Airdate: Tuesdays at 9/8c on USA

Rating: ★★★★★

At long last! Agent Clinton Jones (Sharif Atkins) is out of the van! I’ve been waiting for a Jones-centric episode like this since “Deadline,” the episode that dealt with Diana Berrigan’s (Marsha Thomason) life outside of the FBI. I think it’s safe to say “As You Were” is my favorite episode thus far this season. Memorable lines, grin-worthy dialogue, action, heartbreak, and two good looking men in dress whites…what more can a girl ask for?

Jones fights to lead the case and save his friend.

The best thing about this case is that it’s not one that Peter (Tim DeKay) hands out on assignment. Instead Jones has to literally fight for the case, and there is a lot going on behind that baby face of his. When his home is broken into, Jones learns that Jimmy (Jayson Ward Williams), an old friend of his from his Navy days (did we even know Jones had been in the Navy?), has gotten into a bit of trouble. The kind of trouble that could get him killed. It also brings Jones’ former fiancé, Isabelle (Rochelle Aytes)—and current wife of said old friend—back and pretty much turns his life on its ear.

Meanwhile, Sara’s (Hilarie Burton) discovery last week of the hidden treasure is enough to send her packing. It’s an emotional farewell and leaves Neal (Matt Bomer) with a fair amount of confusion and doubt—and me with some concern as to what Sara might do with this information. Sent into a bit of a tailspin, Neal’s all for helping Peter and Jones rescue Jimmy from the mercenary Commander Van Horn (played by Tiffany Thiessen’s real-life hubby, Brady Smith) who is holding him hostage. While making himself available to the team, Neal picks up on the fact that Peter is multitasking with an off-the-books case. Cleverly using his phone to record a conversation between Peter and Diana, Neal realizes Peter still has a copy of the treasure manifest.

There's something about a man in uniform....

In a nice display of the layers of action this show does so well, Neal finds a way to make a copy of a safe key Peter has stashed in his desk, while at the same time diverting suspicion and supporting a friend by showing up unexpectedly at Jones’ house. Though they may be outwardly discussing why Jones decided to leave Isabelle, it’s pretty clear to me by Neal’s expressions that he’s seeing an underlying—more personal—meaning behind  Jones’ profound statement: “Choices are sacrifices: you give up something you want for something you want more.”

Realizing the only way to rescue Jimmy is to send in a ringer to scope out the building, Peter elects to send Neal in undercover, eliciting this hilarious exchange:

Peter: “Can you do that?”

Neal: “I was an Admiral. In the Royal Navy.”

Peter: “I didn’t hear that. Nobody heard that. Don’t write that. Pencils down.”

Jones gets the drop on Van Horn, saving Neal.

As usual, Neal comes through—after being rescued from Van Horn’s crossbow by Jones. But closing Jones’ case isn’t the end of the tug-on-the-heartstrings type scenes in this episode. With Peter on an all-night stakeout with Jones (who, it turns out, misses the van) and Mozzie (Willie Garson) providing the necessary distraction for El (Tiffany Thiessen), Neal sneaks into the Burke’s house to use that copied key and find the manifest.

And if I may, Neal dressed as a cat burglar may trump Neal in Navy dress whites.  I’m just saying.

All season I’ve been wondering how Neal is going to keep up this multi-faceted charade, one foot in each world. As Mozzie asked, with Sara gone, what’s keeping Neal here? With the manifest in hand, they would know what pieces were safe to sell, take their money, and run! But as I see it, the problem is that Neal sees himself in the people he works with, in the team that supports him and (sometimes quite literally) saves him, and in the friendship and brotherhood he has with Peter.

His very nature draws him to the con; he’s done it too long to simply change ‘just because.’ But he’s been wavering for awhile now. I think having Sara get close awoke something inside of him that hasn’t breathed since Kate (Alexandra Daddario) died. Having Sara leave left that part of him exposed and his choices are starting to crystallize. He can hide in the lie the life of a con man offers him, not feel anything as real as he is now, not be close to anyone (save maybe Mozzie). Or….

Peter calling to check on Neal, worried about him since Sara left, offering to listen as a friend—and interrupting Neal’s theft of the manifest—is both heartwarming and tragic. The choice Neal makes because of that call, well…I can see the ripples in the pond from here. And with only one episode left until the mid-season finale, I think we’re in for a bumpy ride.

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

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