White Collar

[teleen_fiction]

Okay, so I watched the first season and the first few minutes of the second season premiere.  I enjoyed the first few episodes quite a bit, but there were a few things that started to bug me.

As time when on, they bugged me more.

1) The fucking anklet.  A friend told me that it's basically it's own character and I can see that, I really can.  There were several episodes where Neal having or not having the anklet was a major plot point, but the longer it went on, the more irritated I got with it, mostly because by about episode three, I felt that Neal had more than paid his debt to society.

2) Which brings me to my biggest point.  Neal's a WHITE COLLAR criminal (duh).  He's non-violent and as far as I can see from what they've shown on the shown, has NEVER HURT ANYONE who couldn't afford to be hurt.  I'm not saying that he didn't deserve to go to jail, I'm just saying that what he did doesn't deserve to be constantly put in the line of BULLETS on a regular basis and after about the third time he had a gun in his face or a fist in his gut, I started to think that he'd paid his debt to society.

3) Not to mention Peter's constant mistrust of him.  Either trust the guy or don't, 'cause lets face it, he's proven that he can fucking get away if he really puts his mind to it.  And Peter constantly saying, "Do this or it's back to jail!" I have to say, it's borderline triggery for me.  I'm pretty fervently anti-slavery and their dynamic isn't one of friends - it's owner to slave and that makes me constantly hurt for Neal and WANT him to tell the FBI to go fuck itself.

4) Neal essentially getting framed for Kate's murder is shitty writing.  The whole "Mentor Project" conspiracy theory BS is just wearing really thin for me.  Not to mention that I believe that Kate's dead about as much as Mozzie believes that Kennedy was killed by Oswald.  

5) The characters are interesting.  I actually LOVE the character dynamics and chemistry on the show (for the most part).  Basically, the show is slick and cool, but the plots are made of suck.

IDK, the whole dynamic of the series seems... off.  And yes, it's on USA, but USA does fricken' BURN NOTICE, which is made of awesome, so they really have no excuse.  Am I going to keep watching?  Yes, because I genuinely like the characters and the fanfic is good, but fanfic can only do so much for me before I start to say, WOW, this show blows my ass and it's not even giving me the courtesy of a reach-around.

Comments

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

Hmmm not a show I watch but the premise sounds... dubious. The whole "you're a criminal do as I say or go back to gaol. Oh and what i say can get you injured or killed?" hmmmm yes that'll be a no

[teleens-journal.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the show actually started to redeem itself a little bit when it brought back a lesbian character that had vanished at the end of the pilot (something that pissed me off no end, but when I saw her back, I was like, 'okay, they're at least *trying* to be diverse), but she appears to be a villain now, which means that she'd probably get written out as quickly as they put her back in, sigh.

IDK, right now I'm watching it because it has really cool *characters*, but it's like all of those characters are trapped in a melodrama and waiting for someone to give them better writing, :).

[slave-prince03.livejournal.com]

I think maybe Diane went after the pilot not because of the writers but because the actress wasn't available. I don't know for sure, but it would make sense as they mention on the commentary for the episode how long it was between the pilot and ep2 being made.

Also, you should have learnt not to believe in first appearances after the ep where they make you think Peter is the guy with the ring ;) ;)

Nate

[teleens-journal.livejournal.com]

Excellent point - I forgot about that, lol.

[darth-eldritch.livejournal.com]

The whole "you're prisoner, but you're being set free to serve the emperor (be grateful now) risking your neck fighting the dangerous enemy" is the trope for the video game I am playing right now: Elder Scrolls III, Morrowind. Elder Scrolls IV, Oblivion is the same thing. Wheeeee!

[teleens-journal.livejournal.com]

Heh.

Yeah, the show really rubs me the wrong way on a number of levels...

[msp-hacker.livejournal.com]

Some of the things that you talked about do get resolved in the following episodes, and they always turn out for the good.

Except the anklet, which gets it's own multi-episode arch.

[teleens-journal.livejournal.com]

Hrm. I said I was going to keep watching, lol - I just needed to vent, ;). Thanks for giving me some hope, though, :).

[slave-prince03.livejournal.com]

I've only watched the first few eps of s2 but I think things are a little better between Peter and Neal on the trust issue. Peter seems to have worked hard to get Neal back out and Neal confesses to him that he doesn't want to run anymore. So I'm hoping we've seen an end of 'you have to solve this one or I can't stop them from sending you back' mentality. But then, I guess Peter has put a lot on the line with the deal, so I guess it's as much fear for himself as well as for Neal that he thinks he needs to keep reminding Neal of the fine line they continually tread.

I do agree though that after s1 he's paid his debt and should be getting a pardon or whatever on his remaining sentence (which was actually only given because of his 'escape'). I think the thing that bugs me, which is pretty funny really, is the fact that when he escaped he was only a few months short of completing his 4 years. How many people have you heard of that have served their full sentence? Most get paroled after 1/2 to 3/4 of the way through, so he should really have already have been out. Also, Neal has proven he can escape prison any time he wants...so why didn't/doesn't he? Peter never seems to question that (but then he's not one for the deeper meaning it seems).

I personally love the dynamic & the characters, the individual episode plots are great, it's the wider conspiracy thing that bugs the life out of me (but then I always hate the heroes having to watch their backs against their own), which is basically the whole Fowler thing. I think Peter knows that if Neal wanted to go then he would but the whole thing becomes a kind of ritual to them. Neal would probably be worried if Peter stopped caring/checking the anklet. Though after the third time they had to remove it and he still didn't run you'd think they'd get a clue there that it was pointless to keep it. That said, that anklet has also been a blessing, there was a time it proved his innocence and also a time it alerted them to where he was when he was in trouble. I actually think Neal kinda likes it (it's a bit like how a sub likes to be collared, but then I kinkify everything), it reminds him that someone is watching him, that someone actually cares (because Peter is his friend as much as a partner and he does care) and removes the temptation of doing something really stupid (he can kid himself that it's out of his hands, not his decision, but if he didn't have it then he'd have to face up to his choices). It's an electronic leash and he acts like he hates it, maybe a part of him does, but it was his idea and I think he secretly likes it too.

I have no idea if any of that makes sense or if it even helps change your perspective, I know you mentioned early on that the tracker made you nervous. I guess if something does it does. Sadly, they seem the law enforcement tool of the current day, a lot of people are put on them instead of custodial sentences. He's actually lucky to have a 2 mile radius as oppose to being restricted to staying in between certain hours.

Nate

[teleens-journal.livejournal.com]

You're right in that he's lucky that his leash is long... IDK, I think it's just a squick for me, heh.

I really like the dynamic and the characters too, which is why I'm going to keep watching. I just needed to rant a bit, heh.

BTW, I actually got started on your prompt - it's not quite where I want it yet, but there are words, lol!

Thanks for your thoughts, :).