White Collar Review: Daddy Issues

What do conman extraordinaire Neal Caffrey and a diplomat’s son have in common? Daddy issues. This estranged relationship hits close to home for Neal, and the episode takes on a somewhat serious tone as he’ll do almost anything to help reunite father and son while trying not to cause an international incident.

Peter and Neal are enlisted by the Undersecretary of Asian Affairs, Adam Wilson, to help an American college student, Christopher Harlow, who he believes is falsely accused of stealing and smuggling a 237-carat pigeon blood ruby out of Burma. Christopher is being held in a Burmese prison and will be sentenced in one week. Our duo must track down the real smuggler and ruby or else it will be extremely difficult to overturn the charges for Christopher.

It turns out Christopher is really the son of diplomat Adam Wilson, but became distant with his father after his parents divorced. It’s apparent that Neal is affected by this father-son case and Peter begins to probe him about his father. Neal gives Peter (and us) a tidbit—his father was a cop.

Meanwhile, Neal believes he can track down the ruby through a gem seller, Randy, much to Mozzie’s dismay, because Randy is his “arch rival.” Neal, using an old alias, and Peter, who Neal has identified as his brother-in-law, “Mr. Satchmo,” pay Randy a visit. It turns out Randy has part of the pigeon blood ruby. During this scene, we are treated to classic Peter and Neal banter:

Neal: “Peter, you just burned a perfectly good alias.”

Peter: “And you named me after my dog.”

Neal: “Touché.”

Neal and Peter decide to use Randy’s trunk show to draw out the man that sold him the ruby. First, with Mozzie’s help and an oxy-hydrogen blowtorch, they create a synthetic ruby. At the trunk show, Diana, who looks fierce, rocks some big hair and models their ruby. Their plan is successful because they draw out the real smuggler. However, this goes downhill after they bring him into custody, because the Burmese government offers him political asylum to say he worked with Christopher.

While brainstorming over a crossword puzzle at home, Peter questions Neal about his father again. Neal explains he didn’t know his father, that he died when Neal was two. He was killed taking down a gang of bad guys. Neal grew up wanting to be just like him, and he got really good with guns. From Neal’s expression, it doesn’t seem like the full story.

The father discussion ends abruptly when our partners return to the FBI office to watch the uncut version of Christopher’s DVD from the Burmese prison. It turns out he sent a message using the letters on his shirt, “Rocker,” his girlfriend’s nickname. They bring Rocker in to talk—she explains Christopher was making a documentary on the democracy in the region and had found the secret camp of a rebel group. She also reveals Christopher has no hard feelings toward his father. Plus, we learn someone stole her external hard drive from her apartment and a Burmese consulate car was at scene of the crime.

Neal has a secret meeting with Wilson, who implores him to steal the hard drive and save Christopher so he can have a second chance with his son. Meanwhile, Peter and Diana realize the reason Wilson targeted them for help was Neal and his potential unconventional ways of helping his son.

At Neal’s apartment, Mozzie and Neal plot to obtain the hard drive, which involves their synthetic ruby and a smoke bomb. The goal? To get the Burmese Ambassador’s assistant to empty the contents of the diplomatic pouch, where they stored the hard drive, when it begins smoking, thus allowing Neal to grab it. Their planning is interrupted by Peter, who tries to convince Neal not to steal the hard drive. Peter also witnesses Mozzie starting a new fashion trend, “the smoking jacket,” which is really the smoke bomb in his jacket.

The next day, outside the consulate, Neal’s plan is going off without a hitch until the smoke bomb doesn’t go off right away. Luckily, Peter arrives and decides to help Neal, stalling by going through each parking ticket the Burmese Ambassador ignored because of “diplomatic immunity.” The stalling is successful when the bag begins to smoke, and the assistant dumps the contents on the ground, allowing Neal to seize the hard drive and take it into evidence.

The episode has a happy ending—a new Burmese Ambassador is appointed, plus Christopher makes it home safely and reunites with his father. However, Neal reveals to Peter that his own father was actually a dirty cop, and that “certain things are in my blood.” Peter disagrees with Neal, saying he is not his father’s son and that he does good things, evidenced by the fact Christopher is free thanks to him. The episode closes with Peter saying to Neal, “Tell me about your mother. Did she wear hats?” On that subject…wouldn’t you love to meet Neal’s mom? An additional question, who could play Neal’s mom? Give it some thought and let me know.

Get ready Collars, next week—Neal and June sing!!

For another take on this week’s episode, check out “Rubies, Hard Drives, and Videotape” by Josh Hatala.

Season 2, Episode 12: What Happens in Burma (original air date Feb. 1, 2011)

White Collar airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on USA Network.

Images courtesy of Myles Aronowitz and USA Network.