[personal profile] aragarna
I've been meaning to do this for a long long time. Really, it's just because I want to continue talking about White Collar. And what's better than a meme?


1- What's your favorite season?
2- What's your favorite episode?
3- What's your favorite scene?
4- How about your favorite dialogue/line?
5- Who's your favorite character and/or pairing?
6- What made that show so special to you?
7- What will you keep forever in your heart?
8- If you’re an artist or a writer, what inspired – and still inspires – you to create something?
9- What's your headcanon for the future of the characters?
10- What now?
11- Have you found your next White Collar yet?
12- Have you experienced the loss of a TV show like that before?
13- Anything else to add?

As not to invade your feed, the answers are under the cut.


1- What's your favorite season?
Season 3, which I think, summarizes the entire show by itself. It starts with a feeling of betrayal on both parts, and ends with the ultimate gesture of trust: Peter, the FBI agent, telling Neal, the conman, to run. Along the way, it has the most beautiful progression of the Peter-Neal relationship. I don't think anything else that happened later changed much that relationship. It was all there, ever since the end of season 3. All the angst and hurt feelings of the following seasons take their roots in that momentum of true trust and deep friendship, because this is in season 3 that they both made their decision. Neal not to run, Peter not to turn Neal in. They decided to trust each other's judgement. And from there, there was no turn around. Season 3 is really the turning point of Peter and Neal’s relationship.

2- What's your favorite episode?
That one is a tough one. I have so many. Checkmate, Stealing Home, Burke's Seven, Most Wanted... But really, that's because I'm trying to limit myself. That's the thing about this show. Every episode is truly entertaining. There's not a single episode I don't enjoy rewatching. Even One Last Stakeout, because even if Siegel's death still makes me sad, I do enjoy seeing Siegel. Same with the finale. Even though I disagree with Neal's decision, that's still one heartbreakingly hell of an episode. There are still so many adorable and squee moments, and feelings. Really, how not to love that episode?
But I do think the one I’ve seen the most is Checkmate.

3- What's your favorite scene?
Probably Peter and Neal casually talking about the Degas in between their testimonies in Judgement Day. After everything that Degas meant, the casualness, Peter's reluctant to leave Neal, Neal's honesty and Peter laughing it off. That moment is just perfect.
Though, Peter watching the sonogram in Wack-A-Mole is a damn good scene too. And about everything Peter/El moments really. The second wedding, the ice skating, the pregnancy...
Oh and the beginning of Checkmate. I still remember how fast my heart was racing when I started to (discreetly, at work) watch the episode. Peter trying to keep it together over the phone with El..

4- How about your favorite dialogue/line?
Why did I ask all those impossible questions ?! I do love lots of Mozzie's quotes. The Einstein one (Time is for not everything to happen at once), the Orson Welles one (If you want a happy ending...) or the Disney one (It’s fun to do the impossible).

I love Peter's speech on revenge versus justice:
Peter: There's a right way to do things and a wrong way. Revenge is the wrong way. It's short-sighted and it's dangerous.
Neal: What's justice, then?
Peter: It's restoring order, not furthering chaos.

It tells a lot about Peter as a man of principle and the moral compass of the show.
Also his whole testimony at the commutation hearing. That tells a lot about how he sees Neal.
But in the end, it might just be “You know I’m always here for you.” from Borrowed Time, because it tells everything without saying it.

5- Who's your favorite character and/or pairing?
Peter Burke (in case you didn't know that...). He’s probably the one thing I’ll miss the most about the show. Because there are no other characters like him out there on TV. He’s a true white knight, always trying so hard to do what’s right – which is not easy, especially when your best friend is a criminal – but he does try. He lives by his principles. Peter is also, simply, a positive character. He sees life as an opportunity and not a burden. He’s hopeful and joyful, and I like that.

In term of pairings, I'm totally happy with canon. Peter/El ♥♥. And for Neal, I'd go with Neal/Sara. She's the perfect match for him.

