Well, that happened (White Collar season finale)

[sholio]

ETA the following afternoon: Much less gloomy now than I was when I wrote this. :) I thought about taking this post down, but figured I'd leave it up because of discussion in the comments ... still, I'm much less unhappy about it than I was yesterday.


I enjoyed about 90% of that episode. Parts of it were absolutely lovely - and overall I have really loved this season and thought it did a lot of really interesting character stuff that built beautifully on the previous seasons. It's been probably the best-written of all the show's seasons, IMHO - very solid and consistent, with great character arcs.

And then the end happened, and I'm kinda done with this show at the moment.

I don't actually care about Neal getting kidnapped - quite frankly I hope they keep him. If you are going to talk to me of Peter not having faith and/or trust in Neal, I hope you are prepared to be laughed at, given the sheer MAGNITUDE of Neal's lack of faith and trust in Peter in the last few minutes of the episode. Note to Neal's kidnappers: pls drop him down a long dark hole, he is a selfish jerk and I am done with him.

... but I'm pretty much done with Peter also, though I do have to say that Peter turning down the DC promotion was just, oh Peter, BABY. (And was a big part of where my reaction to this episode did a screeching 180, because it's such a replication of the dynamic I hated so much in season four, where Peter was being all sacrificing and Neal was just carrying on being his lawbreaking self no matter the effect on other people.) And yet. And yet. What happened to Neal is so blindingly unfair that it makes me furious, and Peter is no doubt viewing himself as having made a noble sacrifice while ACTUALLY still being fully complicit in a corrupt system that has pretty much screwed Neal over and hung him out to dry, so I guess I can finally understand the Peter hate in the fandom? Not to mention that he really pulled the rug out from under El in a MAJOR way by being all, "That move to DC and your new job? CANCELLED." Good for her standing up for herself. El, pls leave Peter, you are too good for him. Go to DC and be happy in your new career as a badass single lady while Peter gets run over by a bus or something.

... basically I think Rachel should have shot both of them when she had them at gunpoint. :P

I'm actually kind of startled by the amazing magnitude of my negative reaction to the end of the episode. Because I really did enjoy most of the rest of it -- not a forever favorite, I don't think, but it was a fun episode with some really cute bits -- and then it kinda just ... it felt like all the characters' worst traits came out to play. Neal is a self-centered little shit and Peter is a fully willing dupe of a corrupt system. I can't even say it's OOC for them, but damn ... way to make me wish I'd never cared about these characters. I would like to pretend that the scene in Peter's office is the last we ever saw of them: that's the end, the series finale, there's no more. I would be very happy that way.

I don't feel like the show has betrayed me, exactly, because all the seeds of everything that has happened were planted way back in the beginning -- not to mention they as much as said in 4x01 that there's no good way this can end, plus the "happy ending depends on where you stop the story" thing from 3x10. The show has never been anything other than what it said on the tin. And I may feel more positively about it after this has had time to settle in, but right now ... I kinda don't really care if there is a renewal or not, especially since this setup seems to be pointing toward the first couple episodes of the next season being, basically, Peter being angry and disappointed because he thinks Neal's cut the anklet and run, and Neal stealing shit all over the city and vowing to be a criminal forever because he thinks Peter screwed him over with the FBI. Fuck you, show, this isn't fun anymore.

ETA: Although tbh, I suspect that at least some and perhaps most of my deep unhappiness with the ending has to do with being sort of generally unhappy right now for various health- and stress-related reasons ... because looking back at what I've written, I'm aware that I'm basically hating on them for completely opposite and mutually exclusive reasons: hating on Neal for not trusting Peter and the system, and hating on Peter for, basically, doing the opposite. So yeah. I know it doesn't make sense. BUT STILL I KIND OF WISH THEY'D DIAF.

And I'm unhappy and droopy and my happy place isn't happy, so I think I'm going to bed. :P

Comments

[muccamukk]

I hit that point with them like... a season and a half ago? Right around the time Neal was yelling at Peter for not trusting Neal (re tracking down his father), when Neal himself had been lying to Peter all season. No DUH he doesn't trust you!

I just feel like those two are never going to get anywhere. Peter is ALWAYS going to compromise his morals/bend to a corrupt system, and Neal NEVER going to trust Peter or stop being a criminal, and everyone else is always going to indulge them.

Maybe that kind of dysfunction is realistic, because people are bad at changing, but it wasn't the wacky fun show about partners (and OT3) that I wanted to watch.

/my White Collar Rant

[sholio]

Yeah, pretty much. I actually did enjoy season five because it felt like it was deconstructing that a little bit, but based on the end of the episode .... nope. And yeah, I felt pretty much the same about that scene you're talking about -- I came really close to quitting the show, but then kept going. Which I kinda regret now.

