White Collar - Post Ep Dish - 2.16 - Under the Radar - SEASON FINALE

[elrhiarhodan]

And so, my friends, it’s time for the FINAL Post-Ep Dish of the season. I can’t believe S2 is coming to a close. A lot of things happened in my life since the season began, back in July. Some were terrible, but some were very, very good. And at the top of my list is how many friends I’ve made here on LJ. This has become an important part of my life, and I hope you don’t all drift away while waiting for S3 to begin in July.

I’ve got a few things planned to keep you around. Another promptfest, hopefully a Paley Event in New York, On Location reports, and for some of you - getting together in RL.

I know that people are saying the Under the Radar is fantastic - but how the hell is it going to top the end of S1? Maybe it doesn’t have to - because as much as I loved this season (even Forging Bonds is growing on me), I’m still not 100% happy with how the writers treated the emotional fallout from all of Neal’s disasters.

Anyway - it’s almost time, my friends.

Andrew McCarthy’s back as Vincent Adler - I wonder if Ally Sheedy and Molly Ringwald are close at hand.

Once again, I’m tuned into Cupcake Wars - it’s like watching a train wreck - kind of hard to stop.

Anyway, five minutes and counting...see you on the other side. Here we go.





1 Had...had a sense of purpose!
2 It’s big! Like something else
3 Ahhh. She does know that Neal didn’t go to college!
4 And the team looks so very pleased
5 Round Up The Harvard Crew
6 A sunken UBoat - Nazi Gold? Artwork?
7 Neither Jones nor Diana are interested in finding Alex. Not surprised, not surprised at all. She’s burned both of them.
8 Mozzie - so gleeful!
9 Plutonium? Hitler Clones?
10 Are you nine? Banter on the half-shell
11 OMG - it’s Blaine (okay - enough with the Pretty In Pink references)
12 Checking the local fences - Eames? ORLY? Where’s Arthur?
13 And I think they were together - Neal and Alex - despite what Neal told Sara
14 Mozzie is so cute running away
15 God - I love Neal in that suit
16 Now they check traffic cams????
17 New York - why are you so pretty?
18 OH NOES - Neal in Jeopardy!
19 The Kate He Knew??? I guess she was his creature after all. Or not?
20 No, Neal - don’t drink that! Peter! You are in danger...hugs you tight, keeps you safe
21 Alex! You are so pretty! And you slap him?
22 The Uboat - Argentina - his father?
23 The look between Peter and Neal
24 Strawberry Blonde With a Penchant for Voltaire - Gina?
25 Slightly Erotic?
26 Oh Mozzie you are so adorable
27 Enigma Machine - works for me.
28 That’s an awfully clean submarine. And it’s not yellow
29 How could the TNT still be live? 60 years?
30 In case this doesn’t work - Peter...I love you. Yeah - I love you too.
31 Ahhhh - Adler didn’t know that Alex was related to Wagner.
32 Midas - oh god. Not Nazi gold. Please, NOT NAZI GOLD
33 Mozzie won’t get in the van
34 HITLER CLONES!!!!!
35 And boxes - wonder if the Ark of the Covenant is in one of them
36 IT’S ART - and jewelry (okay - a little gold)
37 Peter’s a reasonable man…
38 And MOZZIE - you’re my hero - GO DIAGONAL!!!!!!!
39 Peter’s expression when Neal buries his face in Alex’s breasts
40 Action Diana - Action Jones! Too soon for the rescue!
41 And they kiss - omg - POOR SARA. Neal - you manwhore, you.
42 Alex and Sara in the same room. Catfight anyone? Apparently
43 "If I’m not out in ten minutes, send backup" Jones as wingman...hee
44 Her grandfather built the code into the music box! And Neal kept the key
45 That looks like a kiss goodbye
46 And Peter’s playing matchmaker
47 Poor kids - they look so unhappy.
48 Slash is official - El tells Sara that Peter’s got Neal
49 FBI SWAT?
50 NEAL YOU STUPID ASS - DON’T DO THIS ALONE
51 So, we’ll never really know if Kate was good or bad - but she was in contact with Adler
52 Peter shot Adler - He looks devastated
53 AND WHAT THE FUCK????
54 Neal? Neal? You did this?
55 So - if not Neal, then who? Mozzie? Alex? June?
56 And so - the bromance is on another rocky, rocky road.


