A revival of White Collar has been confirmed, and as the new episodes draw closer, the list of things that must be seen in the reboot grows longer. White Collar stars Matt Bomer and Tim DeKay as the conman Neal Caffrey and FBI agent Peter Burke, respectively. The series reinvented what a crime procedural can be by introducing audiences to the world of art forgeries, financial scams, and hunts for buried treasure, proving that there are many parts of the criminal world outside murder and violence that can be thrilling.

The upcoming revival bodes well for fans of the show as many familiar faces are returning, including the series creator, Jeff Eastin, who will be penning the new stories. Airing on the USA network from 2009 to 2014, White Collar has drawn comparison to Suits​​​​​​, which also found a second life on streaming. However, the White Collar revival might be better than Suits LA due to how many original cast members and creatives are coming back. Recapturing the magic of the original run might be difficult, but with this much anticipation for the revival, it’s going to have to work.

10

Revealing If Neal Remained A Criminal After The Finale

Or, did he learn his lesson and use his skills for the greater good?

Neal is on a tracking anklet for almost the entire series, symbolizing his arrest and work for the government. However, by the end of season 6, he’s paid off his debt to society and is allowed to go free. Though earlier in the series, when Neal’s first release hearing occurs, he says he will stay in New York and keep working with Peter, things are different in season 6. Neal decides to fake his death and head to Europe. It’s also implied that he’s casing certain art museums when Peter finds Neal’s belongings and pieces together that he’s alive.

Of course, this could be a misdirect, and Neal might not have resumed a life of crime. Based on his skills and talents, he could be working for international police forces, museums, banks, or any other prominent part of European culture. Additionally, Neal is a skilled painter, and while he traditionally uses his abilities for forgeries, it would be amazing to see that he decided to focus on making original work. While his being a criminal is essential to the original plot of the show, things could change in the revival.

9

Learning About Peter & Elizabeth’s Son

Will he be a large part of the show, or fade into the background?

Every White Collar season changed the formula and introduced new characters, but Peter and Elizabeth’s (Tiffani Thiessen) strong relationship never wavered. While Neal might have had several romantic interests throughout the show, Peter and Elizabeth’s marriage only became more solid. At the end of season 6, it was revealed that Elizabeth was pregnant with their son, and the couple ended up naming him Neal. Part of this is because the pair assumed Neal was dead after he faked his death in the finale.

When the audience sees Peter and Elizabeth again, their lives will be completely different, as they’ll be raising a son who’s about to enter his pre-teen years. Peter’s dynamic with Neal was often compared to that of a surrogate father, and Elizabeth is a kind and nurturing character, so there’s no question that they’re great parents. However, it will be hilarious to see Neal interact with a child named after him who, in some ways, occupies his role in Peter and Elizabeth’s lives.

8

Honoring The Late Willie Garson

The actor who played Mozzie, Neal’s best friend and partner in crime.

Willie Garson passed away in 2021, but his legacy as an actor in many films, TV shows, and stage productions will carry on his memory for many years to come. In White Collar, he played Mozzie, Neal’s friend from his life of crime, who consistently aids Neal and the FBI on cases. White Collar without Garson as Mozzie will never be the same, but Eastin and the cast have confirmed that the new episodes will pay tribute to the wonderful actor. Though his absence will be felt, there’s no way that Garson and his impact as Mozzie will fade.

It’s not uncommon for reboots to have to grapple with the passing or absence of an original character, and there are many delicate and genuine ways that the new installment of White Collar can honor Garson. Though Neal and Peter were the lead characters, Neal’s relationship with Mozzie was just as close and more honest in some ways as they shared a criminal past. Finding a character who can embody Mozzie’s niche in the story won’t be easy, but there shouldn’t be a character who replaces Mozzie, only one that honors him.

7

Updated Financial & Technological Crimes

The landscape of white-collar crime has changed a lot in the past ten years.

Neal specialized in forgeries of all types as a criminal, and though he and Peter investigated plenty of those, they also looked into every nook and cranny of white-collar crime. This was back in the late 2000s and early 2010s, so the technological innovations of the past ten years didn’t impact much of the show. There were a few odd episodes about how computers and tech were shifting the course of white-collar crime, but nothing compared to what happens today. Much of the investigation and discoveries happen via cameras and the internet.

Peter and Neal did many stakeout and sting operations, but those might not be as necessary in the white-collar world of the 2020s. It will be interesting to see how the new White Collar adapts to the contemporary world and how Peter and Neal deal with being part of the older generation. Seeing new characters up-and-coming in the crime world and FBI would be fun, especially if they have similar dynamics to Peter and Neal but are more familiar with the advancing realities of criminal investigation.

6

The Return Of Sara

Neal’s best love interest throughout the series, and a formidable investigator herself.

Neal’s love life was never the most important part of the story, as his relationship with Peter was always more compelling. However, if a romantic partner of Neal’s does come back for the revival, there’s no question that it should be Sara (Hilarie Burton). As an insurance investigator, Sara first crossed paths with Neal when she was tracking down a painting he stole, but his sense of adventure and lust for life soon charmed her. Unfortunately, their time together came to an end when she left for London because what they wanted from life was so different.

