love in the time of bank robberies

[aria]

WHITE COLLAR. <3 I am so pleased my show is back!

I am unsurprised Neal is repressing like crazy, first because the show is episodic and therefore character has to stay relatively consistent, but also because that's what Neal does. I imagine he was going quietly crazy in prison, though. And his little PTSD, hands-shaking, unable-to-forge-stuff episode is basically my crack. Repress more, Neal!

I am in love with Peter and Mozzie's covert meetings in the park to discuss Neal's mental health, and I am likewise in love, as always, with El's concern over and fostering of health in Neal and Peter's relationship. (I am, however, weirded out at whateverthefuck was up with the aspect ratio in Elizabeth's scene. Was that just me?) I adore that this is apparently a show about A Charming Con Man and the Dozen Excellent People Who Love Him.

Mostly, though, oh my god: Neal was going to stay. They fucking textualized it. Neal was going to choose Peter over Kate. I don't -- I don't even know what to do. I am pretty sure that I have just completely reconceptualized the role of Kate's plot on the show, though. I mean, obviously she is the center point for the ongoing mystery concerning Fowler and the music box, &c &c, but I mostly thought she was supposed to stand for the tension in Neal's life that beckons him back towards a life of crime. Apparently that is not it! Apparently Kate is, in fact, the artificial construct that keeps Peter and Neal from making mad, passionate love right there on the Burkes' dining room table. Because Elizabeth sure as hell won't stop them.

(I am pretty sure I am not making this up! I mean, yes, I am making up the bit about sex on the dining room table. But I am not making up the part where the specter of Kate is an obstacle to their relationship, nor the part where El is basically the opposite of an obstacle. Obviously "Peter is Neal's boss and handler" isn't any kind of narrative obstacle, because they have successfully incorporated that power imbalance into an excellent way to channel their massive amounts of UST. I really want all of this to be intentional.)

And how much do I love that Peter and Neal went through that whole "Pretend to argue to confuse and distract the bad guy" routine? They just spent two months apart, and they're more in synch than ever. I just. I ship them so hard.

Back in plotland, I hope that

[a] Kate isn't dead, because while I respect her plot function, I want her to be a little less incarnate Refrigerated Woman and perhaps a little more Victoria from due South
[b] Cruz has not been completely replaced by Diana, because although, goddamn, I love Diana, I have also witnessed the awesome of Natalie Morales elsewhere and would like to continue doing so, if they ever figure out how to use her well
[c] we find out what in hell Diana is doing with the music box, because damn, I am, for the first time ever, intrigued on that ongoing plot arc

A++! More, plz. :D

Comments

[lovelokest]

Last night's White Collar was SO MUCH WIN! I may have made quiet, high pitched squeaking noises and clapped like a seal when Neal stayed because he didn't want to leave his boyfriend and girlfriendhis friends.

I think that there will probably be some screwy aspect ratio things this series because Tiffani Theissen had a baby less than a month ago.

[aria]

NEAL DOESN'T WANT TO LEAVE. :DDD

I have to say, I'd rather have had Obviously Pregnant El than Weird Aspect Ratio El. Ah well.

[ghostrunner]

But I am not making up the part where the specter of Kate is an obstacle to their relationship, nor the part where El is basically the opposite of an obstacle.

Dude, no you are not. That is goddamn canon and nothing will ever convince me otherwise.

[aria]

I just -- it is getting more and more difficult for me to convince myself that this is not deliberately a show about Peter and Neal's D/s relationship and romance with Elizabeth. Like, it is probably not? But I am having a hard time believing that!

[ghostrunner]

Dude, "You said goodbye to everyone but me."? There is no way this is unintentional. They have to know.

[wakeupnew]

Cruz has been completely replaced; it's been sad watching Morales write about it. It sounds like the show treated her like shit. She talks about it here and here, and alludes to it here.

I don't think she's going back.

[aria]

Ugh. I am delighted about Diana, but not at the sake of replacing Cruz; not cool at all, show. I hope that means Morales will instead go on to a show that will actually make use of her talents. Sigh.

