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Castle Bosses Reveal How Beckett's Big Decision Will "Change the Dynamic of the Show"

Which path has she picked?

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Shelli Weinstein

When Castle returns for Season 8, fans won't have to wait long to find out Kate Beckett's next career move.

In the season finale, Beckett (Stana Katic) was approached to run for New York state senate just as she passed the NYPD captain's exam. "She had three choices, go one way, go the other way, or just stay as-is, and she's going to make a choice that's going to change the dynamic of the show," new co-showrunner Terence Paul Winter told TVGuide.com at ABC's Television Critics Association fall preview party.

And that's because the next time you see Beckett in the 12th Precinct, she will be in the captain's office. The writing team ultimately decided to promote Beckett because it allowed them to make changes for the characters without totally altering the DNA of the show by moving Beckett out the precinct. "At the end of the day, what we were trying to do was shake up relationships," said co-showrunner Alexi Hawley.

Added Winter: "She's still going to be very boots-on-the-ground, but now she has to work with Esposito (Jon Huertas) and Ryan (Seamus Dever) much differently than in the past, and that's going to cause more conflict." The same can be said of Beckett's relationship with Castle (Nathan Fillion). "It's much different when your wife is the captain, the boss, versus when your wife is the detective," Winter teased.

Castle's new season will explore how Castle and Beckett were meant to be

Castle will also be adding two new players this season: security specialist Hayley Shipton (Toks Olagundoye), and tech analyst Vikram Singh (Sunkrish Bala), who will become Beckett's "conifdant" in the precinct Hawley says.

And if you're already missing Captain Gates (Penny Johnson Jerald), you're not alone. "She's been part of the Castle universe for a long time and she's much loved," Hawley said, explaining the "very difficult decision to write her off the show. "For us, moving forward, ultimately it was about servicing Castle and Beckett first and foremost."

Do you agree with Beckett's decision? How do you think she'll take charge of the 12th? Leave us your thoughts in the comments.

Castle premieres Monday, Sept. 21 at 10/9c on ABC.

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