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| It's been quite a season so far! |
Make your choice, Collars, and let us know why you chose your episode in the comments!
Friday, September 28, 2012
Weekend Poll: What's your favorite episode of Season Four so far?
Make your choice, Collars, and let us know why you chose your episode in the comments!
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19 comments:
Ancient History, followed by Dimishing Returns and Honor among thieves
Oh, and why...well Dimishing Returns came close because I really appreciate the yard scenes, I liked Patterson as a character and the role exchange is really well done. But Ancient History feels a little bit more complete in have great character moments AND great action. It's a somewhat bittersweet episode though, because I'll really miss Alex.
Any of the first four episodes, before the contrived tension was reintroduced.
Diminishing Returns -- Neal and Peter together in the Yard, Neal's concern for Peter, Patterson, Peter choosing to walk away instead of sticking around for the arrests. There was a poignancy and a reality to this episode that make it one of my all-time favorites. There was humor but it was realistic, not silly, always with a sweetness to it, a purpose. Peter and Neal's relationship in this one is something I'd give a lot to see more of.
The episode was the perfect cap to the island episodes which are my next two favorites. If the series had ended with Peter and Neal sitting in the Yard, talking to one another like grown-ups, it would have been perfect in a way. Unfinished, yes, but I don't like "endings" for series -- I like to knwo that life goes on, that we leave them in a good place, in the "midst of life", as it were, and that conversation in that Yard -- that location that was neutral ground, a place where they were equals -- was a good place to leave them in so many ways.
The fourth episode was so much less than Diminishing Retruns -- for me, they didn't get back to the level of those first three episodes until "Gloves Off" and "Vested Interest", two episodes that belong together, are part of one another.
There are some good moments in the other five episodes -- Peter and Neal at the cemetery comes to mind and I liked seeing Alex again -- but those episodes all run together in my head. After the glory that was Diminishing Returns, they disappointed me, seemed less.
Okay, I have to ask all those people who've voted for Gloves Off, why do you like the episode. If it's for the half-naked men, I applaud and share your shallowness. However, if it's because you enjoyed the rift between Peter and Neal, then I've had it with this fandom. I love this show, but if Eastin pulls something like that again, I'm done. It was painful, unnecessary and I hated every minute of it.
I'm torn between Wanted, Ancient history & diminishing returns. And also Honor Among Thieves. I think I loved Wanted most, even with
peter's foolhardy action in that episode. Like some others, I'm baffled why people liked Gloves Off so much. We've seen plenty of shirtless Neal before. Then why so much love for this one? The fight wasn't fun or pretty, it was painful & hard to watch. Peter's betrayal was even more hard to swallow (with a nosy El). Guess I'm just unable to understand this fandom. As for the least fav, Identity Crisis was one of the weakest episodes of this series. Ever.
Gloves Off, because Neal finally had enough and said so. I agree with Agnila about the least fav.
Agnile I agree, Identity Crisis was the weakest episode of this season, but not ever...not by far. There is always "Pulling strings" and Scott Free"
Gloves off because as said above, Neal finally got tired of the BS and did something about it. Hope lesson was learned, seems like it.
Well, I voted for Most Wanted. I really loved seeing them all work together to get back home to New York.
I'm surprised that a few people commented on how they didn't like Identity Crisis. Okay, yes, it wasn't in my top 10, but I didn't think it was /that/ bad. In my opinion, the wost WC episode has to be Neighborhood Watch in Season 3.
I had to go with Honor Among Thieves, mostly because I thought it the best example of what I like about the show -- the guys doing what they do best.
I too am surprised at the number of Gloves Off votes. It's not my least fav, but I don't care for it much due to the angst/acrimony. And this coming from someone who actually enjoys the tension (if properly done)! It's one thing for one of the guys to be upset; it's quite another for it to devolve into sustained physical assault. *winces*
Good thing for that little >> button! :)
Neighborhood Watch was the absolute worst by a mile and the ratings really suffered as a result for the rest of the season. Hope Jeff and co. realize the focus needs to be on our two guys, enough of the supporting character back stories please.
As one who did like "Gloves Off", though it's not my most favorite -- I liked the emotion and passion of it -- there was a gritty reality to that fight that was equal to some of their best scenes (the airport scene at the end of season one for instance). I also loved the scene between Peter and Sam -- a great scene, I thought, well-written, so much going on there. I was sorry that Neal walked away at the end, but he reacts emotionally, sometimes rather immaturely, so I guess it was understandable -- but in the end the deep connection with Peter brings the two of them back. If the anger had continued beyond the next episode, I wouldn't have believed it -- they've come to far in their relationship this season -- they had to find a way back to each other.
And this episode had one of the most beautifully choreographed scenes of the entire series -- that lovely, funny, glorious sparring scene between Moz, Jones, Neal and Peter in Neal's apartment. That was a great scene -- inspired.
