WHITE COLLAR: Company Man

It was finally Peter’s turn to do some undercover work this week. Luckily for him, it involved the lap of luxury – and some great espresso.

Case of the Week

“Peter, this IS your office.” With that, our favorite FBI agent was introduced to the tempting world of What Might Have Been . . . and accounting.

[You know, this whole scenario reminded me of the time my CPA friend called me, crying because she had only gotten an eight percent raise. At the time I worked for a non-profit organization and would have done back flips for any raise. Accountants.]

Peter, however, isn’t so easily swayed by the accoutrements of the high life, although he certainly makes sure to keep up his cover with fluffy white robes, Kobe beef and fancy coffee in small cups.

Though the white collar division doesn’t normally work homicides, the suspicion of corporate espionage is enough to get Peter, Neal, Jones and Diana on the case. In order to investigate the death of a tech company’s researcher, Peter poses as an auditor to gain access to the company – and its CEO.

It doesn’t take long for Peter to need Neal on the scene, because while his plush corner office has a good view, it’s not exactly ideal for eavesdropping on watercooler talk. Not surprisingly, Neal is able to bluff his way into a marketing position.

Peter: How’s the marketing department?

Neal: Ah, nice blend of smarmy and suspicious.

As both of our guys put their skills to work – forensic accounting and charming chitchat – they discover a possible mole. Neal joins the marketing team for dinner and sets a trap by mentioning that the auditor was looking at files of both the dead guy and all the execs in marketing.

Sure enough, Neal and Peter catch someone going through files and find that – big surprise – it’s Jessica, the lovely female exec Neal had been flirting with. It turns out she was dating the murdered man and is trying to collect information to prove the company’s CEO is behind it all.

They use Jessica as bait to prove that the CEO is the Bad Guy, but before we can get to the big reveal, Peter almost dies.

Thanks to USA, we knew something bad was going to happen to Peter. But for me, the best part was seeing Neal’s reaction to the whole thing, from his quick thinking as he realized what Jessica had done (poisoned the CEO and, therefore, Peter) to not wanting to leave him for even a moment as they waited for help.

No matter what their disagreements, these guys care for each other a LOT.

Music Box Mystery

That, of course, brings us to the revelation – at least to Neal and Mozzie – that Peter and Diana have the music box.

It starts when Peter forces Neal to come clean about his investigation into Kate’s murder, thanks to Sara apparently spilling the beans.

Peter: If you’re working on this, so am I.

Neal: I’m not working on anything.

Peter: Which means Mozzie’s working on it.

Peter instructs Diana and Mozzie to work together in what was the season’s most awkward pairing of all.

Diana: So, Neal’s your boss?

Mozzie: Hey, I answer to no one, Nancy Drew.

They don’t learn much together, although we do learn that Fowler’s been fired. However, thanks to some sneaky distraction from June, Mozzie is able to snoop through Diana’s files and finds sheet music for the song played by the music box. That discovery leads him down the path to Diana and Peter still having possession of the box.

White Collar has done a nice job of avoiding unnecessary suspense and tension (not counting last summer’s ridiculous pinky ring finale), and this is another great example. Peter and Neal hash out their issues about Kate’s murder and the music box – and then they sit down to work together.

Peter shows Neal the keyhole he found with Diana, and Neal shows Peter the key he got from Alex. And then they open the box to find . . . WHAT? We don’t know! We have to wait until NEXT WEEK!

I can’t wait. How about you?

A few last thoughts on this episode:

* It was clever to show Peter talking to Elizabeth on Skype. It was creepy and just plain WEIRD for him to talk to a framed picture of her. And I hope she’s back to work – in real time and without a green screen – when the show returns in a few months.
* Did you know an elevator can be hotwired? And aside from the details of the high tech processor thing the murdered man was developing, is there anything Neal Caffrey doesn’t know?
* Are you excited to see Alex return next week? Do you think Sara will be back, too?

All right, White Collar fans. Tell me what you thought about the lead-in to the summer finale. Do you like the man Peter is – or do you think he’d be better off living the luxurious life of an accountant? And what do you think our two guys will do when they’re faced with the choice between justice and revenge?

Mary can’t decide what she’s looking forward to the most this fall: season premieres of her favorite shows or quitting her day job to freelance. If only “freelance” meant “get paid to watch TV;” then she wouldn’t have to choose. Mary blogs about her imperfect life at Giving Up on Perfect, writing about family, faith, books, food, celebrity look-alikes and chick flicks. You know, the important stuff.