town centre of Vladivostok - Russia. It's almost more likely that because of its distance from Darwin, Thailand is linked to Australia rather than North Korea!
Frustrating
philtwiggraham-0740823 July 2021
Do the writers have a vendetta against Geordies??
neilwallaceyoung6 January 2024
The fact that the script has a Geordie attending a class for people who don't have English as a first language is beyond offensive.
To then cast an American actor with an awful made up accent is just awful. A total embarrassment. The bagpipes playing in the background any time that character speaks is another bizarre decision.
Love this show but this episode is pretty offensive. The rest of the storyline is decent so I don't know why they had to ruin it with such awful casting. If it wasn't for the "Geordie" accent then the episode would actually be pretty good.
Late to the party with this show but we seem to be going out with a whimper.
To then cast an American actor with an awful made up accent is just awful. A total embarrassment. The bagpipes playing in the background any time that character speaks is another bizarre decision.
Love this show but this episode is pretty offensive. The rest of the storyline is decent so I don't know why they had to ruin it with such awful casting. If it wasn't for the "Geordie" accent then the episode would actually be pretty good.
Late to the party with this show but we seem to be going out with a whimper.
Story fine, geordie accent?!?!
hblakeburn-486-44523014 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This episode made me wonder if there is such as a thing as pre-production research, even a quick YouTube search would bring up "ant and dec" when looking up geordie accent surely. Hayley as an "east Londoner" in my experience they struggle with geordie typically; as a native Northumbrian (living in Yorkshire) with southern relatives I can confirm that translation is required, quite funny really.
However, I like the story and castle getting a memory recollection from the taste of food is really clever, it's proven that the sense of taste and smell can trigger even the most obscure and early memories.
However, I like the story and castle getting a memory recollection from the taste of food is really clever, it's proven that the sense of taste and smell can trigger even the most obscure and early memories.
Really?
geordiegirl-917486 June 2023
I remember watching this episode the first time around and was appalled at the so called actor attempting to speak with a Geordie accent. Just watched a re run today, and, as a Geordie born and bred, I cringed once more. Surely somewhere in the US actor's guild there must be an actor, preferably from the northeast of England who could have been cast in this role. And while I am on it, as the wife of a French Canadian, Nathan, your accent as a French Canadian needed work, but still love you!
So glad CTV are re running Castle episodes each morning. Just love reliving them.
So glad to be able to watch Nathan on his present series and can't wait for next season.
So glad CTV are re running Castle episodes each morning. Just love reliving them.
So glad to be able to watch Nathan on his present series and can't wait for next season.
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