I dunno, maybe once I've had time to adjust I'll get my fannish feelings back, but right now I'm pretty done.

[veleda_k]

I know we talked about a lot of this last night, so I hope you don't mind me repeating myself.

I don't think Peter turned down the promotion for Neal. He turned it down because of what happened to Neal, but I don't think he views it as a sacrifice he's making. He doesn't want the job if this is what it's all about. (And the sudden reversal isn't fair to Elizabeth, but she handled it wonderfully, gently but firmly standing up for her own needs, and Peter respected that.)

And, of course, Neal doesn't know that Peter's staying in New York. Actually, as far as he knows, him running won't have any professional repercussions for Peter at all, since he thinks Peter will be in D.C. by then.

As for Neal's reaction, personal story, for context: I worked at Blockbuster Video for four years, not quite during the company's death throes, but pretty close. In an effort to keep going, corporate started instituting near impossible quotas, and constantly threatening to fire any employee who failed to meet them. It was messed up. And every few weeks I would decide that I HAD HAD IT. I was done, I wasn't even going to go in the next day. But the thing is, my RAGE would pass, I would (temporarily) get over it. But in those moments, I was too angry to think about anything other than getting out right that moment.

We only saw, Neal's first, emotion driven reaction. He's feeling angry and betrayed, and he has every right to. An organization that he's literally put his life on the line for countless times has totally fucked him over. But we didn't get to see what happens after he's had a night's sleep. We didn't get to see what happens after he meets with Peter again. (And nothing about Neal's reaction indicated to me that he blames Peter for this.) Neal didn't get a chance to calm down.

I don't think it's about Neal's faith in Peter, at least not the usual sense. Neal doesn't have faith in the system. And honestly, I don't see too many reasons why he should. This isn't the first time the FBI has treated him like less than a person. Peter can afford to see Rice and Kramer as aberrations, Neal really can't. I think it's accurate to say that Neal doesn't have faith in Peter's influence and power, but that's much more about seeing the system as fundamentally unjust, beyond Peter's ability to fix. And given that this came from the head of the FBI, there's not a lot of room for Peter to go over anyone's head.

And Peter fully understands how fucked up this is, and he's not making excuses for the FBI. He still basically believes in the system--he thinks this is a grievous wrong, but it's one that can addressed--but he's not calling this turn of events anything he isn't, and he wants to fix it. And he's trying to limit his complicity by turning down the promotion.

So, is Peter complicit in an unjust system? Yes, but pretty much the only way for him to be not complicit is to quit his job entirely, which I can't ask of him. Did Neal make selfish, impulsive decision? Yes but I can see why he felt the way he did, and the thing about impulsive decisions is people often go back on them.

Sorry, word vomit. I'm not trying to be all, "NO, YOU'RE WRONG" or anything.

[sheron]

See what I feel is that this ending was rushed. If they had had 3 more episodes to do this in, they could have explained everything that you've just so wonderfully summarized here and not left us guessing. Everything, from Peter not making the decision to stay based on one phone call, to Neal's reaction to FBI screwing him over not being the same as him not having trust in Peter, or even the same as him returning to criminal ways 5 minutes after deciding he's done.

As it is, it feels like the characters jumped from A to Z and we didn't really get to see how they got there, and as a result it makes them look bad. So yeah, I think the show could have used a few more episodes this season.

[sholio]

I don't feel like you're trying to convince me I'm wrong -- heck, I'd love to be convinced I'm wrong, because this is miserable, but right now I've lost most of my happy feelings towards the show and the characters, and don't know if they're coming back.

... I guess a big part of the problem is I just can't see this going anywhere that isn't miserable? Peter is going to think Neal ran, and even if he doesn't initially, he will once he talks to Mozzie, since Mozzie knows Neal was taking off. If Mystery Bad Guy wants Neal for some criminal purpose, which is almost certain, then all Peter's going to know is that Neal ran off and now he's committing crimes all over the city. And even if they get Neal back (which they will, it's inherent in the premise of the show), since Neal now actively wants to leave, it'll basically amount to Neal going from one form of captivity to another; he'll be trapped in a job he'll hate and resent (with good reason; he's TOTALLY got plenty of reason to hate it at this point!), waiting for a chance to run, with Peter as his captor.

Which I guess has always been part of the show's dynamic, but I guess right now I can't see an ending here that doesn't involve Neal resenting Peter, and Peter feeling betrayed by Neal, and the two of them making each other miserable until Neal either escapes, or makes it to the end of his sentence and then leaves and doesn't look back.

