The Show
Clearly inspired by the film Catch Me If You Can, the TV series White Collar treads much the same ground, but in a different way. Here the master criminal in question is a charismatic dreamboat (Matt Bomer, reportedly on the short list to play Superman a few years ago, and we can see why), teamed with the very FBI agent (Tim DeKay) who put him away. To secure his release from prison, he is committed to four years working as a consultant for the feds, putting his brains, experience and connections to proper use, cracking a series of uncrackable cases with wit and dering-do.
At the same time, the suspiciously "reformed" crook is trying to find his lost love, and procure a mysterious music box, while his handler is doing his best to manage his home life. Their 14 weekly adventures which comprise The Complete First Season are a blend of slick sleuthing and relatable personal turmoil, sometimes unfolding a little too conveniently for my taste, but after all they only have an hour to do their jobs.
The Picture
TV on Blu-ray has certainly improved over the past year, as more series have embraced the HD standards. The 1.78:1 image here is so sharp that we can plainly see in the opening scene that a character's beard is pasted on. While the quality is not perfect--there's frequent video streaking, some noise and twitch in darker or creatively lit scenes, and colors can veer from the truly natural--I have to admit that I was genuinely impressed by the outstanding level of detail from the first episode to the last.
The Sound
There's a notable bass presence in the show's musical score, which has been beautifully recorded and mixed, making the most of this high-resolution DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 presentation. The entire season demonstrates an enjoyable 360-degree spread, with a surprising amount of rear-channel information to really envelop the viewer, rather generous for a small-screen production.
The Extras
The pilot carries a commentary by creator/executive producer Jeff Eastin and cast members Tim DeKay, Tiffani Thiessen, Matt Bomer and Willie Garson. Four more episodes have their own commentary with different combinations of the above participants. The Gag Reel drops a couple of chuckle-inducing F-bombs (about 12 minutes), while the six Deleted Scenes span the season (about ten minutes total), with both of these segments in standard definition.
Three brief additional featurettes are in HD: "Pro and Con," about the star and the central dynamic of the show; "A Cool Cat in the Hat" discussing the wardrobe (clothing is mentioned right in the title after all); and "Nothing But the Truth," covering the creators' quest for authenticity.
Final Thoughts
The final episode concludes with a shock ending that I can only assume is being explored in Season Two, which recently premiered on USA Network. White Collar is definitely an engaging, amusing show: Here's hoping it at least completes its four-year sentence.
Product Details
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