White Collar rewatch - 2x09 Point Blank

[tj_teejay]

First of all, sorry for not doing a recap last week. Real life got in the way. Guess it's only convenient that there was no rerun on USA either. So let's move on to one of my favorite episodes. And, uhm... *points at calendar* Jan 18 next week! *squee*

Rewatching White Collar
Episode 2x09 Point Blank

Summary::
Neal and Peter uncover that there's a second comb in the music box that may be hiding a secret code. Peter and Diana find a way to lure Fowler out of hiding and Neal is intent on seeking his revenge for Kate's death.

What did we learn from this episode?

• Mozzie's a savant when it come to things like this. (Like what? Opening a locked box?) He can do Rubik's Cube with his feet. In 30 seconds, socks on or off. (Ew?)
• There's no shushing. No shushing for Mozzie.
• There's a second comb in the music box. When you put it in, it sounds like something a 3-year-old would elicit from a toy keyboard. (And can I just mention that they don't even let Mozzie record the whole tune, Neal shuts it off after not even ten seconds. WTF?)
• Sounds can correspond to numbers, wavelengths. Like Pala’s discovery of hidden music in the last supper. Or Runescape’s encoded flute solo. Don't forget Close Encounters: Geographical coordinates encoded in five tones.
• The last credible report has the box disappearing from Königsberg Castle in '45. The box and the key were together the day Neal and Mozzie stole it. (Wait, when did Neal first steal the box? And how exactly did he "lose" it?)
• Alex had both the cherub and the box before she brought the box back to Neal. She knows about the second comb. She could be a step ahead of Neal and Mozzie.
• Mozzie did better with the box than Peter expected.
• Diana likes to wear things that old people have on their curtains.
• Peter doesn't know if Neal is interested in the music box. He thinks he just wants to find Fowler.
• Someone checked one of Fowler's accounts remotely. There's 200 bucks in it. Fowler is desperate for cash because the insurance company didn't pay his wife's life insurance after her murder due to suspicious circumstances.
• Alex fenced a collection of silver pieces from the Almirante's shipwreck a few years ago.
• Apparently, getting rid of the goatee is Mozzie's way of growing up.
• The NYPD is on the silver thief's tail. Neal better warn her.
• It might be a while until Neal attempts his next job. Illegal job, that is.
• Though... isn't conning the FBI kinda illegal too?
• Peter always tries to find a diamond in the rough. Neal wants to create one for him to find.
• As per their agreement, Neal will watch Bugsy for as long as June is out of town. (Sorry, I just can't picture Neal walking a tiny, ugly pug three times a day. To my defense, Mozzie can't either. Neal thinks it's a small price to pay.)
• It lacks a certain flair to dub Alex the "Silver Burglar".
• Step 1: The case file is assembled by a clerk. She merges all the various reports (while dropping blobs of mustard on the file). She logs in the police reports (and sometimes forgets to staple a page). Their probie usually brings her coffee (which he seems to usually spill so that drops collect at the bottom rim). The probie is left-handed.
• Step 2: The file goes to Susan, who highlights the pertinents. Susan likes eau de perfume.
• People will start humming the Batman theme song when they read the last name "Gordon".
• Step 3: The file gets approved by Hughes. His signature is tricky. He has his assistant sign for him.
• Step 4: The file gets passed round the office a few times.
• Step 5: Slip it in with the rest of the files.
• Uh oh! Satchmo's in trouble. He got into the quiche El made. When Peter tells Satchmo that he's a bad dog, he really means Thank You. (Ergo: Peter no likey Elizabeth's quiches.)
• It's time for Neal and Peter to get back to basics.
• El thinks cat burglary is kinda sexy. (Wait until they break into your house, El.)
• What does Neal know about stolen Spanish silver? Does Peter even have to ask? Just once, Peter wishes he did.
• Neal has heard good things about the Silver Thief.
• Yeah, this is bogus. How can Mozzie listen to the whole music box tune when Neal didn't even let him record it in its entirety. Hello?! Continuity person! Where were you when this was filmed?
• Unless GLARVENDKGLL means something to Neal, the music box tune is still just noise.
• There's one guy, codemaker living in the West 30's who might be able to help Mozzie with the code. Enter one Akiro Tanaka.
• Alex always does rooftop recon a block away when the FBI stakes out possible burglary locations. (Uhm.... huh?)
