You would think the moment that Special Agent Gibbs made an appearance in my dream last week that I would recognize my additiction to NCIS reruns for what it is. But he gave me one of those cute, sexy little smiles of his… If he had slapped me upside the head like he often does to DiNozzo, then I might be a little more worried. I mean, how can you not love Gibbs?
Anyway, it is my daily fix of NCIS that I have to thank for introducing me to “White Collar“, a new show on the USA network. OK, how many girls out there are not susceptible to the allure of an intelligent, charismatic…..con artist?
Matt Bomer is perfectly cast as the bright and charming, Neal Caffrey, criminal extraordinaire, who escapes from a maximum-security prison with mere months left in sentence in order to talk to the girl who walked out on him. Upon finding her apartment empty, Caffrey has no incentive to evade the FBI, and the one man who has managed to catch him, Agent Burke (Tim Dekay).
As it turns out, Caffrey’s skills can be used for good, and he convinces Burke to take him on as a consultant for the remainder of his sentence. Yes, this story line sounds a little familiar. Do you remember Hardcastle and McCormick where Judge Hardcastle takes racecar driver, Mark McCormick, under his wing? Both McCormick and Caffrey exude a certain boyish charm. The big difference between these two shows is that while the bad guys in Hardcastle and McCormick were usually foiled in a car chase, the bad guys in White Collar aren’t that easy to catch.
What makes or breaks a smart show like this is the actors. Tim Dekay is wonderful in his role of FBI Agent Peter Burke who really doesn’t want to, but can’t help admiring this cocky con artist. I’m not sure I buy Tiffani Thiessen as his wife though. I know that I’m simply having a hard time getting her Saved By The Bell character, Kelly, out of my head, but she still seems too young to have been married to Burke for ten years. There isn’t a lot of chemistry there, and I think she seems better suited for Caffrey. Willie Garson, on the other hand, as Caffrey’s friend Mozzie, is fun and quirky. I’ve only seen the premiere so far, but Natalie Morales will join the show as Lauren Cruz, a transfer from the Organized Crime Unit and a romantic counterpart for Caffrey.
Overall, it was a really fun show to watch, innovative, entertaining and stimulating. And did I mention how adorable Matt Bomer is? Check it out, USA Network, Fridays at 10/9C!
Check out their website…
White Collar