Okay, flisties and other friends. You know the drill - your thinky and not so thinky thoughts, please! I know you have to have A LOT OF THEM.

Comments

[doctor-fangeek.livejournal.com]

Ooh, will I have the first comment this time (or is someone else finishing theirs while I type)?

Or does this even count, since all I have to say right now is, "Sorry, Doctor Fangeek is still processing this episode. Please tune in later when she might have something coherent to say about it." :-)

[doctor-fangeek.livejournal.com]

And I was so sitting there going, "Okay, so which box has the Ark of the Covenant in it?"

[elrhiarhodan]

Yeah...and wasn't it on right before WC about three weeks ago!!!!!!

[doctor-fangeek.livejournal.com]

Hey! You're right - it was. :-)

And meanwhile, WTF White Collar and your season finale ending. Is it June yet?

And on the third hand (you know, the one I'm growing as part of that biology experiment I'm running on the side), I wholly approve of the "keep people around" plans. I really hope they do a Paley event in New York again, I of course approve of Promptfest VI (is it VI now?), and I think it may be a "moral imperative" to get together with fellow fans or to make it to NYC while they are filming, or if possible both (note semi-gratuitous reference to one of my favorite 'guilty pleasure' movies ever, "Real Genius").

[jrosemary.livejournal.com]

Lol! So true. Thank you--that laugh almost makes up for the ending. :P

[elrhiarhodan]

YAY for first comment!

And double yay! for all the thinky thoughts you've posted below.

*TIGHTLY HUGS FOR YOUR EXCELLENT PARTICIPATION*

[damietta.livejournal.com]

WELL....

How would Alex know about the Chrysler painting(s)? It had to be Moz.

I don't mind Sara, but I don't want them to force things. (But, Mozzie and Sara are hysterical together.)

The little chickens (cornish hens) line was priceless.

The treasure is right in front of you (and Alex kisses Neal). Sigh.

Loved the Lethal Weapon homage (the ILU scene with the bomb).

[elrhiarhodan]

I don't know if it's Moz or Alex, but I am really leaning towards someone else. I don't like the idea that Moz would be cool with Nazi loot. He's a criminal mastermind, but he's also got a very strong set of ethics.

And yeah for everything else you've said -

The little chickens (coming home to roost) - so full of win!

Not sure if I ship Alex and Neal - I kind of want him to be Peter's boy (even though that's impossible).

And the Lethal Weapon homage! Just delicious.

[surreal-44.livejournal.com]

I missed some of this episode, but here's what my brain has registered:

ALEX AND NEAL!!!! Go Team Alex!! ;-) Graceful and gorgeous. Loved seeing her again.

Lots of funny lines.

OMG, Peter!!! He killed someone!!! :-( Poor baby.

I felt bad for Neal when Peter accused him of stealing things, but I can't say I blame Peter for being suspicious.

Plus Peter's anger is emotionally driven from killing someone. Peter, you should take a few deep breaths before you bluster and accuse Neal of crimes. -pets-

Neal has his treasure. I would suspect Alex...but my dad thinks it was Sara.

[elrhiarhodan]

There was a lot of great stuff inside the ep, and a lot of stuff that was wrong (which we've discussed in my other post), but the ending - Peter's emotionally driven anger - that works. Really works.

[surreal-44.livejournal.com]

For as stoic as Peter is, when it comes to emotional stuff he flails and then I think he panics. Then he just blurts out what he's thinking -- much like I do. :-D I suppose I have greater sympathy with Peter because I see a lot of myself in his character.

Except he's nicer and more likable. :-) And well...hotter.

And I sort of re-watched it today (I keep getting interrupted, damn it!) but Mozzie's talk with Sara about conmen and how you can't trust them is exactly what Peter must have at the back of his mind at all times.

Even though Neal is a great character and is pretty and is usually a nice guy, he is first and foremost a conman. Peter hasn't forgotten that; a lot of the audience seems to have forgotten or rewritten what a conman is and does.

