Contributor: Gregg Wright

Written by Joe Henderson
Directed by Paul Holahan

After a somewhat underwhelming mid-season finale, with a reveal that was about as heavily-telegraphed as a reveal can be, “White Collar” returns and picks up at the very moment where it left off. “White Collar” serves as an important counterweight in my TV viewing roster to ( Read more... )

Contributor: Gregg Wright

Written by Jeff Eastin
Directed by Russell Lee Fine

The mid-season finales of “White Collar” always end on a dramatic cliffhanger. In the first season, it was the reveal that Peter was secretly in contact with Kate (which, considering that this was still the first season, made us wonder if Peter might be a baddie); in the ( Read more... )

Contributor: Gregg Wright

Written by Mark Goffman
Directed by Renny Harlin

This episode sure did take me by surprise. I knew that it would involve boxing, in some way, which left me a bit worried. The whole “fight club” trope is one that has suffered from heavy overuse in episodic television. So the title, “Gloves Off”, seemed appropriate enough. ( Read more... )

Contributor: Gregg Wright

Written by Daniel Shattuck
Directed by Russell Lee Fine

Once again, we have another episode that deviates from the more typical introduction to a case. This time, Neal finds himself being arrested by the NYPD while working undercover on a heist. Peter only barely succeeds in convincing the police chief in charge that Neal ( Read more... )

Contributor: Gregg Wright

Written by Matthew Negrete
Directed by Paul Holohan

While not exactly the big myth-arc episode I was hoping for, “Compromising Positions” offers up another entertaining case-of-the-week, with one scene that ought to go down as one of the funniest (and awkward) moments in the entire show. But we’ll get to that a bit later. ( Read more... )

Contributor: Gregg Wright

Written by Channing Powell
Directed by David Straiton

Ah, the “treasure hunt”. Already, it’s been the focus of the show’s longest-running story arc, and at least one episodic story that I can think of. I remember that episode being a fun, lighthearted romp, and it left me wishing that “White Collar” would do more “treasure ( Read more... )

Contributor: Gregg Wright

Written by Joe Henderson
Directed by Arlene Sanford

With the opening scene taking place at Ellen’s funeral, the only thing left for Neal now is to find this “Sam”, mentioned by Ellen in her dying breaths, and find out what he knows. Sam makes a covert visit to the funeral, but given that the person he’d come to meet in ( Read more... )

Contributor: Gregg Wright

Written by Alexandra McNally
Directed by Robert Duncan McNeill

It’s fitting, perhaps, that Sara Ellis would make her return to the show just when Neal is sent undercover to woo a beautiful heiress. The episode doesn’t really milk the tension of this situation, but I found that more refreshing than disappointing. Sara ( Read more... )

Contributor: Gregg Wright

Written by Mark Goffman
Directed by Paul Holahan

In an unusual move for “White Collar”, the season premiere was only the first part of what can be thought of as the show’s first two-part premiere. Needless to say, I’m very happy with this change in the normal status quo, and I hope it represents a trend. If the final ( Read more... )

Contributor: Gregg Wright

Written by Jeff Eastin
Directed by Paul Holahan

“White Collar” has become one of those old, reliable shows that I can count on for its consistency. The show is never so dramatic or dark as to seriously challenge me as a viewer, but it’s also never been disposable fluff, either. It may never be as gripping or emotionally ( Read more... )