Season 5, Episode 5
Air Date: Thursday, November 14, 2013, 9/8c on USA.
Rating:
“Neal is a very bad influence on you.” – Peter Burke
OK ladies, let’s get it out of your system before continuing—yes, Matt Bomer looks great in a butler uniform; yes, I am sure you ALL would love for Matt to be your own personal butler, and yes, this season Matt has worn more stripper type outfits on White Collar than he does in his movie Magic Mike.
I asked actor Zachary Booth, who plays Patrick in “Master Plan,” what his favorite part about filming the episode was, and he jokingly replied, “Tiffani Thiessen. Duh.” Hard to argue with that logic as we get a very Elizabeth-themed episode, which is nice since she has been missing most of this season. We also learn a little more about her character’s past, including her maiden name—Mitchell.
Speaking of Mozzie, has anyone else felt the small but growing frustration Neal has with Mozzie? Is it simply roommate indifferences now that Mozzie has moved in or is it a build-up to something more? Besides, can’t Mozzie afford to move out now since Neal gave him the two million?
“Master Plan” has many fun little moments in an episode written by Alexandra McNally. Things like:
– Neal trying to get Peter to take the case based on reliable information … Peter’s wife.
– Neal teaching the Burkes PDA (Proximity Diversion Attention).
– Mozzie in his beekeeper outfit.
– Elizabeth steaming the mail open.
The only thing that bothers me about “Master Plan” is the action at the end, which seems to be competing with a product placed car commercial. I was waiting for Neal to start describing how nice the car felt to sit in while pointing out things like the cup holders and dashboard display. Product placement should blend flawlessly into a scene, giving it more of a realistic feel instead of being forced upon the viewers like this felt (especially since Tim Dekay already does a White Collar themed car commercial that runs during the show).
This continues to be a very strong season for White Collar but I can’t help but wonder whether “Master Plan” is the calm before the storm, or whether things are about to pick up and Neal’s past actions will come back to haunt him.
Tweet me @staffaroadtrip or leave a comment below to let me know what you think about “Master Plan.”
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All photos © 2013 USA Network, a division of NBC Universal, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Greg Staffa
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