Quick Thoughts: WHITE COLLAR, "Vested Interest"

I really, really wanted to like White Collar's mid-season finale, but ultimately I thought that "Vested Interest" was meh.

Honestly, I think that I'm over the mistrust between Peter and Neal, and since that was the dynamic that drove the episode (and most of the season) I wasn't fully engaged throughout the episode. It even turned what should've been an interesting arc, Neal looking for his father, into something lackluster. To be fair, the storyline was also saddled with extremely anti-climactic "twists" that really didn't feel earned. Even the case-of-the-week felt a little watered down and not epic enough to be a "finale."

That said, I'm still on board and will be back when the show returns in January, but it does have some damage control to do in order to keep me around.

Quick Thoughts: WHITE COLLAR, "Gloves Off"

It's very rare that I outright dislike an episode of a television show that I like, but I came awfully close to hating almost everything about "Gloves Off."

First off, the case of the week was boring. Maybe it's because I'm Boiler Room-ed out, but shady Wall Street plotlines were fun to watch over a decade ago, but the gimmick loses some punch when Dawson's Creek picks up on the trend. So, right off the bat "Gloves Off" felt very dated, which isn't to say that insider trading doesn't exist today, but things were made worse by the awfully asinine boxing overtones. Yes, having Neal and Peter get in the ring was an unsubtle way to allude to the on-going arc, but it was laughably bad and unnecessary. Really, it all felt like a cheap excuse to get Matt Bomer's shirt off... again.

Stupid Ali-Foreman references aside, there were a few bright spots during the episode. Now, I actually like the season long mystery, so I was happy that "Gloves Off" really focused on it, I just wish it had done so in a less comical way. Also, in the past I've been irked by Peter's continued mistrust of Neal, so kind of blowing up that relationship worked for me. We all know the two will be on somewhat chummy terms in the near future, but I'm all for some outright hostility.

Look, I appreciate the fact that Matt Bomer's got a nice body, but this show needs to try to be expose him in more believable ways because even though he was Bryce Larkin, he does not have a tough man vibe that I associate with boxers. Regardless, "Gloves Off" was a rare misfire from a show that tends to get it right nine times out of ten.

Quick Thoughts: WHITE COLLAR, "Compromising Positions"

I can't say that this season's mysteries about Neal's father and who killed Ellen has grabbed me as much as I expected, it was nice getting back to them after a brief departure last week.

For the most part, "Compromising Positions" was White Collar going back to its old ways, but I have to admit that I enjoyed the heck out of this one because of the humor. Watching Neal and Elizabeth direct Peter and Sara during their staged rendezvous had me rolling, as did Mozzie's Swiss Army baby. For a minute there, I didn't care about the case or the mark because I was too busy laughing. That said, having to take down a fixer was entertaining to watch and I'm glad that they're pointing out who Peter's slowly being corrupted by Neal.

Overall, "Compromising Positions" was a good return to form worth a few laughs and good character beats. Can't beat that.

Quick Thoughts: WHITE COLLAR, "Identity Crisis"

Admittedly, when I saw that "Identity Crisis" was going to be a Storage Wars inspired episode, I started to tune out. Not because I'm anti-Storage Wars, but because it felt a little hokey. Boy, I'm I glad that I stuck it out and finished watching.

For the past couple of weeks, I've been criticizing White Collar for sticking to close to its formula and being afraid of doing anything new. I can say that I was not expecting "Identity Crisis" to turn into a story about conspiracy theories, secret spies, the American Revolution and a treasure hunt. Kudos for the effort. Since I'm a fan of movies that I shouldn't be like National Treasure and The Di Vinci Code, I really appreciated the parts that dealt with the Culper Ring and the hunt for the flag. Plus, we got a bittersweet Mozzie episode that really gave the character some depth and shading. As for the actual case of the episode, I could have done with out it.

I understand why the episode had to include things like murder. Peter needed a legitimate reason for being in on the whole scavenger hunt, but I think it would've been better had it been a stand alone episode that had nothing to do with the FBI. If it had just been about Mozzie and Neal off on a crazy adventure, with Peter chiming in every once in a while, I think it would've been a stronger episode from top to bottom. The investigation just got in the way. Also, I kind of wish it had ended a different way. Part of the episode's charm was the fact that we didn't know whether the Culpers still existed, so that final shot of the secret meeting was a bit much.

