White Collar is a crime procedural show that came out in the early 2010s. It follows Neal Caffrey (played by Matt Bomer), a conman and criminal consultant for the FBI, and Peter Burke (Tim DeKay), the FBI agent who becomes Neal’s handler. While the show is engaging and entertaining evidenced by its IMDb score of 8.2, while watching, I noticed how often it treats serious issues in a relatively shallow manner.
Before working in the FBI, Neal was a forger and an art thief. The show, while often taking advantage of his skills to solve the FBI White Collar Crimes Unit, doesn’t delve much into the people Neal may have caused harm to while committing his crimes. Instead, it frequently portrays him as a lovable morally gray character whose actions have little real-world impact.
When Neal is released from prison in order to serve his sentence with a tracking anklet with a specified radius in return for helping the New York White Collar Crimes Unit, there are plenty of things about the inequality of his situation that could be discussed. Neal is given a place to live, but it is unsafe and unclean. Instead of addressing the unjust living conditions Neal is given by the FBI, the show has Neal sweet talk his way into living for free in a large (for New York) studio apartment. This issue is never addressed again. Throughout the show, due to his situation, we are told that Neal isn’t paid much, but this is often brushed over, as Neal of course has a way to get what he needs.
When Peter and Neal solve crimes, Neal regularly does things like gathering evidence or conning people without a warrant or proper identification. The show treats this as a good thing and the unconventionality of his methods almost always leads to a win, with the “bad guy” in jail. The legality of his methods and Peter’s allowance of them is usually brushed over.
The show never goes in depth about the systemic issues within the justice system or the systemic corruption inherent in the FBI. When there are corrupt agents, they are eventually taken down, but again, it is treated as a one-off, and there is no discussion of the institutional problems that allow this corruption to persist. Instead of questioning these issues, White Collar focuses on Neal and Peter solving their cases and putting the criminals in jail, reinforcing the idea that bending the rules is justifiable as long as it serves a greater good. This grossly oversimplifies the true experience of the legal system and ignores the truth of real-world law enforcement, where the use of unwarranted methods can lead to ethical dilemmas, wrongful convictions, and abuses of power. The show’s lack of engagement with these deeper themes results in a sanitized version of crime-solving, where the ends always seem to justify the means, refusing to acknowledge the consequences of these methods.
But it is important to acknowledge that had the show done all of these things correctly from the beginning, it would be nothing like the show it is today. By sidestepping heavy discussions about the flaws of law enforcement, the show maintains its escapist quality for the audience (including myself). White Collar is as good and entertaining as it is because of its decision to prioritize entertainment over deep social critique. Its stylish, fast-paced storytelling, charismatic leads, and intricate heists make it fun to watch. By delving too deep into these problematic topics, the show keeps its lighthearted appeal, which is what makes the show as good as it is.