Jurassic Central Park. Review: White Collar - “Digging Deeper”

Season 5, Episode 8

Air Date: Thursday, December 12, 2013, 9/8c on USA.

Rating: ★★★★★

“You’re saying there is a Tyrannosaurus Rex lost somewhere in New York City?” – Peter

Peter (Tim DeKay) is hot on Neal’s (Matt Bomer) trail, if only he knew what that trail was. Will Peter be able to figure out what Neal is up to before it’s too late? Meanwhile, there is a T-Rex missing in New York.

“Digging Deeper” takes me back to some of the earlier episodes of White Collar that had Neal and Peter having fun while working together. The Tyrannosaurus Rex case provides a lighthearted feel that I enjoy, and so does Peter.

Peter: “Hunting a T-Rex. Seven-year-old me would be going crazy.”

Neal: “Adult you isn’t exactly serene.”

Peter: “I can’t wait to see it in person, when it’s reunited with its egg.”

Neal: “Mozzie used to create fake fossils and bury them at dig sites.”

Peter: “Used to?”

Neal: “It’s been a couple months.”

Peter: “The alternate history of the earth according to Mozzie. That’s terrifying.”

I love the banter—which to me is the foundation of what makes this show work—and I can feel the giddiness in Peter’s voice that makes “Digging Deeper” that much more enjoyable. The case itself is pretty basic as far as White Collar cases go but you get the idea that the last few pieces of this season’s story arc are falling into place, setting up an explosive race to the season finale.

How fun is the restaurant scene where Peter and Elizabeth (Tiffani Thiessen) suddenly show up while Neal is on a date with Rebecca (Bridget Reagan)? I thought the buildup and execution of the scene were well written and performed wonderfully as Neal tries to come up with answers. Now that Peter seems to have not only bought Neal’s story but supports the relationship as well, will it come back to bite Peter?

Speaking of Peter, has anyone else felt his character has been all over the place this season? Peter thinks Neal is behind the missing $2,000,000 and does not blink an eye but if Neal spends 20 minutes on a street corner, it becomes a full blown investigation. Peter’s acceptance of right and wrong seems to vary depending on each episode. And what happened to the Peter in the season premiere who gave the long “You’re a con” speech?

Over the course of the season, the writers have planted many seeds but the end result remains unknown. What is the mystery behind the Codex? Why does Hagen (Mark Sheppard) want it so badly? Who killed Siegel (Warren Kole), and what does the blood soaked card with the words “Cooper 3” found in Siegel’s wallet have to do with anything? As season five starts to wind down, it will be interesting to see whether the pieces are all connected. Unfortunately, this is also what has been wrong with this season. The writers seem to be building to some shocking moment where literally EVERYTHING comes together, and because of that approach, things like Siegel’s death have been glossed over for several episodes until the big reveal.

It has been interesting to watch as Rebecca has gone from this sweet, innocent rare-book scholar to something much more mischievous. Frankly, I’m not buying it. I went back and re-watched “One Last Stakeout,” which is where we first meet Rebecca. Is it any coincidence that she just happens to be the first person Neal approaches for more information on the Codex? Are her surprise visits to Neal’s apartment flirting or random checking up on him to see if he’s found anything new? Not to mention, how does Hagen know where Neal lives and the information about the stained glass window? Is Rebecca working for Hagen and using Neal to do all the dirty work? Heck, could Rebecca be the mastermind behind this when she tells Neal, “I would give my left arm to peek inside it?” What else would she be willing to do?

I have a wild thought about Siegel’s death. Could Rebecca have killed Siegel? Before you freak out, let me explain. From the second Siegel was murdered, we assumed it was Hagen, and we have continued to believe this over the course of several episodes, but that’s just too easy. When has 1 + 1 = 2 so perfectly on White Collar? The two men had no connection as Hagen was just released from prison and Siegel had just arrived from Chicago, unlike Siegel and Rebecca since he interrogated her after the robbery. If you believe Hagen and Rebecca are connected somehow, it puts her in a position where she has a lot to lose if discovered. Was Rebecca going to meet with Hagen when Siegel spotted her? It would explain the sudden romance between Rebecca and Neal, which allows her to keep tabs on the Codex and any update on Siegel’s case. It would also be a huge twist involving Neal’s love life. Poor Neal has loved and lost but has never been betrayed like this before.

Tweet me @staffaroadtrip or leave a comment below to let me know what you think about “Ice Breaker,” and my thoughts on Rebecca.

For more on the show, visit the official website at http://www.usanetwork.com/series/whitecollar/.

Follow the show on Twitter @WhiteCollarUSA.

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Greg Staffa

I provide testosterone to the site. You won’t be reading about how nice a actress looks in a dress or how much of a hunk Matt Bomer is in my reviews. I describe colors using words like brown, not taupe. My twitter name is @staffaroadtrip because I love road trips and have done two different 48-state road trips since 2008. My favorite show is White Collar.