If you take sleek, charming high-end con-artist, Neal Caffrey, and pair him up with smart, straight-laced FBI agent, Peter Burke, add in some action, mystery, and witty dialogue, you get USA’s new drama series, White Collar. White Collar features characters that force you to care about them and make you want to know them better. These compelling characters are helping White Collar fit in nicely on USA’s character-based network and also making it one of the best new series on television.
The series premiered with Caffrey, your classic charmer and first-class swindler, escaping with composed ease from prison to chase after his girlfriend, Kate, with only a few months left on a four-year sentence. After being caught, again by Peter Burke, Caffrey cuts a deal and is released into the custody of the FBI as a consultant. No better beginning could have depicted Neal Caffrey’s capability to deceive than him strolling out the front door of prison like he was taking a walk in the park. His criminal genius proves to be just what the FBI needs to get a leg up on the white collar criminals in New York.
No matter how fascinating the latest episode’s crime is, what really captures my interest in the show are the characters. Caffrey and Burke have perfect chemistry and their conversations add a dash of humor to White Collar, like when Burke comments to Caffrey on his girlfriend, Kate, leaving him, “You don’t get to lecture me on relationships. My wife didn’t change her identity and flee the country to get away from me.”
They are complete opposites, so they complement each other well. While Peter relies on the unfailing law system, Neal uses more creative ways to get the information he needs. He usually uses the help of Mozzie. Mozzie, a sort of assistant to Neal, is the quirkiest and also one of the most lovable characters on the show. He can learn any confidential secret or get the newest technology anytime, anywhere. He lacks Neal’s charm, but his oddities are what make the viewers adore him. Elizabeth, Peter’s loyal wife, is another important character. She stands by Peter through anything and is the only thing keeping Neal from driving him insane.
As the series evolves and the plot thickens, I began to question who is really fooling whom? Neal assumed Kate was being held hostage, but she might be trying to get some money out of Neal. And even though Neal professes that Peter is the only person he trusts, is he keeping secrets from Neal? Also, will Neal grow bored of the good side and revert back to his con-artist ways? Just a snip of his tracking anklet and an escape plan with the assistance of Mozzie would be all it took to run. These mysteries have kept me on edge waiting for answers.
While White Collar doesn’t have the most innovative plot on television, it is still a noteworthy show. It is simple but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. The familiar story of bad guy turned good is a lot easier to wrap your mind around than other Tuesday night television alternatives such as ABC’s Lost. So if you’re searching for a fun, clever show to look forward to in the beginning of your week, White Color is it.