White Collar 3.10 "Countdown"
I saw that a couple of my friends were apparently very upset about the episode, although I didn't know why. My expectations were at an all-time low. I started with dread.
I'm going to take a wild stab in the dark here and say everyone's upset about the kidnapping. I will then mix my metaphors by going further out on a limb and saying that Keller will not harm one hair on Elizabeth's head, because then not only would Keller be in fear of his life, but Jeff Eastin would have cause to fear for his. I also haven't been sure exactly how dark this show is, but I am certain the show is not that dark.
(If you should know a casting spoiler that says Tiffany Thiessen is actually leaving the show, please PM me so that you don't spoil anyone else, but I don't have a heart attack when it actually happens. If you know anything else, don't say. The only kind of spoilers I want are casting spoilers, because I feel physically sick when my characters die, and I will be a little less sick if someone warns me. I know of no such spoilers, but I thought I'd better put it out there so that if I am dead wrong, someone will save me from myself. No one wants to deal with me after a surprise death of one of my WC family.)
I would be really upset about it myself if I weren't so terrified that they would do something worse; I thought someone would get hurt in this episode. I spent the whole episode waiting for Keller, not from any spoilers, but because he must know there's a hit on him, and he knows who did it, and he knows about the treasure, and he already wanted to kill Neal before any of this. I actually felt relief when I saw from the opening credits that June wouldn't appear, because I'd been thinking he would grab her to get directly at Neal. Then I realized what was going to happen, and the camera in the bushes outside the Burke house sealed it for me the moment that shot started. I'd seen it coming all along, so I wasn't surprised or too upset. And I don't have reason to be too upset, RIGHT? Elizabeth went along physically unharmed-threatened, but unharmed. Keller will be too busy playing with Peter and Neal to do anything to her.
Up until the kidnapping, I was pretty happy with the episode. Unlike recent episodes, this one gave me the characters acting very much in character. We all knew Mozzie would run, didn't we? I was just relieved to hear Neal finally say no, that he wouldn't do it, that he was staying. I wasn't surprised by any of Mozzie's behavior (unlike last week). Neal's plan had panache, which was sorely lacking last week.
I love that Peter realized what Neal had done because the fake was too good! Neal had left in just enough clues to catch it as a forgery, and Peter knows!
I enjoyed the layered conversations, particularly because I began to think Neal had made up his mind to stay, and that's what I really want. Mozzie lost my heart for good. He can go now. I'm over him.
I love that Elizabeth had the picture of Neal and Peter in their tuxes framed.
Elizabeth and Peter are the most important to me. Elizabeth must be safe. I'm sure she's scared, but I'm also sure even Keller isn't crazy enough to touch her. He's not as smart as Neal in some ways, but he knows hurting the wife of an FBI agent, especially this agent, would call down the Wrath of God on his head. He could never run far enough. I could see Peter going rogue to get Keller if he hurt her-and Neal and all his contacts would help him. He'd also have the backing of Diana and Clinton, though Keller may not know about them.
Elizabeth will be fine. Neal will help Peter recover Elizabeth, and eventually Peter will forgive Neal. I'd like to think that Peter will find out how very, very tempted Neal was, but that at the last he said no, and he chose to stay. Magnificent Eyebrows/Beau Bridges/I forgot the character's name is right: "I can see that he wants to be here."
(I am very fond of Beau Bridges and his eyebrows, even when he trims them so that he can play someone respectable.)
Let's have some happy thoughts here, y'all.