Well, as sad as it is to say this, we are officially halfway through the final season of White Collar. As much as I’m looking forward to seeing what happens and how it ends, I still don’t want it to end. 🙁
This is the place to post your reactions to episode 6×03, “Uncontrolled Variables,” as well as any speculations you may have about the rest of the season. As usual, there will be spoilers – so if you haven’t seen the episode yet and don’t want to be spoiled, you may want to avoid the comments on this post for now.
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Wow, s6 is batting .1000. What most touched me in 6.03 is how Neal is beginning to realize that actions have consequences, and that his choices affect the people around him. Neal has a heart of gold, but that alone doesn’t prevent innocent people from getting hurt. Neal is in over his head with the PP–he’s not ruthless or soulless enough to beat them at their own game–and, judging by the look on his face after that last conversation with Keller, I think Neal is the most afraid I’ve seen him during the entire series.
I also noticed a parallel being drawn between Keller and Peter, with Neal in the middle, between his past and his future, between the dark and the light.
The stark contrast between how Peter and the Interpol agent Luke handled the con and its innocent victim was another point of light vs. dark (metaphorically speaking), and it raised the age-old moral dilemma of, does the ends justify the means. Peter doesn’t think so and, thankfully, he’s in charge, but clearly Interpol isn’t interested in controlling Keller.
Speaking of whom, Ross McCall is fabulous in this role, but Keller has to die.
atg~ Hi. I can’t actually see the episodes until 30 days after they’ve aired (long story), so after tonight I’m going to try with all my might not to read recaps until I’ve seen the episode. lol. Thank you for your post! I enjoy reading your interesting perspectives~ and I’ll bet your right on the money. If Neal is that afraid, it does seem more & more likely that his only way out is to run at the end, to save the lives of his loved ones. If so, that’s going to be heartbreaking to watch. But I have to keep reminding myself..these aren’t real people, and the ending was Matt’s idea, so I’ll have to blame him. lol.
Loved this ep a lot of thing to discuss but one I think is the most important is what will happen after the last scene? Neal looks worried maybe he is “afraid” about what is going to happen with the PP and I think that this will be the “heart” of the last ep Neal and Peter must protect each other from the PP and from the Interpol.. I don’t trust this agent ,Luc is the keller’s reflex just with a badge he has no moral, ethical principles and no problem to involve an innocent ruining her life and either knowing what Keller can do ..no problem even to kill an innocent NO I don’t like Luc …he betrayed Peter’s trust ,stealing the disk …and he worked behind his back .Luc and Keller are going to give a lot of problems to Neal and Pete..r they are dangerous!!
And about El I understand her worries about Peter’s job he spends a lot of hours working at the office and on the field taking also a lot of risks and now with the baby incoming she wants him with her at home more than he usually do …and Peter wants to be a good dad and that means that he ‘ll have to make some painful choices ( my opinion)
Just as Neal is no Keller, Peter is no Luc. Together, Luc and Keller are a powder keg, and their working relationship with the FBI seems more like an additional risk than reinforcement for the good guys. I love how Peter is taking point on this case–I haven’t watched every crime procedural, but I can’t imagine a more heroic, noble, and humanly decent law enforcement officer on TV.
El’s concerns are valid for any pregnant spouse of a workaholic law enforcement official who loves working in the field. I think Peter’s impending fatherhood will force him to re-evaluate what’s important to him, just as Neal’s difficult position within the PP will give him a new perspective on what true freedom is (and it’s not living anklet-free while there’s a target on the backs of everyone you love).
Hey couldn’t said it better about Peter. 😉
If I forget a minute that nagging feeling that “something has to go wrong”, this was yet another very enjoyable episode!
Oh Keller is sooo getting under my skin. I wasn’t expecting him to go rogue that soon. But you gotta love his ability to make friends. “How’s the wife?” LOL
Not sure how I feel about the Interpol agent. He doesn’t seem strong enough to counter Peter (nor Peter’s charisma). But maybe it’s just an act. I don’t know. There’s something fishy about him. And, man, spare me the “Are you handling your CI?” when you tell Keller to grab his gun. Seriously? Is that a way to handle a mission and a psycho?