It's not a criticism of fandom -- this happens with all pretty male characters, especially if they're bad boys. Fandom reworks all the nasty flaws into something good or something to be ignored because otherwise it's harder to love them. ;-)

[lionessvalenti.livejournal.com]

As far as the actual, real plot goes I'm... I don't know. I'm going to have to watch it again. And the end? I don't know. I'm all over the place. There are no settled feelings from me at all right now. No theories or anything. I'm still just asfhafklaIDON'TKNOW.

That said, there was lots to squee about on my fannish front. Peter patting Neal down. Instances of extended touching. "And now [Peter's] got Neal, for better or for worse". IF THAT'S NOT SAYING SOMETHING, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS. Never mind the fact that Neal apparently has dinner with Burke's more often than we think (okay, probably not more often than WE think, but what is shown). Cornish hens indeed. Total OT4 scene. :D I want them to be one big happy family. *fantasy world!*

PLUS, the conversation between Sara and Alex was Bechdel passing and that made me happy. And I loved that it was nice mature conversation between adults -- no catfight at all. Was also happy by the extended interaction between recurring female characters, even if El and Sara just talked about Neal. It doesn't happen very often! I'll take what I can get.

I want to stick my face in Alex's cleavage. Though I think El's is a bit more substantial. If I were Neal, I wouldn't be picky. Sara would work too. ;)

They never did give us definitive word on Kate and her character motivations (which is kind of the thing I was looking for *shakes fist*) but it does make me want to write the fic about her and Fowler that I wanted to, and have been putting off in waiting for the storyline to be resolved. I could give it a whirl. :)

[doctor-fangeek.livejournal.com]

I am totally with you on that first paragraph. I liked the episode, and there was lots of good stuff in it, but I'm all, "Huh? What just happened?" with regard to the ending (and the stuff leading up to it). I'm not really coherent enough at the moment to have any theories.

[lionessvalenti.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I have no brain for theories right now. I'm sort of torn on how I feel about it. And I'm kind of flaily.

Though I am kind of concerned for the awkward of Neal and Peter working together while Peter is apparently going to be investigating Neal. Or are they going to give this a quick-fix resolution like they tend to do with some of these things?

I don't know. I'm not making any definitive statements just yet.

[elrhiarhodan]

Ummm, can I just say "ditto" to everything you just said?

[photoash.livejournal.com]

I loved every moment of this episode :D :D :D I agree that Alex and Neal were conveniently shagging behind the scenes off and on as needed :) as Neal needed some relief! <3

I love that Kate knew :D of course she had a plan to save her and Neal she wasn't a slouch herself smarts wise :) (she was never an innocent ;) )

I admit, I was truly squealing with glee at Alex and Neal kissing knowing Sara was watching <3 <3 <3 that made me so happy I can forgive the writers all of Sara's irritations this season just for that moment :)

I called Alex stealing the paintings :D :D :D and she did :D!! (maybe WITH Mozzie?? :D) I love that <3 <3 <3 <3

Dark!Neal :D :D :D :D My favorite!!

This is just too much awesome I can't wait to watch it again so I can catch some dialogue I missed!

Finally <3 Neal's smile at the end? That's what Matty looks like when he finally gets home from NYC and opens the door to Simon and the kids :)

[elrhiarhodan]

I definitely think that Alex and Neal were getting it on when she was in New York...and probably in Europe, too. Neal Caffrey, Manwhore.

I don't think that Moz had anything to do with the theft, or Alex. Mox may be a criminal genius, but he's also a man with a strong set of ethics, and stealing and keeping Nazi plunder would probably disgust him.

[roselani24.livejournal.com]

Um, hi? I've been following your post eppy commentaries since the beginning of the season and haven't commented but this time I just have to, so I hope you don't mind... =)
First off, comment #35. I had EXACTLY the same thought!!! LOL! I kept waiting for Neal or Peter to comment about it but I guess they already did that back in Season 1 in "All In". Ah well.

#47 too! Oh Neal and Sara. Loved individual talks Peter and Elizabeth had with them. And the Peter and Elizabeth banter while setting(?) the table was hilarious and sweet. Peter's talk with Neal was especially lovely and has only made me love the man more! He has proven over and over how much he cares about Neal
Also in this episode I really started to like Sara more so then before. I've kinda been on the fence about her since she was introduced but now I've decided I like her =) hee!

