The Toast. Review: White Collar - “Quantico Closure”

Season 5, Episode 7

Air Date: Thursday, December 5, 2013, 9/8c on USA

Rating: ★★★★★

“You’re the reason I’m the man I am today.” – Peter

When Jill (Kim Dickens), Peter’s (Tim DeKay) ex-girlfriend from 20 years ago, unexpectedly shows up at Peter and Elizabeth’s (Tiffani Thiessen) wedding anniversary dinner, no less, does Elizabeth have something to worry about or is Jill’s reason for being there strictly professional?

When I first learned Willie Garson, who plays Mozzie on White Collar, was directing “Quantico Closure,” I had mixed feelings. The idea of actors directing is fun but usually these episodes are used more as a marketing gimmick. After all, when was the last time Eric Stoltz, Jeff King, Kevin Bray, or any other person who has directed a White Collar episode, was mentioned? Yet, take an actor from the show and place him behind the camera for the first time and suddenly people are talking about it.

I wonder how differently the people behind the scenes approach an episode with a first time director, if at all. Was Garson given additional mentoring or was he just tossed right into the fray? The reason I ask is there are a few scenes that seem unfinished and/or rushed. Scenes like Neal (Matt Bomer) and Jones (Sharif Atkins) searching for Seigel’s (Warren Kole) FBI badge, which was stolen when he was murdered. Even the case Jill asks Peter to help her with never feels like the whole story is being told. I am not sure if that falls on the director, writers, or both, but I would have preferred it if a few scenes had been expanded.

That’s not to say Garson did a bad job for his first time directing because “Quantico Closure” has its moments. While the scenes are not fleshed out as much as I wanted, I really enjoyed the scenes between Neal and Jones. I don’t remember these two working together too many times throughout White Collar’s run but they play well off each other. How comical is it when they are trying to figure out Jill’s connection to Peter?

Speaking of connections, what about Rebecca (Bridget Regan)? She is either very naive or brilliant. Either way, part of me wonders who is playing whom? Hagen (Mark Sheppard) must know Neal is trying to figure out the mystery behind the Codex. Could Rebecca be Hagen’s eyes and ears? After all, why do all the work decoding it if you can get Neal to? I’m not even convinced Neal is falling in love with Rebecca. Instead, I think Neal is in love with the con and that elation presents itself as love.

I had some concerns when the writers started hinting over the past few episodes at some trouble ahead for the Burkes. It felt like they were suddenly trying to establish some tension when there did not need to be. I have always thought of the Burkes’ relationship as a symbol of love. Their home is a sanctuary for people like Neal when he needs to talk to Peter as a friend rather than an agent. Even Neal and Elizabeth have, at times, collaborated about things. The story of a wife who trusts her husband while worrying about the ‘other woman’ is a plot we have seen a million times before; however, I appreciate the respect the writers give both Peter and Jill’s characters.

“Quantico Closure” could have easily turned into a comedy as Jill aggressively throws herself at Peter but in the end, while there are a few playful moments, theirs is a relationship built on respect and I am glad the writers did not go another route with Jill.

“Quantico Closure” is an episode about the strength of the Burkes’ relationship, particularly as shown when Elizabeth is explaining to Neal what it is like to love Peter. It is a very touching scene, to say the least.

Elizabeth: “She (Jill) never got married. Peter could be the last man she ever loved.”

Neal: “Twenty years is a long time to go without loving someone else.”

Elizabeth: “When you fall in love with Peter, you…you are in love. I can’t imagine those feelings ever going away. Not completely.”

Neal: “Really, Peter Burke? The man in the conference room?”

Elizabeth: “You have no idea.”

I think the way Thiessen delivers those lines is beautiful, and the look on her face is touching. It sums up how I view Elizabeth and Peter’s relationship. Not to mention how fun it is to see the roles reversed with Elizabeth saving Peter.

In the end, “Quantico Closure” feels like an episode that still has its directing training wheels on. That alone does not make it a bad episode, and I think the people who gave Garson the green light picked a good episode for him to get his director’s feet wet. But the season is quickly winding down and there seems to be a lot of unresolved issues that need to be addressed. I do worry that the story arc is starting to be weighed down by all the sub plots this season has created. What do you think?

Tweet me @staffaroadtrip or leave a comment below to let me know what you think about ““Quantico Closure.”

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

Follow the show on Twitter @WhiteCollarUSA.

LIKE White Collar on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/whitecollar.

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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.