I'm actually watching this right now, Skar. Awesome.
So hooray for Castle, who gets to be all bad boy again finally, but the detective continues to be dumb (she doesn't have to be dumb to be the straight man) and the writing is, as you said, increasingly lazy. They had the black woman call someone girlfriend? Honestly? Though I have to admit the "he wears a rug" line was brilliant.
What really bugs me, as an author, is that he had a new book in this episode--just four weeks after he had a new book in the pilot. That's a pretty awesome publishing schedule. Can't the writers find some way to incorporate his writing career without an actual book launch? Does he ever do signings or readings? Can he get into a fight with his agent or editor or something?
Also, ABC's viewer is now faulty in addition to poorly designed. As the technology becomes less usable and the writing becomes more lazy, it will soon reach a point where it's not worth my time.