Thursday, June 30, 2011

White Collar - Jeff Eastin Tweets

In the car on the way to the White Collar set, series creator Jeff Eastin (@jeffeastin) answered fan questions. Here's the best stuff. SPOILERS ENSUE

1. Episode 3.08 sounds Jones-centric. Jones will get a love interest in this episode also.

2. Andrew McCarthy who played Adler last season is directing this week.

3. Diana's girlfriend and June's granddaughter may appear again if the scheduling works out.

4. No plans for the Burkes to have kids.

5. Matt Bomer uses his real Texan accent in the next episode.

6. Tim DeKay will direct an episode.

7. Plans to shoot the season 4 premiere somewhere outside of New York. If there is a season 4. No plans to regularly shoot anywhere but NY because of production costs.

8. Look for goodies at the White Collar fan event at Com-Con.

9. June will continue to show up in the season. (I didn't know this was questionable.)

10. Look for Eastin in a cameo at some point.

11. Ideally, Eastin would like George Clooney to play Neal's father. Pierce Brosnan would be a good choice too.

12. The character of Lauren Cruz is gone for good. The actress is starring in another show.

13. Peter knows Mozzie's real name. (Huh? This one surprises me.)

14. Neal's family will be featured and take a larger role in season 4, presuming they are renewed which seems likely. The writers and Eastin have already started planning the season 4 arc. Eventually we will see Neal's parents. No word if that will be a flashback or not.

15. Eastin does occasionally read White Collar fan fiction and look at fan art.

16. They are scheduled for 16 episodes through the USA - Fox deal but Eastin hopes they can get 18 instead.

17. Diana's last name was supposed to be Lancing but the clearance was messed up. Her last name is spelled Barrigan.

18. Eastin's favorite episodes: Pilot, BOH, Free Fall, Hard Sell, Out of Box, Bottlenecked, Withdrawal, Copycat Caffrey, Front Man, Point Blank, Forging Bonds

19. Agent Blake will be in future episodes. (Sounds like he may be the new office/van sitter instead of Jones. Anything to get Jones into the action.)

You can see all tweets @jeffeastin on Twitter.

Screencap by USA
My blog
SPN Asylum
SpoilerTV

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Supernatural Fandom - Its Own Worst Enemy

I posted an article several months ago about needing a truce in the Supernatural fandom. Today brother wars and season wars and show runner wars and heck, possibly even toothpaste wars, are rearing their ugly heads again. There's something about this fandom. It can be the most supportive, loving, and fabulous fandom on the internet. What other show raises so much for charity, builds orphanages in Haiti, supports people into trying things beyond their comfort level, and wins every freaking poll on the planet. However if we are not bonded together to win a poll or convince someone Supernatural is great, we are actively tearing down each other and as a by-product, this show. The cast and crew of Supernatural work way too hard for us to denigrate all they do to keep Supernatural on the air. Since I am heartsick and far too weary to continue to fight the never-ending battle of trying to get fans to be respectful of each other, I am posting a response from Elizabeth Madsen. She put it beautifully. If Supernatural is no longer your thing, more power to you. But don't ruin it for everyone else and for the love of all things beautiful, stop being a fandom that actively ticks off people so they don't even want to try our show.

From Liz Madsen's Tumblr account:

#Supernatural as a Piece of Art - A Call for Sanity

Supernatural is a story that was conceived by Kripke, and for six wonderful years has been brought to life through the combination and cooperation of one of the most amazing teams of writers that I have ever seen on television, incredibly talented actors, and a production crew that routinely produces amazing results on a very tight budget. This group of people work together, put in tremendous amounts of time, effort and love to produce art. Collectively, they have a vision, and endeavor to put it into a form that they can share with us, the viewers. Like any artist, they care what we think, but it is their vision! Would you tell a novelist that he should change his story, his vision, because you don’t agree with every little plot turn? No, you would just choose to read books by a different author! Just as it would be inconceivable to flood a painter with angry emails because her choice of brush strokes doesn’t fit your notion of the way her style should be. It seems to me that we need to take a step back, and remember that we are the viewers, and just like patrons in a museum, it is our place to observe. When we find a piece we love, we can linger, enjoying the nuances, and hope for more from the artist. And when we don’t find pleasure in the artists vision, it’s time to move along, for surely there will be another piece waiting for us around the corner. Stopping in front of such a piece and loudly proclaiming unhappiness with it does no one any good. It reduces the enjoyment of those surrounding us, it prevents us from finding pieces that we will love and being happy, and it is not going to change the work of art, for it is the artists’ right to produce art to fit their vision, and really, we wouldn’t want it any other way.

So I suggest that we respect the Supernatural team’s right to tell their story the way they feel it should be told. We can’t know where they are taking the story, but based on their track record, I believe it will be amazing and go places we never expected! And if, in the end, their vision is not for you, there are many other pieces of art waiting to be seen, so move along.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Necessary Roughness - 1.01 - Pilot - Preview


Necessary Roughness airs on Wednesdays at 10/9C on USA Network after Royal Pains. This Wednesday is the premiere.

OK, I admit it. When I first heard the Necessary Roughness synopsis, it didn't grab me. It boiled down to shrink deals with celebrities and quite frankly, I'm sick of celebrity shenanigans. I was marginally interested that it was on USA Network because they have great character shows. However, what made me watch the premiere is Callie Thorne. I loved her on Burn Notice where she played Fiona's foe, Natalie. Yes, it was only a 2 episode part but she was that good. I also found her wildly entertaining on her one-shot White Collar role. I wanted to see if she could play good as fascinatingly as she plays bad. (No, I don't watch Rescue Me but I hear she was quite the psychotic in it too.) In the end, I was pleasantly surprised by Necessary Roughness and will watch the second episode.

The USA Network summarizes the show best: Dr. Dani Santino (Callie Thorne) is a Long Island psychotherapist whose personal life unravels when she finds her husband cheating. Diving fully into her work, she takes on the challenge of rehabbing a bad boy professional football player (Mehcad Brooks) whose off-the-field antics threaten his career and the team franchise. Underestimated at every turn, she succeeds beyond expectations and soon finds herself as the most sought-after therapist for high-profile clients. Athletes, entertainers, politicians and others living in the spotlight clamor for her unique brand of tough love therapy during their moments of crisis. Although her career is reenergized, it wreaks havoc on her life as a newly minted single mom of two teenagers. Recognizing her ability to change people’s lives, she’s determined to strike a balance between both worlds.

What they don't say is that Dr. Dani is more interesting than expected and the secondary characters make the show. A voiceover kicks us off, explaining the life philosophy of Dani's father. "…life is like a football game. There's winners and there's losers. There's grinders in the trenches and superstars. No matter who you are, no matter how much protective gear you wear, at some point you're going to get the living c*** kicked out of you." Dani: "And today was my turn." And that's the end of football in the episode except tangentially. If you thought sports drama, it's more a drama that has sports in it.

At first glance, Dr. Dani is the 21st century version of Donna Reed. Her house is Martha Stewart perfect, she makes breakfast for her teens, and doesn't complain about her husband's late hours. She does it all. Until she speaks and Donna Reed flies out the window. Questioning her daughter's wardrobe choice, she declares, "When you are making a living as a hooker, then you can dig this out of storage." BWAH! Not 5 minutes in and she already makes me laugh. Sadly for her though, she notices the pillows are wrong in the guest room and the dominoes fall until it's pictures of half naked women on her husband's cell phone. Bye bye suburban dream, hello divorce and single motherhood.