So, I ultimately really enjoyed the half of "Identity Crisis" that felt the least White Collar-y while I was a little underwhelmed with the bits that was more in the show's wheelhouse. Regardless, it was a fun episode and I'd definitely like to see more like this one.

Quick Thoughts: WHITE COLLAR, "Honor Among Thieves"

While "Honor Among Thieves" didn't stray too far away from the White Collar formula, but it had some of my favorite elements, so it was ultimately a win in my book.

I'm always a big fan of cons conning other cons, so having Neal take on another art thief who blackmailed him was automatically going to reel me in. On top of a fun case, I also got a kick out of watching Neal and Diana banter because that's a combination that we do not get nearly enough of.

For the most part, I enjoyed the bit where Neal pulled a job right under Peter's nose because I'm always on board with a good heist. That being said, I'm getting a little tired of the mistrust that exists between the two of them. I get that the uneasiness is a major source of drama, but it's starting to feel false after everything these two have been through and have done for one another.

"Honor Among Thieves" probably will not go down as one of White Collar's best episodes, but it was a good reminder of what this show does well and why I watch this show to begin with.

Quick Thoughts: WHITE COLLAR, "Parting Shots"

While I have been a little hard on White Collar for its lack of ambition, something that was once again evident during this episode, I haven't been praising the show for doing what it does so well. That's going to change (somewhat) thanks to "Parting Shots."

First off, I was so happy to have Sara back because she's been one of the few Neal love interests that I've cared about, and it doesn't hurt that Hilarie Burton's so good with the role. Plus, we got some more of her backstory, which was appreciated. What also doesn't hurt is the fact that Matt Bomer has chemistry with EVERYONE. Even though I knew that Sophie wasn't going to be a major player in the show's history, I bought the brief bond Neal established with her, and I actually want to see her come back sooner than later.

What didn't quite work for me was the show's need to constantly backtrack. The thought of having Peter removed from the white collar division had some potential, but so did Neal on the run, but both storylines were wrapped up really quickly, and it feels like there are no consequences on this show. Just when White Collar does something new, it retreats and goes back to the status quo, and it's starting to get old. That being said, I can excuse the show's return to normal because it's long term plan revolving around Neal's father has more teeth than previous season long arcs.

White Collar knows what it does best, and its strengths were on full display in "Parting Shots." Sure, I'd like for the show to commit to more paradigm shifting changes, but part of its charm is its familiarity and its ability to consistently entertain. At the end of the day, I appreciate White Collar for what it is instead of what it could be.

Quick Thoughts: WHITE COLLAR, "Diminishing Returns"

Now that Neal's no longer on the run, White Collar returned to normal for the most part, and while I would've liked to watch our hero globetrot as he evaded the FBI, I have to admit I liked "Diminishing Returns."

Admittedly, I'm not too invested in Peter's new assignment, but we all know that it's only temporary until he somehow saves the day and gets his old job back. While I get that evidence is supposed to be monotonous, it just doesn't have enough of an identity to make me care about what's done there. Again, Peter's situation's only going to be around for a short time, but I would've liked his new gig to be at least somewhat interesting.

Aside from Peter being stuck in evidence, it was fun to watch him get out for a bit and go undercover as he and Neal tried to take down David Cook. He's been one of the few characters who has evolved, and I love that he's no longer the stuffy "suit," but someone who's a source of humor.

I still think that White Collar should have done more with Neal's flight from the law, but "Diminishing Returns" was a solid return to form, so I can't complain too much.

Quick Thoughts: WHITE COLLAR, "Most Wanted"

I really, really wanted to enjoy "Most Wanted," but I felt that it was mediocre at best by episode's end.

I've gone on the record with my thoughts on the current arc about Neal and Mozzie on the run, how it's injected some life into the show, and how I don't want it to end. Even though I knew the end was near, I couldn't help but think how much I prefer this version of White Collar over the old version, and I was bummed when the plot took some very contrived turns just to get back to the status quo. Seriously, having Neal and Peter cut a deal with Collins just to have Neal back in NYC working white collar felt lazy. And the less I write about the "fake out" involving Maya, the better.

I still get a kick out of White Collar, and I do think that it still has some interesting stories to tell (Neal's father, his relationship with Parker, how Peter will get back to white collar), but it's going to be hard getting excited for episodes that we've already seen after spending some time in the sun.

Quick Thoughts: WHITE COLLAR, "Wanted"

White Collar made its fourth season debut by continuing one of the most interesting arcs the show's ever put together, and "Wanted" was a fine return mostly because it wasn't your typical episode.

