WHITE COLLAR Recap: Power Play

Note: Before we get into breaking down last night’s epsiode, I wanted to let all you WHITE COLLAR fans know that Marisa and Kath will be covering the WHITE PANEL event at the Paley Festival in L.A. on Saturday. We’ll be talking to Matt Bomer, Tim DeKay and the rest of the cast and creative team on the red carpet before the event, so if you have any questions you’d like to ask them,  email them to info@givememyremote.com or tweet them to @GMMRtv or @MarisaRoffman (be sure to use the #GMMRPaley hashtag).

Can you believe we only have one episode left in the season? Last night’s episode was a big one, as Peter and Neal swapped identities, Neal [finally!] locked lips with Sara, and we [hopefully] moved a few steps closer to answers – and closure – about Kate.

Case of the Week

During a heatwave and subsequent city-wide energy crisis, Elizabeth’s client reveals that she suspects her boss,Andrew Stanzler, of creating the power blackouts. When Peter is late for his meeting with the skittish informant, Neal improvises and pretends to be Peter.

Peter: No questions, no laughing. Just do it. And never speak of this again.

Peter is thoroughly irritated – until he realizes that means he gets to play “Neal Caffrey.” Both men dive into their parts, learning more about each other’s worlds and enjoying a few perks of the roles along the way. (In other words, Neal gets to flash a badge and shout, “I’m FBI!” while Peter learns to pick pockets and, once again, looks good in black.)

After learning that Stanzler is looking for a thief, Peter – posing as Neal – signs up for the job in an effort to learn more about the energy trader’s activities. Neal – posting as Peter – is left to do the paperwork, which, of course, includes creating his own FBI credentials.

Neal, Mozzie and June train Peter to steal a flash drive for Stanzler, and the team confirms that Stanzler is creating power shortages and then gouging the city on prices. Eventually, the FBI arrests Stanzler for fraud as well as attempted murder, and Peter and Neal resume their identities just in time to put their own moves on my two favorite White Collar ladies.

Elizabeth: You know, it’s sexy watching you plan a heist.

Peter: You think I should go rogue?

Elizabeth: Yes.

The Music Box Mystery

Meanwhile, Sara is back in town with news about Adler (which may or may lead us to the myserious music box). The insurance investigator followed the trail of smuggled items to Brazil, where Neal’s one-time mentor and mark, Vincent Adler, has been hiding out since committing fraud. Sara’s learned that Adler is searching for a German soldier named Gerhard Wagner, who just so happens to have a classified file even the FBI can’t read.

Because his role as Elizabeth’s husband is limited – with the exception of a large amount of paperwork that Peter gave him – Neal sifts through archives with Sara, searching for information about Gerhard Wagner who may or may not have immigrated in 1946. Hours together in a deserted library plus the danger of being followed plus Sara’s moving story about her sister who ran away plus Neal’s ever-present charm equals a blackout makeout session.

Sadly, Neal and Sara didn’t have much time to enjoy the blackout, as the lights came back on and Mozzie figured out who Gerhard Wagner became after immigrating. Mozzie says, “The urgency transcends the awkwardness,” and he was right. Wagner became Michael Hunter and his only remaining relative is the one and only Alex Hunter.

Since the episode ended with Alex being followed by the same shady character who followed Sara and Neal, we’re left both suspecting Alex – and worrying for her safety!

Thoughts and Questions

• Jones, Diana and the rest of the FBI team loved watching Neal play Peter, and vice versa. I just love the chemistry this team has and the playfulness they bring to even the most heated cases.
• Mozzie was the obvious choice for training Peter for a heist, but the addition of June and Byron’s training jacket? Brilliant.
• I know I say it every week, but I love how solid Peter and Elizabeth’s relationship is. On another show, an episode that has Elizabeth talking – repeatedly – about Neal’s charms and sexy whispers (not to mention posing as Neal’s wife, cheek kisses and all) would send Peter down a jealous road. I love that White Collar doesn’t even bother with that kind of foolishness.
• Peter is no Neal Caffrey, but I am a fan of him in black.
• “I have a feeling I had to work a lot harder fitting into your world than you did fitting into mine.” I think Peter is picking up on Neal’s migration to the law-abiding side, too. Do you think this case might make Neal even more interested in working with law enforcement for the long run?
• Sara is my favorite love interest for Neal, by far. And I like the way they’ve led up to this episode, but did anyone else think she seemed dramatically different in her behavior toward Neal this week? I don’t remember her being quite so open and eager in previous episodes.

Quotes of the Week

Neal: I don’t need a warrant to break in.

Peter: Well, this Neal Caffrey does.

Neal: Hey, keep your eye on the prize. This is serious. Stansler doesn’t mess around. Now, remember . . .

Peter: You don’t give me a be-careful speech. I invented the be-careful speech.

Neal: Yeah, but since I’m you I should . . .

Peter: You’re Neal in the van. I’m Neal outside the van.

Neal: Okay. Go out there and make me look good.

Neal: And as a precaution, I’ll be accompanying Elizabeth.

Peter: As my wife’s husband.

Neal: I didn’t know you had moves like that.

Peter: I didn’t know I authorized a badge.

Mozzie: Remember when your mother said, “Don’t cross your eyes because they’ll stay that way?” The same thing holds for impersonating a suit. Get out, or I’m gonna find you wearing wingtips.

So, White Collar fans, what did you think? Are you looking forward to the finale? Do you think Neal makes a good agent – or that Peter makes a good thief? And who’s on Team Sara with me?

Mary is embracing her new life as a stay-at-home mom, staying up late to rewatch the second season of Veronica Mars and catching up on How I Met Your Mother during [her daughter’s] naptime. Mary blogs about living an imperfect life at Giving Up on Perfect, writing about family, faith, books, food, celebrity look-alikes and chick flicks. You know, the important stuff.