White Collar? Anyone? Anyone?

[kriadydragon]

Anyone on my f'list into White Collar? Because the more I watch, the more I'm digging this show and I want someone to squee and speculate with :D

And I emphasize speculate. I'm not really into nit-picking episode flaws as, overall, I really don't care too much about a show's imperfections. I also have a tendency to "fill in the blanks." That is, explain away the flaw in order to enjoy the rest of the show.

But I do love to speculate :D

I think this show proves that I'm not the type to just jump into a show and love it to pieces right off the bat. I have to gradually ease myself into it one episode at a time. The first half of the season I was rather "meh" about as I felt it rather boring and a tad cliche. But the more I watched, the more I liked...grudgingly. Then came the second half the season and now I'm having more fun with it because...

We got whump! Twice! Suffocating Neil and drugged Neil funny and cute when he's sedated. We got cleverness. I adore cleverness; when the good guys out-fox the bad guys in a very Ocean's Eleven kind of format. But the plans don't always go as planned, not because of stupidity, but because plans don't always go as planned and I love that, too. We got twists. I still think something is up with the whole Peter and Kate arc. I don't think Peter was lying to Neil, but I still get the feeling he's holding something back. It was all too neat and tidy an explanation to take at face value.

However, should the show runners decide to leave it as is and not pursue the possibility that Peter isn't being all that honest, then, yes, I will have to nit-pick. But we shall see.

I love that, despite Neil being a double-dealing criminal, he is, in a way, a sort of innocent in all this. The FBI is using him, Kate appears to be using him, I'm not quite sure if Mozzie doesn't has something up his sleeve and needs Neil as well. And poor Neil is stuck in the middle, just trying to find his woman and get that dang tracker off his ankle. I do think everyone does care about him, that Peter and Mozzie are sincere about Neil giving up on Kate being for his own good. But I get the feeling there's a lot more going on and that they - okay, mostly Peter - knows something Neil doesn't.

And I'm a lot more into the Neil and Peter dynamic than I was in the first half of the season. In the first half, it felt a bit forced and I didn't like it. But it's since grown on me (aw, Neil trusts Peter :D). I also feel there's a bit of a team dynamic to all this, with Peter's FBI team, Mozzie and Elizabeth. My sister can't stand Elizabeth but I like her. She knows her husband, trusts him, and she and Peter are honest with each other. This makes me hopeful since most shows have an itchy-trigger finger when it comes to married couples and the potential drama involved (i.e. how can we split them up in order to inject more angst and complications into the show?) Since Elizabeth does play a part (in my opinion) as a sort of down-to-earth anchor for both Peter and Neil, it makes her a lot less expendable... well, at least in my book it does. But you know how shows can be, sometimes :P

I was iffy about Mozzie, but he's grown on me as well. Because despite the team feel, it's still two-sided: Peter and the FBI, Neil and Mozzie the criminals. And the show does play on that. So far, it's been pretty neat and tidy, but I can see the writers using it for bigger plot twists. I just hope they're smart about it (because, again, you know how shows can be).

And that's my thoughts on White Collar.

Comments

[kodiak-bear.livejournal.com]

Oooooh was the whump this week's episode?

I've watched I think 4 episodes and I do think there's potential and the relationship between the two is cute. Neil is rather hard to resist LOL.

I'm so spotty on getting shows watched, have a lot of summer catching up to do on many favorites.

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

Yep. Though more humorous than whumpy, I thought, but still...:D Last weeks... or was it the week before last, can't remember now... was much whumpier.

It really is a fun show once you start getting into it. Especially this half of the season as it feels like even the writers were starting to have fun.

But, yeah, now that I've said this I've probably just jinxed the show and it'll go all boring again. Paranoid, much? Why yes, yes I am ;)

[kodiak-bear.livejournal.com]

ooh fun well I will have to slide those up to the top of the list. :)

[black-raven135.livejournal.com]

I don't watch it but have seen trailers and have thought each time:
'THIS is the type of show that Joe would do so well'.........e.g. Brendan in Thought Crimes
Of course what I would REALLY like to see is Brendan brought back, with or without his mind reading partner, or something like Burn Notice or
my all time wish Harry Desden...........

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

He would, actually. I think you've said it that Joe needs to get a show on USA and I agree. I think USA has a much better track record with keeping shows than most networks.

SyFy had made The Dresden Files into a series for a while. I never watched it because the guy the got to play Harry... um, no. I found it interesting that, for shows being all gung ho about hiring young, good looking actors they get an older guy who, though not really ugly, isn't exactly eye-candy either. And yet Harry is pretty much portrayed as being a young guy (not said outright but hinted at like crazy).

[black-raven135.livejournal.com]

I had no idea about Dresden Files..........
When I read Harry I see Joe............so easily and even the age
thing I see as Joe.....
Just don't say it..........
I see Joe a lot
:P

[reen212000.livejournal.com]

I have to agree. I thought it was going to be this heavily-cliched pot boiler with a side of humor. It did start to grow on me after half the season. The show is a bit noir; if it were black and white and the characters talked a little faster, it would fit in.

