Ep 7. Once Upon a Time in the West

In Castle season 7 episode 7, titled "Once Upon a Time in the West," a murder investigation takes Castle and Beckett to a Wild West reenactment. The episode opens with a cowboy, Buck Winters, being shot in the chest during a bank robbery staged as part of the show. Beckett and Castle are called to the scene, where they quickly determine that this wasn't part of the planned performance.

As they start investigating, they discover that Buck Winters was a former con man who had recently reformed and taken up a job as a security guard at a local jewelry store. They also find out that he had been in a relationship with one of the reenactors, a woman named Annie Klein. Beckett and Castle speak to Annie, who tells them that Buck had been acting strange lately and that he had been involved in some kind of shady business dealings.

Their investigation leads them to another reenactor, a man named Dalton. Dalton runs a Wild West-themed bar and grill, and had apparently been hiring criminals to steal jewelry from his customers. Buck had discovered Dalton's scheme, and had threatened to go to the police if Dalton didn't stop. This, it seems, was the motive for Buck's murder.

Meanwhile, Castle is having a crisis of faith in his writing career. He's just published a new book that's received scathing reviews, and he's lost his confidence as a writer. He's considering giving up entirely, until one of the reenactors tells him that his books helped her get through a difficult time in her life. This inspires Castle to keep writing, and he starts brainstorming ideas for his next novel.

The episode comes to a close with Beckett and Castle reflecting on their Wild West adventure. They agree that it was a fun and interesting case to work on, but Castle can't help but feel that his role in the investigation was overshadowed by Beckett's. She assures him that he played a crucial role in solving the case, and that she couldn't have done it without him. The episode ends with Castle feeling reinvigorated as a writer and excited to start his next project.

Overall, "Once Upon a Time in the West" is a lighthearted and entertaining episode that allows Castle and Beckett to have some fun while still solving a murder. It's a nice change of pace from some of the more serious and intense episodes of the season, and provides a welcome reminder of the show's humor and charm.