But on the flip side Alex was awesome in this episode too. I loved the backstory we got on her and her grandfather and why she doggedly pursued the music box for so long. In some way it makes her more understandable and I genuinely believe she cares about Neal. She immediately knew that Neal liked Sara a great deal and respected it, and Sara. I keep thinking about last season's finale and how Alex took the box and then brought it back to Neal. She was determined to find the treasure as her grandfather charged her but she wasn't going to leave Neal stranded. She knew he loved Kate, that the box was for her, and that Neal lied when he said he would give it to Alex. Lol, yeah, I really love Alex right now. ^_^ She loves Neal, but knows him well enough to know she will never mean to him what he means to her. At least that's what I think.

Did you notice that Alex asked Peter "should I?" before she slapped Neal? Heehee. I wonder what Peter and Alex said before Neal woke up. Peter was already up and pacing by the time Neal woke up...

Yeah, I adored the finale and as for Neal in the end scene...if he doesn't go straight to Peter and tell him the truth I want Alex, or maybe Diana or Sara to slap him. I don't blame Peter for being suspicious and mad all things considered. He shot and killed(?) a man to save Neal. And then seeing that burning piece of artwork of Neal's... Another rocky, rocky road indeed for the bromance! *pouts* Why do we have to wait for July for Season 3???

So, um yeah. My thoughts. =) Now just to wait for the rerun so I can watch it again!

[mysticlady3.livejournal.com]

Why do we have to wait for July for Season 3???

It comes back in June not July :D.

[roselani24.livejournal.com]

I thought I read July somewhere...hmmm. Ah well. June is much better! Thanks for correcting me! =D

[mysticlady3.livejournal.com]

No problem :).

[elrhiarhodan]

Thank you for joining the comment stream. The water's warm and the rest of use fish are very friendly.

I was on the fence with her, too - but I liked the take no prisoners attitude, and that she didn't get all gooey with Neal right off the bat. I've definitely warmed up to her since.

I like Alex too - but I don't see them together long term. She's too much an opportunist and he's looking for the perfect white picket fence.

As for the end - I think Neal's smiling because he knows he can rub Peter's face in it...and he's going to call Peter right away. I have a personal distaste for the idea that Neal would keep one single speck of Nazi loot. That i so very wrong in my book - as copperbadge noted, Neal's a thief, not a looter. The moral wrongness of keeping art and treasure stolen from the murdered millions makes me kind of sick.

I've heard the show will be back in June. I'm rooting that they will show the premier at the NY Paleyfest. Anyone want to take that bet???

[doctor-fangeek.livejournal.com]

So...here's a question...someone else apparently moved all that stuff to the warehouse - it's not like Neal *left himself* the note and the key. Adler says, IIRC, that the stuff is in an 18-wheeler inside the building. It's not like "someone" (whoever it was) could have taken all of the treasure and replaced it with fakes so that Adler would load the fakes on the truck. Presumably they must have gotten the stuff out after it was loaded up but before the place went "boom!" Seems difficult, but I'll go along with it for now. But that still leaves me wondering how all of that connects to *Neal's* painting being there? It had nothing to do with the Nazi loot. If Neal really had stolen the art, why would he have brought a painting from his apartment and put it in the truck? Frankly, why would anyone who might have stolen the art done that. It makes Peter suspicious, but as a clue it really doesn't seem to make any sense?

Am I missing something obvious here?

[photoash.livejournal.com]

FWIW - I think it was to drive a wedge between Neal and Peter if it was Alex who is my bet on who moved the stuff (with Mozzie's help possibly).

Alternatively, Neal is just being set up by some new baddie (or old baddie what about Keller? He is always thinking five or ten steps ahead...)

:) I remember Neal said he filled up a storage room with paintings - why not wrap them up to fool Adler to think that's what's in his truck? (the truck bed was in the warehouse that wasn't rigged up yet. They could load identical trailer with them then just switch trailers presumably).