I was pretty upfront about my indifference towards the latter half of Season 3 since it steered away from the stolen treasure arc and focused on Neal's pending freedom. I'll admit that the tail end made up for some rather lackluster episodes, and the idea of having Caffery on the run while Peter chased after him yet again was extremely intriguing since it meant we wouldn't be forced to watch more case-of-the-week outings. So, it's pretty easy to see why I liked "Wanted" so much because it was a nice payoff for the cliffhanger we got at the end of "Judgment Day."

Obviously, watching Peter do everything in his power to make sure that Neal was safe was a highlight of the episode, but I think I got more enjoyment from the Neal and Mozzie moments because we've been getting fewer and fewer of them as the show's gone on. While I love the Neal/Peter relationship, we need to remember that Mozzie was his first. I also loved it that Peter was the reason why Neal was put into danger to begin with. Sure, it was extremely telegraphed, but it still felt organic.

"Wanted" had other elements that I really enjoyed, i.e. Mia Maestro. Yes, she's a nice bit of eye-candy, but I thought she had some good chemistry with Matt Bomer (who apparently didn't show off his abs enough during Magic Mike based on his opening shot). Maya wasn't as interesting as Alex or Sara, but she was a nice enough distraction. While I'm usually not the biggest Mekhi Phifer fan, I got a kick out of his non-stop manhunter.

My only reservation about the start of Season 4 is how limiting the "Neal on the run" arc feels. "Wanted" had some great moments, and I'm sure that they'll spill over into episode 2, but I'm not going to be surprised when White Collar goes back to business as usual which will be a little disappointing.

Shortsightedness aside, "Wanted" was a fun way for White Collar to make its return, and it was good to have the show back

Watch: WHITE COLLAR Season 4 Teaser

The new promo for White Collar's fourth season knows exactly how to sell the show; put Matt Bomer in a bathing suit and get him all wet. Boom, done! Check it out for yourself...



Now, there's obviously more to White Collar than just Bomer's abs, and it looks like Season 4 will spend a lot of time on Neal and Mozzie as fugitives which I'm all for. Don't get me wrong, I dig the show's original concept, but having Peter chase after Neal around the world could be a lot of fun. I just hope they don't catch him after the first episode and everything goes back to normal.

White Collar premieres July 10 on USA.

Quick Thoughts: WHITE COLLAR, "Judgment Day"

While the second half of White Collar's third season had its share of ups and downs, it was able to wrap up everything quite nicely with "Judgment Day" because it brought the focus back to the relationship between Neal and Peter.

For the record, I've felt that Season 3 hit a roadblock when the show started to focus on Neal's commendation instead of the stolen treasure because it lacked a sense of romanticism in spite of the fact that this final arc was more character driven. Thankfully, the writers brought back Agent Kramer to be the final foil because he decent adversary, but him wanting to take Neal back to Washington didn't make much sense in my opinion. Silly motivations aside, Kramer's pursuit of Neal, and the tension between him and Burke was good stuff.

As for Neal leaving the country with Mozzie while Peter vouched for him, that's going to lead to an interesting fourth season because I'm not quite sold that Peter knew what Neal was going to do, and more than likely his job will be on the line. There just seems like a lot of potential since I have a feeling that the majority of Season 4 will focus on Burke tracking Caffery down yet again.

Overall, I can forgive Season 3 of White Collar for running out of steam towards the end because it started off and ended on a high note. Plus, it was able to get me pumped for Season 4 which is always a good sign.

Quick Thoughts: WHITE COLLAR, "Stealing Home"

"Stealing Home" had only once scene that involved Elizabeth, and it was one of the better outings that White Collar's produced since it came back a few weeks ago. Coincidence? Probably not. Let me reiterate one thing, I like Elizabeth; I just don't care for when she's the center of the story. Now, that I got that out of the way, let's focus on the new episode.

"Home" had all of the elements that I'm looking for from White Collar. It had a neat idea for a heist, a team of rogue thieves, and witty banter between the leads. OK, so that's what I look for from an episode of Leverage, but it still applies here. What I dig about con-man shows are the cons themselves, so having Neal join a crew that's hitting Yankee Stadium was tailor made for me, and I enjoyed the ride as soon as it started because it was just fun. Sometimes I forget that Neal's a con artist which is probably why some of these latter season episodes didn't work as well for me, but "Stealing Home" was a good set up for next week's season finale.

