White Collar (TV-PG) USA

2.2 Need to Know (Air Date 7/20/10)

TiVo Guide synopsis: “Matt Bomber, Tim DeKay, Tiffani Thiseesn, Willie Garson, Neal goes undercover to bring down a corrupt politician.”

Cast:
Neal Caffrey: Matt Bomer
Tim DeKay: Peter Burke
Willie Garson: Mozzie
Sharif Atkins: Jones

Skittles Synopsis (sans Radar) – Sorry I didn’t post this last night – I didn’t get to watch it until to tonight due to some (mela)drama with our dear Radar.

Open Scene:
P& D outside a building on phone – waiting to catch what’s going on with the Fowler meeting. Enter “mysterious” stranger who runs away…without being seen.”

P’s FBI Office:
N&P chit chat – P not sleep well w/ Liz out of town - P shows N a potentially corrupt Senator, Jennings and is surprised to find N is politically aware [this is where I had to stop watching with Radar as he was running the suspension of disbelieve for me talking of how Jennings and Neal would make a “cute couple”] – P was also surprised to find out M not only voted for Jennings but M votes at all (oh I can wait to see M – he makes me smile and laugh) – J’s assistant thinks J is illegally funneling money into his campaign

Meeting with Assistant:
J started having mystery meetings and $ increased – and he has two books – likely a straw donor scam – P goes to explain to N – N: “oh I know what it is politicians were the original con men” [wanna know what it is – watch hee hee] – P to N: “we have to find a way to get you inside Jennings’ inner circle”

Outer FBI Office:
N: “I got it. Bad cop. Good criminal.” - P: “no such thing” – N: “Listen it is a variation on a con (pause) that I thought about running – bad guy cop (that’s you) creates a problem and the good guy (that’s you) yeah – creates a solution.” – the angle, and old S&L scandal – P: this could work – N: all we need is a bad cop P: I can do bad cop – N: I’ve see you do mildly irritated…[look on P’s face, must see]..wow

Election Office:
“You picked the wrong job if you don’t want to shake hands.” – enter P and the threat / promise of taking him down and making his career taking Jennings down on the Michaelson Loan Scandle [he does bad cop well]

FBI Van:
P:”so how did I do” – N:”nice acting” – P:”who said I was acting” – call with assistant – Jennings is freaking out and called a war room

{intro sequence – and commercials – and fast forwarded this time – yay}

P’s FBI Ofc:
N borrows paper for inspiration – ‘found it on a local group fighting for new park’ (also impressed P does crossword in pen) and - asks about the fallout from the meeting – boss man standing up for P – and Jennings is looking for a new fixer – N is on the list – need to make sure he gets the job – N:”I don’t have an alias for this type of background.” – P:” you’re about to get one courtesy of the FBI” – N:”what do you guys need to know about creating a background” – D:”nothing we’re the FBI. You’re good but we’re better” - background includes High School year book, 4.0 from Harvard Law and more – N:”this is perfect”

Restaurant:
Introductions – bug planted by N – N:”if you called me, it means you’ve got a problem on your hands, right?” – details don’t matter, don’t worry about the agent, people will be far more concerned about your stand on the new stadium – what new stadium – round robin – that’s where you want them to build the new children’s park borrows paper and shows article – (in the van: “are you following any of this?” – “nope, that’s the point – it’s a distraction”) – who’s gonna care about an old loan story when you’re fighting the system for kids – only has to hold up through election – you’ve got a problem, I’m your solution – N leaves, J cancels all other interviews

P’s Office:
N enters on phone and hushes P – not happy about it – N:”next time I’ll let Jennings hear your voice in the background” – of course, N go the job – and P hates politics – P can’t grab drinks with N cause of work

P’s House:
P sits on couch to have a beer – enter D – (shot thru window – obvious someone is outside) – exchange about how her other ½ Chrissy [yes D is gay] is adjusting to NY [like the want to remind us it is on the up and up w/ D&P here] – how ‘bout putting a face on our mystery man – like he knew camera’s were there – “patch work” man – only D knows where box is – not even P knows where box is – not gonna tell N until have something concrete cause not want to open wound – “if we’re looking for him, there is a fair chance that he is looking for us” (sound of a camera shutter & dramatic end scene music)

