25 Days of Crime-mas Day 23: White Collar blends crime and comedy

White Collar mixes crime, comedy and charisma for a “blue sky” TV crime drama. It’s a memorable pick for 25 Days of Crime-Mas Day 23.

While you’re preparing for a white Christmas, may we suggest White Collar? It’s our latest 25 Days of Crime-mas selection, as one of USA‘s first original TV crime dramas became an immediate hit.

The series helped put USA on the map, and it also served as the breakout project for Matt Bomer, who went on to become a major TV and film star. In addition, this is the perfect example of buddy-cop TV that so many other shows attempt to create, but rarely manage to pull off.

It’s not just a crime drama, it’s also a comedy and a bit of a conspiracy story, too. So why not dive into it?

Here’s why you ought to check out White Collar:

A different tone

White Collar comes from the first wave of USA original series, back when the channel wanted “blue sky” programs, or shows that had a lighter and more optimistic way of looking at the world—in direct contrast to the dark shows it airs now.

That means while the series handles some serious topics, it never gets to be too dark, depressing, or graphic. There’s a decent bit of humor in every episode, if the good guys don’t win there’s at least something to hold onto, and this is a show that you can watch with the entire family.

Especially with how cynical many TV shows can be, and how crime dramas can get particularly graphic depending on what you’re watching, it’s nice to have an alternative if you want a show that’s different or just something you can put on and relax with.

The perfect chemistry

The secret to White Collar‘s success was the chemistry between its four leads. Matt Bomer was the clear star as ex-con turned FBI consultant Neal Caffrey, but he had a perfect match in veteran TV actor Tim DeKay (American Crime), who portrayed hard-working FBI agent Peter Burke.

They were joined by Peter’s wife Elizabeth (Tiffani Thiessen), who pleasantly was included in a lot of the action instead of just being the typical TV spouse, and Neal’s loyal criminal associate Mozzie (Willie Garson, Sex and the City).

All four of those actors were good on their own, but even better as a team, and they also worked with top-notch guest stars including the legendary Diahann Carroll and Andrew McCarthy.

Related Story. Matt Bomer returns to USA in The Sinner. light

What is White Collar about?

White Collar centers around expert criminal Neal Caffrey, who is desperate to find his girlfriend Alex but can’t do so as he’s behind bars. Neal brokers an arrangement where he will be released from prison into the care of the FBI agent who continually pursued him, Peter Burke. Thus, Peter becomes Neal’s partner as they investigate white-collar crimes, with the end goal of Neal being able to earn his freedom.

Along the way, the duo pull the threads of Neal’s past including what happened to Alex and where Neal’s former mentor Vincent Adler is, and dig up some other conspiracies along the way.

Why should you watch?

White Collar is a great example of a TV crime drama that doesn’t always have to be dramatic. It’s classified as a one-hour drama, but it also has a considerable dose of humor, most of it through the banter between the four members of the main cast. The show almost never fails to brighten the mood, and is a throwback to an earlier time when USA programs were much lighter.

And unlike many TV shows, all four of those characters get to play off each other, instead of the usual being relegated to specific pairings. The writers do a great job of spreading the scenes, and the spotlight, around.

Episodes to watch

There’s an underlying mystery in White Collar that involves Neal’s girlfriend Kate (Alexandra Daddario) and his criminal past, so this is a show where it’s best to start with at least the first few episodes of the first season just to understand who all the players are.

After that, you can pick just about any episode in the series and enjoy yourself—though the show does lag slightly in seasons 3 and 4, it rebounds afterward.

Next. See the full 25 Days of Crime-mas schedule. dark

What do you think of White Collar? Which TV crime dramas are making your list for the 25 Days of Crime-mas? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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