kriadydragon | Looking at the Positive

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Looking at the Positive

I've been in such an intolerant mood, lately - I don't know why - and it's meant trying very hard not to spam my own journal with lots of venting.

So, a positive note - namely six more days until new White Collar, yay! There's just so many things that could happen that I've absolutely not speculated on it at all. Seriously, I refused to give any possible scenarios the time of day. I want to go in taking whatever the show gives me, and I'm both nervous and excited about it.

I'll also admit that it will be nice to (hopefully) see the majority of fic moving on from Count Down tags. I've reached my Count down saturation point and I can't wait to see new ideas pop up. Although this round of finale tags turned out rather interesting. I thought for sure it was going to be another Point Blank fiasco, with fic after fic of Neal apologizing for hurting everyone's feelings. Instead it's a mix of tropes, some good, some bad, some unique and thought provoking. And though, yes, the woobie!Neal and jerk!Peter came out on top as the most prevalent trope, I felt this onslaught of tags to be quite diverse.

Although one thing I would have liked to have read more of was Mozzie's side of things. I know there was one story, yes, but I would have liked to have read more explorations into his own reactions. It really surprised (and annoyed) me how many stories there were where Mozzie was on the list of people Neal hurt and had to apologize to. I would have loved something where it was Mozzie taking responsibility along with Neal, rather than Neal taking all the blame (for the record, I'm not a fan of "it's all Neal's fault and he must learn his lesson!" fic. I'm speaking as both a Neal fan - I will admit it - and someone who likes the complicated, messy issues explored as the complicated, messy issues they are. Neither do I like huffy, pouty Peter).

Anyway, yes, so much happy in the future. Crossing my fingers for much squee (and hungry plot bunnies. I'm in dire need of hungry plot bunnies. They've been refusing to nibble any plots, lately, even with so many to choose from).

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I gotta say I am more than ready for the fandom to move on from Countdown tags, but that's just my issue ;p. There have been a few I've really enjoyed, but a whole lot more that have put me somewhere on the gamut from unhappy to angry, and it's hard to avoid them because there are just so blasted many of them ... (And yes, I know it's my problem entirely, but I can't avoid the episode tags without avoiding the fandom ... *wails*)

But I hear you on the squee. Six days! :D It's so near! And while I can't help speculating, I am trying very hard to let go of my preconceived notions and prepare myself to be happy with whatever we get. Actually, I think that's one of the things that I resent about the glut of episode tags, because it's resulted in me having a pretty strong knee-jerk reaction to certain tropes in the tags, and I don't want to prejudge the episode if it starts going in one of my "do not want!" directions ...

I have somehow managed to remain almost completely unspoiled for the episode, but this is one show where I really do trust the writers to have the characters' best interests at heart - they might not always take them where I would have taken them myself, but there is no doubt in my mind that the writers and the actors love the characters as much as the fans do, and whatever they do with them, I think that as long as I can manage not to let my own prejudgments get in the way, I'm going to be happy. :D

And then we have five more new episodes to look forward to after that!

I plan to make my journal as much of a squee, no-angst zone as possible for the duration. :D

but I can't avoid the episode tags without avoiding the fandom ... *wails*)

I know! Especially since you just don't know what a fic will turn out to be, whether it will be what you dreaded or a wonderful surprise. You don't know until you read (which is usually the part where people will say to stick with the authors you know. But being a fandom of an ongoing show, that means new authors coming out of the woodworks what feels like all the time, and you never know when an author will pop up that writes exactly the kind of stories you're looking for).

but this is one show where I really do trust the writers to have the characters' best interests at heart

Yes, same here. This show is wonderful about keeping things as they are even in the face of major plot changes. They've been awesome about keeping it fresh without sacrificing what we love about the show. I find it makes the cliffhangers easier to handle, because I know that whatever happens it's going to work out.

And I cannot wait to see what the new story arc is. I've adored how this show leads from one thing to another, and that it's not just each season we get change but each half season, so you never really know what's around the corner *dances around in giddy glee*

Especially since you just don't know what a fic will turn out to be, whether it will be what you dreaded or a wonderful surprise. You don't know until you read (which is usually the part where people will say to stick with the authors you know. But being a fandom of an ongoing show, that means new authors coming out of the woodworks what feels like all the time, and you never know when an author will pop up that writes exactly the kind of stories you're looking for).