• One of Fowler's aliases is Aaron Burgis.
• Fowler purchased Semtex Class AA explosives. Three guesses what he did with it. Peter doesn't know if Neal can handle that information.
• Neal looks sleek and sexy in black. (After all, he's a New Yorker.)
• Alex hopes Neal doesn't think she's the little French girl and he's Cary Grant in this scenario.
• If Neal could reach Alex like a regular person, maybe it didn't have to be this way.
• Neal knows how to get the target off Alex's back. All she has to do is break into an FBI agent's house and steal the music box. Yeah, piece of cake.
• Déjà vu, Neal, they have done this before. Apparently, third time's a charm. (I'm lost. Neal has stolen the music box twice? I'm guessing the second time was from the Italian consulate, right?)
• Christy works the night shift. And it kills Neal that Diana's not into guys.
• Neal likes the van, the van is fun. Peter knows Neal hates the van. Neal likes it when Diana's in it. She's the only thing that smells good in there.
• Diana has more important things to do than be Neal potpourri.
• Favorite serious moment coming up. "You won't admit it, you won't show it, but I know how difficult these last few months have been to you." (Yes, more emotional stuff, please!)
• Neal didn't take the music box from Diana's house (duh), but of course Peter knows he's involved.
• An antique music box was left in the Russian Heritage Museum's delivery drop. Whoops, where'd that come from, I wonder?
• Peter likes to give Neal the double finger point. And he can do whatever he wants with Neal. He's lucky that he doesn't put Neal in lock-down. Neal knows when he's defeated, so he retreats with his tail between his legs.
• Mozzie can understand Japanese.
• Neal's day just opened up. Alex has no idea how to solve the code. And Neal got benched by Peter.
• Neal must be desperate. He hates guns but he hates Fowler enough to steal one.
• Peter wants Neal's anklet monitored continuously because he knows Neal will want to do something stupid. (Yeah, just wait for it.)
• Diana drives a silver Ford Fusion Hybrid.
• Bugsy is inscrutable.
• They say accessories make the outfit.
• Fowler knows how to bribe his way into invitation-only events.
• Mozzie and Akiro broke the code. And Neal has put his anklet on Bugsy. Nice.
• It's a dark day when Mozzie turns toward the system instead of recoiling. They have a code red. Neal has done something stupid. He's out of his anklet. But that's not the stupid part. He's got a gun.
• Neal isn't afraid to swing it. And he's either a really bad shot or didn't hit Fowler on purpose.
• If Neal pulls the trigger, he will regret it for the rest of his life. But Neal just wants to know how it felt. How she felt. (The Fowler-at-gunpoint scene kills me. More more more angsty, emotional stuff, please!)
• The man who (might have) killed Kate has enough clout to transfer a murderer (i.e. Fowler) into OPR as if nothing happened. And this guy wants the music box for some reason.
• Fowler went after Kate because Neal was in prison and he figured Kate would know where Neal kept the music box.
• Buying the explosives was Kate's idea. She felt that no matter how far away she and Neal got, they would never be safe. The two of them would bail out over the water. Boom. Fake their deaths and live happily ever after.
• Kate never called Fowler from the plane.
• Intense!Angsty!Neal makes me wanna hug Jeff Eastin (and Neal).
• Peter is seriously considering asking Fowler to help him. The man truly has a forgiving heart.
• Patchwork Man is the intermediary between Fowler and Kate's killer.
• Patchwork Man is called Julian Larssen. He and Fowler trained together in Special Forces.
• Eureka! Tanaka and Mozzie figured out the code. Too bad no one has any idea what the scribblings mean.
• Tanaka's killer was smart and knew how to avoid the surveillance tapes. Neal didn't.
• Darn. Neal's the next target. (Or maybe not.)
• It'd be nice if Alex could stop prowling around rooftops for a paycheck.
• Alex thinks it's kinda sad that it's all coming to an end. (And, OMG, I can't believe I never realized that they set this up to make the viewer believe Alex was out to kill Neal. Even Peter thought so until she revealed a notepad instead of a gun.)
• Alex gives Neal her number. Now he can get in touch like a regular person.
• Mozzie likes to have tea to go in Central Park.
• Julian Larssen is a cold-hearted bastard and a ruthless killer. Is he gonna become the new Fowler in seasons 2.5?
• ZOMG, under a week to go until episode 2x10!