Enter the secondary characters who in typical USA fashion sometimes overshadow the lead. (Think Mozzie on White Collar). There's the honest best friend Jeanette who encourages Dani to get through divorce via sex. She leads to Matthew, a pro football trainer who is literally the right guy for a pain in the neck. Their one-night stand brings Max, the mysterious team Fixer. I'm not sure what a Fixer does but he's slightly sinister and effective. Add in a son with multiple girlfriends like dear old dad, a rebellious (and whiny) daughter, and a hardcore gambler mom who uses Tiger Woods as a morality standard. Top everything off with some wacky clients and you've got USA Network summer fun.

This is a show where a professional football career is threatened by toilet paper, a marriage by box pleats, and a teen by counselor-inspired social humiliation. Oh, and clowns and private eyes both suck. It's a delightful mix of comedy, drama, and quirky characters that caught my attention. The key will be keeping those characters enjoyable because the show is if they become annoying. It has already worked a minor miracle for me. It made Marc Blucas (formerly Riley Finn from Buffy) and Scott Cohen (formerly Max Medina on Gilmore Girls) interesting. I particularly love Cohen's role so far.

Best line - "$200 bucks an hour? For a private eye? Yeah well, now I know why you guys are called d***."
Best mystery - What is a Fixer?
Character in most need of an overhaul - Lindsay Santino
Character with the biggest chance of being the Mozzie - Angela Santino
Character who needs more than 2 minutes of screen time - tie between Jeanette and Xeno
Best reason to watch this Wednesday - Callie Thorne and Scott Cohen

Necessary Roughness premieres this Wednesday, June 29 at 10/9C on USA Network. Can't wait to hear your reaction.

My blog
SPN Asylum
SpoilerTV

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Necessary Roughness - Interview with Callie Thorne


***Note - Pardon the lack of direct quotes from this interview but I'm writing from my notes in lieu of a transcript and I don't want to misquote.

Callie Thorne is no stranger to the USA Network after making memorable guest star appearances on Burn Notice, White Collar, and Royal Pains. She started in TV with Homicide: Life on the Street in 1997 and is best known for playing Sheila Keefe on Rescue Me. Necessary Roughness will be her first lead role in a TV series. It premieres on USA Network at 10/9C on Wednesday, June 29th after Royal Pains. The USA Network synopsis:

Dr. Dani Santino (Callie Thorne) is a Long Island psychotherapist whose personal life unravels when she finds her husband cheating. Diving fully into her work, she takes on the challenge of rehabbing a bad boy professional football player (Mehcad Brooks) whose off-the-field antics threaten his career and the team franchise. Underestimated at every turn, she succeeds beyond expectations and soon finds herself as the most sought-after therapist for high-profile clients. Athletes, entertainers, politicians and others living in the spotlight clamor for her unique brand of tough love therapy during their moments of crisis. Although her career is reenergized, it wreaks havoc on her life as a newly minted single mom of two teenagers. Recognizing her ability to change people’s lives, she’s determined to strike a balance between both worlds.

Coming off as a genuinely warm person in the interview, Thorne was eager to talk about her new role and give credit to all the talent that made it happen. She first became interested in the show because it is loosely based on the real story of Dr. Donna Dannenfelser, a former mental health clinician for the New York Jets. Thorne enjoys stories based in truth because they are automatically more rich and layered. She flew through the script and was attracted to the honesty in it. Having Dannenfelser on set during the pilot and in the writers room was an added plus. Thorne describes her as having an amazing energy that fills up the room and makes everyone around her feel safe, which made Thorne less nervous about telling her story. Even though Necessary Roughness is not a documentary, meeting with Dannenfelser allowed Thorne to soak up her spirit. It is important to Thorne that Dannenfelser feels good about the show. Still the show is only inspired by Dannenfelser's life, opening Thorne up to putting her own energy and personality into the mix. She describes it as a trust between the producers, writers, and actors and they urge her to bring her own quirks to the character. Although she has not been in Dannenfelser's shoes, her own experiences tap into her character's feelings in the situation.

Being a TV show lead comes with certain challenges, especially when combining comedy and drama within the same story. Initially worried about a dramedy format, Thorne found it to be a smooth transition which she credits to its true story roots. Now it's harder to remember the boundary between therapist and client so she doesn't play the role too maternally. She also deals with the transition of being lead instead of an ensemble cast member. Thorne thrived in the ensemble arena so taking the lead made her very nervous. One of the biggest changes she faces is being there from sunrise to sunset instead of doing her scenes and leaving. She frequently shoots one episode while preparing for another which left her scrambling a bit in the beginning but she thrives on it now. She credits what she learned watching Denis Leary in Rescue Me as a big help.

Mostly though, Necessary Roughness still has an ensemble feel for her. She describes her scenes as "so rich with other actors" and gives a shout-out to the casting department for taking great care in casting every character from those recurring to guests. While Dr. Dani has many balls to juggle in her life, each scene is given equal weight so all characters feel important to her. Even in short scenes, the writers develop the connections between characters so every scene feels like an "A" story instead of a sub-plotline. She praises Marc Blucas, Scott Cohen, Amanda Detmer, and others for bringing their various experiences in all forms of acting to create an energy where everyone is ready to explore. Patrick Johnson and Hannah Marks, who play her teenage kids, also earn rave reviews. Despite never auditioning with them, she finds them "incredibly gifted" and way beyond their years. Their excitement to be on the show makes her scene work with them spark.

The whole cast sounds incredibly close, possibly from shooting in Atlanta. Thorne is familiar with shooting in out-of-industry towns because Homicide: Life on the Street was shot in Baltimore. For Necessary Roughness, they had 1.5 months to shoot the pilot which gave everyone time to get acquainted. The schedule was perfect to work really hard on the story they wanted to tell instead of being rushed. Since no one had family in Atlanta, the cast hung out a lot at night, which Thorne believes shows up on screen. She also hung out with Johnson and Marks on set and cops to giving them unwanted advice. She doesn't have children of her own but finds herself going into Momma mode around them. When the series got picked up, Atlanta felt like coming "back to our own little playground."

As a character, Thorne connects mostly to Dr. Dani's ability to persevere. She encourages people to trust their instincts and keep trying. It's all about the attempt. Dr. Dani also needs these characteristics to handle the changes in her own life. It's a daily exercise Thorne relates to. Dr. Dani thought she had a stable suburban life but going through divorce has her scrambling to keep it all together. She has to navigate her way through new challenges and Thorne thinks the audience will connect with that. Of course, all this turmoil leaves Dr. Dani needing to lean on others for the advice and support she gives her clients. To that end, she still flounders and the audience goes through the experience of figuring it out with her. Her best friend Jeanette is a rock for her and there is potential in her romance with team trainer Matthew, although they have not progressed far enough in their relationship yet. It may also turn out that Nico, the team's mysterious Fixer, will be a confidante. In fact, some early reviewers wonder if a love triangle between Dr. Dani, Matthew, and Nico is in the works, but Thorne says not at this time. Who knows about the future? Right now there is a lot of flirting with Matthew but Dr. Dani always tries to get Nico, played by Cohen, to crack his cool demeanor. Thorne loves trying to get Cohen to break character and smile during shooting too. One thing is sure though. Dr. Dani will not be turning to her mother for support. Played by Concetta Tomei, Angela is an "off her rocker" gambling addict and a lot of fun for the audience. Rounding out the cast are Dr. Dani's clients. Although she works with professional skateboarders, poker players, and of course football players, Terrence "TK" King has a special place in her heart. As her patient in the pilot, he will be a recurring character.

