USA_White Collar Series Thread

[O'Haire]

Really liked the finale and am looking forward to next season. I just hope they don't fix what happened in a few episodes and everything is back to normal. Want Neal to be on the run for at least the whole season.

[Hunter Rider]

Might be hard to do a whole season without the Neal and Peter dynamic.

[hopefuldreamer]

Originally Posted by Hunter Rider

I liked how they inter-cut the race against time aspect with the interviews at Neal's hearing and felt the episode allowed all the characters to have a moment, I particularly liked Jones straight shooter interview.

I've never seen those tram's before, I recall in an interview back when the show started, Bomer said it would showcase a different side of New York, less gritty and grimy than most procedural shows, and in this ep I felt it was a really great visual backdrop to the drama.

The outcome of Neal finally knowing for sure who he wants to be was great, his comments to Peter about not being worried whether he lost the anklet or not was exactly where his arc has been leading from ep 1.

Of course now bitter Kramer has forced Neal to make a play that sets up next season with him in a very different situation than in any prior season, essentially trying to find a way to get his FBI job and life in New York back.
Peter vs his mentor should be a highlight of season 4 along with hopefully more on Neal's past and more specifically his father.

Pretty much sums up how I felt about it.

Also I just felt so emotional with that long shot on Neil half smiling at the end. I know that smile, it's the smile of 'I can't believe I was stupid enough to think I could change'... that sort of shaking your head, smiling at your own foolishness look. Was kind of heart breaking because he really really HAD changed, but now I think he doubts it.

For a while there, I thought Kramer was going to find some evidence of Peter helping cover something up, and arrest HIM, just as Neal was granted his commutation. Would have been an interesting dynamic to have Peter being treated like the criminal and Neal the free man, and obviously him feeling really guilty about getting Peter in all this trouble.

But this was much better. I'm really curious to see how they get out of it though. I imagine it will be dealt with pretty swiftly because the shows never been much more episodic than arc oriented.

[TheCorpulent1]

I think if experience has taught us anything, it's that Neal and Peter will be reunited pretty quickly next season. I mean, we were all wondering what kind of massive fallout we'd see between them over Neal's treasure endangering Elle's life after the midseason hiatus, and that was all cleared up within two episodes. This show tends not to linger on the big emotional stuff. It squares it away quickly or keeps it as a minor subplot and focuses on the weekly procedural stuff.

[hopefuldreamer]

Which is a real shame. Because if the show did linger on the big emotional stuff, it'd be so much better.

I mean, I love and enjoy the show but it's just kind of sad sometimes looking at all the wasted potential for something truly brilliant.

[TheCorpulent1]

I agree, it does shortchange some of the emotional moments. But I can appreciate that they're focusing more on a certain tone than super-deep drama. I don't think anyone really wants to see White Collar become as dour and somber as some of these emotional beats might force it to become if they really focused on them.

[hopefuldreamer]

Yeah I know what you mean. It definitely does have a tone unlike any other show I watch, and maybe it's that 'lightness' that makes it such easy watching every week.

And I mean, it's not totally without emotion. I mean, I felt emotion when Neal saw Kramer with Peter outside the building and he slowly gently shook his head. I felt emotion when Neal was one the plane.

It just doesn't do anything 'over dramatic' so to speak.

[TheCorpulent1]

Yep. I don't mean to imply that it's emotionless or void of any depth, either. I mean, the ending of this season was a hell of a plot twist with a lot of interesting ramifications. I thought it would end very differently, and then all of a sudden it zigs when I was expecting a zag. I actually like the balance of lightness and emotion they've got. I just wish they could focus a little bit more on some of the really huge emotional beats.

[hopefuldreamer]

Originally Posted by TheCorpulent1

Yep. I don't mean to imply that it's emotionless or void of any depth, either. I mean, the ending of this season was a hell of a plot twist with a lot of interesting ramifications. I thought it would end very differently, and then all of a sudden it zigs when I was expecting a zag. I actually like the balance of lightness and emotion they've got. I just wish they could focus a little bit more on some of the really huge emotional beats.

Agree completely

[rashad]

White Collar S3 Recap, S4 Sneak Peek

VIDEO-CLick to Watch!:

[TheCorpulent1]

Can't wait for this to return. Finally, it feels like the showrunners decided to quit playing it safe and snapping back to their usual status quo after all of the major cliffhangers. Hopefully this one gets a little more room to play out in interesting ways.

[Hunter Rider]

I agree Corpy, looks like this season is going to take some big risks and follow through on it's finale, can't wait!

[O'Haire]

I hope this story lasts the whole season, and maybe even into the next one. The show is fun as hell but was getting pretty repetitive. So it's nice to see the writers shake things up in a big way.

[rashad]

Oh and I love the addition of Mekhi Phifer to the cast this season.

[TheCorpulent1]

Originally Posted by O'Haire

I hope this story lasts the whole season, and maybe even into the next one. The show is fun as hell but was getting pretty repetitive. So it's nice to see the writers shake things up in a big way.

I'm hoping for maybe half the season. He and Peter have to be together for a few episodes, at least; that's the core of the series. Maybe they could do a mid-season cliffhanger with Neal coming back to the US and getting captured or Peter about to go under for aiding and abetting Neal, and then the second half of the season picks up with the Peter or Neal saving the other and reuniting.

[wiegeabo]

I'm thinking Neal gets in trouble and have to flee back to New York so Peter can arrest him in the mid-season finale, and thereby protect him.

Then Neal works out a new deal to help the Feds capture the guys chasing him who've they've been after for years.

[TheCorpulent1]

I could see that happening. I kind of wish Neal could keep his freedom, maybe even joining the FBI as an official agent. But that's probably a pipe dream.

[wiegeabo]

Depends on how good a deal he can get

[TheCorpulent1]

Cutting off his anklet and going on the run probably means another (very long) stint as a criminal consultant is the best he can hope for. Unless Peter can somehow prove Beau Bridges' character was acting illegally in some way with his manipulation of Neal's situation.

[wiegeabo]

It also depends on how big of a fish Neal can bring in.

And knowing Neal and Mozzy, they're going to end up ticking off the biggest fish there is

[TheCorpulent1]

Ha, totally. I'm wondering who that spicy island senorita Neal appears to be wooing in the sneak peek is.

[Clu]

the show returned tonight, anyone watch it?

[wiegeabo]

****. I thought it came on at 10. Guess I'll be watching it tomorrow.

[Wyrminarrd]

Interesting start to the season:

Spoiler!!! Click to Read!:

I think the FBI agent that's hunting Neill is setting himself up for charges of unlawful extradition or something like that. I'm pretty sure that what he's doing is illegal and would get him fired and Neill would probably be set free as compensation (after all Neill is only charged with minor crimes now if you ignore his fleeing the country)

[Hunter Rider]

Great season opener, just fresh and fun, it's going to be interesting to see where they go from here as I expected a bit more time to pass before Peter and Neal were reunited. Mehki looks really different, how many eps is he signed for?

On a side note I am secure enough to say Matt Bomer may be the most perfect looking man alive.