{commercials – more ads for Covert Affairs – Hypie says I should give it a try – I think only if I lost a bet – fast foward}

Election Office:
N the early to snoop around office – asks assistant to distract cause J should be in soon – rummage, rummage, rummage – picks desk drawer – takes picture and found a match book with a name written in it – sneaks out – fakes a smoke break after asking J for a light

P’s Office:
(phone)P:” how’s your first day” – N:”I’ve taken up smoking” – P:”Politics is already corrupting you” – talk of picture sent – flower of Aphrodite symbol – list includes a high class call girl service “politicians & hookers – that one’s as old as time” – shares info in matchbook – also J made a call about keeping N’s pay off the books – P puts code in site – call from wife who gets to hear the call girl site in the background “oh I can’t wait to hear this explanation”

Election Office:
Huge meeting about stadium - 15 min break clears office but N gets to stay – might have found solution to FBI situation – has photos of P&D – say P is having an affair – N says that she is a hooker – FBI control freak wouldn’t have an affair – N:”we can use her”

P’s Office:
(tosses photos on desk)- P:”you told them Diana was a hooker?!?” – N: Captain Shaddock sure looks nice – P: the steak out was canceled…why am I explaining myself to you, not everything is a conspiracy – N: I hope that’s true, I never lied to you – P: you lie for a living – N: not to you – more on photos and what he told them – told me to put her touch with a man – maybe the service is where he is funneling his money from – N:”can you set Diana up with an alias as good as mine.” – P:”as an escort, sure” – bicker about who’ll tell her – P tells her – “okay, anything else”

Loft:
N & M – M: did you confront him – so you think he’s looking into who killed kate in his off hours – N: I wonder what he found – M: he’s trying to protect you – “It’s only fair. We keep secrets from the Suits all the time. Now they have their own. There’s a certain universal synchronicity to it all.” – M is writing a letter for the letter campaign about the stadium being built – N:”Moz, you should know (pause) that you got a real shot at stopping this.”

Nightclub:
(enter Diane) – N&P in the van – D is approached - off to van – his girls make 10k a night – he needs to know he can trust her – she had to pick any guy at bar and has to have 10k in his hand by 4am – enter Neal

{commercials}

N hugs D and whispers to P to meet M at the usual place for the 10K

Loft:
M:”I want full immunity about anything you might see or hear tonight” – [I will not say any more – you have to watch this scene for yourself – it is classis Mozzie and it has to be seen/experienced for yourself – trust me!!]

Nightclub:
D: sure you won’t be recognized – N: he’s kept far away from the campaign. If I didn’t know any better I’d said you weren’t interested in me at all.” – flirt and talk about what she’d have done if he’d not shown up

Storage:
More Mozzie & Peter [you have to see it yourself]

Hotel:
D&N in robs on bed – relaxing and talking –she shares a hotel room secret, a little mark at the bottom of a painting that indicates hidden art under a painting – we learn more about D and N (and about a $1k burger [curious]) – and P, he had a phase where he had a mustache which N would’ve broken out of prison to see – M enters as waiter with the money

Watch the final “10” minutes for yourself to see if (yeah right) how they catch Jennings and if Neal will see what Peter looked like with a mustache. And will we find out any more about the patch man?

Review: This series has never let me down...and this season it keeping its promise. I'm glad to see that Peter can trust Diana; I'll confess that I was worried about that last week. Neal s as smooth as ever. Peter is on task, and following Neal's lead. Mozzie...well is a classic! The bits about the stadium (some not following the plot behind it and Mozzie's letter writing) and getting the $10k...you have go to see them for yourself! This show has witty, fun charaters - better than average dialogue - and terrifc scenery.

I was talking with someone today about shows and how I pick what I watch. Normally it it becuase the story or characters attract me. He pays attention to director or creater. I know some who pay attention to actors (I very rarely do this, figuring if they do not know my name then I do not need to know theirs - it is only fair). But, I like this show so much, I'd follow the writer/s and creator/s - watching other shows they do.

Skittles!