Even though Dr. Dani has a complicated life, she is a far cry from Thorne's most famous role, Sheila Keefe on Rescue Me. Thorne sees nothing of Sheila in Dr. Dani's character which is one reason why she likes the role so much. she calls the characters "photo negatives of each other." Sheila is a desperately lonely megalomaniac who only wants to take. Dr. Dani wants to give. Although the characters are so different, Thorne feels they have an equivalent complexity. "Playing stability is equally as hard as playing instability." One similarity between Rescue Me and Necessary Roughness though is the willingness to allow the actors to improvise. Rescue Me had a lot of improvising, especially in the firehouse scenes. In Necessary Roughness, the writers and creators are open to new ideas and changing lines. "They trust us as a troupe to create." However most of the time the actors don't want to ruin the rhythm of what the writers create.

Necessary Roughness airs on Wednesdays at 10/9C on the USA Network. The premiere date is June 29. Don't miss it!

My blog
SPN Asylum
SpoilerTV

Friday, June 24, 2011

Burn Notice - Online Graphic Novel Available


The creators of Burn Notice have added a new feature, an online, interactive graphic novel that bridges the gap between season 4 and 5. It's called A New Day. Check it out here and leave comments about what you think of it. I love that USA Network is always adding to its viewer interaction. Plus, I was wondering how they took down an entire covert operation during the hiatus. :-)

Burn Notice Graphic Novel Download

My blog
SPN Asylum
SpoilerTV

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Burn Notice - 5.01 - Company Man - Preview


The Burn Notice season 5 premiere, Company Man, airs Thursday, June 23rd at 9/8 Central on the USA Network and you're in for an explosive time. Guns fire, grenades boom, and there may be more bombs here than any other episode. Action starts right away as we play Around the World in 30 Seconds. Ok, it may be a bit longer. Jumping forward 6 months after the season 4 finale, we find a lot has changed in Michael's life and adjusting to those changes may be a big factor in the first half of the season.

"I NEED Answers!"

The pursuit for answers has added new friends to Michael's life. Grant Show plays Max, his CIA handler, while Raines, his new boss, is introduced too. Both work well within the plot and I look forward to seeing more of them. However, the process of unburning a spy is complicated and there's still an "unauthorized quasi-governmental agency" to take down so no rest for Michael Westen. The journey starts by breaking into the security of a country America is allies with and takes us all the way to Venezula. But even then not all answers are found.

"When you got burned, it wasn't just you. These last 4 years have been hard on all of us."

Just when you wonder where the other characters fit in to the new Michael Westen lifestyle, he's Miami-bound where things are awesome. Michael and Fiona are definitely together and seem to be making a go of the new challenges. Both are delightfully mature and open with each other. Sam is looking fit and has a surprise for Michael. Things with Mom are better than ever. In fact they have some very touching moments together. Jesse even drops by for 2 minutes to give us a status update on his life.

"What happened to the way we do things?"

But not everything's rosy. As Michael tries to mesh Sam and Fiona into a CIA manhunt, things get sticky. The CIA is by the book while things never work that way in Miami. Still, Sam and Fi prove they know Michael best, Max gets a crash course in Michael's world, and Michael uncharacteristically breaks down. This episode hits on all major points - action, humor, and drama.

I'm not sure where this season is leading us, but I can tell already it will be quite the ride. By opening Michael up to CIA forces, they've added a whole other level to play with. One that is unsettling and a bit unbalanced and makes you wonder what will happen next. However, at the core it is still Michael Westen and his team, watching each other's backs and handling the tricky situations. Welcome back Burn Notice. I've missed you!

Don't forget to watch next Thursday, June 23 on the USA Network at 9/8 Central.

Screencap by Jeffrey Donovan.net
My blog

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

White Collar - 3.02 - Where There's a Will - Jeff Eastin Tweets

Normally I recap White Collar's new episodes, but this week finances and time are against me. Since I'm flying out for vacation, I've decided it would be fun to let Jeff Eastin recap the episode instead. Jeff Eastin is the creator and executive producer of White Collar. Here are the tweets he sent during the West Coast viewing of the episode.


#WhiteCollar live tweeting - I'm starting now

Danny and Chris Masterson have acted together but have never played brothers before this episode.

I had just finished The Lost Symbol and wanted to do a Dan Brown style episode.

The daughter, Savannah, is named after my niece.

True: Napoleon had at least sixteen different signatures over his lifetime

Horace Blyth and Hatch O’Brey are actual anagrams of “Tycho Brahe.” Go ahead, TEST US.

The Roland House is actually not a house at all, it’s a school. The Convent of the Sacred Heart is the alma mater of Lady Gaga!

I'll try to answer a few questions as we go..

I'm the astronomy buff

Yes, that’s Anna Chlumsky from My Girl playing Agent Melissa Matthews. The character is named after writer @MarkGoffman’s cousin Melissa.

The DeArmitt Gallery Elizabeth interviews at is named after Jenny DeArmitt, #WhiteCollar’s long-suffering writers’ assistant.@dearmittens

This sundial is fictitious, but there are several in Central Park, including the Waldo Hutchins Memorial Bench.

The sundial scene is shot at a spot in Central Park where director @SBookstaver loved to walk as a kid.

It took me a long time to explain this mirror scene to the cast & crew. #whitecollar

Tycho Brahe had a dwarf named Jep. We had several jokes involving Mozzie being called Jep. I cut them.

Tycho also had a pet elk that he used to feed beer. It died in a drunken fall down the stairs.

We were supposed to get kidnappsavanah.com but we didn't. Fail.

Tycho Brahe’s nose was sliced off in a drunken duel, after which he wore a prosthetic nose made of silver. #WhiteCollar

I love Felix. Great character.

I told FX company to match Star Walk ap on my iPhone for the stars.

The planetarium scene was shot in NYC’s Hayden Planetarium, where director @NeilTyson was the first to display a Pluto-less solar system.

Tycho letter and his twin story is all true.

This is from my sneak peek page. #WhiteCollar

Mike Grosky is our amazing location scout.

You can finally get White Collar merchandise at liten.be//uxBi0#WhiteCollar

Satchmo's real name is Jackson

Sam on Neal's jacket is a Burn Notice shout out.

This is one of my favorite Neal / Mozzie cons

Bomer said he thought I was Kevin McKidd when he came in for the first audition.

Bob Villa was a Bomer ad lib.

Astronomer Tycho Brahe’s first published work was a letter to his twin brother who died at birth.

Brahe really did have his own print shop on the island gifted to him by the King of Denmark.

to repeat: The Roland House is actually not a house at all, it’s a school. The Convent of the Sacred Heart is the alma mater of Lady Gaga!

Danny and Chris Masterson's dad came to set for several days of filming.

I'm rebooting my Mac at commercial. @kevinmitnick is helping me design my new Macbook 15"

The opening scene in ghost inspired this ending

I personally filmed this airport bar establishing shot w/ jet landing with my canon 7d at LAX because I didn’t like the stock shot we had.

The bar scene with Neal and Agent Melissa Matthews was shot at the Fairfield Inn across the street from Silvercup, our studio.

I love this scene.

My Mac is working much better now. Word always slows it down.

I was terrified they would play it too drunk.

