White collar crime has high stakes, as Neal Caffrey and Peter Burke have come to realize over the last three and a half seasons of the USA Network hit show, White Collar. Never seen the show before? Tired of watching a nitty-gritty procedural but still want the high-stakes, thrilling action and dialogue that comes with it? Then you should definitely give this show a shot.
Fast-paced and smart, most episodes revolve around “white collar” crime – multi-million dollar art pieces stolen or foraged, priceless treasure disappearances and recoveries – this is no place for nasty murders under the dark of night.
The premise is basic: a famous criminal – Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer) – bargains a deal with the FBI to get less jail time. But once you peel back the layers of the story you realize he is no ordinary criminal. Smart as a whip, devilishly handsome, Neal has been at large, on the run, forging millions of dollars, for years, with his girlfriend Kate. We will go more in-depth about the evolution of the show on page two of this article.
The Characters:
Neal Caffrey
One of the best con-artists, Neal’s character development over four seasons has been outstanding. He struggles with finding a balance between being loyal to Peter and the FBI and wanting to go back to his criminal ways. When released from prison in the pilot episode, an anklet is attached to him, giving the FBI knowledge about his whereabouts… most of the time (he has been know to talk his way out of it once or twice over the seasons).
Neal is incredibly clever, smart and devilishly handsome (though that one’s mostly Matt Bomer), a winning combination that has gotten him far in life, as he is able to talk himself into high-society events, but can turn around and talk himself out of trouble.
Peter Burke
Initially a by-the-books agent, Peter (Tim DeKay) spent years chasing Neal and was finally the one to put him behind bars.
However, when it was realized that he could be of value to the FBI, they brokered a deal – Neal’s “freedom” (he still has to wear the anklet) in exchange for his assistance on crime cases. Peters dedication to the force and high ethical morals commonly make him Neal’s antithesis, even if he does bend the rules a few times to catch the culprit of the week.
Mozzie
Neal’s right-hand man, and best friend – most of the time. We didn’t know much about Mozzie (Willie Garson), that isn’t even his real name, until a certain episode in season three that revealed he was orphaned when young and grew up on the streets in Philadelphia, his schemes and cons growing bigger through his childhood and teenage years. Always superstitious and somewhat paranoid, he works with the FBI only under special circumstances, but has a good relationship with Elizabeth, something that sometimes bothers “The Suit” (Mozzie’s name for Peter.) While he’s loyal to Neal, we have seen him act in an “everyman for himself” mindset.
Elizabeth Burke
An increasingly important character with every passing season, Elizabeth, played by the gorgeous Tiffani Thiessen, is Peter’s wife, confidant, and occasionally the devil on his shoulder. She chooses to try to see the good in Neal and Mozzie after they screw up and Peter begins to question their loyalty, and doesn’t mind helping them plan and plot during cases.
Diana Berrigan and Clinton Jones
Special agents at the FBI, they are constantly wary of Neal’s antics and while they try to believe he’s good, the slightest inkling otherwise sends them into disbelief. Diana (Marsha Thomason) has more of a tendency to be questionable and wary of Neal’s actions while Clinton (Sharif Atkins) usually chooses to believe in him until proven otherwise.
June Ellington
A woman who needs more screen time, June (Diahann Carroll) is pretty awesome. After taking Neal in in the first season, she is totally cool with just about anything Neal throws at her. It isn’t until we learn about her deceased con-artist of a husband why she hasn’t kicked Neal out after countless cons and schemes, and we love her for it.
Ellen and James
Introduced in late season three, we learn Ellen (Judith Ivey) was Neal’s father’s partner and was hiding some of her own secrets from Neal. James, originally introduced as an old friend of Neal’s family, more is revealed about him in the season four mid-season finale, and because they contain spoilers, this information is on page two.
If you’d like to get caught up before the winter premiere of White Collar, check out page two! While seasons one, two and three have been out for over a year, we will mark certain spoilers for season four if you choose to catch up on your own.
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