Customer Reviews

White Collar: The Complete First Season [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I don't think I've ever quite heard of a show quite like "White Collar," a clever new mystery show in which the FBI decides to employ a brilliant criminal to help them bust other "white collar" criminals. While it has an intriguing new twist on the odd-couple cop show, it also has brilliantly witty writing, a murky conspiracy within the FBI, and some excellent actors with plenty of chemistry -- and it promises to get even better.

While searching for a thief known as the Dutchman, FBI agent Peter Burke (Tim DeKay) hears that gentleman thief/conman/counterfeiter Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer)-- who he put in prison -- has escaped, only to allow himself to be recaptured. Caffrey is desperate to find his girlfriend Kate, and so he makes Burke an offer: free him from prison, and he'll help him catch the Dutchman.

Though he's dubious about Neal, Peter reluctantly agrees. After only a few hours out, Neal has a new wardrobe, a luxurious apartment and a wealthy landlady who doesn't care that he's a former thief. And he's working for the FBI.

Together, the odd partners tackle a bunch of tricky white-collar cases: data hidden in a designer dress, a priceless Bible stolen from a mobster, a painting with a dodgy trail, smuggled Iraqi artifacts, clashes with Interpol in Chinatown, a jewel robbery, infiltrating Wall Street, real estate fraud, an illegal organ-trafficking ring, priceless wine bottles, and a kidnapper who is gunning for Neal. And as Neal tries to unravel the clues that Kate has left him, he and Peter become entangled in a shadowy conspiracy within the FBI...

The first season of "White Collar" is a lot like Neal Caffrey -- elegant, smart and charming, to the point where you don't really care that it has some painfully unrealistic moments (trotting their only witness onto a rooftop party with the KILLER nearby?), and a few slow spots. Fortunately, the writers seem to be smoothing the lumps out.

And the writers have a knack for winding together the one-off cases with an overarcing plot about a corrupt FBI agent who is conspiring against Neal and Peter. There's plenty of hilarious dialogue ("It's a loft, seized in a DEA bust -- fifteen hundred square feet, service elevator. It's perfect!" "Is that a chalk outline?" "I'm sure they've cleaned that up by now") and suspenseful little scenes where Neal and/or Mozzie disguise themselves to infiltrate secure places where the FBI can't go without a warrant.

But the show's heart is DeKay and Bomer. DeKay is a snappy, sharp-edged FBI agent who is willing to bend the rules to get the job done, and respects Neal more than he'll admit. And Bomer is a sort of 21st-century Remington Steele: boyishly handsome, clever, charming, refined, and a little bit rakish. At the same time, you really feel sorry for him because of the loss of Kate, and the hints that she may be in on the plot against him.

There's also a solid supporting cast -- Tiffani Thiessen as Peter's loving, long-suffering wife, and Willie Garson as the hilarious Mozzie ("I just said that to a guy who enjoys killing people with his bare hands!"). Also good performances by Diahann Carroll and Noah Emmerich.

It sounds like just another odd-couple cop show, but "White Collar Season 1" has the benefit of excellent writing, acting and some grippingly suspenseful plots. Definitely check it out.

This network has managed to come up with some real winners in the last few years and this one is a standout. The last show that had this kind of chemistry for me was Moonlighting. The two main characters play off each other so well. It is written well and that allows you to overlook some of the more outrageous things that have to happen in a one hour program. This is precisely why I cannot bear to watch a CSI or House or Gray's Anatomy. There are so many cast members that need screen time and the writing is horrible. I can never look past how they solve a crime or cure a patient in 40 minutes. While Mr. Bomer is a new face to me, he seems like he has been acting for years. Other characters in the show are somewhat familiar but not to the point that they are pigeonholed into a certain role. All of the main characters seem to fit quite well together and I hope they continue to concentrate on the relationship between Neal and Peter. That is the meat of the show. I think I read somewhere that Matt Bomer was from the Houston area. Go Matt!

The show is entertaining and addictive. The interaction of the characters is what makes this show a must see. The two lead characters work together to solve white collar crimes, one is FBI, the other is former (or maybe still practicing) criminal on a work release. There is a light touch of comedy in their interaction with each other. They both work well together and are learning the perspective of the 'other side' from each other as they solve the crime. Both characters have appeal. Neal easily stretches the rules to get what he wants, Peter goes by the rules. But you can see Peter working on Neal to keep things legal, and Neal's pushing Peter towards the boundary edge of the rules. Peter is likable, very clever, by the book, knows a lot about Neal and is good at figuring out what Neal is up to. Neal is clever and has his own agenda that he conceals from Peter (or does he?), which is part of a story arc mystery for the first season. These two, Neal and Peter, respect each other, and work as partners, but the game is on between them. You are also treated to gorgeous shots of New York that make a beautiful backdrop when these guys go outside. I rewatched these episodes many times because its that good.

