Pulling Strings (White Collar)

Last updated

"Pulling Strings"
White Collar episode
Episode no.Season 3
Episode 14
Directed byAnton Cropper
Written byChanning Powell
Original air dateFebruary 7, 2012 (2012-02-07)
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Neighborhood Watch"		Next →
"Stealing Home"
List of episodes

"Pulling Strings" is the 14th episode of the third season of the American comedy-drama television series White Collar , and the 44th episode overall. It was first broadcast on USA Network in the United States on February 7, 2012. The episode was directed by Anton Cropper and written by Channing Powell.

Contents

In the episode, Peter Burke (Tim DeKay) assigns Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer) to work with his former girlfriend, Sara Ellis (Hilarie Burton), to track down a missing Stradivarius violin. Meanwhile, Peter must deal with the arrival of Elizabeth's (Tiffani Thiessen) parents (Tom Skerritt and Debra Monk), who are in New York for their daughter's birthday.

According to the Nielsen ratings system, an estimated 2.469 million household viewers watched the original broadcast of the episode, with 0.8 million in the 18–49 demographic. "Pulling Strings" received mostly mixed to positive reviews from critics, with many praising individual elements of the episode.

Plot

After taking vacation from work to be with his wife–and her parents–on her birthday, Peter turns Neal over to Sara in order to retrieve a missing Stradivarius that she believes was stolen by her former fiancé and current boss, Bryan McKenzie (Bailey Chase). Before beginning work on the case, Neal is approached by Agent Kramer (Beau Bridges), who is in New York to look into Neal's upcoming commutation hearing. Searching McKenzie's apartment, Neal discovers a hidden security tape. Meanwhile, Sara convinces him to attend the symphony with her. With help from June (Diahann Carroll), Neal and Diana Berrigan (Marsha Thomason) are able to go to the symphony as well. While they quickly discover that the second-chair violinist is the woman on the security video, McKenzie realizes that Neal is not exactly who he claims to be. While searching backstage, Neal and Diana find a body; they quickly recognize him as the symphony's instrument expert. Upon questioning the violinist from the security tape, Diana discovers that she had damaged the violin and had given it to the instrument expert for repairs. Sara approaches McKenzie with the information she has, pretending to want to join him. Diana and Neal soon arrive to arrest McKenzie, and Sara tells Neal to “call [her] sometime.”

Meanwhile, Peter suffers through the arrival of his in-laws. Everything goes wrong at Elizabeth's birthday: her parents give her a much-despised doll from her childhood, Peter's gift to Elizabeth does not turn out the way he had planned, and Elizabeth's father continues to disapprove of Peter. Peter eventually calls upon Mozzie (Willie Garson) for assistance, and together they right all of the wrongs.

Agent Kramer returns to the FBI to speak with Diana, who has recently announced her engagement to Christie. Kramer intimidates Diana, learning that she, Peter, and Jones (Sharif Atkins) have been covering up Neal's recent crimes.

Production

Beau Bridges made his second appearance as Agent Kramer. Beau Bridges Comic Con 2008.jpg
Beau Bridges made his second appearance as Agent Kramer.

On June 20, 2011, it was announced that Beau Bridges had been cast as Peter's mentor; his first appearance was in "Countdown", and he returned for "Pulling Strings". [1] The next month, the casting of Tom Skerritt was announced; he was reported to play Alan Mitchell, the father of Elizabeth Burke. [2] Bailey Chase's casting as Bryan McKenzie, a Sterling-Bosch vice president, was announced simultaneously. [2] Debra Monk's appearance in the series was confirmed simultaneously with the announcement of the fourth season renewal; while it was not stated which episode she would appear in, it was revealed that she would appear in one of the season's last six episodes. [3] With this announcement also came news that Diahann Carroll would return to the series in her recurring role as June. [3] "Pulling Strings" was directed by Anton Cropper, his first directing credit for the series. [4] The episode was written by Channing Powell; it was his fifth writing contribution. [4] Powell has stated that Peter's reduced role in the episode was due to actor Tim DeKay's preparation for directing the next episode. [5]

Reception

Tom Skerritt's performance as Alan Mitchell was particularly praised by critics. Tom Skerritt at the 47th Emmy Awards cropped.jpg
Tom Skerritt's performance as Alan Mitchell was particularly praised by critics.

