kriadydragon | White Collar Review

Now that's the White Collar we know and love :D Except for the new beginning. What do you all think? Personally I liked last season's opener much better. The new one is just kind of... meh (and I hate it when shows mess with a show's opening).

But on to the show! So much to love, listed incoherently out of order! Satchmo playing a part in one of Neal's schemes (he does love using dogs as accomplices ;)), Moz blaming poor Satchmo for things going wrong, Satchmo and his big floppy face you just want to moosh, Peter giving Neal free reign to scheme, Neal doing his thing, the book disintegrating but it actually working in their favor, Peter the astronomy nerd with his little sextet El gave him for his birthday. Peter, Neal, El and Mozzie all working together, Neal bugging Peter to come out and play, El asking Peter if he wants to go play with Neal and mirrors (adorable!), El encouraging all the eight-year-old enthusiasm of the boys, things with the loot getting hot, Peter trying to explain Neal's anklet to a little girl, Peter and Neal saving the day... I warned you the squee would be out of order ;)

Fun, fun, fun. Man, I love this show.

I was a little nervous that they were going to have Neal and art detective woman sleep together or something, because any other show that would have been the case within five seconds. Needless to say, my relief was mighty.

The cliffhanger ending was nice and I'm really starting to like where they're taking the treasure arc. You can't help but cheer Neal and Mozzie on, not because you want to see them leave with the treasure, but because you don't want to see things between Neal and Peter become horribly undone. I'm both excited and nervous about how the show will end the treasure arc, because there's so many possibilities.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I adored this episode but have to go with you on that opening. It was just too cutesy for words.

I loved the reason that Peter said he trusted Neal, rescuing the little girl. I also love how Neal was projecting all his own angst onto others, not that it wasn't true of them but you can tell that he's been thinking about this.

I recall something from an episode in Star Trek (the original series)written by Theodore Sturgeon, when Spock says, "After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing, after all, as wanting."

That treasure is going to become a lot more trouble than it's worth in fact once both Neal and Mozzie finally come off the high of having more than they ever dreamed of they'll wake up and realize that all that glitter around them is nothing but blood.

But back to this episode, Peter wanting to go out and play treasure hunt with Neal was hysterical and yes, I could see Peter with the sextant and I loved that Peter knew how to use it and the whole thing with the mirrors.

My greatest thrill however was The Planetarium. I love that place and go every time I have a chance.

I really liked the scene when Neal realizes that Mozzie could be selling one of the paintings listed on the manifest. That's so great, that unless Neal somehow gets a hold of the manifest, there is no way they can sell anything.

I don't know but to me, this is Neal's new leash, greed.

Neal never really showed greed before, just a penchant for shiny things, stealing just to prove he could do it but it was never about the money.

So first season, his leash was love.
Second season his leash is revenge and then justice.
Third season his leash is greed.

Neal still is tied by love and I think he's found justice is much better than revenge.

How's this work? Neal realizes that the life Mossie is offering isn't the one he wants either and that the only reason he even started down this path was because he was so hurt by Peter's accusations and he wanted to please Mozzie, be what Mozzie wanted since he had failed to be what Peter wanted?

Okay, enough rambling. Really, really loved this episode.

I really don't think that Neal's motivation is greed...I don't even think that Mozzie's motivation is greed. Mozzie always wanted the one big score because he thinks that it would be the ultimative freedom. Neal used to want the big score because he thought that would give him his picket fences future, with Kate and children aso.

I think Neal honestly doesn't really know what he wants now. Adler's death gave him the revenge he wanted, so he is basically in a void. Mozzie is really excited about leaving...he is the one who basically takes care of everything. Neal on the other hand goes along with it, but he also stalls at every step on the way. He acts fast as long it's about covering their tracks, but everything related to the flight itself, he is all "we take our time, we do it right", "I haven't decided on a new name yet" aso.

This time it's less about Neal desires and more about the neverending "war" between Mozzie and Peter.

Upon my second viewing of the episode I have to agree about Neal delaying. In "On Guard," he definitely was dragging his feet at every juncture. He hasn't been coming up with any of the ideas on this one at all and usually when it's Mozzie's scheme, Neal's a lot more enthusiastic even if he leaves the plans to Moz.

Also, Neal really, really liked getting back to normal with Peter. In fact this is the first time I ever remember him calling Peter in on something because neither he nor Moz could figure out the puzzle themselves. Usually if they had problems they'd think of some illegal way to solve them. But to call Peter to come out and play, that was a first. And Peter was so adorably eager and into it.

I do think that Elizabeth's new job is definitely going to be utilized some way unless it's a big fat red herring.

That treasure-cam got me speculating a lot. Neal hasn't been back to the warehouse to avoid suspicion, and I think we've all learned never to underestimate Mozzie. I think that the view of the treasure is on a repeating loop and that Mozzie is or has moved the Nazi loot because Mozzie doesn't trust Neal to go through with running.

Neal is definitely in Bromance with Peter. He would not have felt so hurt when Peter accused him. He told Mozzie he liked it when they were back to normal.

El's job will certainly become important later on...I reserve judgement on that, until I see what they have planned. (but I loved her in this scene...she always gets the best lines).

The treasure-cam is for me a sign that deep down Mozzie is aware that Neal is unsure. It's more or less a bait to keep Neal interested.

Also, Neal really, really liked getting back to normal with Peter.

This is what I especially loved about the episode. And not just getting back to normal but, as you pointed out, the two actually quick about working together. I love that despite the issue with the treasure the show continues to develop their friendship.

Adler's death gave him the revenge he wanted, so he is basically in a void. Mozzie is really excited about leaving...he is the one who basically takes care of everything. Neal on the other hand goes along with it, but he also stalls at every step on the way. He acts fast as long it's about covering their tracks, but everything related to the flight itself, he is all "we take our time, we do it right", "I haven't decided on a new name yet" aso.

Excellent observations. I know someone said something somewhere about this years theme being choices and we're really starting to see a lot of that. I love that Neal is so subtly indecisive.

I agree with what Swanpride said, that's it's not "really" about greed, it's more about choices. Greed does play a part since that treasure is the means to the perfect life Neal has always wanted, but without Kate in the picture it probably has a lot less appeal.

I like your theories of Neal dragging his feet. I hadn't even thought of it, but now that you pointed it out there is definitely reluctance on Neal's part.Someone mentioned somewhere about Eastin saying that this year it would be all about choices, and we're definitely starting to see that - not just a choice between Mozzie and Peter, but also between living the life always wanted (even if it will always be incomplete now that Kate is gone) or keeping the life he has now.

How's this work? Neal realizes that the life Mossie is offering isn't the one he wants either and that the only reason he even started down this path was because he was so hurt by Peter's accusations and he wanted to please Mozzie, be what Mozzie wanted since he had failed to be what Peter wanted?

Totally. It's the only explanation as to why Neal was so quick about agreeing to take the treasure and run that makes sense, at least to me. It was a knee-jerk reaction to everything that happened, before, during and after Adler, but reaction that Mozzie continues to stoke.

White Collar Review

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