S06.E01: Borrowed Time

[frenchtoast]

From tv.com:

The sixth season premiere finds Neal trying to secure his freedom once and for all by making a deal with the FBI brass. To do so, however, he must gain access to the leader of an international crime syndicate. Elsewhere, El gets startling news about her future with Peter.

[Primetimer]

Sarah D. Bunting and John Ramos embark upon the final mini-season of White Collar with equal parts hope and trepidation.

Read the story

[giovannif7]

I loved this one, especially the Suit/Mozzie bonding moments. I just hope we get at least one more visit from June before the show wraps.

 

Only five new episodes left - TIIC at USA are fools for letting White Collar go.

[Temperance]

"and I enjoyed tough Tim DeKay in his white t-shirt. (I'm the one who would step around Bomer to make out with DeKay.) Alas, the episode had two major elements that didn't work for me, both at the end."

Haven't watched the show in years, but I thought this was perfect time after reading the story to point out Tim Dekay is cute and always looks a little Darren Stevenses to me (Both Dicks, particularly York but also Sargent.)

[La Tortuga]

If Neal Caffrey is supposed to be so renowned in the art-theft/con world, to the point that he's being lectured about in criminal justice classes, why is it that the head of the Pink Panthers has never heard of him before? Not recruiting him, sure, I can understand, because that tracking anklet isn't exactly a secret, but that just further illustrates the point: the Pink Panthers should be immediately suspicious the moment Neal walks into the office and introduces himself. Or did he use a new alias, and I missed it?

Can someone do an article about how Bridget Regan is suddenly everywhere? She's on White Collar and Jane the Virgin. I keep expecting her to pop up on FX or something.

[Jediknight]

Fantastic way to return.  We got great interaction between Neal and Peter, and Mozzie and Peter, Jones, and Diana.

 

I'm guessing Neal made 2 other demands to his deal.  The first being that while his sentence is up, he can still remain with the FBI as an informant.  This way he can freely travel, but also still work with Peter, Jones, and Diana.  The other being is that Mozzie's record is wiped clean.

 

Speaking of Mozzie, at this point he's just trying to convince himself to run.  He wants to stay, but he's fighting it.  The orphaned kid has finally found a family with Neal, Peter, Elizabeth, Jones, June, and Diana.  I think he's somewhat scared, so he's trying everything to convince himself to run.

[Jamoche]

Can someone do an article about how Bridget Regan is suddenly everywhere? She's on White Collar and Jane the Virgin. I keep expecting her to pop up on FX or something.

And Agent Carter too. Looks like she's aiming to beat Mark Shepard's record for most simultaneous recurring roles.

[Slakkie]

If Neal Caffrey is supposed to be so renowned in the art-theft/con world, to the point that he's being lectured about in criminal justice classes, why is it that the head of the Pink Panthers has never heard of him before? Not recruiting him, sure, I can understand, because that tracking anklet isn't exactly a secret, but that just further illustrates the point: the Pink Panthers should be immediately suspicious the moment Neal walks into the office and introduces himself. Or did he use a new alias, and I missed it?

Can someone do an article about how Bridget Regan is suddenly everywhere? She's on White Collar and Jane the Virgin. I keep expecting her to pop up on FX or something.

That is what I am thinking - I mean at this point a simple google would bring up hundreds of articles.  I hope that they explain this.

[John Ramos]

The thing about thieves not knowing Neal is like every episode, I feel. I had it in my notes and didn't even bother mentioning it because I feel like it's such a ubiquitous problem. Same way I used to wonder why SoCal vampires didn't circulate a photo of Buffy Summers.

[Helena Dax]

Last season killed my love for Peter and this episode  did nothing to change my mind. I'm glad he's having a baby, though. It's something he and Elizabeth seem to want -they looked happy by the news- and it may imply that Neal's going to be free at the end.

 

Loved Neal and Mozzie. I'm terribly sorry for Neal, poor thing, he's got the worst luck with women. I don't know how many times his heart can  be broken and sometimes I honestly think the writers enjoy his suffering or something. At least  he's got Mozzie; he's the  best friend. 

 

My theory's that Neal wants to steal the Pink Panther's money. And I don't think it would be bertraying Peter because Peter doesn't deserve Neal's loyalty after season five. And if it hadn't been for Mozzie, Peter would still believe Neal had run. 

[sinkwriter]

I enjoyed the episode a lot. The humor, the action, Mozzie and Peter... 

 

However, there are two things that concern or bum me out:

 

1) I have always seen Peter and Elizabeth as being one of those couples who know their lives are too busy, they are happy with their marriage and their careers, and they're just not interested in having children. It was actually kind of refreshing to me to not have that kind of life forced on them, to instead allow for the possibility that having children isn't always the goal and let that be a legitimate option for a lead character. To have them throw this in at the last minute, with five episodes remaining, just feels like they're trying to turn these characters into stereotypes of some other show that White Collar has never been. 

