White Collar 5x05

[arduinna]

I've been having some issues with White Collar this season (although reading sholio's take on things is helping with that), and had no idea what to expect going into this week's ep.

It turned out to be the sort of ep that got me invested in White Collar originally; a storyline that managed to be a caper and a procedural at the same time, with loads of affectionate character by-play, a wacky scheme by Mozzie, some gratuitous near-nudity, and Neal in a remarkably stunning outfit being decorative and efficient. This is the sort of ep that makes you think "what a great crossover show this is for Leverage".

Gratuitous near-nudity:



Decorative, efficient Neal:



I had to actually pause the Tivo at that point just to admire him. Good lord, that's a beautiful shot. Well done, director person and camera person!

I was very amused all the way through at everyone's less than discreet edging away from sickly Peter, down to Jones' successful attempt to actually block Peter from the conference room (and hee, that litany of meds was great - I'm so glad they weren't actually going for product placement there, because the generic descriptions were better), although I could have done without the actual retching. (Although I admit, that woebegone "... I got my tie" in the distance was bizarrely charming) And I loved that he was so sick and miserable he just drank Mozzie's concoction (and that it worked!)

The combination of things -- bees! flu! missing heir! Picasso! -- was sort of random, but that actually worked for me to keep things just sort of fluffy and fun, and it was great seeing a pretty natural way to tie Ell into the storyline by letting her continue to be great at her own job. Random, random, random, BUTTLE. Great game, that.

(I totally guessed the fake vein thing, though. All those years of watching various Law & Orders pays off!)

But mostly I just wanted to post those screenshots. Hello, my pretty pretty show!