Sunday, December 14, 2014

White Collar - Whack-A-Mole


"Whack a Mole" sets up next week's series finale as uncertainty and distrust creep back into Neal (Matt Bomer) and Peter's (Tim DeKay) relationship. Finally realizing the scope of the Pink Panthers' plan, Neal relies on the assistance of both Mozzie (Willie Garson) and Peter to come up with an alternative (i.e. far less violent) plan that will allow the FBI to swoop in and catch the group with $500 million in stolen cash. And then of course there's Keller (Ross McCall) and his his Interpol handler (Isaach De Bankolé) one of whom will turn up dead during the Panthers' hunt for a mole inside their organization.

Before coming up with the con and bringing Peter in at the last minute as another member of the crew who Woodford (Gavin Lee) murders in front of the others, the penultimate episode of White Collar introduces a new character (Jennifer Cortese) whose role in Neal's final plan is a mystery to everyone except for him. I she insurance? A sign that Neal plans to straddle the gray area between informant and con man one last time, or is her involvement foreshadowing the fact that Neal is still more con than white knight?

While offering single scenes giving time to Diana (Marsha Thomason) and Jones (Sharif Atkins) which seem a bit out-of-place unless you take into account the series' imminent end, and playing on Mozzie's own distrust of Neal which may get one or both of them into trouble next week, "Whack a Mole" sets up the show's final con and the moment of truth for Neal Caffrey to prove just who he's become over the show's five seasons.

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