I hope we get lots of fic speculating!! :D

[doctor-fangeek.livejournal.com]

Clearly it *did* drive a wedge between them, but if that was the plan I guess I'm still struggling with someone assuming that it would work that way. I mean, *if* Neal had stolen the real paintings, would he have included a painting of his own that Peter knows about as part of the fake replacements? If anything went wrong (e.g. the FBI found the truck first), that would look pretty bad. Neal can be reckless, but generally not when it comes to "business." And Adler just assumed that no one would be able to find the truck, so didn't have anyone keeping an eye on that much loot? I don't know...right now it all seems a bit sketchy to me. Hopefully it will make more sense when season 3 gets here. :)

[photoash.livejournal.com]

Sorry I was unclear. I Don't think Neal was in on it. I think either:

A. Alex and/or Mozzie did it and put Neal's in as adequate replacements for space (or if it was Alex possibly to drive a wedge between neal and fbi).

B. Someone framing Neal - I kept thinking the fbi would burst into the storage room to catch him 'red handed' and if it was Mozzie he'd just tell Neal not leave a cryptic note.

Either way :) super excited to see what happens next!

[doctor-fangeek.livejournal.com]

Oh, you weren't unclear. Sorry if *I* was unclear. I didn't think that you thought Neal was in on it. I was trying to say that I was having trouble with the idea that if someone else was doing it to drive a wedge between Neal and Peter, that *that* person thought putting Neal's paintings in there would necessarily have the effect they were going for. My point was that while the presence of Neal's paintings might initially make him look guilty, if you think about it, it wouldn't make sense for Neal to have left the painting Peter had just remarked on in the truck. One would think that Peter would also ultimately come to that conclusion as well and realize that Neal wasn't responsible. Thus the "wedge driving" wouldn't last very long.

Upon further reflection (and reading surreal_44's comment), it had to have been luck that a bit of one of Neal's paintings floated out (and in particular that one), given the size of the explosion. So that part couldn't have been planned. If someone wanted to drive a wedge between Peter and Neal, they'd presumably want Peter to *find* Neal's painting,and therefore wouldn't blow the truck up. That would make things pretty complicated - one party planting Neal's painting and some completely different party blowing everything up? And if the idea was to frame Neal and send the FBI to the warehouse with the loot, how did that person get Neal's painting and why would it even be needed?

The more I think about this, the more confused I get. :)

On the plus side, I see that the question came up on the WCwriters twitter, and they say we'll get the answer in the S3 premiere.

[photoash.livejournal.com]

I hope you have as much fun writing your own answers to this question as I plan to in my own fic.

[doctor-fangeek.livejournal.com]

If I had a coherent answer, I might write it. At the moment I'm still mostly on the questions part. :-) Looking forward to yours!

In the meantime, I have friended you - hope that's okay.

[surreal-44.livejournal.com]

Ha, we posted at about the same time. I concur that someone intentionally trying to drive a wedge between Neal and Peter is a bit of a stretch. We'll see. :-D

[surreal-44.livejournal.com]

FWIW - I think it was to drive a wedge between Neal and Peter if it was Alex who is my bet on who moved the stuff (with Mozzie's help possibly).


If it was Alex, I would think it would be to woo Neal. It was just dumb luck that a bit of Neal's paintings fluttered out. That place was rigged so that there would be nothing left.

Unless you mean the treasure is being used to lure Neal 'back to the dark side'?

[photoash.livejournal.com]

I did think that it was being used to lure him. Alex is very smart, she knows Neal is being seduced to the light so driving a wedge between Peter and Neal would help make Neal more pliant to come back over to her side. (and I could see Mozzie going along with this to a certain degree).

[surreal-44.livejournal.com]

I don't know how it could be a wedge, unless you're implying Alex meant for people to find Neal's paintings before the place exploded.

Because giving Neal ALL that treasure (which seems unlikely for Alex or Mozzie to do, IMHO) might tempt him from the FBI a little, but I don't see how it would be a wedge.

Then again I'm tired and I need to watch this again, so... :D Not trying to argue with you. Just trying to get a clearer picture of what you mean. :-)

[photoash.livejournal.com]

I hope you have as much fun writing your own answers to this question as I plan to in my own fic.

[elrhiarhodan]

It's a red herring - and a poorly designed plot device.

My guess is that there's another big bad on the horizon, someone who knows Neal well, but not someone we've seen yet.

