White Collar | Teen Ink

White Collar

December 14, 2014
By GG_LeBode PLATINUM, Brooklyn, New York
GG_LeBode PLATINUM, Brooklyn, New York
26 articles 0 photos 18 comments

Neal Caffrey jumps from the top of the skyscraper, his fitted suit jacket flying out behind him, the stolen painting in hand. In one graceful move, he unbuckles his parachute and rolls to a standing position as he hits the ground. He catches his fedora and flashes his devilishly charming  smile. By the time his FBI handler Peter Burke comes back downstairs, he is right back where he was told to be, as if he had never left. These edge-of-your-seat moments are never in short supply on this crime drama. White Collar follows the dynamic duo of ex-conman Neal Caffrey and his crime-solving counterpart, Peter Burke, as they work together to catch the greatest criminal minds of their generation.


White Collar tells the story of Peter Burke, one of the top agents in his division, and Neal Caffrey, a suave con artist with a suspected of almost everything illegal, including art theft, art forgery, bonds trafficking, and a litany of other charges, but he was only convicted of bond forgery. Caffrey serves out his prison sentence by helping the FBI win high profile cases, while simultaneously struggling to stay out of jail. He takes advantage of his criminal background to help Burke solve cases, using elaborate schemes to catch the bad guys in the act. Burke and Caffrey's friendship creates interesting story lines, both in solving the case and keeping their relationship alive. Although fairly straightforward, a masterfully designed basis gives the show a great structure.


The show keeps the audience engaged with captivating plots and storylines. Each episode features a new case that calls for both Peter and Neal's expertise, and sometimes forces them outside their comfort zones. Unique antagonists offer diverse conflicts throughout the entire series, and keep the show from getting boring for its fans, even after 6 seasons. The two protagonists keep any viewer hooked on the show as they find clever ways to outwit the enemy. Strong overarching plots from season to season also play a major part in the show's stellar quality, and because the episodes often end with cliffhangers, they flow together seamlessly and force you to come back for the next episode.


Although the storyline, characters, and concept are almost a recipe for perfection, White Collar does have an Achilles heel. Its themes can get repetitive over time, especially for hard core fans. For example, Peter often trusts Neal to do the right thing and Neal turns his back on Burke, or is framed to look like he is doing so. Betrayal of trust is a common conflict between the two protagonists, and is used as a tool to make the goal harder to achieve. However, the show makes up for its one flaw by introducing a range of colorful bad guys to get in Burke and Cafferey's way. Its wide repertoire of episode to episode antagonists are a constant positive and plot twists keep the show fresh.  Excellent casting and characters also make the show worth watching.


Excellent characters and actors to portray them make the show come to life. Often characters are chuckle-inducing, although no character is pure comic relief. Mozzie (Willie Garson), for example, is a fan favorite because of his clever mind and fetish for conspiracy theories. Willie Garson's interpretation of this character is infectious, and fans of the show are sure this will be a boost for his career. Other supporting characters include Diana Berrigan (Marsha Thomason), a sassy, sharp tongued agent, and humorous Agent Clinton Jones, played by Sharif Atkins. Tiffani Thiessen perfectly embodies Elizabeth, Peter's wife, as the loving spouse willing to do anything for their relationship, and sporting a bit of a bad girl side. Tiffani's Wonder Woman like strength is a great example for younger girls. And of course, heading them all is Tim DeKay and Matt Bomer, two well known artists that certainly earn their fame. Such an impressive assortment of characters played by a prodigious cast is sure to keep the viewer thoroughly entertained.


White Collar's dynamic cast and alluring plots even got them nominated for many awards. This is also the second year in a row that White Collar has been a top nominee for the "Favorite Dramedy" category of the People's Choice Awards, with Matt Bomer competing in the "Favorite Male Actor" category.  This show was nominated for many other awards over its six consecutive seasons.


The copious qualities make this  USA show one of the best around, and it has something for everyone. The show's surprises will leave you in a stupor, and Burke and Caffrey’s infectious banter definitely gets in everyone’s head. Don’t be surprised if you never leave the couch again, because this show is criminally good.


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This article has 1 comment.


on Dec. 23 2014 at 7:20 am
LargeLlama SILVER, Brooklyn, New York
5 articles 0 photos 1 comment
Nice job Sophie!