In one version of this final scene, Melissa and Neal made an impromptu pinky swear.

That's it for me. Thanks for watching. #WhiteCollar

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Supernatural - Favorite 11th Episode - Poll


Just a reminder that when the Best Show competition begins, I will stop adding these polls and resume again after the Best Show contest has finished. Think of it as our own little hiatus. Again, I am jumping the gun a bit but I'm calling Croatoan the clear 9th episode winner with 41% of the votes. In second with 18% is Clap You Hands if You Believe.

In the 11th episode contest, things get interesting, at least for me. The juggernaut is of course Mystery Spot and I think it will win. The question for me is by how much. I love Mystery Spot but there are 3 episodes in my favorite list and 2 episodes in my least favorite list with Sam, Interrupted tossed in the middle somewhere. It will be interesting to see what lands in second place this round. Here's my take:

Scarecrow - Awesome. One of the scariest monsters of the week that Supernatural has ever had. It also introduced Meg and kick started the idea that while they were after the demon, YED was also keeping track of them. Besides, "I hope your apple pie is freaking worth it" is SPN classic. Not an episode I can easily vote against.

Playthings - Ugh! I call this one Dead in the Water 2 and that's not a compliment since DitW is one of my personal favorites. This is the lame sequel. Full of "But I don't want to be evil" emoangsting and creepy dolls, the only part I liked was DrunkSam and he was hilarious. "You're bossy. And short." Bwah!

Mystery Spot - One of the best of all-time. I remember when I first heard the synopsis that Dean died a lot, I expected it to be overdone on the angst. Instead, we got one of the funniest episodes of all. Bad tacos anyone? And who hasn't thought - Tuesday, Pig 'n a Poke? However what made this episode was the Trickster being back and Sam channeling his inner RoboSam. Funny, chilling, and surprising. It was made of win.

Family Remains - Also known as The Benders 2, also not in a good way. We went from angels vs. demons battle to incest kid with her hygiene problems and rat diet. Everything in this was supposed to bring back the people are evil vibe but hit on revolting for me.

Sam, Interrupted - OK, let's get it over with. "Pudding!" That and Sam getting the good meds were awesome. Everything else is meh. Um, well what I remember that is because this episode goes in the "I watch when it's on, but never pull out to watch on my own" pile.

Appointment in Samarra - This episode makes everything harder for me. One of the truly great episodes in season 6. We get Death, who is always awesome, and RoboSam going after Bobby, which was intense and good for an actual scare. Add in the Dean as Death sideplot and the fact that I never believed they would actually re-soul Sam before hiatus. This episode gets better every time I watch it. Those who hate RoboSam may disagree and shifting editing is never my choice, but I think this was one of the best episodes of all and it is added to my Top list.

There's my opinion. What's yours? Don't forget to comment after voting because comments are that movie you actually do not regret paying full price for in a disappointing summer blockbuster schedule.



Screencap by Supernatural Fans Online
My blog
SPN Asylum
SpoilerTV

Previous Winners:
Lazarus Rising (season 4)
Are You There God? It's Me, Dean Winchester (season 4)
Bad Day at Black Rock (season 3)
The End (season 5)
Simon Said (season 2)
Skin (season 1)
The Usual Suspects (season 2)
Changing Channels (season 5)
Croatoan (season 2)

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Supernatural - Favorite 10th Episode - Poll

The 8th episode poll is about to close and it is no surprise that Changing Channels won with 52% of the vote. A Very Supernatural Christmas came in second with 36% of the vote so the remaining 12% was shared by the other 4 episodes. On an interesting note, Bugs got one vote so all episodes have officially been favorited by someone. I'm leaning towards the people felt sorry for it theory myself.

Today's list of 10th episodes comes without detailed commentary because I need to watch a couple of them again before I do my ranking. However, I think they are vastly superior to many of the episodes in recent polls. My bet is that Abandon All Hope takes the prize although I'm leaning towards Asylum myself. Happy voting! Comments are a cool day in the midst of a sweltering summer.

10th episodes:

Asylum
Hunted
Dream a Little Dream of Me
Heaven and Hell
Abandon All Hope
Caged Heat



Screencap by Supernatural Caps
My blog
SPN Asylum
SpoilerTV

Previous Winners:
Lazarus Rising (season 4)
Are You There God? It's Me, Dean Winchester (season 4)
Bad Day at Black Rock (season 3)
The End (season 5)
Simon Said (season 2)
Skin (season 1)
The Usual Suspects (season 2)
Changing Channels (season 5)

Supernatural - Favorite 9th Episode - Poll



The episode 7 results are in and it is The Usual Suspects winning with 27% followed by Fresh Blood with 19%. The Usual Suspects was on TNT today and I agree that it was pretty awesome. today's poll will be for the 9th episodes. I will be in complete minority here because I detest certain characters that have a strong following in the fan base (Missouri Mosley and Chuck Shurley, I'm looking at you.) I also think most of these episodes suck. So without further ado, this is my completely biased opinion:

Home - Hate it. The first 15 minutes were decent when we found out Sam has visions that come true and Dean was freaked out about being home again. It went drastically downhill from there. Missouri is one of my least favorite characters, the guest actors (not Loretta Devine who is an awesome actress who played a sucky character) ranged from bad to meh, the kitchen sink and the lamp attacked (and I laughed not in a good way), and that hideous monkey creeps me out every single time. Add to it, our first glimpse of Mary didn't satisfy the brothers or the viewers.

Croatoan - We get our first foray into demon viruses and it really worked for me. I love how the whole town turned and the moral dilemmas the brothers faced. It had humor (You have a neighbor named Mr. Rodgers.) and of course, Dean staying with Sam until the end. Even giving up the Impala to do so. It was the last hurrah for the brothers before John shot it all to hell.

Malleus Maleficarum - My pick for the grossest choice in this poll, but I really liked it. The sububan witch theme interested me and the fact that Tammy knew Ruby. I would have been fine if she killed Ruby, but no it was the cute little bunny instead. And when the woman's teeth fell out - like I said gross.

I Know What You Did Last Summer - The introduction of Anna when she was still a crazy-girl ally and not trying to kill them before they were born. I liked this episode best when I first saw it but it doesn't wear well for me. An average episode for me, but I like it better than when she became powerful.

The Real Ghostbusters - This episode has three strikes for me. First, it has Chuck who I blame for the MatEoTB fiasco. I hated the whole SPN books storyline. 2. the convention was one reason why I hate meta episodes for the most part (although I thought French Mistake was fun). Fake Sam and Dean were decent but the meta for meta's sake pulled me out of the episode more than drew me in. 3. And there is no excuse for this one - it brought back Becky, a character more annoying than Missouri to me. Her mere mention makes me cringe so a full episode of her is too much to ask of any fan (or at least me.)

Clap Your Hands if You Believe - The episode that made fairies, brownies, elves, and trolls canon. Oh joy! It did have some great humor (RoboSam and the fairy lady, nuking the fairy light, opening title sequence, "Fight the fairies") but when they hinted that fairies were more powerful than angels, we walked into dangerous territory. I so don't want Oberon as the Big Bad in season 8. If we never hear from fairies again, I will enjoy this episode a lot more than I do right now.

So I really don't like 9th episodes anymore than the 6th ones it appears. What do you think? Happy voting and remember that comments are the iPad apps of life.