 

2) I got such a sense of heavy dread about the way they kept leaning on there being only two options for people like Neal - prison or death. Since he's already done prison, repeatedly in different ways on this show, that leaves death. So either the showrunners are planning to kill him off (and please don't tell me that Peter and El would then have a boy and name him Neal, that would be way too cliché), or he's going to fake his death and leave everyone behind and have some sort of cryptic ending where we think "mayyyyybe he's still alive." I hope they're not planning to kill him off; it would seem this show has always been lighter than that kind of dark ending. But it just felt really strange to have Mozzie and Rachel talk about death being the "brave" or only option for criminals; plus add on that Neal's possibly going to screw over everyone from the FBI to the Pink Panthers and I wonder how he'd survive that unscathed. Maybe I'm just being paranoid (very Mozzie-esque), and in the end the showrunners will surprise me with what Neal talked about, that he believes and has lived his life on the premise that there always has to be another way. We'll see...

Edited November 7, 2014 by sinkwriter

[Neurochick]

I liked the show and YES, they still do film in NYC.  I live here and we've seen them filming.  

 

Maybe it'll end with Neal dying and then Peter and Elizabeth will name their child (boy or girl) Neal.  

 

1) I have always seen Peter and Elizabeth as being one of those couples who know their lives are too busy, they are happy with their marriage and their careers, and they're just not interested in having children. It was actually kind of refreshing to me to not have that kind of life forced on them, to instead allow for the possibility that having children isn't always the goal and let that be a legitimate option for a lead character. To have them throw this in at the last minute, with five episodes remaining, just feels like they're trying to turn these characters into stereotypes of some other show that White Collar has never been.

 

 

I think Peter and Elizabeth are one of those couples who didn't care one way or another if they had a baby or not; and now they're fine with having a child.  I don't sense that anything is being forced on them.  

Edited November 7, 2014 by Neurochick

[sinkwriter]

I just mean I think the showrunners are forcing the pregnancy plot upon Peter and Elizabeth in the eleventh hour on a show that doesn't need it, especially with only 6 episodes to this entire season. They couldn't give it a moving treatment in that few episodes, not when they need to concentrate on wrapping up the entire series as a whole.

 

 

Maybe it'll end with Neal dying and then Peter and Elizabeth will name their child (boy or girl) Neal.

 

There would be a lot of things wrong with that, so I really hope it doesn't come to pass.

[ganesh]

I could see Neal faking his death at the end, but Peter figuring it out after and letting it go. It would be too much if Peter was in on it. 

 

USA shows don't usually end so dark. For this show, I'd be surprised if anyone died. 

 

Honestly, it's kind of ridiculous that the Pink Panthers never recruited *Neal*. They could have had a throwaway line like, they were going to but he got caught by Peter so they dropped it. 

[nico]

I keep hoping Elizabeth's "pregnancy" is a con, a trick to wrench Peter away from Neal and get himself to D. C. and that FBI desk job.  Actually I'd accept any explanation for her announcement rather than believe that the writers stooped so low as to include that tired old "we're having a baby" cliche in the final episodes of this series.  Eastin used to pride himself on avoiding cliches, or so he said.   Does this mean that we're also due for a wedding?   Of course, some of us are still waiting for the resurrection of Kate, and wouldn't it be nice to see Ellen again?   When does Neal's mom show up?   And what about the return of the dreaded (by me, at least) Sara?   So much to look forward to.  I can hardly wait.

 

The Neal-Peter relationship and their individual journeys took so many odd turns in season five that it's hard to understand where they are or who they are now.  I don't sense much warmth or affection between them.  They go through the motions, but mainly they seem to be conning each other, and without much spirit or purpose, as though they're both marking time to the end, eager to be rid of one another.  It makes me wonder if that's what they were always doing and we were the ones being conned if we assumed there was something more between them, something unique and promising and thrilling.  I saw "Vital Signs" again the other day and when I came to the scene so many of us love ("You're the only one I trust"), I had a hard time seeing it the way I used to.    It seemed like Neal was just conning the gullible FBI agent, saying whatever he had to in order to save himself from going back to prison.   Peter's hand on Neal's head, the way he seemed touched by Neal's words -- was that real or Peter just stalling for time while he decided to commit a crime rather than lose the C. I. who would further his career?  

 

"Borrowed Time" seemed stilted, and so cold.   The writing was off, mainly because they made too many lines some cryptic statement meant, I suppose, to build suspense and keep us guessing how this will end.   Will it be death or prison for Neal?   They've done this kind of thing before and with about as much heavy-handedness.  In the end, these things seldom amount to much.   Endings always seem to fizzle into something vague and/or sappy and you're left with more questions than answers.    I'd much rather see them use their time to fix some of what they broke last season, though I know it's way too late for that.   Is there a possibility Neal and Peter could have even one conversation that seems sincere?   Are they capable of speaking the truth to one another, and speak in such a way that they both know it is the truth?   I suppose the writers will allow us a hug.  Am I going to believe there's some real affection there, or is it too late to sell that?    Despite my doubts, I still hope for one (or more) of those magic Neal-Peter moments, perhaps nothing so great as their conversation on the tarmac, or their reunion on the island, oh, but wouldn't it be lovely to see them that way again, all that delight and excitement in their eyes?

