White Collar – TV Series Review

White Collar is inspired on the real life of Frank Abagnale. Thief turned FBI informant and consultant. He was known worldwide for how brilliantly smart and resourceful he was. Managing to forge documents, steal art, and countless other crimes that require a high technical ability. The real life story also got adapted into a movie- Catch me if you Can  starring Leonardo DiCaprio. However, one actor has him beat in my opinion. Matt Bomer as Neal Caffery radiates class and sophistication. So, let’s take a deeper look at White Collar.

White Collar – Details

White Collar Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes
Image Source: Rotten Tomatoes

Network Release: USA Network

Production Companies: Jeff Eastin & Warrior George Productions & Fox Television Studios

Executive Producers:  Jeff Eastin, Jeff King, Mark Goffman, & Nick Thiel

Created By: Jeff Eastin

Main Cast: Matt Bomer, Tim DeKay, Willie Garson, Marsha Tomason, Tiffani Thiessen, Natalie Morales, Hilarie Burton, Sharif Atkins, & Diahann Carroll   
Released: 2009-2014 (6 Seasons/81 Episodes)

Story of White Collar

White Collar | Alibi Channel
Image Source: Alibi Channel – UKTV Play

The story of White Collar follows Neal Caffery (Bomer) and the FBI agent that put him behind bars, Peter Burke (Tim DeKay). Burke had to chase Caffery all over the world, having the criminal almost play with peter. Having him leave hints to FBI which ultimately leads to his downfall and capture. Time passes and Neal escapes prison but when confronted by Burke he admits it’s to save the life of his beloved Kate. Something that does in fact turn out to be true. Not knowing what is going on but knowing Neal’s expertise is extremely useful in understanding and capturing future criminals they strike up a deal. Neal gets his freedom on the condition he becomes an informer/consultant. Using his vast experience and knowledge to chase down other criminals.

Analysis of White Collar

The Main Cast

Is 'White Collar' Coming Back? Matt Bomer Gave a Surprise Update About the  Show's Status
Image Source: Good Housekeeping

Mozzie of course needs to be mentioned. Neil’s best friend with an outlandish personality. Mozzie doesn’t tend to socialize as well as others. Coming off a bit off, a bit strange. This is what makes his relationships with Neal, June, and Mrs. Suit (Burke’s wife) all the more rewarding. We get to see just how much Mozzie cares about the people in his life, as well as how much he enjoys being with them. It is one of the most heartwarming character arcs of all TV. Having this outcast slowly become more comfortable around this group of people gave people like me hope in finding a place where we fit in.

The Outfits and the Props

Matt Bomer: Shirtless 'White Collar' Teaser Pics!: Photo 2514145 | Matt  Bomer, Shirtless, White Collar Photos | Just Jared: Entertainment News
Image Source: Just Jared

By far one of the best bits of White Collar has to be the outstanding wardrobe department. With Neal himself wearing such iconic hats, suits, and watches throughout the shows run. The props department needs credit as well. Many pieces of art and other fineries are displayed heavily throughout numerous episodes with Neal himself having to paint for the camera on numerous occasions. It is then remarkable how incredible the set pieces, location scouting, set design, and the actual paintings are.

White Collar: The Suits of Neal Caffery | Tailor On Ten
Image Source: Tailor On Ten

The Revival

Will 'White Collar' Ever Return? What Cast Has Said | USA Insider
Image Source: USA Network

Back in 2020, series creator Jeff Eastin took to Twitter to let everyone know he had been talking to Matt Bomer. The tweet read “Had a great convo with Matt Bomer. We have a plan to bring #WhiteCollar back.” However, nothing came of that. With Fox being bought out by Disney maybe White Collar’s metrics on Disney+ might convince them to bring it back. Bomer’s career has also been pretty busy recently. Appearing in Doom Patrol (2019-2023), The Boys in the Band (Mantello, 2020), Magic Mike’s Last Dance (Soderberg, 2023), various Justice League animated movies, The Sinner (2020), American Horror Stories (2021), Echoes (2022) and Fellow Travelers (2023) all since 2020.

Summary of White Collar

White Collar Revival Proposal - Anand Thaker
Image Source: Anand Thaker

Upon watching a promo for White Collar, I quickly became intrigued by shows premise and Bomer’s charisma. Even if it was in such a limited snippet. I however also quickly forgot the name of the show and didn’t actually end up watching it until I was at college. All six seasons was available on Netflix, and I watched it all in a couple of weeks. I loved it! It is one of the few shows I continuously rewatch once per year. It has outstanding cinematography, writing, and prop design. Kitted out with a cast that honestly has so much charisma together it could rival the cast of Brooklyn Nine Nine! If you haven’t watched White Collar yet for any reason, you have to go finally watch it. It is one of the best shows of TV history!

Overall Rating: 9 – Outstanding!

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