Screencap by Screencap Paradise
My blog
SPN Asylum
SpoilerTV

Previous winners:
Lazarus Rising (season 4)
Are You There God? It's Me, Dean Winchester (season 4)
Bad Day at Black Rock (season 3)
The End (season 5)
Simon Said (season 2)
Skin (season 1)
The Usual Suspects (season 2)

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Supernatural - Favorite 8th Episode - Poll

No winner to announce today because the episode 7 poll doesn't end until tomorrow. However, I can probably call the episode 8 poll for Changing Channels right now before voting even starts. It amuses me that this poll is divided between some of the best and some of the worst episodes Supernatural has ever done. Unlike the last couple of polls, for me there isn't one meh episode in the bunch. I either really enjoy them or think they suck out loud. Here's my take:

Bugs - Worse episode in all 6 years. I thought maybe The Third Man had taken that honor but I recently rewatched Bugs and I can say nothing touches it for me in sheer eye rolling unbelievability and general suckiness.

Crossroad Blues - It gave us the crossroad demons which jumped started a new era in Supernatural and eventually gave us Crowley. Love the episode and love him. It also had a great story with the Robert Johnson legend. I even love the invisible hell hounds.

A Very Supernatural Christmas - In my opinion, this episode is Supernatural. When people who have never seen Supernatural before ask me about the show, this is the episode I suggest they start with because it contains everything Supernatural stands for in 42 minutes. It has humor, gore, scares, brother moments galore, a tight story, flashbacks, and of course awesome acting. "You fudgin' touch me again, I'll fudgin' kill you." What's not to love?

Wishful Thinking - Teddy bear doctors. That's all you have to say. What other show could add in teddy bear doctors and make the fandom embrace it? I loved all the wishes but suicidal teddy is a classic.

Changing Channels - This episode has the best, most unexpected twist since the truck smashed the Impala in season 1. Did anyone on the planet suspect the Trickster was an angel? I was flabbergasted and still think it was a cool reveal. I miss Gabriel. Oh, and it had those fantastic spoofs of CSI and Grey's too. It's my favorite "comedic' episode, barely edging out Mystery Spot.

All Dogs Go to Heaven - And they can stay there. This was creepy in a bad way (seriously perverted dog man watching that woman) and generally boring. I liked it best the first time I saw it, mostly because RoboSam was funny and action-oriented. However, it does not do well at all in repeats. One of the few truly disappointing episodes in season 6 and a complete let down from the awesomeness of Family Matters.

So what do you think? Vote and comment.





SPN Asylum
My blog
SpoilerTV

White Collar - 3.01 - On Guard - Recap

Previously, Vincent Adler killed people for treasure, Sarah and Neal sucked face, Peter channeled his inner middle schooler and noticed Neal's Chrysler Building painting, Adler's U-boat contained billions in Nazi plunder, his treasure warehouse blew up, Peter saw a flaming copy of Neal's painting and suspected Neal stole the treasure, Neal received a key to a warehouse that now houses the treasure.

Season 3 begins with Mozzie channeling his best bomber pilot, encouraging Neal to hurry up loading cargo on a plane. Peter and the FBI race the airstrip sirens wailing as Mozzie straps in. He's a pilot too. Who knew? Peter: "We cannot let Caffrey get airborne." Moz yells back they won't make it but Neal says they have to. They left so quickly they couldn't even close the plane door. I hope their cargo doesn't fall out. A title card tells us the episode is flashing back 4 days. Makes sense because it would be a really short season if Neal was arrested right now.

Four days ago, Neal looks incredibly tired. His eyes are bloodshot as he takes a lie detector test. Neal's baseline lie: "I have never told a lie." That works. Peter watches intently as Jones mentions the warehouse. Neal recaps season 2's finale. (If you missed it, stop reading right now and watch it!) Peter asks if he stole the art or knows who did. He denies both and the machine confirms it's true. Still, Neal's beaten a lie detector before so why does Peter bother. In a rundown building no less. No FBI sanctioned plan here folks. Neal reminds Peter it's 3 am but Peter doesn't care how long it takes. Apparently that's 2 seconds for the viewers because suddenly it's morning, Neal is clean-shaven although still in the same clothes, and meeting Sarah in a bookstore. They invade each other's personal bubble as he says Peter might question her. Sarah surmises Neal's on Peter's art theft suspect list and he confirms he didn't have his anklet that night. Again short storyline if he did. Sarah asks what Neal wants her to say and it sounds like she would lie for him. If so, it seems very out-of-character from the Sarah of last season. Neal suggests telling the truth (how ironic) about their night together but skipping the details. Thank you Neal. I really don't want to know. They flirt and kiss and Sarah asks if he stole the treasure. Neal denies it but she reminds us that he's a con. Neal heads out but Sarah stops him. "Caffrey, if that art is out there any idea who has it?" Neal shrugs and Sarah's gone for the rest of the episode. Insert a "Yippee!" if you don't like her or an "Aw" if you do. Then let's get back to the plot.

Neal heads home to find his door wide open. I fully expect to see Peter and an FBI team sweeping his place. Instead, Mozzie's on the balcony with a cheesy 50's hula dancer figurine on the table. Neal taps her and Moz calls her Lolana. Neal: "Is she from any island in particular?" Moz: "Whichever one your heart desires." Neal pulls out the card that lead him to the treasure (77850 Ganesvoort St., Unit A, New York, NY. YOULL THANK ME) and WHAT? Moz took the treasure? I'm less surprised about this than that they told us right away. I suspected to play Who Took the Treasure? for 6-10 episodes. There goes my theory on season 7's plot. Anyway, Neal's impressed as Moz explains his process. He found the warehouse through the limo transmitter, EM burst the security, and switched the truck with the art. As the whole sub was filled with unstable TNT, it was easy to detonate - perfect cover. Neal: "You didn't tell me." Moz: "Plausible deniability and all." Good thing because Neal passed the lie detector test. Moz calls the score their white whale and I think it's awesome he's sharing with Neal. Neal asks about Lolana, whose name means to soar. Moz says they will soar soon, but Neal mentions Peter's suspicions. Moz: "All the more reason for haste." It will take a few days to prepare. Neal: "…we don't rush this. We take our time. We do it right." Moz agrees and toasts, "To our best and final score." They clink glasses and tap Lolana for good measure. I love their self-satisfied smiles. I honestly think it's more about pulling off the theft than it is about the treasure.

Fast forward to Peter and Neal. Neal protests that he passed Peter's test but his record is sketchy. Neal wants civility so Peter brings up the Mets. Ha! Neal asks why Peter "turned against" him. Peter plays an echo well here. Neal's all "Go Team" over a newspaper article about Adler but Peter downplays it as their job. Well, someone's bound to get an commendation from it. Peter, it's good to celebrate wins, find joy in a job well done. At the office, Peter-Neal start a funny staring contest. Peter wins. Neal mentions Peter smiling; Peter mentions Gary Rydell, who according to Neal is a "bit of a playboy with an uncanny ability to wreck expensive cars." Ha! He's also Neal's alias, a world-class fencer/smuggler. Neal: "You think I might activate my Rydell alias in order to sneak something out of the country. Something like a stolen Nazi treasure." Peter admits it crossed his mind but David Lawrence, master thief, is looking for Rydell. They originally dealt in pre-Colombian art but now he needs to move $60 million stolen from the Federal Reserve. Whoa! That's a lot of money. Peter: "We think he left the $60 mill behind." Neal: "Well, safe assumption. I mean the baggage fees alone would have cost a fortune." BWAH! I'm so thinking this when I fly next week. Peter's less amused and mentions Lawrence's e-mail to Rydell. Neal will pose as Rydell, strike a deal, and find out where the money is. Neal wonders why Rydell would take such a big risk, but Peter counters, "If you were one step away from pulling off the biggest score in your life, could you let it go?" Hello season 3 theme. I like how this case needs Neal because it forces Peter to use him sans anklet despite his reservations. Essentially it neatly sews up gaping plot holes this episode would have without it.

