While I really enjoyed "At Close Range", I don't seem to have lots to say. I will say that I loved their use of flashbacks, and I also enjoyed the way we saw things though different characters' eyes. And I was totally surprised by the killer, too. (I thought it was the wife).
Loved:
Kate waking up to an empty bed (loved the new bedding, by the way) and what she found when she went to the hotel. Loved Ryan's "when you have a crazy theory, you don't call the voice of reason", and his & Castle's fist bump. then I loved the scene when they explained their findings to Gates and how Kate supported her guys.
the scene with the four of them coming back from the compstat meeting. Castle's posture in the elevator, to the guys' big grins, Castle's reaction when he realized they lied, Kate's smile when she realized they lied to Rick. Then the conversation about who Ryan was guarding that night - loved the "One Direction" talk, and the fact that Javi knew where they were.
Loved the talk about conspiracies, Rick mentioning he's theorized about them "occasionally", and Kate's reaction to that.
I'm a big Kevin Ryan fan so I loved seeing him be the center of the episode. Seamus Dever was awesome as usual. The scene when he realized the guy dropping off the press pass was his BIL and then the scene between them when Kev pulled out his gun just blew me away.
A few interesting things:
the scene when Kate & Rick run into the state party chairman, and him knowing who she is & remarking that she is known "in his world". Of course, she did arrest a US Senator on national TV, as he was about to announce he was running for president, so that would get you known.
Kate's opinion of politics and politicians.
The scene with Kate going thru the victim's purse.
Kate with the study materials for the captain's exam. Yes, I know that in the real world, there are more steps between detective and captain, but as has been pointed out many times, this is the TV world. And Nikki Heat is about to become a captain, so maybe so will Kate Beckett.
All in all, a really good episode. Another new one next week, then at least one repeat after that. I believe that they are working on the next to last season 7 episode right now. That is also episode 150!