I like this show. Great casting, good stories. What more can you ask for? I'd like to see more of his benefactor and her daughter, both are gorgeous, would like to see their intelligence as well. And what a great place to live! The story about the girlfriend leaving clues is very interesting... can't wait to see that play out. Love the sidekick character as well. Keep 'em coming!

IF ONLY NBC, USA Network's parent network, could harness the creativity of their cable programming. With series such as "Burn Notice," "Royal Pains," "In Plain Sight" and, now, "White Collar," USA is the turn-to station for entertainment.
The chemistry sells it. Matt Bomer ("Chuck") plays handsome con artist/thief Neal Caffrey. Tim DeKay ("Carnivàle") is the by-the-book FBI agent, Peter Burke, a likable Joe Friday responsible for catching Caffrey twice. The agent makes a deal with the thief, allowing Caffrey to serve out the remainder of his four year sentence under Burke's supervision, helping the FBI solve high-end crime. Together they bust stock scams, art theft, diamond heists and bond forgeries.
Sounds simple, right? Wrong - Caffrey has a personal agenda he plays out while working with his new friends. He's got a two mile movement radius on the ankle tracker he's forced to wear and he makes good use of it.
Caffrey and Burke are aided by a merry band of characters including conspiracy fanatic/thief Mozzie (Willie Garson) and Burke's smart and beautiful wife Elizabeth (Tiffani Thiessen). Diahann Carroll shows up as a recurring guest star, as lovely as ever. In face, every co-actor is superb, contributing their own unique touch to each caper.
The 14-episode, three-disc set looks great on Blu-ray. Filmed in the Big Apple, settings are clean and crisp. Color is good and skin tones spot on with a decent wash of grain. Fashion is stunning and you can learn more about the choices in the featurette, "Cool Cat in a Hat." Sporting a vintage Rat Pack look complete with fedora and tie clasp, Caffrey could be Carrie Bradshaw's twin brother. DeKay and Thiessen look sharp, too.
A DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 allows witty patter to shine while offering some ambient, surround sound city noise. There aren't many big special effects outside of the season finale.
Additional extras include Jeff Eastin talking about casting his two main characters, a few good natured commentaries, a gag reel and deleted scenes. Series tech consultant, Tom Barden, a former FBI agent, talks about his work in "Nothing But the Truth." Fascinating stuff but it should have been longer.
Highly recommended!

I like this TV series a lot. It's like catch me if you can but episodic. I like the resolution of this and cant wait to pick up the second season. btw- the supporting cast is pretty good too.

12 Episodes on 3 Discs, released on July 13, 2010

"White Collar" is a series about a very charming con man, Neal Caffrey played by Matt Bomer, who escapes from prison with only three months to go on a four year sentence in search of his girlfriend who appeared to be in trouble last time she visited him. FBI Agent Peter Burke played by Tim DeKay who originally put him behind bars quickly finds him again. When faced with have several more years behind bars due to the escape, Caffrey offers to help Burke in his current case since he knows how to think like a white collar criminal. Begrudgingly Burke agrees and so begins their buddy-cop relationship with Caffrey on a special anklet that allows him a 2 mile radius.

Matt Bomer has an amazing wide-eyed look about him that combined with a certain charming attitude makes him appealing to everyone and very easy to take people in, especially when taking on a role undercover. He looks like a model, thinks like Wall Street, and is very cultured when it comes to appreciating the fine arts. Since he has been released into Burke's custody, he finds a VERY swank place to live, clothes befitting his style, and finishes it all off with a fedora to emphasize how cool he is.

Even though his character is the con man, the series really focuses on emphasizing with him and his problems aka concern over the trouble his girlfriend is going through. He wants to escape the anklet to try and find her again even though she has asked him not to.