Neal realizes Peter has tangible evidence, no hunch, but Moz says Peter's playing with him. Neal: "So there's nothing from the heist that could be tied back to me?" Um, well. Moz: "You know that art studio where you keep all the paintings you've done?....Now it's just a studio." Ha! Neal's offended but he counters, "Neal, you're talented but Van Dyke has you beat." (snickers) Forensics needed to find paint and canvas traces. He emphatically declares, "Nothing could survive that fire." Neal glares. Moz amends, "Nothing should have survived the fire." Murphy's Law Moz. At night Peter and El have their own discussion on the piece of canvas that shouldn't exist. Peter works a different law, the law of plot development. "I know he took the art. I'm standing there watching the warehouse go up in flames and this floats down at my feet." El questions if it is Neal's, but Peter questions how many Chrysler Building paintings exist. Way too many! El has a book to prove it. Since the building was created in 1931, it fits the sub timeline. The Burkes play the maybe game. In summation maybe Peter's chasing Neal because he always has or maybe he's doing it because Neal's guilty. Peter wins the round. He admits it could be Mozzie or Alex but Neal is involved. El suggests Peter have the scrap tested to see if it's from the 30's but Peter can't go through official channels. "If I'm right and Neal's behind this, he goes down and so do I." El understands and will call in a favor for a private test. "For you, anything." Aw. They are still the loving married couple I love.

Diana makes an appearance because Lawrence contacted Gary. They'll meet at Gramercy Fencing Club. Peter: "Why can't guys like you ever just grab a beer?" Neal: "Imported or domestic?" Ha! The banter and humor is intact too. The anklet goes off as Neal smirks and Diana cuts him off. They're still listening to everything. At the club, "Rydell" and Lawrence banter about disguises before starting a match. Both have been AWOL for years so they duel to prove who's the better man. Lawrence takes the first point by slicing Neal's tie. However, Neal wins the match and thus his trust. They dicker over Neal's commission and Gary tells him "to set it up." but he won't yet reveal where the cash is. Neal looks ridiculous with half a tie missing. Bwah! As he enters the FBI, he quotes "cruel and unusual punishment" because Peter brought him there with mangled tie still on. I wonder why Neal didn't just take it off. Peter wonders how Neal would move the money, after snickering about the tie. HA! You and me both Peter. Neal claims boats are best to transport cash because dock workers are easier to pay off. He asks Diana's opinion about a new tie; I laugh at the 9+ ties he keeps in his desk drawer. He throws the destroyed tie away and Peter picks it out of the trash. Neal: "I've driven you to dumpster dive?" Peter: "A souvenir of Neal Caffrey's perfect moment? Priceless." He's a MasterCard commercial now. Bwah!

Meanwhile, Moz makes model airplanes while Lolana watches. In the background are muffled sounds of Neal and a woman's voice. He yells up so Mozzie quickly covers the model with a dish rag. Hey! It's June's granddaughter, the college student Neal was to occasionally babysit in the pilot but who went MIA after that scene. Glad you weren't abducted too. Cindy brings coffee and tries to pry out info for June. At least that's my take. Neal takes the tray from her while Moz is awkward. They insist on bringing the tray down when they're done and politely back her out the door. If this scene doesn't scream "up to something," she's not paying attention. They chat about missing New York and pause just enough so viewers see their reservations about the plan, but then exposit the escape details for us. As Peter waits for Lawrence at the docks, Moz and Neal will sneak themselves and the treasure away by 400 Series Twin Otter plane. Neal wonders if it is big enough. Moz: "Think of it as a Kardashian. What it lacks in refinement, it makes up for in cargo space." BWAH!!! Seriously, why do people watch the Kardashians or Jersey Shore. Makes no sense. Neal worries about Peter's evidence and they decide pressing Elizabeth is their best card.

When he knows Peter is not home, Neal stops by to chat. El not too stealthily removes the Chrysler Building book off the counter and asks if he wants coffee. Neal agrees and claims Peter suddenly doesn't trust him. El: "I don't know how sudden it is. Breaking out of prison, stealing the music box, almost shooting Fowler. You want me to go on." He doesn't. "Look, he wants to trust you but you have this, I don't know, habit of doing the wrong thing for the right reasons." Neal sees it as a compliment. "You're saying I'm impulsive but I have a great heart." El: "Maybe you could try to balance the two." Neal praises her advice and coffee but asks for milk. While she gets it, he snaps a picture of the book she tried to hide. Very clever and yet risks alienating the one person who has always seen your side. Not a good plan, Neal. He toasts, "To the right things for the right reasons." Now I have Mr. Deeds by Sanctus Real stuck in my head. Good thing I like that song. El agrees and they clink mugs. There's a lot of toasting this episode. He joins Mozzie after buying a copy of the book. Moz is concerned that El chose Peter over them to which Neal and I remind him, "He is her husband." Apparently, osso bucco recipes trump husbands for Moz. Neal flips through the book as Mozzie rants until he sees a Chrysler Building painting. Yahtzee! He recaps Peter seeing it and asks if it was on the sub. "You know, in all honesty, it wasn't one of your better works." So yes then. Moz thinks Peter would arrest Neal if he had the painting but Neal says he'd verify it first. If he sent it to the FBI lab, the results would be in already which means no FBI. Moz asks why. Neal: "To protect me." Moz: "Or to protect himself." Me: "We've already heard this. Move on." They agree Haversham will watch Elizabeth. Glad to see Mozzie's alias back.

Lawrence, aka huge cautionary tale, meets Neal by the docks. He takes the risk because it's too tempting. "There comes a point where you finish the job or it finishes you." Neal: "If you get caught, you lose everything." Nope, that doesn't foreshadow inner turmoil or anything. Lawrence ran without anything so he wants to know the plan. Neal shows him a ship and gives him fake papers, sharing his 4-step plan. 1. Money comes by truck. 2. Bribed customs guy doesn't see it. 4. Fake routing papers. Lawrence asks about #3 but that's Neal's job. Lawrence is sold. Jones is still in the van. He admires Neal's ability to escape and Peter reminds us of the missing anklet until they're done. He goes parole officer. Neal must check in every 2 hours. Does it include sleeping? That's worse than a newborn? He's also restricted to home and the office unless it is case-related. Uh oh, someone's grounded. Neal already knows this and Peter asks about step #3. It's arresting Lawrence. "Oh. It's a good thing you didn't tell him." Ha! Peter brings up Neal's talk with Elizabeth. Neal hauls out the "same team" speech, conveniently ignoring the real reason he was there. We call this the liar, liar dance. Thankfully his phone rings and Peter tells him to get out.

