‘WHITE COLLAR’: JEFF EASTIN DISHES ON NEAL AND SARA’S TRICKY ROMANCE AND THE TOP-SECRET SEASON FINALE
Thanks to Twitter, White Collar showrunner Jeff Eastin is very familiar with the polarizing reaction fans have had to the addition of Neal’s new potential romantic interest Sarah (Hilarie Burton) to the cast, especially following the still-upsetting death of Neal’s beloved Kate at the end of last season. And while Neal is indeed still healing from the loss, Eastin says, “I agree with fans, it’s a little too soon for that. He needs a little time to get over this. At the same time, many people have pointed out that Neal’s a guy who just got out of prison — and he’s not a eunuch.”
“The one thing I can say is that Neal and Sarah definitely have a spark. And if you’ve seen the previews, you know they have a little more than that,” he says of the promos featuring a heavy makeout session between the characters. “One thing that is not happening is that neither one is rushing into a relationship.”
However, look for sparks to fly toward the end of the season after some major revelations are made about Sara’s past.
“We definitely learn more about Sara and why she might be a little closer to Neal — why she might be one of the people who understands a little bit about what he’s been going through with Kate more than anyone else,” he says.
Okay, I know that did little — if anything — to soothe your concerns about the maybe-couple. But this might: “We’ll see Neal bounce around a little bit. Even at the end of this season, there’ll be nothing subtle when it comes to him and relationships,” he says.
And speaking of the end of the season, Eastin confirmed that the mystery around Kate’s death and the music box will be wrapped up and give way to new storylines for the show’s third season, which he and the other writers are already hard at work on.
So what, exactly, can he say about the finale?
“It’s not a traditional cliffhanger. I can say that it’s just [Matt] Bomer standing in a room,” he dishes (CRUELLY!) “It’s a pretty phenomenal shot, and it sets up the entire next season.”
Source: EW
