White Collar Episode Review

[kriadydragon]

A little on the campy side, specifically the flashbacks scenes, but otherwise still fun as usual. I'm quite sure the slashers imploded after Elizabeth's "prom picture" comment ;).

I was a little annoyed at first that Mozzie didn't seem to trust his friends enough to take care of things, but it all worked out in the end and he trusted them to be there when it mattered most.

The quote-off - adorable :D

Neal's shirt looked a little wrinkled (and I don't think he was wearing an undershirt... yummers!;))

Fake Peter and Neal fight - come on, boys, why don't you tell us what you really think ;)

Elizabeth brings the cons goodies when they're "incarcerated" - it's totally canon, now :D

Elizabeth arrested twice - hee! Naughty thing ;)

Mozzie pulled a Ferris Beuller!

Neal thinking on the fly is always love. Neal thinking on the fly in that leather jacket of his is triple the love :D

June! June helping Mozzie - twice! June showing some attitude!

Jone and Mozzie moment, with Jones being annoyed! I'm really loving all the mix and match ensemble going on.

More reasons for Neal to be conflicted about running.

And, finally, The Nazi loot not tainted because it's from a Russian museum or whatever! Personally I'm taking this as the boys having done their research to ensure none of the treasure was from Jewish families most likely killed during the Holocaust. Which means they most likely had intended to return it (or at least not sold it) if it was. That means no more having to hear about how skeevi wanting to sell Nazi loot is (pretty please?).

But now for the negative:

Okay, this isn't really a negative, just something I would have liked to have seen and would still like to see - for the consequences of Mozzie's actions to put Neal in danger and for Mozzie and Peter to save him. I think it would have gone a long way to establish the moral dilemma Neal is going through; on the one hand, a life of crime isn't pleasant. On the other, the two men Neal are torn between saved him, making it even hard to know who to be loyal to.

Previews - another Peter goes undercover doing what Neal normally does? Really? :( Not that I'm begrudging Peter fans a Peter-centric episode but... the show already did this - twice: Peter the thief and Peter breaking out of "jail." And I swear I'm not speaking as a Neal fan wanting something Neal centric but as someone who tends to squirm when character A pretty much takes on the role of character B, with character A getting mostly relegated toward the back. I was really hoping for for a Peter and Neal centric episode next week but it seems like they're continuing with this character-focused trend. Of course it really depends on what happens in next week's ep, and for all I know it is Peter and Neal focused. But, yeah, I'll be honest, right now I'm not looking forward to it.

Plus I really think they need to do a Neal-centric episode. More specifically an episode (or episodes) either heavily focused or slightly more focused on Neal's dilemma to go or stay. Right now I think we're getting bits and pieces, enough to let us know there's a dilemma but, I'm greedy, I want more. I want to see Neal in trouble and his two best friends going to bat for him. I want more scenes of Neal looking torn. And I want more reminders of Neal being a good guy at heart.

And maybe this is just me being an over-protective character fan but I kind of feel like Neal's getting sidelined. As much as I enjoy an ensemble show I think this is a bad time for the show to go all-out diverse, especially back-to-back like they've been doing (first Diana, then Mozzie, now, maybe, Peter). Because since we're not getting quite as much Neal - at laest compared to season one and some of season two - we're also not getting as much of what he's going through that we did in season one with him and Kate, and I feel like it's not doing any favors for his character.

Or maybe I'm just being greedy, I don't know. The more character focused you get fanning-wise the harder it is to tell what's the show's doing and what's your own perceptions being tainted. It's not that I don't want the show to be diverse - I do, because it's been great - just that I feel it something they need to spread out rather than pack it all in at one time, so to speak.

Comments

[swanpride.livejournal.com]

Loved it! Totally loved it! Every second of it! Even the campiness! The best episode of season 3 so far!

And I have to say, since Peter and Neal got their screentime this time around and Mozzie didn't took over the whole ep (like Diana and Sara did last week), I didn't mind the "special character theme" this time around.