It's been suggested that his father is still alive. Anything's possible with Mr. Jeff "Poopyhead" Eastin running the show.

[meandmyneuroses.livejournal.com]

Hmmm I believe you left out one crucial detail: 48.5 "Nice ass!" El rocks my socks in a box with a fox.

When I saw Neal's expression at the end surrounded with billions of dollars of art and valuables my mind went "Oh, dear" and subsequently "He's baaaaack" Poltergeist style.

Personally I think it's Alex and Mozzie working together.

Alex because she's spent practically her whole life either hearing about or searching for this treasure. I think just finally seeing it, having her grandfather's stories and obsession vindicated was what she was really after. When Neal says "You saved me again" and just their general demeanor with each other (plus that kiss!) shows just how deeply the care for each other even if it's not meant to be. Giving Neal the treasure is rather poetic- the two unattainable treasures being together. Alex knows no one will appreciate the art like Neal will.

Mozzie because he thinks he's doing to best thing for Neal. He sees how much Neal has gone off the beaten path and wants to bring him back into the criminal fold, which to Mozzie is the right place to be. I would imagine Moz believes such a criminal genius shouldn't be rotting away under the rule of the fascist overlords (you know what I'm talking about). In addition Adler not only took everything away from Neal but tried to have Mozzie killed. It's the perfect revenge; two birds, one stone. Ruin Adler's life and "save" Neal.

I like the way Neal and Sara's relationship developed. At first I wasn't crazy about the together. I liked Sara's character but I thought it was a little too... easy? cheesy? obvious? stereotypical? well... something negative for them to get together. But I love the awkwardness when they dance around the romantic stage; it's more grounded in reality. I also like that Neal can say "Would I lie to you?" and Sara can just say "Yes." and still want to be with him.

Also, I'm very pleased at the turn the episode took at the end: a rift between Peter and Neal and Neal presented with the Holy Grail of temptations. Neal is a criminal. During this season it seemed like he was moving farther and farther away from that. It was kinda nice to see him come down from his criminal "why can't you just do whatever you want?" high. However, the finale ending was much more realistic and true to his character. You can't just magically make Neal a (mostly) law-abiding citizen; it's not who he is.

And I must bow down to the writers. They pay so much homage to their viewers I can just feel the loop of love going on between them and WC's fan base. They've weaved so much Peter/Neal and P/E/N hints and shout-outs that is shows that they really know and appreciate their audience.

Ah, well those are all the thinky thoughts I can come up with. My brains is all worn out- it's still stuck on a loop of Neal's face in the treasure trove.

Is it June yet?

Eames? ORLY? Where’s Arthur?

[sirbojangles.livejournal.com]

LOL, my words exactly.

Re: Eames? ORLY? Where’s Arthur?

[kanarek13]

Totally agree. It's exactly what they've been saying in all those interviews, that Neal will never completely abandon the dark side and Peter will never completely trust Neal, no matter how much he tries. Can't say I blame Peter, although I feel he should have given this a bit more thought before going all ballistic on Neal and accusing him of stealing the art.

And I love it that Neal didn't steal the art, but has nothing against accepting a "generous donation". :D

"Nice ass" was awesome. Another thing that made me smile: in that white warehouse room, after helping Neal get up, Peter kept his hand on Neal's shoulder for almost 20 seconds...LOL... "He's mine."

All in all, that was a great season finale!

[queenaeron.livejournal.com]

Just a quick comment before I go do some actual work. I have a lot to say about everything about this ep. But I'll hit 2 things and then go earn my keep! :-)

1. I'm so glad I'm not the only one bothered by the ending. I really hate that it is on at 10:00. It took me a while to go to sleep last night because of the ending. Not the Peter shot Adler part or the part where Peter accused Neal of stealing the paintings. BTW: When Neal tells Peter to prove it, I loved the look on Matt's face. Yum! But the whole warehouse scene. I can't quite put into words what bothered me about it. I'll let it stew in my mind while I process paperwork. But I'm thankful that people reminded me about the mid-season ending from Season 1. It may not be all that it seems.

