Castle Season 5: What Are You Most Excited About?

If you're anything like us, the thought of Castle and Beckett waking up in each other's arms after a steamy night between the sheets makes you positively giddy. And while that's undoubtedly the most alluring thing about Season 5 premiere, we can't forget about the myriad of complex characters and storylines that make Castle so much more than just your average crime procedural.

For one thing, Cole Maddox is still on the loose, and his mission couldn't be clearer: He's out to put Kate Beckett in the ground once and for all.

Then there's Mr. Smith, whose life could be in jeopardy should he opt to not cooperate with the gun-wielding madman. And of course, this all goes back to the unsolved murder of Johanna Beckett — a mystery Kate has spent her life (and almost lost her life) trying to solve.

Back at the precinct, we're dealing with a distraught Detective Ryan, who tattled on his best bud in order to save his life. Not only did Detective Esposito lose his partner, but he also lost his badge. 

Javi's luck hasn't been so good in the romance department, either. He and Lanie have devolved into friends-with-benefits status, and we don't have to tell you how well that usually works out.

Cut to Castle's loft where a college-bound Alexis is preparing for life at Columbia University. How will her departure from the nest affect her doting dad? How will her continued presence affect Rick and Kate's new romance? And, perhaps most perplexing, how will she react when she finds out about them?

There's a lot to look forward to in Season 5, but which storyline has you on the edge of your seat?