But I agree, I really, really want a Neal centric episode at the moment. The next one looks once again like a "very special one" (to show off Dekays Salsa skills).

Is it bad that I'm somewhat obsessed with the banana?

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

Is it bad that I'm somewhat obsessed with the banana?

The banana needs to pop up again, say when Neal needs to pick a lock or cut some binds, but has neither kit nor knife. Or there's a bad guy but Neal is weaponless. Banana to the rescue! ;)

They balanced this well with the Mozzie stuff and Peter and Neal stuff. I really want to give next week's episode the benefit of the doubt, but Ladyniko said it best - we're not getting enough insight into Neal, and that's making all these character-focused episodes rather frustrating. We need more than just the occasional "hint" that Neal really is indecisive. We need something more crucial, such as Peter and Mozzie going to bat for Neal.

[swanpride.livejournal.com]

I think, when the next round over at Collar Corner starts I will post a prompt titled "Mozzie's fruit basket"

Yeah, all those "silent talk" they do at the end of the ep is nice, but I would like to see more of this.

And while I liked the fake fight in this one, it also was a missed opportunity...I wish, they had made it more real, showing real hurt in both of their faces, until Neal manages to catch himself and goes back into his con personality.

[ladyniko.livejournal.com]

I'm quite sure the slashers imploded after Elizabeth's "prom picture" comment ;). Bwahahahah! I had the same thought. :)

I loved the set up and how seamlessly Neal & Peter worked together in pulling off the con on the mobsters.

However, Mozzie's paranoia and insistence that Neal needs to leave with him is just grating at me right now. I love Neal and I love how he's basically been a good guy at heart, but the whole deal with the Nazi loot seems to be more and more of Mozzie's escape than Neal's - especially his insistence on dealing with it now. My thought is - why not wait? Neal's not got that much longer to go on his parole, so why not do it after he's a free man and can slip off the radar if he so desires?

The whole set up is just leaving me going, "Where's the insight into Neal? We're not getting enough of that!"

I like the diversity, but I feel we're drifting away from the core story here - what is Neal's motivation this season? Will he stay or will he go?

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

but the whole deal with the Nazi loot seems to be more and more of Mozzie's escape than Neal's - especially his insistence on dealing with it now.

I chalk this up to Mozzie thinking he's doing right by Neal. I'm starting to wonder if part of the reason Mozzie is so quick to run is to get out before Neal has a chance to change his mind. Both their goals had been that one big score that would set them up for life, and Mozzie wants that just as much for Neal as for himself, and so doesn't like the idea of Neal settling for less just to live on the straight and narrow.

The whole set up is just leaving me going, "Where's the insight into Neal? We're not getting enough of that!"

Yes! This is what's been bugging me, I just couldn't put my finger on it. I've been missing how things were in season one and I think this is why. We're not "really" seeing Neal's indecision. We're given hints, moments that give us the idea that Neal is dragging his feet and that he's being given reasons to stay, but nothing quite as in depth as what we got with previous seasons. I'm sure as season three progresses we'll be getting more undecided!Neal, but that we haven't really gotten it quite yet is starting to become frustrating.

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

Oops. forgot to say...

I like Mozzie but this season I'm actually feeling slightly soured toward him. Good intentions or not, he put Neal in a really bad situation. Neal told Peter he doesn't have the treasure, but now Neal does have the treasure, Peter suspects him and to Neal it's either run or go back to prison once Peter knows the truth.

Not that I think Mozzie's a bad guy for what he did, but it's hard to side with him at the moment.

[swanpride.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but in this regard, "The dentist of detroid" is actually well placed. It made Mozzie more sympathic again (and he actually has some robin hood tendencies considering that he sends money to the orphanage). And it really highlighted all the bonds the have forged in New York. (Somewhat notable that even June was in although she wasn't really needed, while Sara was absent).

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

It did do a lot to make him more redeemable.

[ladyniko.livejournal.com]

Thank you! This is what I couldn't articulate.

Mozzie, for all his faults, is not a really bad guy and his determination to "help" Neal here is really not helping him at all.