Airdate: Tuesdays at 9/8c on USA

Rating: ★★★★★

White Collar draws taut the strings of anticipation in a tensely-wrought, well-played mid-season finale. “Countdown” reminds us just who these lead characters are – “Gotham City’s finest Cop and Robber” – while at the same time forcing each man to decide who they want to be. And the way everything comes together at the end of this episode is going to make waiting for the winter premiere excruciating.

When is a consultant not a consultant? When he's a partner.

For nine episodes we’ve watched Neal Caffrey’s (Matt Bomer) struggle with identity. Each decision he’s made when it’s come to this treasure has not only stemmed from who he is, but has also defined who he wants to be. I can’t say he’s made many clear-headed choices; in many ways, Neal’s been very lucky. In “Countdown,” however, we are reminded why it took an agent of Peter Burke’s (Tim DeKay) abilities four years of focused searching and near obsession to finally catch Neal—the con man is a skilled actor, forger, and an exceptional artist.

When Peter’s mentor, Agent Kramer (the always likable Beau Bridges), shows up in New York, we all know Neal and Mozzie (Willie Garson) are in big trouble. DC Art Crimes is being brought in to consult on a case where a Degas has appeared on the black market. The same painting Mozzie just so happened to sell in order to finance the $6 million hit on Keller (Ross McCall). The thing is I like Kramer. I like how he cares for Peter’s well being. He understands Peter’s consultant has become more than just an asset or informant; Neal is practically part of Peter’s family. And Kramer is worried for Peter.

Sharing a personal story about his own former CI, Kramer tells Peter to protect himself.  “When they fall…you’re not slapping cuffs on a criminal; you’re taking down a friend.”

"Treat him like a suspect." - Agent Kramer

The look on Peter’s face as he contemplates this reality is so sad. He doesn’t want to believe Neal has the treasure—or that his friend has been lying to him (quite cleverly) this whole time. But his gut tells him differently. And he’s struggling with which facet of his personality to follow: the FBI Agent they used to call “The Archeologist,” who keeps digging until he unearths the truth, or the friend who sees a man struggling to come to terms with himself.

DC Art Crimes’ involvement in the case isn’t the only thing putting pressure on Neal, though. Mozzie, winning the award for Best Use of Oversized Hourglass, invokes this season’s catch phrase and gives his friend 48 hours to “choose a side.” He may have conditionally forgiven Neal for lying to him, but he’s reached the end of his patience. He’s past ready to get out of New York with the treasure, buy himself an island, and live large. But, as Neal points out, Mozzie has options—he could return to New York. If Neal does this—if he escapes the “leash”—he can never come back. Neal has a life here and he doesn’t want to leave it behind (which he’s never admitted before).

But now what, right? DC Art Crimes isn’t just going to go away, and Peter can sense he’s close to solving the mystery of the treasure. What ensues is probably one of the best—and most painful to watch—cons this show has ever done. Neal and Peter simultaneously plot to get to the person who bought the Degas, each thinking to outsmart the other. Peter wants to use the painting as proof the treasure didn’t burn; Neal wants to swap out the real painting with a forgery to keep the treasure hidden. And it hurts because we know how much these two care about each other. If Peter wins, Neal goes down. If Neal wins, Peter stays in the dark. And it’s truly hard to decide which scenario is worse.

Kramer takes over the van....

Neal is on his game as he’s not been in a long time. His façade is virtually impenetrable from his ‘please don’t throw me in the briar patch’ resistance to being locked in a storage room (sidebar—did you see where he keeps his spare lock pick?), through a clever elevator slide and hat grab, to a breathtaking escape from a penthouse apartment. Neal technically wins this round—his forgery fooling even Kramer—but I have to say, I don’t think he ultimately comes out unscathed.

Mozzie still wants out. Peter still has doubts. And now Neal is buried so far inside this long con I don’t think even Kramer’s declaration to Peter that Neal “wants to be here” is going to protect him from the repercussions of his actions.

Just when we think it’s over and these characters are going to go through the mid-season hiatus with a tense truce, White Collar expertly turns another screw. Because Keller is still out there, folks. And he’s driven enough to avoid not only the authorities but also the majority of the ‘underground’ looking to cash in on the hit just to get to Neal—and the treasure. Finding the perfect weak spot, Keller threatens the one thing that will shake Peter to his core and diminish any need to protect Neal from himself: Elizabeth (Tiffany Thiessen).

So we are left to wait as Peter’s world spins around him and as Neal is pushed to the precarious edge of his tenuous balance. It’s going to be a long hiatus.

Tune in to White Collar, Tuesdays at 9/8c on the USA Network.

All photos © 2011 USA Network. All rights reserved.