The other elements that I liked about this one were the fact that Sara's back, and that we're not quite sure what Moz was up to at the tail end. Both of these loose threads could have major impacts on Neal's future, so it felt like an appropriate time to introduce them. I also liked the Gordon Taylor character, and I hope we see him again.

What didn't work for me was Peter's obsession with baseball. Admittedly, it gave the character some more depth and backstory, but the way he talked about was a little too sappy for my tastes, and I like baseball. It just felt like the writers were trying to remind us that Burke's the archetypal all-American to Neal's sly grifter, but even that's a minor quibble.

White Collar's had previous episodes that were stronger, but "Stealing Home" had an almost old school feel to it that I really enjoyed. At this point, I wouldn't mind a season that only focused on Neal and Mozzie pulling off jobs around the world with Peter on their trail, but I doubt this show's that brave. It's fun to think about at least.

Quick Thoughts: WHITE COLLAR, "Pulling Strings"

I have to admit that I haven't been feeling White Collar since the stolen treasure arc ended because it's been kind of trying to find something new for the characters to do, but I really did enjoy "Pulling Strings" because it felt fresh even though it was your standard Case-of-the-Week episode.

Out of all of Neal's would-be suitors, Sara's been the most interesting because her line of work directly conflicts with his past. Sure, someone like Alex would make more sense because they have similar occupations, but the fact that Sara and Neal have a somewhat adversarial vibe between them meant that there was a little more heat. I was bummed when he messed things up with her, so I was psyched that she came back for "Pulling Strings," and everything that made me like them before was still there. The case about a stolen violin was decent enough, but it was really just an excuse to get these two crazy kids back together, so I was happy with it when it was all said and done.

I also liked seeing Peter outside of the office, and while his story about not connecting with Elizabeth's father was also not very original, it was fun seeing him outside of his comfort zone. Plus, we got to see Mozzie interact with her folks which worked better than it should have, and I'm always a fan of him and Elizabeth when they're together.

The only part of the episode that I wasn't too fond of was the return of Beau Bridges as Agent Kramer. Bringing him in to investigate Neal's file makes sense, but at this point in the game it felt like a weak attempt at fabricating drama since the season long-arc wrapped up a few weeks ago.

I don't think that "Pulling Strings" added much to the overall White Collar story, but it had enough fun moments to keep me happy, so that's a win in my book.

Quick Thoughts: WHITE COLLAR, "Neighborhood Watch"

While I do like Elizabeth Burke, I do think she's being used too much during this season of White Collar, so I was a little hesitant about "Neighborhood Watch."

As I feared, Elizabeth was a little too prominent during this episode, and even combining her with Mozzie wasn't doing it for me. Again, I like her character, but having her get tangled up in FBI work feels a bit strained, and having her outright pose as an agent was just silly.

That being said, I'm always a sucker for heist movies/stories, so the fact that the case-of-the-week involved the robbery of a luxury hotel almost made up for the rest of the episode ... almost.

Season 3's kind of run out of steam now that the treasure storyline's been wrapped up, and I hope that "Neighborhood Watch" was only a minor speedbump along the way because I really want this season to end on a high note.

Quick Thoughts: WHITE COLLAR, "Upper West Side Story"

"Upper West Side Story" was one of those episodes that really didn't add all that much to the overall story of White Collar, but there were enough fun moments and pop culture references to keep me entertained.

Honestly, I could have cared less about the case-of-the-week (something I've been repeating a lot in regards to the procedural shows I watch) because it had to do with rich people and their problems. To be fair, the kid involved had to earn his keep, but I'm over all of the NYC prep school cliches, and it felt like staging this episode in this environment was an excuse to have Neal wear glasses and quote poetry which was pure fangirl service. Not that there's anything wrong with that; it just didn't make for a deep episode.

As always, the key to "Upper West Side Story" was the chemistry between Neal and Peter, and they're becoming the only reason to watch this show (along with the rest of the characters, but these two are the heart) since the cases are getting less and less interesting. I just hope we get some new plot points that will reinvigorate the series now that the treasure arc's wrapped up, but we'll just have to wait and see.

While I didn't love "Upper West Side Story," there were some definite moments that had me laughing (Harry Potter references and jokes about Say Anything will never disappoint), so it was ultimately a winner. I did find myself questioning the show's longevity though because it's starting to feel a little repetitive.

