Upper West Side Story
"Upper West Side Story" | |
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White Collar episode | |
Episode no. | Season 3 Episode 12 |
Directed by | Russell Lee Fine |
Written by | Alexandra McNally & Jim Campolongo |
Original air date | January 24, 2012 |
Guest appearances | |
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"Upper West Side Story" is the 12th episode of the
The episode features several themes of
According to the
Plot
Neal (Matt Bomer) and Peter (Tim DeKay) are approached by Evan Leary (Graham Phillips), a student at the prestigious Manhattan Preparatory Academy. Evan explains that he believes the money from his scholarship fund was embezzled by a rich investor by the name of Andy Woods (Dylan Baker). Peter quickly takes the case, realizing that Woods is already believed to be associated with a major cartel.
Peter visits the school under the guise of the parent of a potential student. Neal is to pose as his assistant, but he instead takes on the role of a substitute English teacher after learning that both Evan and Woods' 15-year-old daughter Chloe (
Peter discovers that Woods may be working with Graham Slater (John Rothman), the school's headmaster, in order to embezzle the funds. The following day, at the school, Neal sees Slater drop an envelope into Chloe's locker. In order to check the contents of the envelope, Peter pulls the fire alarm. Neal finds the school's quarterly finance report inside.
Chloe later asks Neal to tutor her at home; he accepts and invites Evan to come as well. Woods invites Peter to dinner the same night, and asks that he bring his mistress along as well.
The next day, Evan lets Neal know that Woods suspects something. Peter is taken hostage by Woods and held in the shop classroom, where Woods quickly discovers that Peter is with the FBI. Neal takes Chloe's phone and calls Woods, forcing him to step out of the room. Neal and Mozzie create a smokescreen out of lab chemicals and free Peter; Diana meanwhile arrests Woods. Neal explains to Chloe that her life will not be easy, and she begins a relationship with Evan after discovering roses and the sonnet left by Neal and Mozzie.
Later, Peter must give a statement to the commutation committee about Neal's involvement with the Keller case. Although Neal's actions had caused the kidnapping of
Production
I love that part of White Collar a lot because it's fun, it's light, there's a lot of heart in those episodes.
Tim DeKay[1]
The episode was written by Alexandra McNally and Jim Campolongo.
Series star Tim DeKay stated that he enjoyed working on the episode, in part because it was primarily a standalone.[1] Bomer said, speaking of "Upper West Side Story", that he enjoys portraying different aspects of Neal's undercover roles.[1] Bomer stated that he received a phone call from Campolongo requesting that he memorize a Byron poem by the next morning.[1] The poem was ultimately included in a scene in which Neal is teaching an English class. Kenny Herzog of The A.V. Club pointed out that the episode contained various references to Shakespearian and Victorian-era literature, specifically mentioning Romeo and Juliet. He stated that these metaphors helped move the plot forward.[6]
Reception
Ratings
The initial broadcast of the episode drew 3.472 million viewers, and earned a 1.1 rating in the 18–49 demographic.
Reviews
"Upper West Side Story" received mostly positive reviews from critics, with many praising the mostly standalone format and the rebuilding of Neal and Peter's relationship. Morgan Glennon of the Huffington Post called the episode "a really fun undercover romp that still deals with the fallout between Neal and Peter."
References
- ^ a b c d Ng, Phillana (January 17, 2012). "'White Collar' Duo Matt Bomer and Tim DeKay Say Season-Ending Cliffhanger Is 'Biggest' One Yet". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
- ^ a b "Upper West Side Story". White Collar. Season 3. Episode 12. January 24, 2012. USA Network.
- ^ Eastin, Jeff (January 25, 2012). "Twitter / @jeffeastin: #WhiteCollar trivia: our original title was "Well Endowed"". Twitter. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
- ^ Eastin, Jeff (January 25, 2012). "Twitter / @jeffeastin: #WhiteCollar Trivia: another title option was "Hangin' with Mr. Cooper"". Twitter. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
- ^ Gelman, Vlada (July 11, 2011). "Exclusive: White Collar Captures Dylan Baker". TV Line. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
- ^ a b c d Herzog, Kenny (January 24, 2012). "Upper West Side Story". The A.V. Club. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
- ^ a b Seidman, Robert (January 24, 2012). "Tuesday Cable Ratings: Teen Mom,' 'Storage Wars' Tops + 'The Game,' 'White Collar,' 'Justified,' 'Southland' & More". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on January 28, 2012. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
- ^ VanDerWerff, Emily (January 24, 2012). "The State Of The Union bumped most everything off the air tonight, so why not give White Collar a try?". The A.V. Club. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
- ^ Glennon, Morgan (January 10, 2012). "White Collar Winter Season Preview". Huffpost TV. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
- ^ Carlbert, Michelle (January 24, 2012). "White Collar "Upper West Side Story" Review". Daemon's TV. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
- ^ a b c Frederick, Brittany (January 24, 2012). "'White Collar' Recap: 'Upper West Side Story' (3.12)". Starpulse.com. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
External links
- "Upper West Side Story" at the official White Collar site
- "Upper West Side Story" at IMDb