White Collar: Season 1 - Thoughts

I’d read about White Collar a couple of times, and to be fair it sounded interesting, but didn’t come across as the kinda show that I had to watch as soon as I could. In the months that followed a couple of friends mentioned it and said it was worth checking out. As part of my effort to try out new shows and not just watch follow-up seasons of existing shows I finally decided to give it a watch. In White Collar, a convicted white collar criminal Neal Caffrey, comes up with a plan to work with the FBI, and more particularly the agent responsible for his capture,  in exchange for the use of his abilities in apprehending other white collar criminals. 

While the premise sounds pretty straight forward, what makes White Collar special is the emphasis on ‘White Collar Crime’. Look up your TV guide and you’ll see a barrage of crime-drama TV serials. Amidst the existing onslaught, White Collar manages to come out seeming fresh, thanks in large part to Neal Caffrey’s energy. Add to that the standout performance of the remaining cast, and the new to television white collar crime aspect; lo and behold we have a winner! From the very first episode of Season 1, White Collar is engaging, and never does the pace slow down so much that it gets boring. Even the sub-lying family dynamic aspects are crafted well and executed to perfection, tying in fittingly into the overall plot, and the long running continuity and character development of the show. Focus is managed well, balancing the weekly plots with the long term story line. Unlike some other crime dram’s that are hard hitting, White Collar is light and largely entertaining, thus making it suitable for a larger audience spectrum, not just the serious and hardcore few. If you’re on the lookout for a fresh, fun drama, with a touch of intrigue and crime, look no further, as White Collar will certainly impress.

Matthew Bomer plays the pivotal role of Neal Caffrey, and after watching a season of the show, I can’t think of anyone else who could replace him. Giving it some thought, it’s not just the mere acting performance that makes Neal Caffrey, but the entire ensemble of the blue eyes, the way he wears his hat, the way he dresses, carries himself, and manages to think out of the box, finding slick solutions to talk through any situation with flamboyance and panache. As much as he’s a smooth operator, and while that comes with some diplomacy, there is a genuine and trustable side to his character. It would be hard for the audience to resent or dislike him. Tim DeKay plays FBI Agent Peter Burke, and does so phenomenally. Though all the talk thus far has been about Neal Caffrey, White Collar would fall flat without the Neal – Peter dynamic. Peter is truly the embodiment of everything good, and is smart and well accomplished in his own way. As brilliant as Caffrey is, Agent Burke is never overshadowed, giving White Collar and interesting dual lead formula. Tiffani Thiessen plays Elizabeth Burke, Agent Peter Burke’s wife. Tiffani Thiessen is perhaps better known for her several smaller appearances in movies from the 90’s, and a few leading roles in TV movies also from the 90’s. She has appeared in a good deal of TV serials, in supporting roles, and was the female lead in Fastlane in 2002-2003. After several years of seeing her play the hot young thing, it was nice to see her play an older character, and a loving wife no less. Frankly speaking, Elizabeth Burke is perhaps the best I’ve ever seen Tiffani Thiessen, and leads me to believe that she is a wonderfully capable actress. She is fun in a mature evolved way, and supporting and warm with just the right amount of emotional depth. Needless to say a perfect fit into the Neal – Peter dynamic, facilitating the duo to work even better. Without running through the entire cast list, it’s easy to realize that the success of the show rests solely on the brilliant performances of the cast, making the plot almost seem incidental.

The content I was sampling was an HD DivX, probably ripped from HD TV telecast. Though I’m not a fan of any form of lossy content, the high resolution helped keep away pixilation for most part, though color vibrancy was just below ideal. Video was good overall and was formatted for a 16:9 widescreen television set. Audio was presented by means of a 5.1, 6 channel surround. Dialog was thus very clear, and ambience was always right on the money. While there might have been some surround stage usage, it wasn’t really noticeable.

My Recommendation: Watch It + (A fresh fun entrant to an otherwise crime drama saturated television lineup)