Release Date: June 7, 2011
Rating: NR
Running Time: 694 minutes
Compelling characters and intricate plot twists make this riveting crime drama one of television’s slickest, sexiest shows! Matt Bomer returns as sophisticated conman Neal Caffrey, who teams up with FBI Agent Peter Burke (Tim Dekay) to investigate an intriguing array of crimes ranging from extortion to murder. Now, reeling from the death of his girlfriend, Neal struggles to unlock the secret behind a mysterious music box and find Kate’s killer, even as his partnership with Peter begins to crumble.
White Collar Season Two begins right where the unbelievable season one finale left off and really takes its time in solving the mystery at hand while at the same time continues to mold of the character of Neal Caffrey so smoothly. There’s so much for the long time viewer to appreciate and anticipate exploring while a newcomer can also enjoy the show on a case by case basis while still following along to the long term story arcs fairly easily. This is a smart show but it will not go over your head and that is a formula that is not as easy as one would think to pull off. The comedy is just as smart but it works. At this point, the characters are so well formed due to the combination of the writing and comfort ability with the actors, that everything seems so natural… so you might miss a joke if you’re not used to the fast pace of the witty dialogue. The writing is truly incredible on this show and will keep you on your feet trying to figure out what Neal, Peter, and even Mozzie will do next and why.
Also, it wouldn’t be fair not to point out the fascinating use of New York, the stunning and sophisticated wardrobe, and the wonderful guest stars throughout the season. White Collar is engaging in every sense of the word and in every aspect of the show. Also, the chemistry amongst the cast has grown and it shows. This is truly a cast that is like “family” for sure and that chemistry makes their characters all the more genuine and easy to love. Season Two of White Collar is just as entertaining as the first, so it would be a shame not to have your own copy of season two sitting next to your copy of the first.
Bonus Features:
Deleted Scenes (8:23 minutes) – The deleted scenes are as follows: one deleted scene from 201, one scene from 202, two scenes from 203, one scene from 207, one scene from 213, and one scene from 216. The writing and acting is so incredibly good on this show, that I can only imagine that all of these scenes were cut only because of time. If you love White Collar as much as I do, I do not have to tell you to watch the deleted scenes for just a bit more White Collar! The bits of comedy in certain scenes that did not make it into the final episodes are especially disappointing, but it’s great to see that the footage made it to DVD.
Gag Reel (5:07 minutes) – While this gag reel does show a few moments where lines and props are not handled as they were intended, that is not what makes this gag reel so entertaining. I have never seen a gag reel that shows just how genuine the relationships are amongst the cast. This is clearly one of the most fun and freeing cast on television today. When they say that the cast is “like family,” the cast of White Collar means it and this gag reel proves it. Seeing the positive vibes on set makes me smile more than any episode of the show could. It makes me appreciate all those involved in the show even more because I cans see that they are truly enjoying every single moment.
White Collar Roasts Burn Notice (5:36 minutes) – Jeff Eastin and the Creator & Executive Producer of Burn Notice, Matt Nix along with others from both writer’s rooms compare their shows in discussing blowing things vs. good plots, Caffrey vs. Westen, the women of each series, and the use of voiceover. This is a fun feature, especially if you watch both shows. I can’t seem to get into Burn Notice, but I still found this feature to provide for a fun rivalry laugh.
Appearing in This Feature:
Story Editors, Joe Henderson and Alexandra McNally
Writer’s Assistants, Eddie Serrano and Christopher Tergliafera
Writers, Jim Campolongo, and Matt Negrete
Burn Notice Roasts White Collar (6:03 minutes) – Jeff Eastin and the Creator & Executive Producer of Burn Notice, Matt Nix along with others from both writer’s rooms compare their shows in discussing Westen vs. Caffrey, Sam vs. Mozzie, Fiona vs. Elizabeth, and all kidding aside, give praises to each other in the end. Since I watch White Collar, I could appreciate the kidding more than the previous roast, so I really enjoyed it.
Appearing in This Feature:
Executive Story Editor, Rashad Raisani, Michael Horowitz, Lisa Joy
Writer’s Assistant, Ryan Johnson
Producer, Ben Watkins
Slick Willie (5:14 minutes) – The cast answers the question “Who the hell is Mozzie?” in a fun featurette that features moments from the series as well as behind the scenes shots of the cast. This is a fun and brief character analysis that Matt Bomer dwells into best and the others playfully add onto. Tiffani Thiessen, Marsha Thomason, Tim DeKay, Gloria Votsis, Sharif Atkins, Jeff Eastin, and Willie Garson also appear in this feature.
So Here’s the Deal: Anatomy of an Episode (12:47 minutes) – Jeff Eastin shares with the viewers how the concepts for each episode come together and others share the show’s shooting pattern and challenges, while footage of the writers in the writer’s room (in Burbank, CA) and the crew on set/location is shown. Eastin, the crew, and the editors of this featurette give a very detailed look into the process of pre-production and production for the show. One of my favorite portions of the feature is what is dedicated to Director of Photography, Russell Lee Fine. As mentioned, he has an amazing eye and his aesthetics make this show all the more spectacular and worth watching. This series truly would not be the same without Fine. While I’d say the first four minutes are my favorite (since I’m more interested in the writing phase), the entire process is truly a fun challenge to take on each week for months at a time, and this feature definitely did it justice in showing what it takes to create a hit series.
Appearing in this Feature:
Co-executive Producer, Jeff King
Director, John Kretchmer
Location Assistant, Ryan Coleman
Production Assistant, Juan Mazzara
Production Sound Mixer, Mathew Price
Director of Photography, Russell Lee Fine
Staff Writer, Channing Powell
Production Desiger, Stephen Beatrice
Cast Members, Willie Garson, Matt Bomer, Tiffani Thiessen, Tim DeKay, Sharif Atkins
Commentary – The commentary for “Point Blank” which is a rather dull commentary, was conducted by Jeff Eastin, Matt Bomer, and Tim Dekay. The commentary for “Forgng Bonds” was conducted by Jeff Eastin, Matt Bomer, Tim Dekay, Willie Garson, & Tiffani Thiessen, who joins in 14 minutes into the commentary. With a female in the mix, changing up the dynamic, there are more laughs and more details. I enjoyed this commentary much more. Saving the best for last, the commentary for “Under the Radar” was conducted by Jeff Eastin, Matt Bomer, Tim Dekay, Willie Garson, & Tiffani Thiessen. Eastin was the only person at the time to have seen this episode in full, so this was an especially fun commentary to follow along to, definitely my favorite of the three.
Own White Collar The Complete Second Season on DVD today.