And why Interpol says he doesn’t exist?
Peter wasn’t exactly the most diplomatic either, but I’ll forgive him because Luc is a terrible agent.
I really liked Amy. She was sweet and honest, but not just the naive girl. She did want to skip dinner 😉 and she stood her ground at the end.
So it seems Neal really doesn’t enjoy much being a conman anymore, and he’s seeing the consequences of his actions, which is in continuity with the previous season. Good for him. 🙂
Loved the Peter/El smooch. 😉 I really like the way they’ve handled the pregnancy so far. ♥
Oh and Diana about the doll staring at her LOL
Lots of great lines and little details that I’ve forgotten but that makes the show so enjoyable. 🙂
Line of the night was Mozzie’s “…and when a DOT and a DOS fall in love…”…I do wonder where all this is leading for Mozzie.
I think Neal still enjoys the con, but he doesn’t enjoy using innocent bystanders. I liked Amy too, but I knew it would end badly. I can’t say I blame her, but lies, even noble lies, have a way of catching up with you.
Obviously, Luc is more interested in the win itself than in how he plays the game. He’s reckless and cavalier, and the rather loose leash he has on Keller is not a good sign of things to come. Either he’s unaware of Keller’s history, which is hard to believe, or he doesn’t care. I think he doesn’t care as long as he gets what he wants.
Yeah my money is on he doesn’t care. He’s an agent, I’m sure he did his work on Keller. And he probably found him reckless enough to fit in with the Panthers (more than Neal who doesn’t use violence).
I think Mozzie will just continue to be Mozzie happily ever after.
Euriska noted that in the conning of Amy. Neal was the only one who was reluctant. He suggested to Keller to find another way. He told Peter that she is at risk of being hurt. Peter said she would be hurt either way. Luc told Keller to get his gun and invade Amy’s home.
So Peter was willing to involved Amy for the greater good. Luc for his ambitions . Keller because he likes preying on the innocent. Neal was the one who did not want to and was more reluctant. He did it for the job.
The big problem in this issue was the lack of Peter/ Neal scenes . The walk and talk was with Mozzie. The interpersonal was Diana and Elizabeth. Mozzie was great with Peter and his Dos and Dot dialog was poetic
Mozzie’s analogy was so perfect getting the wedding guest to talk to one another.
My big problem with this episode is that while good it lacked that sparkle that made White Collar spectacular.
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Hello all!
I just wanted to check in and say that I have missed you all and I, too, have been loving these episodes of White Collar. I am so sad and perhaps in a bit of disbelief that this is the final season and that it’s halfway over, at that! Therefore, I guess I just haven’t been in the right frame of mind to post anything in the way of discussion.
I think of you all with each episode, though, and hope that you are enjoying them, too. Just for whatever reason I can’t bring myself to talk about it.
It’s very hard for me to talk about, too.
Hey Pandandrum!
Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
For now I’m trying not to think too much about it, and I’m just enjoying the ride. Like really enjoying! I so love that show! And I think most of us here are enjoying it very much too 🙂
I agree that it’s important to enjoy the ride, while we have it. That’s what this whole season is for. 🙂
I’ve kind of been the same way, as far as talking about it. I’m absolutely loving the episodes and had originally planned to do a detailed write-up/analysis of each one, but I haven’t been able to bring myself to do it.
The season has been great so far, and it’s awesome to have them back, but it’s been more bittersweet than I expected. The finality of it all – the fact that after December, we won’t see these actors playing these characters again – is a very tough pill to swallow.
It is. I’m sure I’m not alone in this, but what makes it even harder for me is knowing how hard it’s been for the actors. lol. I feel bad enough for myself, but knowing what a tight-knit family they’ve become, and that they weren’t prepared for it to end so quickly…I feel much worse for them than I do for myself. BUT on the plus side, they all know that this comes with the territory; they still have their own families as support systems; and they plan to stay in touch as friends. 🙂