*gloom*

[tuppence]

"Peter is going to think Neal ran, and even if he doesn't initially, he will once he talks to Mozzie, since Mozzie knows Neal was taking off."

Thing is though? I think that's exactly what won't happen. Moz knows that Neal wanted to run, but he also knows that he and Neal just had a conversation about Moz cracking the anklet. Which Moz just told Neal would take at least a week. So he knows for a fact that Neal wouldn't run *now*. He'd wait for Moz to give him the go. Which Moz knows he didn't do. Peter might have to pull that info out of Moz, but if Moz thought Neal was in serious trouble? He'd tell. That would convince Peter pretty quickly, I'd think.

As from going from one captivity to another? You've definitely got a point there, but this at least is the captivity where he's safe (mostly), has a balcony view and Italian roast, and has Peter back. Granted, this is rather selfish - Neal should cheer for Peter's career - but subconsciously? If he isn't going forward, at least Peter isn't either. (Yes selfish, and he'd never ever say that to Peter, or possibly even think it consciously. But I think it will keep him from resenting Peter.) And I do think Neal's always been good at compartmentalizing. He's always hated the system, not the players, especially with regards to Peter.

I don't think Peter will feel betrayed for this, not even for the desire to run. Right now I suspect his reaction to Neal "running" would be more "I don't blame him/guess he showed you assholes/dammit gotta find him". When they're reunited, he'll understand the situation and be relieved to have him safe.

[veleda_k]

This is pretty much everything I would say. There's no logical reason for Neal to vanish suddenly without a word to Mozzie. Even he did decide to change the plan and leave right that instant, he would have at least let Moz know.

And while of course I can't know, I don't see Peter being angry at Neal for running (or so he thinks). Frustrated, because Peter did want to fix things legally, but not angry. He forgave Neal for bribing the prosecutor without ever learning the full context, and that was Peter's life being meddled with. I think Peter will have a much easier time with the idea of Neal reclaiming his own life, even if he doesn't agree with the course of action.

[sholio]

The discussion actually is helping a lot. :) I'm feeling much less unhappy about the show and the characters ... I think I still need some adjustment time, but I'm feeling MUCH less like chucking the whole thing out the window and leaving for greener fannish pastures. :) I'm not entirely sure why I reacted so badly to the end of the episode, but I think I'll settle into it, given time.

[sheron]

This!

Regardless of my reservations about the episode, I do think that Peter will know very quickly Neal didn't run just based on Mozzie. Now I'm worried something might happen to Mozzie >.>

[sholio]

I just wrote an episode tag (will be posted shortly) in which I use a bit of this, particularly Peter's reaction to Neal running -- because I really like your headcanon. :)

[(Anonymous)]

I can understand you, even if I didn't feel the same. I could understand the reaction of both, and I think that the idea of running form Neal was just because he was really angry and frustrated.
Anyway, I just wanted to give you a suggestion: I absolutely love your fanfictions, and I think that, if you try writing one that address all of your emotions, maybe then you'll feel better :)

Stella (Sorry - I don't have an account)

[china_shop]

Fwiw, I don't think Neal started thinking about quitting the FBI until Peter got promoted. In 3.16, he was all, "No matter what happens [with the commutation], I'm getting off that elevator Monday morning." And he was totally happy working with Peter for most of season 4, even with Sam/James pushing all his buttons. Neal loves working with Peter. So I don't see him resenting being back at the FBI, once he knows he has his partner back; I think the urge to run was because he couldn't stomach the thought of staying there without him.

Also, Neal would never run without Mozzie, and Peter knows that.

Loved your ep tag. Really sweet.

[magibrain]

One thing I kinda have to wonder is how long Neal can plausibly have left on his sentence, at this point. I mean, Kramer's deal didn't go through, he's not serving eighty billion consecutive sentences, it was said in the pilot that he'd get four more years, and it's been five seasons since then. He has to know that if he circumvents his anklet and scarpers, the FBI won't be amused, and he'll go right back onto their wanted list and probably have someone like Collins chasing after him again, which is hardly restful, and which might seem considerably less free than the freedom he's after.

I mean, the thing the FBI pulled at the end wasn't keeping him enslaved forever and ever, it was... neglecting to grant him special treatment by terminating his sentence early. And I understand how that would sting, especially when it seemed like a sure deal and in that in a few days he'd be free, but does the equation he's run through really come back "a little bit longer under a new handler is worse than a lifetime on the run"? Especially when I feel like it can't plausibly be more than a year or two left?

I could understand it if it did seem like the FBI Was going to pull something Kramerishly underhanded and just make sure he could never leave, but that didn't seem to be the problem there.