6- What made that show so special to you?
It’s a combination of things. There was the way it showed off New York City – in a way no other show does – a city I had just fallen in love with. The witty dialogues. The terrific chemistry of the cast. The great characterization of all the main protagonists. It would have been easy to make it the Caffrey show (the way the Mentalist was the Patrick Jane show, or House the House show), but they didn’t. They gave all characters depth and complexity. Also, the characters are sincerely likeable. There are great shows out there, but it’s not easy to find one where you actually like the characters, you root for them, and you care for them.

7- What will you keep forever in your heart?
Tim DeKay. The most adorable man on Earth. And it doesn’t hurt that he’s easy on the eye, and damn talented.
Though, really, beyond Tim, it’s the entire cast and crew, and the feeling that we were all sharing that special something.
And Peter Burke. (see above - and the dozen other posts on the subject LOL)

8- If you’re an artist or a writer, what inspired – and still inspires – you to create something?
As a writer, like I said above, it's the characters. I just wanted to spend more time with them. And I think, my understanding of Peter. I like being in his head, I feel a connection to him. I get him. And more generally, I like to imagine how the characters would react in a given situation, or what were they thinking about, left alone, after the “cut”. I care about the characters, and their feelings. More than the settings of a fic, it's the feelings I look for and want to explore. And it's to a point that now, when I see something emotionally gripping in a movie or another show, I just want to see how it'd work in White Collar...

As an artist, well, who wouldn’t want Tim and Matt (or Peter and Neal) as a desktop background, really? They're just the perfect material to experience things with Photoshop while staring a pretty pics...

9- What's your headcanon for the future of the characters?
Neal comes back to New York. It’s not easy at the beginning, but Peter and Mozzie forgive him, because even though it hurt, they also understand him and accept him as he is. And simply, life just wouldn’t be as fun without Neal.
It’s a new start for Neal, and this time he’s determined not to screw things up. He gets a legitimate job, and he babysits Little Neal every once in a while. His artist nature is a great complement to Peter’s sportive one. Maybe it’s because of the name, but Neal is determined to give that kid the chance in life he never got himself.
Mozzie sticks around. He doesn’t give up his criminal nature, but does it on the side, while trying to be a good uncle to Little Neal – and not driving the Suit too nuts… There might have been this one argument about the moon landing child book, but let’s not go there now.
It takes more time for Sara to forgive Neal, but she eventually will, and will come back to New York as well.
The Burkes regularly go to DC and Diana comes back to New York to visit every so often, so Theo and Neal quickly become BFF.

10- What now?
Now, I’m in a mix of denial – writing fics as a way to keep them alive – and acceptance – Not one to ask for a movie or whatever. I’ll cherish the memories forever, but I knew it would end. No show lasts forever. I mean, even CSI is ending…. But we had a good run. And I’m looking forward to see what the future holds for all those actors I’ve discovered through the show. I was sad to see it end, but I don't want to dwell on this sadness and rather keep the joy that each second of that show gives me.

11- Have you found your next White Collar yet?
Nooo /o\ I mean, well, there’s Sherlock, that is the only show that I love as much as White Collar (and, funnily enough for the same reasons – characters, cast, quality of directing and writing). But really, having to wait until 2017 (!!) for season 4, that’s torture.
And even though I’ve tried – very hard – nowhere can I find anything remotely as satisfying, nor characters as endearing, as in White Collar.
I guess the issue is that, like in love, trying to look for your ex in ever guy isn't the way to go...

12- Have you experienced the loss of a TV show like that before?
Yes and No. In Treatment ended just in time, I think. I was sad to see it go, but not *that* sad. And House ended way too late. So that one was really a relief. So, yes, I’ve seen dear shows end, but that’s the first one I really live as a loss. And I don’t know how to really move on from that. I mean, I never wrote for any other show. Nor was I silly enough to cross the Atlantic to meet the cast. I have such a special relationship with this show...

13- Anything else to add?
Adios, show, it's been real.



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