White Collar 2x02: Need To Know...

[fajrdrako]

Comments on White Collar 2x02: "Need To Know" that I didn't make yesterday.

It was nice to see the lovely Peter/Neal interactions.

1. At the end of "Withdrawal", when we saw Diana with the music box, I had a moment of shock: could she possibly betray Peter? No, I concluded, they must be working together, if only because I love Diana so much. It was a relief to see that confirmed.
   
   Trust issues: she show is all about trust issues. Our trust in Diana was tested, and it's good to see our faith in her justified.
   
   
2. And how! Diana was terrific. Great Diana moments:
   
   
   • Being told she was billed as a hooker, and Peter's lover, and not turning a hair.
     
   • The whole story about her bodyguard, Charlie, and her guilt over his death
     
   • Her red dress and her yellow dress and the white dressing gown
     
   • Kicking Barrow's ass
     
   • Being so smug with Peter over kicking Barrow's ass
     
   • Showing Peter's mustache photo to Neal and saying it was in revenge for being told to play the hooker, but really to give her the opportunity to give the other info to Peter. Diana, you're almost as devious as Peter is.
   
   Really, if I have any problem with Diana, it's that's she's a little too perfect. Beautiful, smart, gay, well-educated, dresses well self-confident, skilled with weapons and tactics and strategy and martial arts - has she no flaws? I adore her, but she's too good to be true.
   
   
3. I want to see her partner, Christy.
   
   
4. Best moment in the show: when Neal says to Peter, "I have never lied to you." I had to think it through - and thought of many examples of prevarication and subterfuge - but outright lying? No. With encouragement from tzikeh I conclude that Neal was, in fact, telling the truth there to Peter.
   
   But that wasn't the best thing about it. The best thing is that this so clear matters very deeply to Neal.
   
   
5. It's also clear that he can tell instantly when Peter lies to him.
   
   
6. That being said, why is it an issue, how Peter spends his time? Neal knows he's going after Kate's killer: he promised he would. Peter is prevaricating because he doesn't want to discuss it with Neal, opening wounds and piquing his interest. Neal feels shut out. All very human.
   
   
7. The scene with the phone call from Elizabeth made me laugh. That sort of thing seems inevitable in real life.... Are we going to learn why Elizabeth is in San Francisco?
   
   
8. In season one, I loved the scenes between Mozzie and Peter. Now... not so much. Mozzie is being overplayed. He doesn't seem so funny any more. His manipulations of Peter seem pointless and forced. I particularly disliked it when he called Peter "Pig", partly because I love it when Mozzie calls him the Suit, but also because surely he has good reason to charm Peter, and to stay on his good side, and he knows it. I thought in season one that Mozzie liked Peter. Now I get a different impression.
   
   Besides, I liked the parallel groupings of characters in season one. The central pairing was the cop and the criminal, Peter and Neal, the odd couple, the compatible contrasts.
   
   Then in Peter's camp we had Elizabeth. Elizabeth was there as his sounding board, so when there was a bit of Peter's thinking process, or exposition, or Peter's thoughts on Neal, he could express them to Elizabeth and the viewer could hear it, too.
   
   Mozzie was in pretty much the same position with Neal. Both characters worked to be witnesses to the parts of Peter's and Neal's lives they didn't share with each other.
   
   Now the balance is off, because where we had a cop and his wife, we have a cop and another criminal. I think it's an imbalance. Much better for Peter to confide in Diana, another cop, a friend, someone on his team.
   
   
9. So what about the music box? If there was something inside it, surely Diana would have found it?
   
   
10. Another mysterious photograph, like the one of Kate and the ring, only this time, it's a composite of a mystery malefactor-fugitive. Is it the Secret Master Villain? If so, it blows part of my Master Theory, but only a part.
    
    
11. I was a little confused about the timelne. Two months from the explosion in the plane to the mysterious meeting that Fowler didn't make... Unless that was Fowler hiding his face? Hmm. That would fit rather better with my theory. How long did the FBI imquiry take? How long was Neal in prison again? How long was he working with Peter again before this two-month point?
    
    
12. Sexiest moment of the show: Peter whispering into Diana's ear in order to speak to Peter.
    
    
13. Are we never going to see Hughes again?
    
    
14. How much time has passed since the beginning of season one?
    
    
15. Peter must have known Neal left high school, but he wanted to hear Neal telling his own story. He was fishing.
    
    
16. I change my mind on this frequently, but today I think Kate is still alive.
    
    

Comments

[gozer]

Peter seemed surprised that Neil hadn't graduated, but he would have had to have known that Neil hadn't graduated, so I don't know what the look was all about.

FYI: "That'll do, pig! That'll do!" is a movie quote! I did not think he was calling Peter a pig.

From Babe: After getting five perfect 10.0s and the adoration of the crowd, Babe (the pig and lead character) sits next to Hoggett, who softly delivers the famous line, "That'll do, Pig. That'll do."

[fajrdrako]

he would have had to have known that Neil hadn't graduated, so I don't know what the look was all about.

Of course he knew. He just likes to hear Neil tell him about himself. In his own words.

FYI: "That'll do, pig! That'll do!" is a movie quote! I did not think he was calling Peter a pig.


I thought he using the quote to say more than it seemed... maybe not.