White Collar – “Whack-A-Mole” Retrospective. Blinking Light Show.

Season 6, Episode 5

Air Date: Thursday, December 11, 2014, 9/8c on USA

Rating: ★★★★★

“That just might be a better answer than yes.” – Woodford

I’m worried for Peter.

The Pink Panthers reemerge as their leader, Woodford (Gavin Lee), starts a hunt for the mole inside their ranks. Shockingly, Woodford asks Neal (Matt Bomer) to help him track down the mole, to which Neal replies, “The only thing worse than a mole is a rat. I’ve never been one; I never will be.” I guess going undercover and using his criminal knowledge to aid the FBI doesn’t count.

Woodford’s search for the mole is bad news for Peter (Tim Dekay) since there are actually two moles within the Panthers. The search sets up some interesting tension between Peter (Tim Dekay) and Interpol’s Luc Renaud (Issach de Bankole), who is Keller’s (Ross McCall) handler. Renaud’s confrontation with Peter is fascinating to watch not because both agents are trying to protect their individual informants but because Renaud’s observations about Peter unfortunately are spot on.

I always enjoy when Neal is presented with a plan and then offers to come up with a better one. It often involves some crazy idea that only Neal and Mozzie (Willie Garson) could come up with and “Whack-A-Mole” is no exception. These plans usually are devised to avoid putting others at risk or using guns but they also have a creative, fun side to them as well.

Will Neal betray Mozzie?

I love that White Collar is filmed in New York rather than a stand in like Vancouver. New York has such rich history and culture and I am always amazed by the places the location scouts find to shoot scenes. I had never heard about the pneumatic tube mail system in New York until “Whack-A-Mole,” and was surprised to learn the system was implemented in 1897 and eventually consisted of over 27 miles of tubes. Each canister held around 600 letters and could connect to 23 post offices, traveling up to 35 mph. At the height of the system, the tubes carried 95,000 letters a day. While the filming locations might not always be exact historical spots, the fact that parts of the show are grounded in reality creates a desire to want to learn more.

I understand as a conman Neal always has another angle or is working behind Peter’s back. It’s no surprise then to learn Neal is up to something in “Whack-A-Mole.” But Neal’s dialogue in many of his scenes doesn’t feel true to his character. Scenes with Mozzie feel forced at times, not just because Neal is keeping things from Mozzie but it’s almost like a sudden unbalancing of their usual chemistry. I’ve joked that before White Collar ends, the show needs to air some bad episodes just so I can show in my reviews that I am not totally biased when it comes to my favorite show. “Whack-A-Mole” isn’t a bad episode but something about it feels off to me and I can’t fully put my finger on why.

I will miss these two.

Even the Burkes seem different in “Whack-A-Mole.” Am I the only one caught off guard by the Burkes’ relationship issues this season? Sure, couples have their disagreements and sometimes fight but Peter and Elizabeth (Tiffani Thiessen) have survived kidnappings, shootouts, prison, and more. Is it because I’m not a father that I don’t fully understand some of Elizabeth’s reasoning behind her frustration? All of her talk about raising a child alone has me worried that her concerns are foreshadowing a certain fate for Peter in the finale.

As much as I love White Collar, the limited number of episodes this season is hurting the show. When a series has the usual 13-16 episodes, the writers are able to make slight changes in characters’ behavior to build tension until it finally boils over. With only six episodes this final season, and one of them is used to finish up the story line from the previous season, subtle changes become more drastic. I was really hoping this final season would feel like a natural progression that moves along, only to inevitably reach a point where the characters move on. Instead, season six feels choppy and rushed. Who knows, maybe the last few episodes are a giant misdirect, making us think Neal is up to no good and will ultimately betray both Peter and Mozzie.

I hate saying it but as a fan of the show, next week’s series finale has me worried. Not because of any potential fate or outcome, but because the previous two episodes haven’t felt like the White Collar I have loved over the last six seasons. For a show not known for its body count, it’s surprising to see not one but two deaths in “Whack-A-Mole.” I have to wonder if this is just the beginning.

Let me know what you think of “Whack-A-Mole.” Leave your comments below or tweet me @StaffaRoadTrip.

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.