On the heels of the previous episode’s fiery and bloody massacre, marking the apparent mid-point of the season thus far, it makes sense to take a step back and explore the depths of the fallout. In the process, the writers remind us of the cardinal rule of the “Spartacus” franchise: underneath all the sex and violence, the strength of the series is the character development.
Those familiar with the game know that new television series, especially those for traditional broadcast networks, are generally given an initial 13-episode order. Based on the strength of those initial episodes (primarily in the ratings, if we want to be honest), the network can then pick up an option for the “back nine”. While “Grimm” received that honor earlier in the season, it’s pretty clear that the producers didn’t do much to adjust the original plans for the initial order.
One of the more well-known elements of Arthurian legend is the forbidden romance between Sir Lancelot and Guinevere. Given the generally family-friendly nature of "Merlin", this story isn't something I ever expected to appear in the show. But "Merlin" continues to surprise me, from time to time, with its unexpected forays into more mature subject matter. Still, I was a little apprehensive about how well they could handle this storyline and make it work.
As the final episode of season 3 begins, a question clearly comes to mind. Will Neal's sentence be commuted? Or will Neal be stuck with the anklet for another two years? It all seems pretty clear cut. Even with Kramer involved. Agent Kramer doesn't trust Neal, so presumably, he wants things to stay exactly as they are. The stakes don't seem particularly high. Either Neal sticks around and solves cases with Peter, or he sticks around and solves cases with Peter while wearing an anklet. Still, the season and mid-season finales pretty much always impress on "White Collar", so my expectations were fairly high.