Even if Sara doesn’t come back to be Neal’s love interest, she should still appear as a consultant who helps Peter and Neal with a case. Since the last time the audience saw Neal was in Europe, it wouldn’t be out of the question for the pair to cross paths. Even though they say goodbye, Neal and Sara are continuously drawn to each other, and Sara’s sense of adventure is too strong for her to leave Neal behind forever. Even if it’s platonic, the dynamic between Neal and Sara is an interesting and fun part of the show.

5

Diana & Jones Coming Back To The Team

Though neither actor has been confirmed yet, they’re a vital part of the series.

While Peter and Neal’s chemistry comes to mind when discussing White Collar, the other members of their team, Diana Berrigan (Marsha Thompson) and Clinton Jones (Sharif Atkins), are just as important. They balance both Peter’s and Neal’s impulses and are instrumental in solving every case. As the seasons progressed, White Collar focused individual episodes on the lives of Diana and Jones to flesh out their character development. Catching up with them and their progress within the bureau would be an amazing addition to the revival.

Additionally, both characters should be given much more screen time as they were underused throughout the series’ run. The four of them were a cohesive team and loyal to each other to a fault. However, this led to amazing acts of bravery as they all cared for and supported each other in times of trouble. Learning more about Diana and Jones’ home lives, as well as Diana’s son and who he’s become, will be intriguing to audiences old and new to the show.

4

Neal’s Adventures In Europe

It’s unlikely that Neal stayed on the straight and narrow, but his time in Europe is a mystery.

What happened to Neal after the White Collar finale is somewhat of a mystery, but it’s assumed that he returned to a life of crime in Europe after faking his death. Whether or not he was really committing crimes, it’s clear from the White Collar finale that he went to Europe and intended to live the remainder of his life there. The episode purposefully left this open-ended so that both Peter and Neal could keep having adventures on and off-screen if a revival ever came about.

There are many avenues the next part of the series could take to explain what Neal’s been up to over the past decade. If the White Collar revival follows the format of the original show, then Neal’s past will be revealed as it relates to the overarching conflict of the season. Neal is a man who likes to keep his secrets and stay off of other people’s radars, but the trust and love he builds with Elizabeth and Peter might lead him to open up to them again.

3

Scenes Shot On Location In New York City

They must return to the iconic setting of the original show.

New York City is as much a part of White Collar as any of the cast and characters. Though plenty of sets and green screens were employed throughout the series, there were a significant number of shots filmed on location in the streets of New York. Where other shows inserted Toronto or other major cities to stand in, White Collar rooted itself in reality by having the real New York be its background. This truthfulness and realism must continue into the revival if it’s going to have the same legacy as the original.

New York is the perfect location for White Collar, and if the revival attempts to set the story in a different city, this wouldn’t make much sense. Since so many original cast members are returning, it would be fitting for the iconic metropolis to be where they meet. Additionally, as White Collar has increased in popularity in recent years, the show could be coming back with a bigger budget, allowing the creative team to weave even more New York scenes into the plot.

2

New Characters & Stories That Better Reflect The World

While White Collar didn’t fail in this regard, it could have done better.

Like many TV shows from the 2000s and 2010s, one of White Collar‘s biggest pitfalls is its lack of diversity across the board. The main cast was predominantly white, and there was little LGBTQIA+ representation outside of Diana’s character. However, White Collar wasn’t afraid to condemn the wealthy upper class, as the extremely rich are often the perpetrators of white-collar crimes. With a story set in the 2020s, the series must grapple with how economic stratification has only grown and the financial crisis many Americans are facing.

This is similar to how the show opened in the wake of the 2008 financial crash. Though procedural dramas are not always expected to be as groundbreaking as other series, White Collar was a great example of a show that wasn’t afraid to take risks in its storytelling. The new characters introduced and their place in the world will allow the show to retain its original integrity while blossoming into a series that reflects the new era of television. Staying true to its roots while taking steps toward the future is how it will gain new audience members.

1

Neal & Peter Reuniting After Years Apart

The most important and exciting reunion of the revival.

Neal and Peter are one of TV’s most iconic duos, and the development of their relationship was a landmark for male friendships on television. Though their partnership began as a game of cat-and-mouse, it soon blossomed into an effective partnership based on mutual trust. Each man understood the other perfectly and knew how to work around the other’s failings while simultaneously uplifting their strengths. Despite coming from different worlds, they appreciated the other’s intelligence and skills, quickly understanding that few other people in the world could match their abilities.

The moment they see each other again in the White Collar revival, it will feel like all the pieces are falling into place. As long as the two of them remain at the heart of the series, there’s nothing it can’t achieve. However, a lot will have changed for both men by the time they’re reunited, and while they might easily fall into a rhythm working together again, rebuilding their personal relationship could be different. They’ll need to be honest with each other and make space in their lives to recapture what they used to have.