WHITE COLLAR: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON
DVD Review by Kevin Carr
MOVIE: **** (out of 5 stars)
DVD EXPERIENCE: *** (out of 5 stars)
In some ways, I enjoy basic cable summer programming to the offerings of a traditional big network during the fall season. While these basic cable shows can be smaller productions, they are also not trying to cast the widest audience net around. This allows the characters to be a little quirkier while the network doesn’t try to grab the “American Idol” and “Dancing with the Crowd” lowest common denominator crowd.
“White Collar” is one of my favorite shows of USA Networks’ summer season. It’s a formula procedural, sure, but it’s still punchy and fun. The story follows white collar criminal Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer) who, as a part of his parole, helps FBI agent Peter Burke (Tim DeKay) track down high-end criminals using his own nefarious skills. In season three, Neal and his buddy Mozzie (Willie Garson) are trying to hide a shipment of stolen Nazi art from Peter. Mozzie wants to fence it, but Neal wants to do the right thing and not go back to jail.
This season differs from the previous ones in that we see a true conflict in Neal’s personality. He’s struggling with the remnants of his old life while enjoying the freedom from being constantly pursued by the authorities. This is where the true character development happens, and it gets very interesting when we throw Mozzie in to the mix. Mozzie enjoys the friendly nature with the “suits,” but he would shamelessly continue his life of crime. Here we see true redemption cracking through Neal’s exterior.
Where this season really clicks is how Neal is put in such a quandary, especially near the end. Normally, I don’t like what I affectionately call “shit gets real” stories because they often seem forced and take the characters out of their normal behavior. But when shit gets real for Neal, it feels organic, and I’m happy to say this show hasn’t lost its edge yet.
The four-disc set contains all sixteen season three episodes, with audio commentary on the season finale. Standard special features include a funny gag reel and a slate of deleted scenes. Additional features include “Interrogation Room: A Trivia Challenge with the Cast” which allows them to answer questions about their characters or scenes they were in, and “Jeff Eastin: @ddicted” about showrunner Jeff Eastin’s obsession with Twitter.
BURN NOTICE: SEASON FIVE
DVD Review by Kevin Carr
MOVIE: *** (out of 5 stars)
DVD EXPERIENCE: *** (out of 5 stars)
While I still like “Burn Notice” as a series, and I’m obviously giving it a decent grade for its fifth season, I’m having some problems with it. I wouldn’t say the series is jumping the shark, but there are changes being made to its structure that shouldn’t have been made.
I am, of course, talking about the addition of the Jesse character back in the fourth season. I never saw the reason writers brought him into the show, and if you check the anger at him online, you’ll see I’m not the only one. I thought Michael, his mom, Fiona and Sam made the perfect team. Jesse just muddies the waters. I’d like to see him taken out by a sniper, but that doesn’t happen in this season, and it’s not likely to happen in the next.
Still, even with his addition into the series, “Burn Notice” is still a fun summer series to enjoy on USA Networks. The standard episode where Michael has to help someone still works. The overall story arc changes this a little bit as Michael is being set back into the CIA, less burned than before. His handler (Lauren Stamile) is a cutie, and we’ve seen her in several TV series so far. Michael’s nemesis this season is Anson (Jere Burns), the guy who actually burned him (or so they say). Burns plays him diabolically well, though I hope this is where the trail ends. Michael Westen chasing shadows is getting a little old.
The strength of this season is when they do a standard episode. The beginning and end, especially the finale which features some major wrangling with Anson, is far-fetched even for the “Burn Notice” universe. But when the show gets into stride, it’s perfectly enjoyable.
For the fifth season on DVD, there are still a nice selection of bonus features in this four-disc set. The episode “Army of One” gets an extended treatment while “Fail Safe” gets a commentary track. Other standard features include some deleted scenes and a gag reel. Finally, there’s a look at the bad guys of the series in “The Villains of Burn Notice” featurette.
SCANDAL: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON
DVD Review by Kevin Carr
MOVIE: *** (out of 5 stars)
DVD EXPERIENCE: ** (out of 5 stars)
I’m not a fan of Shonda Rimes at all. While “Grey’s Anatomy” had an okay start, it went into the toilet quickly. “Private Practice” started in the toilet. I can’t stand either show, but I gave Rimes’ new series “Scandal” a chance.
It’s actually not that bad. From the promos, I was worried it would be an inside-the-beltway version of “Grey’s Anatomy.” While there are elements that suggest this, overall, it’s a different show than Rimes’ medical dramas.
Loosely based on the job of George W. Bush press aide Judy Smith, “Scandal” features the gorgeous Kerry Washington as a D.C. lawyer who can be hired privately to fix things for high-profile figures. She has ties to the President and dirt dug up on everyone. The standard episode follows her team as they try to protect their client, but the overall storyline follows an affair and murder that might be tied to the President.
Overall, the show is well constructed, though the snappy writing tries a little too hard to emulate Aaron Sorkin’s punchy “West Wing” dialogue. The characters get a bit preachy and arrogant, but that seems to be par for the course for the ABC Studios shows.
It’s a short season, featuring only seven episodes as a mid-season replacement. It’s true that I liked “Grey’s Anatomy” initially before it fell totally into the progressive evening soap opera. Hopefully, “Scandal” stays above this line, and with some political intrigue instead of the movie-of-the-week medical emergency, it has a chance.
For a first season, the bonus features on this two-disc set are rather slim. Still, there are only seven episodes, so expect the features of the already-renewed season two to be more meaty. As it stands, “Scandal: The Complete First Season” includes three featurettes: “Scandal: Setting the Pace” looks at the structure of the show and it’s fast-paced delivery, “Gladiators in Suits: Casting a Series” looks at the actors and “Scripting Scandal” looks at the writing process.
