- Title: White Collar – Countdown
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The Third Season’s mid-season finale finds Neal (Matt Bomer) in a delicate balancing act, on several fronts. Peter (Tim DeKay) has called in his mentor (Beau Bridges) and is closing in on the one piece of the Nazi treasure that was sold. Mozzie (Willie Garson) has given Neal an ultimatium of 48 hours to decide on whether Neal will accompany him when he leaves New York. Oh, and Keller (Ross McCall) is still lurking around trying to uncover the treasure, and the hit Mozzie put on him certainly hasn’t enhanced his mood.
With a herculean effort, and a little effort from Mozzie (and a bazooka), Neal is able to cover their tracks and substitute a forgery for the real painting before Peter gets his hands on it. He’s also able to continue to manipulate Agent Kramer’s assistant (Anna Chlumsky) to cover up his previous lie of working for Interpol.
Even if Mozzie forces Neal into a choice he’s not ready for, things go pretty good for the con artist in this episode… that is until the show gives us one of its trademark cliffhangers. Keller makes good on his threat and someone very close to Neal may well pay a high price when Peter’s wife (Tiffani Thiessen) goes missing.
We’re two-and-a-half years in to Neal’s four-year probation working with the FBI. We’ll have to see the immediate, and lasting, effects of this final twist Neal and Peter’s relationship. Me, I’m hoping Neal can continue to straddle the line for another year-and-a-half and then make the most important decision of his life as a free man. I’m not sure if that’s in the cards. We’ll just have to wait and see.
