WHITE COLLAR: THE COMPLETE SECONDSEASON
(not rated)
MOVIE: **** (out of 5)
DVD EXPERIENCE: ***1/2 (out of 5)
BY KEVIN CARR
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
FBI agent Peter Burke continues to work with white collar criminal Neal Caffrey to solve high-end crimes. However, while Neal is kept under control with an ankle tracker, he continues to look for the people responsible for the death of his lover Elizabeth. With the help of ambiguous criminal Mozzie, Neal works within the system to find some revenge. In this season, he gets close to an answer, with results that endanger the people he loves.
WHAT I LIKED
The thing that makes “White Collar” one of the most enjoyable series on summertime basic cable is the character interactions. Peter and Neal have great chemistry, which results in some deliciously funny moments. The writers of the series really enjoyed themselves with this season, including some great moments like flashbacks to Peter’s mustache and Mozzie’s hair, along with a cool guest spot with Billy Dee Williams.
The characters are so likeable in this series that this season delivered a better mid-season finale than the regular season finale. No spoilers here, but it’s worth a watch for anyone who likes the show. But don’t let that take away from the season finale, which features Andrew McCarthy as a formidable villain.
Of course, my favorite character on the show is Mozzie, who is brilliantly portrayed by Willie Garson. His mistrust of Peter but devotion to Neal makes him as morally ambiguous as Jack Sparrow. You never quite know what his agenda is.
Finally, while “Burn Notice” wins on the USA Network shows for the jiggle factor, “White Collar” manages to deliver some beautiful, yet classy ladies to the cast… even if they aren’t as likeable as the series regulars.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
On the whole, I didn’t find much to complain about with the second season of “White Collar.” Sure, Neal’s obsession with finding out who killed Kate (whom I don’t fully believe is actually dead) is a bit much, but that’s to be expected with a show like this. Similarly, the obvious hiding of Tiffani Thiessen’s pregnancy was not very subtle, but it was understandable to keep the show free from a little FBI agent running around in the future.
DVD FEATURES
The bonus material on “White Collar” is very similar to that on the “Burn Notice” set, including the wonderfully hilarious roasting of each show by the other.
Additional basic features include deleted scenes, a gag reel and audio commentary on select episodes. There are also a couple cool featurettes. “So Here’s the Deal” examines the anatomy of an episode while “Slick Willie” takes a look at Willie Garson’s portrayal of Mozzie.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
TV fans who like classic heist-style stories.