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bibliothekaraBwa. The Ferrari, she is like the episode in small: metaphor for Peter and Neal together, but also REALLY FREAKIN' SWEET.
Okay, so I'm pretty unabashed in being a devotee of the Glory of Peter. Or, alternately, I'm declaring this from the get-go. However, I think this was an important episode to have in the overall scheme of the series. Because: yes, the main story is Neal learning to work within the FBI but retaining his essential Neal-ness. Can the leopard really change his shorts? However, they've also established that this is not just a mentor-mentee, sibling relationship with the two of them. To mangle a scientific metaphor, they're a symbiotic pair; if Neal has been changed for the better by his time as Peter's CI, so too has Peter been changed.
Peter's got an aggressive side, and a little bit of a dark side. (No goody-two-shoes pulls off "I'll start with your thumbs" half so well.) We've had hints of it throughout the 1.5 seasons so far. We know that Peter is pretty close to a true-believer. But he wouldn't give Neal half the leeway he does if he didn't have that inner nagging voice, that Vimes-ian sense of justice far and above the rulebook. That there are times when he just has to go with his gut, and ....steal a damn car. (Excuse me, commandeer.) While he's helping Neal redraw the boundaries of what he is, Neal's doing that to him. Every day with Neal is dancing on the edge, teetering along the tightrope. Being outright proud when Neal got the Lamborghini going first; wanting to get the Ferrari, but only being able to go so far as asking about financing.
Plus: while I'm not a shipper (yet), the affection and respect in Peter's voice when he told Rebecca that "my CI is someone *I* go to for help" turned on my sap factor something fierce. "If I ever run, it'll probably be your fault." Loaded statement if I ever saw one.
And, on a completely shallow note: PETER IN JEANS. PETER WITH A GUN. FAST CARS, CUTE BOYS, MEXICAN STANDOFFS. Oh, and Elizabeth's back sans green screen, and plus sexy discussions about safe words. Peter and El are possibly the sexiest married couple I've seen on tv in a long time. (Scratch what I said before; if I'm going to ship anybody on this show outright, I'll probably go with the OT3 option.)
Oh dear; while we had that unexpectedly useful head brass (go Joe Morton), Fowler's coming back. Fowler's coming back, Neal has the anklet key, and shit is careening down the pike. Fortunately, we also reinforced this week that (for good or ill) Jones and Diana would walk through fire if Peter asked them to. Two more eps before hiatus, and they're setting up the pieces, and we all fall down.
Next week: PETER WHUMP! OH NOES!
Okay, so I'm pretty unabashed in being a devotee of the Glory of Peter. Or, alternately, I'm declaring this from the get-go. However, I think this was an important episode to have in the overall scheme of the series. Because: yes, the main story is Neal learning to work within the FBI but retaining his essential Neal-ness. Can the leopard really change his shorts? However, they've also established that this is not just a mentor-mentee, sibling relationship with the two of them. To mangle a scientific metaphor, they're a symbiotic pair; if Neal has been changed for the better by his time as Peter's CI, so too has Peter been changed.
Peter's got an aggressive side, and a little bit of a dark side. (No goody-two-shoes pulls off "I'll start with your thumbs" half so well.) We've had hints of it throughout the 1.5 seasons so far. We know that Peter is pretty close to a true-believer. But he wouldn't give Neal half the leeway he does if he didn't have that inner nagging voice, that Vimes-ian sense of justice far and above the rulebook. That there are times when he just has to go with his gut, and ....steal a damn car. (Excuse me, commandeer.) While he's helping Neal redraw the boundaries of what he is, Neal's doing that to him. Every day with Neal is dancing on the edge, teetering along the tightrope. Being outright proud when Neal got the Lamborghini going first; wanting to get the Ferrari, but only being able to go so far as asking about financing.
Plus: while I'm not a shipper (yet), the affection and respect in Peter's voice when he told Rebecca that "my CI is someone *I* go to for help" turned on my sap factor something fierce. "If I ever run, it'll probably be your fault." Loaded statement if I ever saw one.
And, on a completely shallow note: PETER IN JEANS. PETER WITH A GUN. FAST CARS, CUTE BOYS, MEXICAN STANDOFFS. Oh, and Elizabeth's back sans green screen, and plus sexy discussions about safe words. Peter and El are possibly the sexiest married couple I've seen on tv in a long time. (Scratch what I said before; if I'm going to ship anybody on this show outright, I'll probably go with the OT3 option.)
Oh dear; while we had that unexpectedly useful head brass (go Joe Morton), Fowler's coming back. Fowler's coming back, Neal has the anklet key, and shit is careening down the pike. Fortunately, we also reinforced this week that (for good or ill) Jones and Diana would walk through fire if Peter asked them to. Two more eps before hiatus, and they're setting up the pieces, and we all fall down.
Next week: PETER WHUMP! OH NOES!
no subject
Date: 2010-08-25 03:17 am (UTC)BWEE!
Okay, out of my system. But I adored him in this episode. Talking a suspect in, getting him to lay down his gun, absolutely committed to finding justice ahead of the letter of the law, because the law is just a codified way of reaching what's really important. I'll stop before I get my Lawful Good kink completely all over you, but suffice to say that I'm twirling happily over here, because even when Peter was breaking the law he was being such an excellent example of a lawman.
I think that my only experience with Joe Morton is through Smallville, but I love him much more as a competent, awesome-faced FBI brass than a mad scientist. :)
Also, flipped my shit when Neal went into the interim honcho's office, explained what was going on, and basically dealt with things in a way which gives me some hope that he's not going to be heading into his third strike five minutes after the tracker comes off.
I really hope that the dorky dude in the dealership is some kind of computer millionaire, though, so that Neal didn't get him into something he can't handle, though.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-25 02:02 pm (UTC)So, yeah, I've got a Lawful Good kink too. We've had tons of scenes of Neal doing something borderline, and Peter going "Oh you crafty Neal", but working with it anyway. But it *works* with Peter, because we've also seen enough of his personal ethics, the code he's working with. When some shows do this episode, the audience might have to take on faith, "Oh, we like this character, so they must be doing the right thing". I think it's different with Peter; he didn't go off immediately to help the rogue agent, he had to do it RIGHT, damn it.
Oh, Neal. It's adorable how hard he has to try for these things; he cannot go off and be Neal Caffrey, Con Man to save Peter. He has to do the "government sanctioned con", and trust the rest of the office too. (Speaking of which, Jones and Neal are love, especially playing themselves against each other for Deckard's benefit.)
no subject
Date: 2010-08-26 01:14 am (UTC)