[amaranta]

Well I'm all rose colored glasses and flippity-giddy inside - my show is back!  And I thought it was a great start to a much too short season.  My happiness is only tempered by it being the last one.

 

I adore Bomer and DeKay.  Plus it was so good to see the other "family" members: Mozzie, Diana, Jonesy, and Mrs. Suit.  (I have no history with Thiesson - somehow I've managed to miss her entire career before this show.  Weird, I know.)  I do think we'll get June as well before too long.

 

And because of my cheerfully colored view, I choose to believe that even at the worst of times that if it were do or die, and a choice had to be made, Peter and Neal would each choose to have the other one's back.  The fact that at times they have both been looking over their shoulders has never bothered me.  It just makes it more real somehow.

 

I loved the pace of this episode.  That's the only up side to having only six episodes, I think.  It will be a whirling, roller coaster ride of a final season.

 

I think my favorite scene was DeKay as Fat Charlie and him telling Neal "I'm here if you need me" and Neal's quick look of both gratitude and relief.  They sold it well and I totally believed them. 

 

It never even occurred to me that Neal would die at the end of the show's run; I honestly don't think they would ever go there.  A faked death with Peter looking the other way is not out of the question, but even then I think it will be open ended and upbeat. 

 

I'm not burdened by Rebecca's statements and don't see them as an anvil.  The writers needed to wrap up her part of the story and, for her character, this route made sense.  It was in keeping with the her dark brand of crazy.

 

And, boy, do I love watching Matt Bomer.  During the last few years he has become one of my favorite actors (he killed me in The Normal Heart.)  I look forward to seeing him do many great things.

 

But for now - welcome back show!  I just know I'm going to rewatch again this weekend.

Edited November 8, 2014 by amaranta

[Helena Dax]

 

Does anyone know if Tiffani is pregnant again?

 

I don't think she was pregnant while they were filming. 

[AnnA]

Last season was such a mess that I set my expectations very low for this, the final season.  Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised.  I enjoyed Borrowed Time.  It was like the REAL White Collar had finally come back to my TV screen.  The characters were portrayed as they should be..........not like in S5 with Neal being sloppy in his heists and too trusting of Rebecca....way too soon.  Neal is smarter than that.  And don't get me started on what they did to Peter Burke's character last season.  I never would have imagined that the Peter Burke we've come to know would be so unappreciative and even cruel to Neal for saving him from a murder charge that he most definitely would have been convicted of committing.  All the evidence was against him.

 

I hope that the final season keeps Neal and Peter back on track working together.  The original charm of this show (other than Matt Bomer) was the bromance between the two.  Why the writers chose to constantly put a wedge in it is beyond me.

Edited November 9, 2014 by AnnA

[Gigi43]

I remember in an episode last season I thought El was going to tell Peter she was pregnant (I think it ended up being her job news) and was so, so relieved she didn't. I really enjoys a married couple not obsessed with thinking they need a kid to be a full family. This pregnancy at least won't result in Wacky Baby Hijinks episodes since its 5 episodes left. But it still feels very cliché and forced.

Even though I liked the actors chemistry I thought the Neal/Rebecca relationship was predictable and cliché at the expense of Neals smarts. So I can't help but worry Rebecca's words are an obvious omen.

At least there was good character interaction this episode that reminded me why I got into this show.

Edited November 12, 2014 by Gigi43

[taanja]

 

1) I have always seen Peter and Elizabeth as being one of those couples who know their lives are too busy, they are happy with their marriage and their careers, and they're just not interested in having children. It was actually kind of refreshing to me to not have that kind of life forced on them, to instead allow for the possibility that having children isn't always the goal and let that be a legitimate option for a lead character. To have them throw this in at the last minute, with five episodes remaining, just feels like they're trying to turn these characters into stereotypes of some other show that White Collar has never been

 

I know right! I always admired them because I thought they were the kind of couple who had decided NOT to have children. And they were happy in that decision. They never talked about kids. They never seemed like they wanted a child. They seemed happy to just be the two of them.

 

That was really my only disappointment in the episode though. Well that and finding out that this is the final season --ever --of White Collar? say it ain't so!

 

[xander874]

Yeah, it is a little odd that The Pink Panthers are oblivious to Neal. The fact that he was ever connected to the FBI in any way should disqualify him. They are idiots if they let him in and deserve to lose everything. Of course, that will happen and I will look the other way because I love this show and am sad it is going away soon.

 

And count me in on needing to see June one last time. But please no Sara!