Girls might want to date Neal Caffrey, but Peter Burke is the character they'd want to marry. Burke is a bit of a stiff FBI Agent, but after hours he clearly cares a great deal about his wife, Elizabeth played by Tiffani Thiessen. They talk about his cases together and Neal even feels like a part of their family sometimes when he inserts himself into situations. The relationship between Caffrey and Burke goes something like this: Caffrey thinks outside the box to come up with a winning scenario to get what they need, Burke goes along with it and takes the glory when it goes well and the heat when it doesn't.

The series is very much a case by case, episode by episode type where you could start watching any time, but what would keep you coming back would be caring about Neal Caffrey's character and storyline which a little bit is worked at in his off hours time. He pieces together clues and has to deal with the possibility of a dirty cop being in the FBI and identifying them when he is a criminal and it would be difficult for anyone to take his word. The crime is nonviolent, mostly counterfeiting, high money stakes crime told through the scope of the main duo. It is a very fun series to watch and I would recommend checking it out.

Bonus Features:

There are three short featurettes about the making of this series: "Pro and Con" about developing the character of Neal Caffrey and his casting and the dynamic he has with the character Peter Burke in their take on the buddy-cop duo; "A Cool Cat in a Hat" about the costumes; and "Nothing But The Truth" about the writing and case inspirations for episodes.

There is a fun gag reel where Tim DeKay can't put on his jacket correctly, a bunch of deleted scenes, and audio commentary on five of the twelve episodes featuring Jeff Eastin, Tim DeKay, Tiffani Thiessen, Matt Bomer, and Willie Garson.

White collar is one of those shows with a premise that could either be really good or really bad. Luckily, it comes off as extremely fun and addicting thanks to USA network's mantra of character-driven programming. If you are looking for a show that is high on drama, superb acting, and is just masterful in every way possible, look elsewhere. If you want a show that is just fun to watch, and has a highly entertaining cast and plot, this is a fantastic show.

Basically, Neal Caffery (Matt Bomer) is an extremely good white collar thief/counterfeiter (hence the name of the show) who finally gets caught by FBI agent, Peter Burke (Tim DeKay). They make a deal where Neal will be let out of jail with an ankle bracelet if he helps the FBI in some of their cases. Neal turns out to be a great aid in solving cases and often "bends" the rules a little to get the info he needs. Several supporting characters are intertwined with them too and add a lot to the show: Mozzie (Willie Garson), Neal's friend and link to the underground crime world, gives the show a dose of much needed comedy, Elizabeth Burke (Tiffani Thiessen), who is Peter's wife, etc...

The show started off slow, with many of the episodes being one-shot episodes where a problem comes up, they solve it, end of show. But towards the middle of the season, the show really takes off. They start to involve more underlying plots and the writing really throws some twists at you. All this time, the characters start to get more and more developed so you start to learn more about their motivations and what makes them tick.

I highly recommend this season, if not just to get caught up on everything that has happened so you can watch the spectacular show that it is now. It's sure to be the latest in a string of successes for USA network.

This first season is first-class scripted entertainment. Every episode not only has the standard procedural story in the foreground, but there are several backstories progressing simultaneously for all the characters involved. Without giving away too much, I'll tell you this: the writers are absolutely stellar, and the actors bring their characters to vivid life in magical filmmaking by an obviously accomplished crew. Along the way, you'll learn a few tips to keep from being conned in real life, like how pick-pockets operate in a crowd, for example.

The episodes also include interesting references to art, history, and such else. There is none of the gory stuff that you'd see in a crime drama of the CSI: persuasion, and the language is very clean unless some character is actually intended to drive you to a particular conclusion. In other words, it's a classic blue-skies show.

The overarching story follows four lead characters (suave con Neal Caffrey played brilliantly by Matthew Bomer, FBI Agent Peter Burker played equally smoothly by Tim DeKay, Mrs. Elizabeth Burke played by Tiffani Thiessen, and genius con Mozzie played by Willie Garson), and three recurring characters (Agent Diana Berrigan played by Marsha Thomason, Neal's landlady June played by Diahann Carroll, and Agent Clinton Jones played by Sharif Atkins). An assortment of guest stars make up each individual episode, which covers one crime at a time.

The Blu-Ray has no differences from the DVD except for high-definition video, though. Which is somewhat counter-intuitive, since the network takes substantial pains to publicize this show online (including commentaries, creator's notes, promos, interviews, etc.), which could have easily been included here. Probably explains the reported lukewarm reception to the Blu-Ray release.

This is an awesome show! I love the character development between Neal and Peter, and the relationship between Peter and his wife. I also love that it's a clean show and I can watch it with my 10- and 13-year-old kids.