“BURKE’S SEVEN” Airs Tuesday, January 18 at 10:00 PM on USA
USA’s White Collar returns after a long break to resume season two on Tuesday. Of course, the big question on everyone’s mind will be whether or not Mozzie is still alive. I’m not going to spoil that for you, but I will say everyone is back in this episode, including Sara Ellis(Hilarie Burton), Special Agent in Charge Reese Hughes (James Rebhorn) and even a small appearance by Kevin Kilner as the Special Investigator from the season premiere. This is a packed episode as the FBI team goes after the man who shot Mozzie. The problem is, he may be just as clever as they are as he manages to not only keep from being charged, but also frames Peter and get’s our favorite G-Man suspended from duty. That’s doesn’t stop our favorite crime-fighters as Peter gives in to Neal’s way of life and recruits his own crew. Jones is finally brought into the “inner circle” as all of this has to do with the music box and we finally learn the name of the big bad behind pretty much everything that has been driving the show since the beginning. No, I’m not revealing who it is, except to say he has a direct tie to Neal. Fear not, for we will learn about the connection in full next week.
Speaking of future episodes, the online press community recently had the chance to speak to series stars Matt Bomer and Tim DeKay about the second part of season two. Next week, we get a flashback to events before the series began and discover basically how Peter and Neal became the people they are when we first meet them. Speaking of the upcoming episode and what surprised the actors most about, Bomer said, “I think for me the way I met Mozzie and the way we sort of came to become friends was pleasantly surprising. I thought for some reason that maybe we’d gone back a little bit farther than that, but it was fun. Getting to see Willie in several different toupees and facial hair arrangements was sort of the highlight of that episode for me, one of many highlights of that episode.”

Bomer added, “…it was so interesting and amazing that Jeff [Easton, the show’s creator] was able to squeeze so much into one hour of TV. I think he was smart in that it’s a lot of really nice little glimpses into the past or enough snippets to sort of piece together where he came from and why he is who he is. The nice thing about it is it also leaves the door open for a lot more flashbacks to fill in a lot of holes.”
DeKay agreed, “Yes there are some big answers that were given in this flashback and just also tastes of the past, as Matt said, that allow us to do more flashbacks. I think that’s Jeff’s intention.”

The stars were also asked about the rest of the season, including the season finale and what we can expect. “You can expect commercials every 15 to 18 minutes,” deadpanned DeKay. “I don’t know. What can you expect? Just more fun. That sounds incredibly intelligent and insightful, doesn’t it?”
Bomer elaborated, but only slightly, “I think I can safely say that a lot of really big storylines that we’ve been exploring over the past couple of seasons really get brought to a head and closure on a lot of things.”

DeKay teased the very end of the second season finale by saying, “Jeff and the writers were able to shut the lid on the music box—no pun intended—and within one second turn around and open up this other one that just was astounding. I don’t know, maybe I’m setting the bar too high.”
It sounds like the very last scene of the finale is going to really astonish as Bomer agreed with DeKay and added, “…if you locked me in a padded room for five years and made me continually guess where this season was going to end I never would have come up with this.”

I was able to ask the last question of the call and brought it back around to Tuesday’s episode. While Peter does start a crew, Neal initially comes to Peter wanting to do thinks by the book. I found it interesting to see each character sort of dip their toe into the other’s world and wondered if perhaps Peter might now appreciate the art of the con and if Neal sees value in doing things the legal way.
“Joe, that’s a great question,” DeKay answered. “Really, that’s the crux of the show. I mean that balance going back and forth on that line is – that’s what we hope to keep the show living for many seasons.”
Answering for Neal, Bomer said, “I hope so. I mean I think that’s sort of the long-term trajectory certainly in Neal’s character – starting to see the benefit that his expertise has in helping the FBI and helping better people’s lives. The great thing about Jeff Eastin’s writing is usually when you think it’s going to go one way you never know what could happen next. I think he is, but I think there is a part—one of his feet is still planted somewhat firmly in the world that skirts the law or the typical moral parameters of getting what you want.”
Be sure to tune in to USA Tuesdays night’s at 10:00 PM for the rest of White Collar season two. Season three is in production and will begin airing later this year. Many thanks to Matt Bomer and Tim DeKay for taking the time to speak to the online journalists community.