Ratings

Upon its premiere, "Pulling Strings" drew 2.469 million viewers, which, at the time, was the lowest of the series. [6] The episode drew 0.8 million viewers in the 18–49 demographic, which was down 0.3 and 0.2 million from the previous two episodes, "Upper West Side Story" and "Neighborhood Watch", respectively. [6] The episode ranked 28th in the 18–49 demographic for the night, down seventeen places from the previous week. [6]

Reviews

"Pulling Strings" received mostly mixed to positive reviews, with many critics praising Tom Skerritt's performance, but with many criticizing the use of Hilarie Burton's character. Kenny Herzog of The A.V. Club gave the episode a B+ rating, praising Channing Powell's writing in a mostly standalone episode. [7] While he complimented Bomer and Garson's rapport and Garson's scenes at the Burke home, he stated that Burton's character "continues to feel just off." [7] He went on to say that the episode is "once again an example of ... just how good they've gotten at making White Collar tick." [7] Hilary Rothing of CraveOnline wrote that she enjoyed the performances of Bridges and Skerritt and that the Burkes' storyline was "fun" but "still schmaltzy." [8] She also praised the episode's use of Burton's character. [8] Rothing later complimented both the episodic case and Bridges's story arc; she ultimately gave the episode a rating of 8.5 out of 10. [8] C. Charles of TV Fanatic called the episode "intriguing" and praised many aspects of "Pulling Strings", including Bridges and Burton's reintroductions and the use of Elizabeth's parents; Charles rated the episode 4.8 out of 5. [9] Reviewer Gregg Wright gave the episode an 8 out of 10, elaborating that while the episode "could have easily been an average or sub-par procedural," it became above-average when all of the elements were combined. [10] He also complimented Carroll's appearance and Bridges's performance as a strong antagonist. [10]

Brittany Frederick of Starpulse.com gave the episode a more mediocre review, calling it "lackluster" and mentioning that she has "never felt Hilarie Burton's chemistry with Matt Bomer." [11] She did, however, praise the heightened roles of Thomason and Atkins and the introduction of Elizabeth's parents. [11]

Related Research Articles

Ryan ONeal American actor

Charles Patrick Ryan O'Neal is an American actor and former boxer. O'Neal trained as an amateur boxer before beginning his career in acting in 1960. In 1964, he landed the role of Rodney Harrington on the ABC nighttime soap opera Peyton Place. The series was an instant hit and boosted O'Neal's career. He later found success in films, most notably Love Story (1970), for which he received Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations as Best Actor, Peter Bogdanovich's What's Up, Doc? (1972) and Paper Moon (1973), Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon (1975), Richard Attenborough's A Bridge Too Far (1977), and Walter Hill's The Driver (1978). From 2005 to 2017, he had a recurring role in the Fox TV series Bones as Max, the father of the show's protagonist.

Matt Bomer American actor

Matthew Staton Bomer is an American actor. He is the recipient of accolades such as a Golden Globe Award, a Critics' Choice Television Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.

Hilarie Burton American actress

Hilarie Ros Burton is an American actress, businesswoman, author and producer. A former host of MTV's Total Request Live, she portrayed Peyton Sawyer on The WB/CW drama One Tree Hill for six seasons (2003–2009). Post One Tree Hill, Burton starred in Our Very Own, Solstice, and The List. She has also had supporting or recurring roles in television series, including her role as Sara Ellis on White Collar (2010–2013), Dr. Lauren Boswell on the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy (2013), Molly Dawes on the ABC drama series Forever (2014), and Karen Palmer on the Fox television series Lethal Weapon (2016).