2. I did a quick scan of the comments about who did the stealing, I think the consensus was Alex or Alex and Mozzie or some new big bad (to borrow from Buffy). I'm voting for the new big bad. My guess is is that it is Neal's dad. That he's not dead. He says his mom told Neal that his dad died when Neal was 2. What if she lied because, as Neal said, she wanted to tell him what he wanted to hear. Neal's dad left them or they ran away from him. Somehow Neal finds out about what his father really was, but still thinks he is dead. But he's not, he's following Neal's exploits and for whatever reason is able to get the treasure out of the warehouse and rig the place to explode. It is just dumb luck that one of Neal's paintings floats down to where Peter can see it. It is a little contrived but this is television after all.

I want to do a deeper set of comments at a later time.

Nice Ass! That was the best line of the whole night! I love Elizabeth and Tiffany!

[doctor-fangeek.livejournal.com]

I'm baaaaaaccckkkk! :)

And now, some "things I liked," plus a continuation of the whole "What? Who? How?" conversation.

So...some things I really enjoyed in the episode (in no particular order):

1. Neal & Peter working together to "safe-crack" the U-boat. Really, Neal & Peter working together to execute any sort of plan is always good.

2. Mozzie in the van! Left, no right, no diagonal!

3. Awkward dinner party is awkward. And I love El & Sara having their conversation, and then so are Peter & Neal. *Love* El telling Sara that Neal may be a lot of things, but that when it's important (or something like that - forgetting the actual line), you can trust Neal. And Neal telling Peter that he's not sure being the lucky guy is for him, and Peter assuring him that it can be.

4. Neal and Sara *talking* about the fact that Neal has a past with Alex.

5. Peter's joke about the Hitler clones when they're looking through the sub.

6. I read on someone else's journal that Angry!Neal's eyes are like laser beams. True.


Okay, and now back to the "Huh? What just happened?" ending. The obvious questions are:
1. Was Neal in on it?
As rabidchild said in her recent post-ep post, the look on his face when the place blows up, and again when he gets to the warehouse don't track with him being involved. I also think that he seemed honestly hurt by Peter's accusations.

2. Who did it?
Current frontrunners in fandom include Alex, Mozzie, some new 'big bad,' and Neal's father (a suggestion I've seen a few times now).

JE says we'll find this out in the "return episode" when S3 starts. WCwriters also tweeted that we'll find out (in the same ep) why Neal's painting was there. I'm glad, because that's bugging me.

*Someone* took the treasure and left it for Neal. Presumably that someone also switched the U-Boat collection with Neal’s paintings, or at least put the Chrysler building painting there. But why, especially if the plan was to blow the warehouse up? I would guess that the explosion was so that everyone would think the treasure was gone. But if everything is going to be destroyed, why put *Neal's* painting (or paintings) in there? What purpose does it serve?

Ideas I've seen include trying to make Peter suspect Neal (the "Alex drives a wedge" theory), or framing Neal for the theft (the "new big bad" theory). The problem with either of those, or with anything involving a plan for Neal's paintings to be found in the truck that previously held the treasure, is that one has to ask what the odds are of a piece of burning canvas happening to land right in front of Peter, *and* it happening to conveniently be a piece which includes a clearly recognizable part of Neal’s newest painting (which Peter just saw a few days ago and can identify).

If the treasure was left for Neal by someone who does not mean him ill (e.g. someone not trying to frame him for the the theft), why would they put something there that, if found, connects him to the crime? What if the FBI found the right warehouse before it blew up? If the treasure was left by someone with ill-will toward Neal, and it is part of some larger scheme against him, and if putting his paintings on the scene was part of that plan, then why blow them up? Or are the "friend" who took the treasure and left Neal the address, and the "someone" who blew up the warehouse two different people. That seems needlessly complicated. I'm genuinely baffled.

Anyone? Bueller??

[lionessvalenti.livejournal.com]

4. Neal and Sara *talking* about the fact that Neal has a past with Alex.

I LOVED the way they handled the whole Alex\Neal/Sara thing in this episode. From Sara and Neal talking about it openly, to the conversation between Sara and Alex. How many shows would a character in Sara's position have her go up to Alex and start a bitchy catfight with undercutting veiled insults? But instead Sara just wants to know Alex. And then the first thing Alex says to Neal after that is how great Sara is. It was all handled VERY maturely. They were acting like adults! It was amazing to see on tv!