The fact that Neal doesn't use too much tech in his thief-ish ways makes it more appealing. (I mean, he used a fax machine to convey info! LOL) Kinda proves that you don't need all that tech to perform a heist, etc. Wit, charm, and a lot of research will get you a lot of places. Neal proves that being on the inside is the best place to be.

As for Peter, I agree that there's something else going on there. I kinda hoped they would've carried the ring plot-twist a little further. To me that seems like a red herring that will come full circle at the end of the season. I think maybe I've had a crush on Tom DeKay since Carnivale, maybe even as the Bizarro Jerry in Seinfeld.

I do have a tendency to speculate and figure out the coming plot points, drawing my own conclusion. I really hate it when I'm right! Also, good thing Matt Bomer has a good singing voice! LOL

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

"The fact that Neal doesn't use too much tech in his thief-ish ways makes it more appealing."

Yes! I totally forgot. I love shows where the people use their brains rather than technology. Neil - Neal - bwah! - kind of reminds me of Bugs Bunny :D I adore his ornery sneakiness.

"To me that seems like a red herring that will come full circle at the end of the season."

That's what I'm thinking. Either that or they're going to try and drag it out as the subplot for as many seasons as they can. If there is something more to it all, and though I'm hoping there is, it does make me a tad nervous as I get the feeling it might not end well.

I've yet to determine if my own conclusions have ever been right. Sometimes plots are horribly predictable, sometimes horribly sneaky. The final episode for the season break totally caught me off guard. I did not see that coming.

[vecturist.livejournal.com]

I really like 'White Collar' - it's fairly light and fun. And yes, Neal is a thief and a bad guy, but he's charming and smart, and you can see how pulled off his capers. And I do love his sense of style...

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

I was really iffy about him at first, but he's like a human version of Bugs Bunny and I love that :D I love clever, ornery good guys and Neal fits that to a T.

[tinypenny.livejournal.com]

I have watched White Collar from the beginning and have loved it! I agree with you about the Ocean's Eleven type format...I think that is what has kept me interested...sometimes all the death and murders in most shows lately is getting tiring. I like the character of Mozzie...I like how he sneaks in and out of situations. He was great last night...Bruce Willis! I think Peter and Neil trust each other to a certain degree...they both have their secrets...I believe Peter knows more about Kate. I am not sure if he is keeping what he knows from Neil to protect him or use it against him later.

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

It took a while for me to build up a deeper interest, but the second half of the season has really sucked me in.

"I am not sure if he is keeping what he knows from Neil to protect him or use it against him later."

That's what I'm wondering. My gut feeling is that Peter does care, but also that Neil is a means to an end for him (i.e. mean to an end for the FBI). Whether Peter comes out with the truth to help Neil or use him, I don't think it's going to end well.

I'm also curious as to whether Kate has turned against Neil or if everything she is doing to protect Neil. To be honest, I would actually like her to have turned against Neil, because the angst potential would be awesome ;) However, if she is doing what she's doing to protect Neil, I would be happy for Neil as it means she still loves him.

[tinypenny.livejournal.com]

I think Kate has turned against Neil. They were supposedly so in love, but not enough for him to trust her with where he hid all of his treasures. She said she needs him to find the box from the Amber Room. Neil doesn't seem to trust her completely. I really hope Peter doesn't betray Neil, but I can see Peter using Neil to get whatever it is that he wants.

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

i get the feeling i'll hae to catch up on it on dvd, or a marathon, as I never remember to watch it, or tape. lead guy has adorably blue eyes :)

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

It's getting to be a lot of fun to watch :D

[bratfarrar]

White Collar! I'm currently watching two shows (with a third on probation), and it's one of them. (The other's Burn Notice, which I do love dearly.) I love all the various relationships and Peter being occasionally sneaky and good at it and Neal trying to figure out how much to trust Peter and Neal's world beginning to spill over into Peter's world (El and Mozzie! And Peter being irked!) and El being just plain awesome. I love that the demands of Peter's job aren't a problem for her, that their marriage is a good one, solid and happy. And that she and Neal are friends and occasional co-conspirators.

It's such a happy show, for the most part, and I really appreciate that. :D

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

It is a happy show :D And fun. I love shows that know how to have fun, rather than trying to rely heavily on a lot of drama and angst.

I'm quite surprised that this show is sucking me in like it is. The first time I saw it previewed, I'd wanted nothing to do with it. I only watched a few eps because my sister was curious about it. I really need to learn. It's usually the shows I actively ignore, or decide right off that I have no interest in, that I end up loving. SGA was like that, as was the Mentalist and Fringe. White Collar is gradually becoming another "can't miss" show for me.

[saltyd.livejournal.com]

I love this show! The first episode had me interested - I'm sure the shallowness factor sucked me in since Neal is so yummy to look at. So odd that I do enjoy the show as much as I do, since there is so little whump, but the plots are good and I love how smart Neal is and how much Peter has come to rely on him. The bromance between Neal and Peter with a little smidgen of Mozzie is just a neat little package. I love Mozzie, I love his take on things, and how he just manages to keep Neal involved on the criminal side. I'm not so sure how much I enjoy the Kate angle and I really want to know what's going on there, but I do like how that's just a backburner story and doesn't feature every week - kinda like on Burn Notice how the B story is Michael digging into his past and future.

USA really does have a knack for different shows - they have yet to have a disaster on their hands!