TV: White Collar

"If you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story."

Neal Caffrey (Bomer) is a charismatic con artist.  He escapes from prison to find the woman he loves, Kate (Alexandra Daddario), but is caught by FBI Agent Peter Burke (DeKay).  Peter works for the White Collar crime division and spent years trying to catch Neal.  At the White Collar division, Peter leads a team that consists of Clinton Jones (Atkins) and Diana Barrigan (Thomason), who do not trust Neal.  Peter is married to Elizabeth (Thiessen), an art curator.

Peter makes a deal with Neal: help the FBI catch other criminals using his expertise.  He agrees to the terms and is given a tracking anklet to monitor his movements.  He rents a room from June (Carroll), a wealthy widow, with a great view.  His best friend, Mozzie (Garson), is a wine-drinking, philosophy-spouting enigma who partnered with Neal on numerous occasions.


I discovered this show after I fell in love with Chuck.  I loved Matt Bomer and was sad when he left that show for this one.  From the beginning I loved the dynamic between Bomer's Neal and Tim DeKay's Peter.

The show revolves around the cases the White Collar division investigate.  It also focuses on the partnership between Neal and Peter.  Bomer's Neal is charismatic and thinks quick on his feet, while DeKay's Peter is by-the-books and detail oriented.  While they are the main focus, they are surrounded by unique supporting characters.  The standout is Willie Garson's Mozzie.  Mozzie always has something to say and is a bit of an enigma.  You slowly learn more about him over the course of the series.  Tiffani Thiessen is the voice of reason as Peter's wife Elizabeth.  I love the relationship between Elizabeth and Mozzie, and how that is different from Peter and Neal's relationship.  Sharif Atkins and Marsha Thomason are Peter's co-workers, who have entertaining relationships with Neal and Mozzie.

Every season features a big mystery / villain for the team to uncover, and each episode features a new case.  The show is fun but isn't afraid to show emotion.  The series finale fits nicely with the show and feels like an authentic way to leave these characters.

White Collar (2009-2014)
Creator: Jeff Eastin
Starring: Matt Bomer as Neal Caffrey
Tim DeKay as Peter Burke
Willie Garson as Mozzie
Tiffani Thiessen as Elizabeth Burke
Sharif Atkins as Clinton Jones
Marsha Thomason as Diana Barrigan
Diahann Carroll as June