Any time there were two women talking to each other in this episode, Neal got nervous. Oh, Neal, the world doesn't revolve around you.

This isn't in response to anything, but did anyone else notice that Neal lugged around the box of Rolxes, and then when he handed it off to Peter, Peter acted like it was about the same weight as his air conditioning unit. But when Jones picks up the box? No big deal. We know who the buff one is. :D

[starry33.livejournal.com]

[info]starry33
2011-03-09 03:44 pm UTC (link) DeleteTrack This
I really liked the episode.:) Not surprising at all, eh?

All the Peter/Neal moments were amazing from their adorable bantering, "What are you, nine?" to the unsaid declarations on top of the U-boat. I actually really like where the season ended because it seemed to me that Neal is getting to comfortable in his role at the FBI. So much of the undercurrent of the show, aside from the bromance in Neal trying to figure out who he is and what kind of life he wants to live. We see it in the pilot when Peter explains how work in the real world equals a certain amount of things this struggle of Neal's is a recurring theme of the show.
I don't think Neal came up with the plot to double-cross Adler but I don't think he is innocent either. Right now, I am leaning toward Mozzie for masterminding the double-cross. Somebody wants Neal to remember his life of crime and that he not only is a con man and thief but that he loves it. Mission accomplished. I think that exploring this rift between Butch and Sundance will be fascinating for next season.

As to the Sara-Neal-Alex developments, it was a little soap opera like but I didn't totally hate it. I mean, I have always loved Alex way more than Kate and I like her more than Sara(who I admit has grown on me). My problem with Neal and Sara now is that these are two emotionally stunted people who are trying to carry on a some sort of relationship. They have no trust and don't really know what they want from relationships in general. Neal thinks he wants what the Burke's have but he fears that he is not that guy. Are his fears justified? I do like how honest Neal and Sara have started to be with one another though I don't think this will end well. As to Alex, I always hurt for her, she was always more invested in Neal than he was in her. That sucks. Why can't Neal appreciate her amazingness? She carries lock picks in her cleavage!!!!!

Other precious moments- Jones' rain man moment. Harvard taught him good. :)
Diana's annoyance with Mozzie in the van- hysterical. Everything El Burke- from being right about the weatherstripping, to her insight on Neal, to acknowledging that her husband has a husband, to slapping said husband's ass. They are my favorite tv married couple!

Can't wait til next season!!

p.s. Anyone else entirely suspicious of Kate again now that we know she was in contact with Adler..

[greyminerva]

Goes SQUEEEEE!
And OH NOES!
And OMG, HOW LONG TIL THE NEXT SEASON?!?

Seriously, just finished watching (live in Norway), still prosessing but mostly just burbling and squeeing and reeling.

Though I DID spot a LOT of slashy moments - both the "In case we don't make it" and El's little heart-to-heart with Sarah was practically canon endorsement of my favourite OT3. <3

[greyminerva]

Oh, and personally I can't stand Alex any more than I could Kate. Don't know what it is about those women, they just rub me the wrong way.
Sarah, despite certain irritating traits, has really grown on me, and I can see her and Neal having an epic romance. A really tricky one, fraught with misunderstandings, paranoia, arguments, fights, breakups and makeups, but when you get down to it: Honest, deep, fiery and longlasting.

I love how Sarah can make him give an honest answer.

And I really don't know who left him the loot - I don't see Alex doing it, she's been in a spot of trouble lately and I just don't see her giving up a fortune for Neal.
Maybe Mozzie, who despite his VERY criminal inclinations doesn't seem too concerned with money and profit.

And finally: I personally hope that Neal finds a way to stick to the path of goodness-with-a-twist and rub Peter's nose in it.
I can picture Neal returning all the stolen art that can be traced to the rightfull owners, or donating the rest to charitable organizations - and then maybe keep some of the gold himself, for a rainy day (and as recompense for all the nearly-free work he does for the FBI). ;)

[dawnie1970.livejournal.com]

I will focus on : In case this doesn’t work - Peter...I love you. Yeah - I love you too.

Instead of: Prove it!

*whimpers at bromance gone sad*