Alas, it's Mozzie reporting on El. No one in the FBI or New York is suspicious with Neal whispering in the phone and Moz spying via a telescope out the car window?. Bah! He lip reads pointless conversation until El hands a guy the painting. "Oh sweet Elvis Costello. It's your Chrysler painting." No shock there but Mozzie's voice rising an octave has me rolling with laughter. He suggests stealing it but it would raise as much suspicion as Neal's paranoid behavior - IN THE FBI. He suggests they swap it out. It's risky but do-able. Peter hawk eyes Neal as he tells Moz to meet him at the warehouse to pick up canvas and paint from the 1930's. He immediately leaves, causing Peter to send Jones to tail him. Hey! Jones leaves the van/office. Another season 3 wish fulfilled. Of course it keeps Neal from meeting Moz, who responds negatively to Neal's questions. He's guessing what colors to scrape off the paintings. I wonder if it damages the art but art thieves should this, right? Neal says to get primaries and he'll mix what he needs. Moz: "I'm not an idiot." Of course not. You're the most amazing character on here. He's got a white and dark blue, but Neal wants a different blue. Moz loses it because he's doing the work and Neal's micromanaging. Neal tells him to breathe and check the Dali but no dice. Moz: "I'll find something. Neal: "I know you will." Good since he didn't need to cut you in on this heist to begin with Neal. He ends the conversation by chucking his phone in an abandoned building. I hope it's on the way to your house Neal. Remember, you're grounded.

That night Neal recreates his painting to throw Peter off. Moz has what's needed, including paint mixed by Picasso. Neal: "Taken from masters." Moz: "Picasso was a communist. He'd be happy to share." Bwah! Moz exposits a 30-minute window to switch the painting before it's mailed. Security is standard but they need a distraction. Kansas City mudslide is out since it involves a jackhammer. Neal wants to run a Phoebe Cates and I flashback to the 80's, the last time I heard her name. Hello, Fast Times at Ridgemont High reference. And who will play Phoebe Cates? Why June's formerly missing granddaughter, Cindy. Glad to know you're not just here to run coffee. Neal thinks she'll do it for the excitement. However, there's still the Jones problem. "I'll take a page from the great." The next morning he leaves looking particularly dapper, fedora on and umbrella in hand. Jones follows him into a park full of others in fedoras and umbrellas. He grabs one who asks if he won the contest. Bwah! Very clever Neal.

Step 2 - Enter Moz the delivery guy, who has a package for someone who transferred to Boston. Moz calls it "a hell of a town" and turns the security guy's attention to Cindy walking by. She "accidentally" pours her drink on herself outside the window. Fiddling with her blouse, she enters the lobby. She hands Mozzie her bags and coat and starts undressing while Moz holds the coat up. It keeps security guy from getting a peek but not anyone on the sidewalk. What's up with that? Security guy protests a bit but she exposits a grumpy boss and asks which new top to wear. Meanwhile, Neal walks right by the security cameras. The Phoebe Cates works. Security guy and Moz eye wink each other and after Cindy is redressed she glances down at Neal, thanks the security guard, and kisses Mozzie. "Screw Boston. This is a hell of a town." Ha! Whole scene was well-done. I love when they have to pull off intricate plans to accomplish their goals. Step 3 - Neal steams open the envelope the painting is in and cuts out a piece of fabric. At first I wondered why he didn't create the painting sample at home and switch them. Then I realized he didn't know which part was unburnt or the exact size. I could never be a criminal. Too many details. He quickly makes a copy with his premade paint, sweating with concentration. Of course, Peter calls to nail him on slipping by Jones and Neal claims he thought Jones was sent by Lawrence. Hmm, it's plausible. Good excuse. Neal claims to be at home doing arts and crafts. HA!!! Peter says Jones will be there in 20 minutes so it is a good thing Neal's almost done. He burns the edges with a handheld blowtorch and races home. Mission accomplished.

Moz sneaks past Jones into Neal's and says everything's ready except the Lawrence distraction. Lawrence texted 10 minutes earlier and Moz is flabbergasted Neal isn't more excited. He has a lot on his mind here. He loses something whichever choice he makes. Moz: "Everything good must one day come to an end. Just think. You're never going to see anything in this apartment again." Not the best argument at this time. Moz grabs Lolana while Neal hides stuff in hidey holes. He wants to say goodbye to June but Moz stops him. "You know the rules. No goodbyes…I'm going to miss her too. I'm going to miss all of it." Neal is visibly distressed, but grabs his duffle bag from a hole in the wall behind a painting. That's a lot of easy to find hiding places Neal. Pausing to look around, he throws his FBI ID on the table and mutters, "Goodbye Caffrey." Ouch. Being a con must lead to expensive therapy.

Neal calls Peter who recaps the already recapped plan. Neal heads to the fencing club, Peter to the harbor. Jones will be on hand if there's trouble. That's ominous. At the club, Lawrence brags about his flawless heist, except it couldn't be flawless if you still don't have the money 6 years later. He compares himself to Prometheus who also met a sticky end. All the while, he fiddles with wiring. He thought for sure someone would find the money but they never did. Mostly because it was hidden…in the fencing club air ducts. Huh? He flips the wires and money shoots out of the vents. My first thought: Truly awesome. Millions of dollars floating over their heads. Second thought: This club looks expensive. No one ever cleans the ducts. How dusty! Also, shouldn't it be hot with 2 ducts blocked? They need new management. Neal asks how Lawrence feels and it's better than he imagined. The money is counted and stacked when a tough comes in about Jones. Busted! They drag him off the neighboring roof and Gary questions him via a gun. Neal takes over and Jones denies knowing him. He's at the club on a hunch. Gary punches him and rants about how the big, mean FBI get in the way of his poor-little-theft plans. Boo hoo! You're not Neal so I want you in jail. Lawrence wants to kill Jones but Neal suggests he makes good leverage. He explains step #3 as a backup plan and sacrifices his own getaway to keep Jones alive. I'm sure it's supposed to be an Awww! moment but Neal's a criminal too so the emotion is tempered.

However, Moz is full of emotion when Neal changes the plan. He's at the warehouse packing the last of the treasure when he gets the call. Frankly I'm shocked it isn't out of the warehouse and loaded on a truck by this time. Those boxes look heavy and they are numerous. With such a short window of opportunity, shouldn't the packing be done. They need time to load it on the plane as well. Neal's call interrupts him. "Now boarding, Freedom Airlines. Flight # 1 and only." Neal puts step #3 in effect for a client and Moz is justifiably confused. Right until he gets Lawrence and airstrip in the same sentence. Neal adds, "Grab your suit and meet me there." That one needs no translation. Moz isn't happy to involve Peter. "No suits. No suits on the island." HA! But Neal already hung up and missed the pun. Mozzie reluctantly calls Peter who gives him flack for calling during something important. "Yeah you and me both suit. I'm passing on a message from Neal. He's made a request for our presence without the slightest regard for the monumental inconvenience it causes us. Primarily me." (snickers) Peter and Diana head out. Mozzie smashes his phone. They're going to need a loan on cell phones soon. What do they think this is? Burn Notice.