<i>One Tree Hill</i> (TV series) 2003 American television drama series

One Tree Hill is an American drama television series created by Mark Schwahn, which premiered on September 23, 2003, on The WB. After the series' third season, The WB merged with UPN to form The CW, and from September 27, 2006, the series was broadcast by The CW in the United States until the end of its run in 2012. The show is set in the fictional town of Tree Hill in North Carolina and initially follows the lives of two half-brothers, Lucas Scott and Nathan Scott, who compete for positions on their school's basketball team, and the drama that ensues from the brothers' romances.

She Walks in Beauty 1814 poem written by Lord Byron

"She Walks in Beauty" is a short lyrical poem in iambic tetrameter written in 1814 by Lord Byron, and is one of his most famous works.

Marsha Thomason English actress

Marsha Lisa Thomason Sykes is an English television and film actress who is best known for playing Sara Evers and Elizabeth Henshaw in Disney's The Haunted Mansion, Nessa Holt in the first two seasons of the NBC series Las Vegas, Naomi Dorrit on the ABC series Lost, and FBI agent Diana Berrigan on the USA Network series White Collar.

<i>Law & Order: Special Victims Unit</i> (season 8) Season of television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

The eighth season of the television series, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit premiered September 19, 2006 and ended May 22, 2007 on NBC. The series remained in its 10pm/9c Tuesday timeslot. With the introduction of a new partner for Detective Stabler, early episodes of season 8 took on a significantly different focus when compared to those of previous seasons.

<i>White Collar</i> (TV series) US police procedural drama television series

White Collar is an American police procedural drama television series created by Jeff Eastin, starring Tim DeKay as FBI Special Agent Peter Burke and Matt Bomer as Neal Caffrey, a highly intelligent and multitalented con artist working as Burke's criminal informant. Willie Garson and Tiffani Thiessen also star. The show premiered on October 23, 2009 on USA Network, and aired six complete seasons, with the final season concluding on December 18, 2014.

Neal Caffrey Fictional character

Neal George Caffrey is the main character of the USA Network original series White Collar. Neal is a criminal consultant for the White Collar Crime Division of the FBI in New York City. He is a world-class forger and conman, with a fondness for art, fine wine, Sy Devore suits, fedoras, and beautiful women. Neal speaks eight languages, including conversational Swahili, and has 27 known aliases.

<i>One Tree Hill</i> (season 9) Season of television series

The ninth and final season of One Tree Hill, an American television series created by Mark Schwahn for The WB Television Network was officially renewed by The CW for a ninth season on May 17, 2011. Two days later, the network announced that the ninth season would serve as the series' final season. Premiering on January 11, 2012, the series aired its 13 episodes uninterrupted.

Pilot (<i>White Collar</i>) 1st episode of the first season of White Collar

"Pilot" is the debut episode of the American comedy-drama television series White Collar. It was first broadcast on USA Network in the United States on October 23, 2009. The episode sets up major story arcs for the series, including Neal Caffrey's collaboration with FBI Special Agent Peter Burke, and the significance of the disappearance of Neal's girlfriend, Kate Moreau.

<i>Pretty Little Liars</i> (season 3) Season of television series

The third season of Pretty Little Liars, based on the books of the same name by Sara Shepard, premiered on June 5, 2012, on ABC Family and concluded on March 19, 2013. On November 29, 2011, ABC Family renewed the series for a third season, consisting of 24 episodes.

"Upper West Side Story" is the 12th episode of the third season of the American comedy-drama television series White Collar, and the 42nd episode overall. It was first broadcast on USA Network in the United States on January 24, 2012. The episode was directed by Russell Lee Fine and written by Alexandra McNally and Jim Campolongo.

"Neighborhood Watch" is the 13th episode of the third season of the American comedy-drama television series White Collar, and the 43rd episode overall. It was first broadcast on USA Network in the United States on January 31, 2012. The episode was directed by Andrew McCarthy and written by Jeff F. King.