So I love Gloves Off but I need the follow-up of "Vested Interest", too. As for the naked bodies -- I guess I enjoy them as much as anyone else, but that had very little to do with why I liked that episode. The relationships are what I care about. I also liked that the "case of the week" made some sense and was an integral part of the rest of the story -- and that it kept echoing scenes and moments and emotions of "Hard Sell" (another favorite of mine). To me Gloves Off was one of the best-written episodes they've ever done. So many rich, layered and contrasting allusions, images, moments.
I voted for Compromising Postitions. Fake make-out scene was way too funny.
Didn't care much for Gloves Off with the forced tension shoe-horned in between the guys. And I'm tired of everyone blaming Peter. Peter gave Neal two GLARINGLY OBVIOUS chances to spill his guts about inviting Sam over and Neal chose to act like he had no clue what Peter was so hot about.
Psshhh....
I so agree with Anonymous above. Peter has asked Neal several times how he wants to play it which is a huge concession. He only interferes when Neal starts meeting with Sam secretly. That is his job and he does it because he cares.
Neal's behaviour was so childish and underlines just how selfish he has become in the last two seasons, a far cry from the caring fun guy of the first two seasons.
If anyone has had enough it should be Peter. He's shielded Neal from the consequences of his actions for too long - the attempted shooting of Fowler, the theft, or at least possession of stolen property, the kidnapping of Elizabeth. Neal needs to grow up. If he wants to be trusted, he should act in a trustworthy manner. Even in the last episode, he was tricking Peter to get his signature. He's the boy who cried wolf, tricking people left and right, unashamed of his conman ways, then upset when he finally tells the truth and no one believes him.
Peter deserves better. He's forgiven Neal so many things without acting petulant and sulky. Gloves Off was simply depressing.
I agree with Agnila.I don't support Peter's actions at all. Peter automatically jumps to the conclusion that Neal broke their pact - the pact that only extended to not sharing the tape, and contained nothing about Neal not seeing Sam. (How was he supposed to figure out how they could work together if he didn't talk to Sam?) And then, even after being told that any type of official investigation would be dangerous, Peter has an official fbi file run on Sam. That one mistake on Peter's part risked getting Sam killed, stepped over the boundary into Neal's private life. Even as angry as he was though, Neal still took the fall.
Anon 4:26- Well, I didn't say Identity Crisis was the weakest WC ep. ever, I said it's "one of the" weakest ep. ever (along with As You Were, Neighborhood Watch, Dentist of Detroit & Book of Hour). I rather liked Scott's Free & Pulling Strings. The Con in Scott's Free was really fun. Truthfully, I like almost any episode instantly that is about Neal. I think you just dislike Sara (not judging).
@Anon 1.21 & 9.00- I didn't even think about this angle. I guess you are right. The way Neal stood up for himself, It really was a turning point & moment to remember in this series.
It's almost annoying to see how every thread ( irrespective of the topic)on this site now-a-days turns into a debate about the greatness(!) of Neal & Peter. Nobody seems to able to see the flaws in both Peter's & Neal's character at the same time. People are obsessed with blaming one of them for every mistake while worshiping the other. It's almost as bad as 'Team Edward' & 'Team Jacob' crap. We are so above that people! Peter & Neal are perfectly happy with their relationship, It's us, the fans, who have the problems.
The Peter vs. Neal arguments upset me. I love them both and their relationship is why I watch this show. It's always a work in progress. They're both right, they're both wrong, they stumble and fall and make up and argue and work their way back to each other again and again. One without the other is impossible for me. I can never see one as the "good guy" anymore than I could see the other as the "bad guy". They're two extremely complex people who come at situations from different perspectives but who connect on a very deep level -- they love each other and when they work together can accomplish amazing things. To see one as good and the other as bad is simplistic, unworthy of what Neal/Matt and Peter/Tim and the writers are creating for us.
@Agnila I do, but that's not really my problem with "Pulling String". I hate the episode because it's like the show suddenly made a weird genre change, all the scenes in Peter's house feel more like a sitcom (and I hate sitcoms) than anything else, and take up so much room that the actual case, which had quite an interesting basic idea, felt very rushed. Well, and I'm bothered by an ex-finance suddenly turning up, who apparently didn't bother to send Sara flowers to her funeral. I might nicht like her character, but I really wish that the writers would respect her character more instead of constantly rewriting her.
Identity Crisis has the same problem, I guess, it doesn't feel like a White Collar episode, it would fit better into a show like Chuck or Psych, where this kind of weird stuff is to expected.
I like Dentist of Detroit and Book of Hours. With Neighborhood Watch...not my fav, but I like the first 30 minutes of the episode. It's the last 10 which ruin the experience, but that's still better than an episode which is unwatchable for me. And the Dinner scene which ends up with Neal on the roof might be the funniest in the whole thrid season, which is enough for me to give the episode a pass. (My main problem with Scott Free are by the way glaring plot holes (which, yes, I guess are there in order to include Sara und the bustier somehow) but above all the guest star, who doesn't manage to draw me in at all. Scott should be one of the most interesting characters which ever turned up, but for some reason he is one of the blandest).
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