*nodnod* Exactly - especially since I'm relatively new to the fandom, so I don't know which are the authors whose take on the characters is similar enough to my own to be "safe", and which authors I ought to be cautious about. Although I'm figuring it out ... And this isn't meant to imply any sort of value judgment on any authors for not writing the sort of fic I enjoy. It's just that I'm still in the "getting oriented" phase of being in a new fandom, and it's sort of unfortunate that I happened to come into it during a contentious time. Although I gotta say, it looks like there is always a little of that sort of thing, due to the writers' tendency to throw things out of the woodwork at us. *g*

This show is wonderful about keeping things as they are even in the face of major plot changes. They've been awesome about keeping it fresh without sacrificing what we love about the show. I find it makes the cliffhangers easier to handle, because I know that whatever happens it's going to work out.

Yes! It seems to me that it's at least partly a matter of the writers' priorities being fairly closely aligned with the fandom. For the most part, what the writers value about the characters and their relationships seems to be pretty close to what we value in them, too. I'm not especially concerned about this show killing off a major character or even permanently driving a wedge between the characters. (I just have to keep reminding myself of that. And I plan to keep more of an open mind and a positive attitude in the back half of season three than I did during the first half!)

I do know a teeny, tiny spoiler about what the new story arc might be in season four. It's all speculation on my part beyond that one thing, but do you want to know, or would you rather be completely surprised?

Although I gotta say, it looks like there is always a little of that sort of thing, due to the writers' tendency to throw things out of the woodwork at us. *g*

Yeah, I'm slowly (very slowly but it's happening) coming to terms with this being a show that's going to spark quite a few volatile reactions. Especially where the cliffhangers are concerned.

I do know a teeny, tiny spoiler about what the new story arc might be in season four. It's all speculation on my part beyond that one thing, but do you want to know, or would you rather be completely surprised?

Well, you've piqued my curiosity. Might as well tell ;) That and to confirm whether or not it fits my suspicions. I've only allowed one speculation but only because I've been pondering it for a while.

Yeah, I'm slowly (very slowly but it's happening) coming to terms with this being a show that's going to spark quite a few volatile reactions. Especially where the cliffhangers are concerned.

Yes, precisely. Heh, and I got into White Collar straight out of Highlander fandom, which was even more so (although with the simmering-down of tensions that comes from the show having been off the air for ten years -- though given how much tension there still is, I can only imagine what the fandom must have been like in its heyday). It's a similar situation, though: a canon that frequently has cliffhangers or sudden reversals of the audience's expectations, and a certain amount of moral ambiguity in the characters - it seems to lead to a volatile, somewhat divided fandom.

Okay, the spoiler - and it really is a little thing, but ... apparently someone asked on Jeff Eastin's twitter if we would ever find out why Neal doesn't like guns, and Eastin said that the answer will be plot-relevant in season four. (I can't remember the exact phrasing now - the way I remember it, he said that we will find out in season four and it'll be related to the main plot, but I might be remembering part of that inaccurately.)

Anyway, it made me immediately jump to the conclusion that the main plot in season four will involve Neal's dad and/or his past. :D No one has actually said so, of course, which means that I could be completely mistaken, or maybe Jeff Eastin is just messing with the fans a little. But it seems very likely to me! And it also seems like the next logical step to take, now that they've explored Kate, Adler, and Neal's recent history as a con man about as thoroughly as it is possible to do (at least in terms of a story arc).

While rewatching episodes, I couldn't help noticing that he does not actually say that his dad is dead in "What Happened in Burma". In fact, he very carefully does not say that; he phrases everything to give Peter the impression that his dad died when he was two, while never actually saying so.

So there's my speculation, anyhow. :D

Oh, fascinating. And it does kind of, sort of go along with my own speculations because, yes, I've totally been thinking that Neal's past and his dad/family might be a story arc at some point (or at least an episode or two but I feel strongly that it's going to be a story arc) dislike of guns included. Because, yes, Neal was so careful about how he talked about his dad, and then there's that conversation with Mozzie and Mozzie suggesting that Peter might be able to help... if What Happens in Burma wasn't setting something up for future eps I will eat my sock (since I don't have a hat).

Hi

I think you meant "Count Down" not "Countermeasures" from season two (the ep with Billy Dee Williams).

Ugh, I am always doing that! Thanks for the heads up. I was wondering if I'd gotten wrong again

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Looking at the Positive

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