Quick Thoughts: WHITE COLLAR, "Checkmate"

White Collar ended its summer run with a pretty sizable cliffhanger, and for the most part the winter premiere successfully picked up where "Countdown" left off. Now, I wouldn't say that "Checkmate" was a better episode, but it wrapped up the previous storyline nicely while starting up a whole new set of questions.

I know that the main draw of this episode was watching Peter fight to get Elizabeth back from Keller because he has that subdued charm about him that just makes you want to hug him, so watching him get angry and willing to do whatever it takes to save his wife can be quite a sight. It didn't hurt that Tim DeKay acted his butt off during this episode. I also liked the twist of having him be in on a con because I'm always a sucker for the good guys getting their hands a little dirty. Equally impressive was Elizabeth who was able to think on her feet quick enough to get away from her kidnapper.

If I had to pick a part of the episode that didn't quite work for me it would have to be Neal. While I understand that he was genuinely upset that his actions led to Elizabeth's capture, for some reason his reactions still rang a little false to me. Then again, that may have more to do with his art fight with Keller which was one of the silliest scenes this show's ever filmed, and it was hard to take much of what he did seriously after that one. Even his carrier pigeon speech was a bit much, but still poetic. I wouldn't say that Neal ruined "Checkmate," or that he was the worst thing about it, but I was a little thrown by him this time around. I am interested to see how the end of his probation will be handled though.

"Checkmate" wasn't the greatest episode of White Collar, but it was serviceable enough as a mid-season premiere. I'm kinda glad we're done with the stolen treasure for now because this show's Macguffin's tend to be the least interesting plot elements, but it was responsible for some great moments between Neal, Mozzie and Peter, so it couldn't have been all that bad.

Watch: WHITE COLLAR Returns

I don't know how I missed this new promo for the return of USA's White Collar, but it did its job because I'm even more excited to have Neal Caffery, Peter Burke, and Mozzie back on my TV screen. It feels like it has been way too long. It's just a bummer that it will be going head-to-head with Justified. What's a TV addict supposed to do?

TV Showdown: Timeslot Wars III - Justified vs. White Collar

 vs.

This installment of the TV Showdown is not going to try to determine which show, Justified or White Collar, is better because they're both pretty damn good. Rather, it's more of a commentary on how crazy Tuesday nights are going to be in 2012.

As it stands, the night will kick off on FOX with Glee, New Girl, and Raising Hope. Then things get interesting at the 10 o'clock hour as FX's Justified and USA's White Collar go head-to-head (both returning on January 17).

Now, if I HAD to pick one over the other, I'd have to go with White Collar mostly because I've been watching since day one and I'm still new to Harlan County, but it'd be a tough call. Thankfully, FX tends to repeat the heck out of its shows, so it should hopefully be manageable.

Either way, I can't wait for both shows to return. Until then, check out these sweet Justified trailers...

News: WHITE COLLAR's Tim DeKay Guesting on CHUCK

News broke that White Collar's Tim DeKay will be a guest star on this final season of Chuck. His role will be a former handler of Sarah's, which is appropriate since he's currently the handler for Chuck alum Matthew Bomer who played Bryce Larkin; Sarah's former boyfriend and partner. My mind is literarily giddy at all of the in-jokes that can be made during this episode.

Seeing two of my favorite shows carryover is always fun, and it seems like Chuck's going full out since they're also bringing in Danny Pudi from Community. While I'm sure DeKay's character will be more substantial than Pudi's, the idea of Abed showing up at the Buy More is just funny.

Hopefully, Chuck can return the favor. I'd love to see Zachary Levi show up on White Collar although Yvonne Strahovski would make more sense. I can just see Zac playing either a rival of Neal's or a former partner. Or maybe Adam Baldwin can show up as one of Peter's old classmates who ends up being a baddie! Again, the mind's giddy...

News: WHITE COLLAR Renewed for Fourth Season

News broke that USA Network has renewed White Collar for a fourth season and it's a well deserved reward for the cast and crew.

After two good seasons, Season 3 has really come into its own and has so far been the best to date. The cat-and-mouse game between Neal and Pete, and the focus on the relationships between the characters instead of cases of the week have made for great storytelling.

I'm hoping that this renewal will allow White Collar to leapfrog Psych and Burn Notice to become USA's flagship show. I admit that's some wishful thinking, but at least WC has been rejuvenated creatively which is more than Psych can say.