White Collar Recap: Vital Signs
By: Stephanie Sigafoos
First things first — I love the way Alan Sepinwall starts his recaps, and quite frankly, last night’s White Collar feels a bit perfect for this so…
Spoilers for “Vital Signs” are coming up right after I channel my inner Bruce Willis, break into a medical clinic and confess to crimes under the influence of some powerful narcotics…
I saw a play last year in Chicago in which the back inscription of the Playbill read, “In these challenging times it is essential that we endeavor to keep the smiles on our faces. One way to achieve this is with a vigorous laugh.” Simply put, USA Network manages to bring the funny every Tuesday at 10pm and its viewers are better for it. Not every lawyer show, doctor show or cop show needs to be so dreadfully serious but most of them are. White Collar, on the other hand, has found a great balance between its A and B stories and still manages to make lawyers, doctors and cops witty and entertaining (and all in one episode!).
“Vital Signs” started out with Neal’s discovery that June’s granddaughter Samantha was taken off the list for a kidney transplant. However, June had been approached by a charitable organization called “Hearts Wide Open” eager to help find a kidney – for a hefty donation of $100,000. The whole thing seemed off to Neal, who got permission from Peter to look into things.
Posing as June’s financial advisor, Neal set up a meeting with the charity’s representative, Melissa Calloway. Things went downhill from there, however, with some hilarious undercover work bringing to light that all the doctors involved with the scam were from a place called “Doctoral Global Initiative” and essentially harvesting organs from third-world countries.
Assuming the identity of DGI doctors, Peter and Neal got in touch (in more ways than one!) with the organization’s founder, Dr. Wayne Powell. But when doctor-patient confidentiality got in the way of their records search, Neal and Mozzie took matters into their own hands and sort of broke into Calloway’s clinic. Mozzie went from playing the role of patient to the role of janitor (following the trail of the trashed documents), but when Neal was discovered, security assumed he was an escaped psyche patient and pumped him full of drugs that cause delirium, drowsiness, mood swings and muscle weakness, among other symptoms.
Needless to say, all’s well that ends well. Peter saved Neal (thanks to a fax machine! Hello 21st century?) and the FBI tricked Powell with a fun sequence in which he thought he had renal failure, was being flown to India and given a new kidney. When he stumbled out a building in the heart of New York City’s financial district and into the hands of the FBI, it brought to a close another satisfying episode.
Other thoughts:
- No tell of what was in that note from Kate that Neal found at the graveyard last week, but it probably wouldn’t have fit so well in this episode anyway…
- Neal’s confession to Peter (“Out of all the people in my life, you’re the only one I trust”) was so well played by both actors it squeezed my heart just a little. (Ok, truth. It squeezed my heart a lot) I’m sure the writers will play it out that Neal doesn’t remember the conversation – including his confession to Peter about other crimes he’s committed – but it was a perfectly done moment that didn’t tread on the lightness and humor of the episode. (Case in point? Two minutes later, Neal was talking to his handcuffs)
- Other favorite moments from this episode? Mozzie channeling his inner Bruce Willis and Elizabeth helping her husband flirt with another woman over the phone. Priceless, indeed.
- And finally, Matt Bomer singing. I’ve been waiting for it all season. More please? J
What were your favorite moments or quotes from last night’s episode?
Posted by Adam Wright
on February 3, 2010. Filed under Features, Reviews.
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