For me, last night’s episode of White Collar was a bit rocky … although, even a (relatively) bad episode from the show is better than most everything else being produced on TV these days.
It’s not that it was bad; I just didn’t care so much about what was happening, both on the case side, as well as the Kate side. Trust Me’s Griffin Dunne guested as last night’s baddie, but most of his bad was theoretical. Did you notice that we never really saw him do anything questionable? I’m not suggesting he didn’t murder someone, but how about a little action?
Peter undercover was also only so-so for me. I enjoyed his enjoyment of the high life, but was anyone actually surprised that his consideration of what could have been was overshadowed by thoughts of Elizabeth? Because I wasn’t.
The cufflink USB key was very cool (I wonder if those exist), but the credit card game was just more of the stupid picture Hollywood likes to paint us about what today’s young professionals supposedly look like. Plenty of people like to spend, but on themselves — not $2,000 so that five other idiots can have a ridiculously wasteful meal. Although, Neal did seem to fit right in with them.
Diana working with Mozzie was cool … but then we didn’t really see it happening at all. Save for one or two face-to-faces, the potential there wasn’t explored. And the paperwork June was filling out for the FBI on Neal was funny, but talk about being late … why would she suddenly be asked to do that now?
It was a bit preposterous that Peter received a job offer. I was unclear on whether we were meant to think that Peter was really considering what life would have been like had he gone the corporate route, or if we were just supposed to think that Peter is as good as Neal undercover. Either way it seemed out of place.
White Collar isn’t the first show to do this, but the whole recorder outwitting the voice scanner thing is absurd. Security that’s that enhanced is likely designed to detect whatever hints we give off that we’re speaking live. It’s cool seeing it happen (like on Burn Notice when Michael pieced together a string of numbers), but the theory behind it is faulty. And even if it isn’t, and that really works, it feels like it should be faulty. Maybe shows could take that under advisement.
I liked seeing Neal to the rescue with Peter and the poison, even if the way in which he got the elevator to reach the top floor was a stretch. And Peter’s a good guy, sending Neal back in for a murderer. I’m not sure, though, that Peter’s lesson of “the right way” translates to the music box, but Neal certainly thought it did. I’m at least glad he decided to confront Peter about what Mozzie learned, as opposed to continuing to work behind his back. But I didn’t reach the same conclusion from Peter’s “lesson.”
Next week we might find out what the music box key reveals. Will it be informative? Unlikely. And who cares? Let’s get back to some awesome cases and forget about that nonsense. Peter and Neal still know how to rock it, so give them a chance to.
Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Sep 01, 2010 @ 15:00 EST5EDT
Sorry Aryeh but I have to disagree with you re. the credit card game. You said “…people like to spend, but on themselves — not $2,000 so that five other idiots can have a ridiculously wasteful meal.” That would be true if one person was treating the others to diner but in this case they are gambling. The object of the game is to eat a very expensive meal and NOT be the schmuk who has to pay. I think it is very in character for the corporate type they were portraying young risk takers on an expence account.
FYI the Phantom Gourmet did a whole show around this game.
Yeah, my brother told me about credit card roulette a while back. He laughingly described it as a game with “no winners and one loser”. In my brother’s case, I doubt the bill was that high. Six people at $20-30 each would be less than a couple hundred and far different than the $2000 depicted last night.
Anyway, I think the episode mentioned something about them using company credit cards. The loser used up his food allowance for the whole month.
*POST AUTHOR*
Still, I’ve seen some tough expense account walls even in the go-go years, like refusing reimbursement on taxis home if it wasn’t after 10PM. A $2,000 dinner would be a giant red flag, and I can’t imagine the game would work more than once.
*POST AUTHOR*
You’re right, maybe I shouldn’t have presumed that. But certainly I believe it doesn’t represent the majority of that crowd. Plus, with the economy as it is, it would be tough to justify the meal.
I loved the scene where Mozzie and Diana meet and Neal playing with his hat during his visit to the “accountant’s office”. I know a lot of people hate all the hat stuff but boy, does Matt Bomer know how to pull them off or what?! (and put them on, in this case ;) )
Also, I don’t think the pin was meant to go in the keyhole, but to uncrew the button panel from the wall.
I meant ‘unscrew’, sorry.
*POST AUTHOR*
I’m very much not a fan of the hats. He looks like his head’s bloated when he puts on those little things. :)
Was it a screw? For some reason I thought he used it in a keyhole on the panel to open it up and get back there. Thanks! My fault!
I thought this was a pretty good episode because it had Peter and Neal, as well as the Peter/Neal relationship, upfront. I know the showrunners are trying to share the focus around more this season with character-centric episodes for Diana, Mozzie, Sara, and later in the season June, but really, for me, the show is a success because of the two central characters and their intriguing relationship so more focus on that is great for me. I can’t wait for next week’s mid-season cliffhanger – it can’t be as shocking (or misleading) as last year’s can it?