Big Brother (<i>Glee</i>) 15th episode of the third season of Glee

"Big Brother" is the fifteenth episode and spring premiere of the third season of the American musical television series Glee, and the fifty-ninth overall. Written by Michael Hitchcock and directed by Eric Stoltz, the episode first aired on Fox in the United States on April 10, 2012. It features the introduction of special guest star Matt Bomer as Blaine Anderson's elder brother Cooper, and the revelation of how badly injured Quinn Fabray had been in the automobile accident that had ended the previous episode, "On My Way".

Channing Nicole Dungey is an American television executive and the first black American president of a major broadcast television network. In 2020, she was announced as the new chairwoman and CEO of Warner Bros. Television Studios.

Matt Bomer on screen and stage Wikipedia list article

Matt Bomer is an American actor who, as of 2021, has appeared in 18 films, 22 television productions and 6 stage productions. His first stage appearance was at the age of seventeen as one of the young collector in an Alley production of the play A Streetcar Named Desire, while in high school. Bomer went on to appear in several television shows in the 2000s, including the soap operas All My Children (2000) and Guiding Light (2002–2003), and the supernatural series Tru Calling (2003–2004). He made his film debut as a flight attendant in Robert Schwentke's psychological thriller Flightplan (2005), his highest-grossing release. Bomer's first leading role came in the David DiGilio's drama series, Traveler (2007), he gained a higher profile after that.

"Here's Negan" is the twenty-second and final episode of the tenth season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead. The 153rd episode overall, the episode was directed by Laura Belsey and written by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick. "Here's Negan" was released on the streaming platform AMC+ on April 2, 2021, and aired on television on AMC two days later, on April 4, 2021.

References

  1. ↑ Stanhope, Kate (June 20, 2011). "White Collar Exclusive: Beau Bridges Cast as Peter's Mentor". TV Guide. Retrieved February 14, 2012.
  2. 1 2 Stanhope, Kate (July 29, 2011). "Exclusive: White Collar Snags Tom Skerritt, Bailey Chase for Season 3". TV Guide. Retrieved February 14, 2012.
  3. 1 2 Seidman, Robert (August 26, 2011). "USA Network Orders Season Four of Acclaimed Hit Series 'White Collar'". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on September 29, 2011. Retrieved February 14, 2012.
  4. 1 2 "Pulling Strings". White Collar. Season 3. Episode 14. February 7, 2012. USA Network.
  5. ↑ Powell, Channing (February 7, 2012). "Twitter / @Powell_Channing: @keppel1 @whitecollarusa @jeffeastin Tim was prepping to direct the next episode and, therefor, had to have a reduced role in this one". Twitter. Retrieved February 14, 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 Seidman, Robert (February 8, 2012). "Tuesday Cable Ratings: 'Teen Mom 2' Wins Easily + 'Tosh.0,' 'The Game,' 'Key & Peele,' 'White Collar,' 'Justified,' 'Southland' & More". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  7. 1 2 3 Herzog, Kenny (February 7, 2012). "Pulling Strings". The A.V. Club. Retrieved February 14, 2012.
  8. 1 2 3 Rothing, Hilary (February 9, 2012). "WHITE COLLAR 3.14 'Pulling Strings'". Crave Online. Retrieved February 14, 2012.
  9. ↑ Charles, C. (February 7, 2012). "White Collar Review: Outlaws and In-Laws". TV Fanatic. Retrieved February 14, 2012.
  10. 1 2 Wright, Gregg (February 9, 2012). "Review #3278: White Collar 3.14: "Pulling Strings"". Critical Myth. Retrieved February 14, 2012.
  11. 1 2 Frederick, Brittany (February 7, 2012). "'White Collar' Recap: 'Pulling Strings' (3.14)". Starpulse.com. Retrieved February 14, 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.