We fast forward to the opening scene only to find the plane is loaded with Lawrence's money and not Nazi treasure. Good twist writers. I've learned not to trust you. Neal snarks on Mozzie's costume and I'm not sure why Moz doesn't sock him in the jaw. Neal's killing his island dreams and being a pain to boot. Moz says Peter's on his way and Neal snags a handcuff key from Moz's jacket. I'm shocked Neal didn't have one. Lawrence chooses this time to unpack Jones and Moz gets it. Neither will risk someone to escape. Unlike Lawrence. Neal sneaks Jones the keys as he goes by and asks if Mozzie can fly the plane as FBI sirens wail. Never doubt Mozzie's talents. [Note - I have been corrected that it is Mozzie's pin that Neal snatched and gave to Jones, which makes more sense.] The opener replays but now the plane has far more passengers. Neal and Peter glance at each other over the open door and again I wonder why they don't close it. Not only might the cargo fly out but the FBI could also shoot them. Bah! Jones, Neal, and Moz nod to each other and action ensues. Jones unlocks the handcuffs, Moz jerks the wheel, and Neal flips a box on a tough. Jones knocks out Lawrence and the FBI swoop in while money flies. Jones says Neal had his back; Moz razzes Peter. "Your timing was far from impeccable J. Edgar." "Sorry, Amelia." BWAH! I like when these two banter. Moz claims to save the day and Peter offers to sew him a cape. "Do that. I look good in aubergine." Ha! Good to know. Jones thanks Neal as he heads off and Peter puts his arm around him. Aw. I think their partnership can be saved. Peter tells Neal he did a good job and hands him the anklet. Neal is less grateful for the latter.

Back at the Burke house, Peter celebrates the day and El shares more good news. Test results say the canvas is from the 30's. They concur it wasn't Neal's work but Peter looks unsure. He enters Neal's apartment even though Neal is not home. He has every right to do so since Neal's on parole under his supervision but it seems off. He rummages through the paintings and finds the Chrysler Building. Neal enters and remarks on the home invasion. The paintings are bound for storage so he offers Peter the Chrysler painting in his hands since he has a view of the real thing. Peter smiles and calls a truce. "I may have rushed to judgment." Neal: "Oh, you had judgment on speed dial." I wonder where judgment will be when Peter finds the truth. Neal mentions the severed tie and I laugh at the memory. Peter was ticked then but he's smiling now. Everything is better when Peter smiles. Neal and I like it. This touching scene is interrupted by Diana's call. As he leaves, Neal says Peter is welcome anytime. That will end up biting you, Neal. Meanwhile at the FBI, a part of the sub's manifest survived with 22 paintings listed. Peter wants to keep it a secret. Of course, Mozzie and Neal chat about financing another escape at the same time. Can't they hawk something else? Selling U-boat merchandise is very risky. The rest of the season comes down to Russian Roulette. Sell art on that manifest and it's all over. Peter isn't sure if Neal's involved but one thing is sure. By midseason hiatus the jig will be up and I can't wait to see how it ends. Moz: "Simple question. What do we sell first?"

I love this episode. It included several things on my Things I Want to See in Season 7 list. It had an intricate plot in the middle and most importantly, twisted Neal and Peter's relationship on its head. There's no good way out of this one so I can't wait to see what the writers decide. Neal can't be caught with the treasure because then he goes to jail for longer than any fan will wait. He can't succeed and retire to a private island. At this time, he can't even admit the truth to Peter because he's guilty of aiding and abetting Mozzie. I also don't see Peter hiding this infraction from the law. The only thing I can think of is that the treasure has to disappear. Either someone needs to steal it from them (Alex or Keller anyone?) or they have to bury it - not necessarily literally. How do you think the season will resolve the treasure conundrum?

***If you're wondering what Matt Bomer thinks of the twist, rest easy. According to haveuheard.net, he loves the direction the show is going. He says that it “reminds the audience that Neal isn’t always this friendly person. He actually is a criminal. I’m glad they’re steering the ship in murkier waters.” Do you agree?

Screencaps by Gallicka, TV Caps, and White Collar Online
My blog
SPN Asylum

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Supernatural - Favorite 7th Episode - Poll



Thanks to everyone who has been voting and commenting in these polls. Since the SpoilerTV Best Show competition is gearing up and since I head out on vacation next week, we're going to speed these polls up a bit. Instead of waiting every two days for a new poll, I will put them up daily. You will still have 2 days to vote but results will be slightly delayed. Speaking of results, I'm calling the 6th episode poll slightly early. The winner is Skin with 44% of the vote, closely followed by Yellow Fever at 37%. I'm glad Skin won because for me it has all the elements of classic Supernatural balanced within it.

This round for me has better choices than the last one but most of the episodes are still pretty average. It's another case of a hands-down winner for me but things are closer than before. (What's up with the long titles in seasons 4 and 5 by the way?) So which episode do you like best out of the following:

Hook Man
The Usual Suspects
Fresh Blood
It's the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester
The Curious Case of Dean Winchester
Family Matters

Don't forget that comments are the rainbow after a storm. Oh and choose who you think will win the Best Show contest here. Contest directions here. If you are new, I highly recommend you use Adam's easy-to-follow directions. Plus, it's never too early to talk it up to friends and strangers. It can get pretty intense and many rounds go down to the wire. I want to make sure Supernatural is well-represented, especially since I will be on vacation in the beginning and won't be able to vote. I'll be one sad Dahne if Supernatural is out of the running when I get back. SPN ftw.




Previous Winners
Lazarus Rising (season 4)
Are You There God? It's Me, Dean Winchester (season 4)
Bad Day at Black Rock (season 3)
The End (season 5)
Simon Said (season 2)
Skin (season1)

Screencap by
My blog
SPN Asylum
SpoilerTV

Monday, June 6, 2011

Supernatural - Favorite 6th Episode - Poll


Yesterday saw our closest contest yet with Simon Said at 29% and Monster Movie (21%) and Bloody Mary (20%) behind it. All 3 good choices in my opinion. Today's vote is different for me since 3 of the 6 episodes are on my least favorite list and one skirts very close by. It's makes voting fairly painless but not ranking. How do you rank in shades of Ugh? I hope you find these episodes more palatable. And remember, comments are the sprinkles on the ice cream sundae of life.

Choices are:

Skin
No Exit
Red Sky at Morning
Yellow Fever
I Believe the Children are Our Future
You Can't Handle the Truth




Screencaps by Supernatural Fans Online
SPN Asylum
My Blog
SpoilerTV

Previous Poll Winners:

Lazarus Rising (season 4)
Are You There God? It's Me, Dean Winchester (season 4)
Bad Day at Black Rock (season 3)
The End (season 5)
Simon Said (season 2)

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Supernatural - Favorite 5th Episode - Poll


Well, Supernatural fans we are almost 1/4 of the way through our Supernatural episodes polls. So far we've had overwhelming winners. The fourth episode was no exception with The End winning with a whopping 62% of the vote so far, a far bigger margin than any other episode. A distant second was Weekend at Bobby's with 20%. Both excellent episodes in my opinion.

This round we have fifth episode polls. It's a contest that I have no trouble at all picking who I am going to vote for, but I have a very hard time knowing which one will win. I predict the votes will be more even this round, but I've been wrong before. Choices include:

Bloody Mary
Simon Said
Bedtime Stories
Monster Movie
Fallen Idols
Live Free or Twihard





Screencap by Supernatural Caps
SPN Asylum
My blog
SpoilerTV

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Supernatural - Favorite 4th Episode - Poll


The third episode poll will close soon, so I'm calling Bad Day at Black Rock the winner with 41% of the vote. In second is In the Beginning with 29%. In my opinion, the third episode poll was much harder to narrow down than the previous polls or the one today. I predict today will come down to season 5's The End and season 6's Weekend at Bobby's with The End winning overall. Don't forget to comment below because comments are love. Or at least more interesting. Feel free to rank your favorites too.

The choices are:

Phantom Traveler
Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things
Sin City
Metamorphosis
The End
Weekend at Bobby's




Screencap by Anastdean
SPN Asylum
My blog
SpoilerTV