[alpheratz]

Oh damn, that's so depressing.

[oldstarnewshine]

The aspect ratio thing wasn't just you, I felt like I needed to get my eyes checked (and I was wearing my glasses at the time!) I assume it's because the actress is pregnant, but pregnancies have been concealed on shows many a time without resorting to special effects, so tsk tsk tsk, show.

I do wonder if Peter is in on the Diana Has The Music Box plot. Because if they make Peter conceal things from Neal again I will has a sad.

NEAL WAS GOING TO STAY <33333 I think there was a lot of truth to what El said last season, about Neal being more in love with the idea of Kate, and the life she represented, than actually with Kate herself, and he recognized that, consciously or not. What was it he said, something about how it would have been a life on the run, and not really living at all. And he can have his freewheeling charming conman life with the FBI, 'cause Peter's at the FBI, and he lets Neal off the leash. Neal always has to be the one in control of his life, unless he hands the reins over to Peter, 'cause Peter he can trust (and is madly in love with).

AND PETER WOOED NEAL BACK WITH TIES.

[aria]

Pregnancies have in fact been concealed without resorting to bad special effects, even. I don't even know how the aspect ratio turned out so wonky. O.o

I am hoping that Peter doesn't know Diana has the box. I'd at least hope that Peter's learned better than to keep things like that from Neal by now (even/especially if he justifies it as being for Neal's own good) and also I am more intrigued if Peter doesn't know.

I think there was a lot of truth to what El said last season, about Neal being more in love with the idea of Kate, and the life she represented, than actually with Kate herself

YES. And I am so delighted they followed through on that! I'm pretty sure what Neal said to Peter came down to something like "If I escaped I wouldn't be free" and -- wow, seriously, because that kind of implies that, despite the anklet, Neal doesn't feel at all trapped with Peter. \o/

I SHIP THEM SO MUCH.

[sophia-sol.livejournal.com]

WAIT WAIT WHAT, White Collar is back? Aaah! Why am I so terrible at following shows in real time? I'm still not caught up from after the mini-break after ep 7!

[aria]

AHAHA oh you. <3 It's only one episode into the new season now! But yeah, White Collar's now back Tuesdays at 10 EST. :D

[china_shop]

(I am, however, weirded out at whateverthefuck was up with the aspect ratio in Elizabeth's scene. Was that just me?)

It was weird and distracting, and convinced me that they'd shot it in a studio and then composited it badly. :-P

That -- and the absence of Satchmo -- were the only things wrong with the ep, for me. OMG, soooo much loooove! *is dizzy*

[ste_noni]

This post is killing me. I had one free hour today, got 10 minutes into WC and then the phone just kept ringing. I never even made it past all the credits.

[oliviacirce]

My theory right now is that Diana and Peter stole the music box from OPR!

Of course, is possible that Diana, who transferred to the DC office after Neal started working with Peter but before Fowler ever went to New York, is secretly the evil mastermind behind Project Mentor. However, as much as that would be kind of badass, I love Diana to pieces, and I want her to stay around being awesome forever, and also she is a black lesbian and I would like her to NOT BE EVIL.

Additionally, Peter is pretty clearly a lot more concerned with keeping Neal out of jail than, like, keeping his own job, and he knows that the music box is somehow really important, and no way would he be willing to let Fowler get his hands on it through official OPR channels. Also, I don't know about you, but I think Peter was kind of enjoying breaking into that bank. He is totes morally ambiguous. When it comes to Neal!

OH SHOW. I AM SO GLAD YOU ARE BACK.

[alpheratz]

It's great that you have so many coherent thoughts about it, whereas I was all "PETER. LOVES NEAL SO MUCH. EL LOVES HIM TOO. IT IS OF YAY" and paused the episode every few minutes to flail.

[gehayi]

You may like this shot from the DVD extras. And by "may" I mean, "your squeeing will be audible in Madagascar."

[polarisnorth]

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. *DEAD OF GLEE*