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MY SHOWWW
Hah, I have been so bad at White Collar reaction posts, but I just loved this episode SO MUCH.
I love this episode in large part because, when White Collar is at its best, it strikes this perfect balance between keeping secrets and being emotionally honest. This show's version of will-they-won't-they is whether Neal can eventually earn Peter's complete trust; and dskldsk this episode, where I spent about half an hour yelling "JUST TELL HIM, NEAL" and then the last five minutes clutching my face in pure joy. I love that Peter is so incredibly proud of Neal for doing and saying all the right things in the end, and so suspicious because in fact yes Neal did say exactly the right things, and both Peter and I are fairly sure he 100% meant them but that doesn't actually mean Neal isn't still calculating everything in parallel to doing the right thing both in letter and in spirit. Ahhh I just. This is EVERYTHING I WANT from this show, all the moments when Neal pushes and pushes and then still does his best to please Peter at the end. Also nnngh Peter's proud-of-Neal face, I can't.
The only other episode-specific thing I have is: oh, Diana. :( I really liked Christie the one time we saw her, but every time Diana talked about her we could see all the cracks. I hope in future Diana gets other excellent ladies who are not criminals? That would be really lovely.
Mostly though I am just loving this season with all my heart, which I'm finding surprising, as I gave exactly zero fucks the first time Neal brought up his daddy issues. I think it's working for me in part because at the moment it's about a bunch of murder mysteries rather than ~Neal's relationship with his father~; also, let's face it, I'm enjoying it much more as an arc plot than either the overly drawn-out Kate plot or the fuckery of the Nazi loot. I also love that even though Mozzie is still facilitating and validating Neal's worse instincts, Neal also has better ones now -- and unlike second season, when he admits he was probably going to stay but hadn't had a chance to prove that claim to anyone, even himself, this season Neal came back, this season Neal really is saying, okay, no more running. I like that this time they're drawing him out to better decisions in degrees rather than just throwing him repeatedly in the direction of rock bottom, because it's different and kind of fascinating.
I would like to say, though, NEEDS MOAR EL. Like, I'm cool with her just appearing occasionally to be Peter's sounding board/the best wife ever, and it's not like they haven't given her good plotlines, and it's not like the actress doesn't have a baby to take care of, but -- man, I'm sad we didn't get to see El and Neal's reunion. So yep, needs more Elizabeth soon.
I JUST LIKE THIS SEASON A LOT.
I love this episode in large part because, when White Collar is at its best, it strikes this perfect balance between keeping secrets and being emotionally honest. This show's version of will-they-won't-they is whether Neal can eventually earn Peter's complete trust; and dskldsk this episode, where I spent about half an hour yelling "JUST TELL HIM, NEAL" and then the last five minutes clutching my face in pure joy. I love that Peter is so incredibly proud of Neal for doing and saying all the right things in the end, and so suspicious because in fact yes Neal did say exactly the right things, and both Peter and I are fairly sure he 100% meant them but that doesn't actually mean Neal isn't still calculating everything in parallel to doing the right thing both in letter and in spirit. Ahhh I just. This is EVERYTHING I WANT from this show, all the moments when Neal pushes and pushes and then still does his best to please Peter at the end. Also nnngh Peter's proud-of-Neal face, I can't.
The only other episode-specific thing I have is: oh, Diana. :( I really liked Christie the one time we saw her, but every time Diana talked about her we could see all the cracks. I hope in future Diana gets other excellent ladies who are not criminals? That would be really lovely.
Mostly though I am just loving this season with all my heart, which I'm finding surprising, as I gave exactly zero fucks the first time Neal brought up his daddy issues. I think it's working for me in part because at the moment it's about a bunch of murder mysteries rather than ~Neal's relationship with his father~; also, let's face it, I'm enjoying it much more as an arc plot than either the overly drawn-out Kate plot or the fuckery of the Nazi loot. I also love that even though Mozzie is still facilitating and validating Neal's worse instincts, Neal also has better ones now -- and unlike second season, when he admits he was probably going to stay but hadn't had a chance to prove that claim to anyone, even himself, this season Neal came back, this season Neal really is saying, okay, no more running. I like that this time they're drawing him out to better decisions in degrees rather than just throwing him repeatedly in the direction of rock bottom, because it's different and kind of fascinating.
I would like to say, though, NEEDS MOAR EL. Like, I'm cool with her just appearing occasionally to be Peter's sounding board/the best wife ever, and it's not like they haven't given her good plotlines, and it's not like the actress doesn't have a baby to take care of, but -- man, I'm sad we didn't get to see El and Neal's reunion. So yep, needs more Elizabeth soon.
I JUST LIKE THIS SEASON A LOT.
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(Anonymous) 2012-08-15 08:45 pm (UTC)(link)I really didn't think Neal's con, if it was a con, deserved her Face of Horror, btw. As cons go, knowing that the drive will end up in FBI hands and thinking that probably Peter would give him access is pretty weak sauce.
Erm . . . btw . . . not sure if you've seen, but I've started posting that long Sara fic I mentioned once upon a time. Your remark from way back in S3 about how they hadn't made her part of Neal's family was sort of crucial to how I ended up thinking about the story thematically, so . . . *shuffles feet awkwardly* Heresalink: The Ties That Bind (http://archiveofourown.org/works/479725/chapters/833621).
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And oooh yes! I actually have it open in a tab because LONG SARA FIC :DDD but real life and writing endeavors have kept my fic-reading to a minimum lately. Very much looking forward to it, though!
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