(White) Collared at the 2011 Paley Fest

What can be said about one of the most entertaining and original series on TV? Well, at the recent Paley Fest salute to the USA Network hit series White Collar, an abundance of great and funny accolades were shared about the show and its cast and crew.

Opening the evening of the third night of the 2011 Paley Fest was a clip reel of the 1968 classic TV series It Takes a Thief, which starred legendary actor Robert Wagner in what was the White Collar of its era.

Then taking the stage was prolific executive producer and show-runner extraordinaire David E. Kelley in his debut as a moderator at the annual fete. The audience learned from White Collar creator and executive producer Jeff Eastin that series star Tim Dekay had boasted about meeting David E. Kelley at an earlier function, getting to meet the man because Mr. Kelley’s daughter is a fan of the show. Mr. Eastin joked with the audience that “we can’t always trust what Tim says” so Tim was asked to convince Mr. Kelley to be the moderator for the panel. Given the fact that Mr. Kelley agreed, it seemed that Tim had proven his worth by the series’ creator as well as the rest of his co-workers.

After getting to watch the show’s season finale a day ahead of schedule with the cast sitting in the audience, the cast and creative team were invited on stage for a rousing round of applause and a lot of good natured ribbing. Among the attendees were cast members Matt Bomer, Tim DeKay, Tiffani Thiessen, Willie Garson, Sharif Atkins and Marsha Thomason. Also in attendance were the aforementioned Jeff Eastin and his fellow executive producers Mark Goffman and Jeff King.

The first question was volleyed to Mr. Eastin with Mr. Kelley asking how the show came to be created for the USA Network. It was explained that Mr. Eastin first developed an idea of a Vic Mackey-type character who was allowed out of prison to help with a kidnapping, but that idea was quickly squashed because of the cop drama Life that was already in line to air on NBC. Then, after not getting a job with Matt Nix on his USA Network show Burn Notice, Mr. Eastin
pitched the idea of what became White Collar and it was nearly picked up instantaneously. (Eastin and Nix have an on-going Twitter war that keeps us entertained between seasons.)

Discussion then turned to the casting process for both Neal Caffrey and Peter Burke. Mr. Eastin thanked his casting director, Gayle, for spotting both Matthew Bomer and Tim DeKay, making them the obvious choices for the roles. “We were lucky to get Tim,” stated Mr. Eastin while “Gayle said there is your star” when pointing to Matt during the audition process. On the other hand, the process was not as easy for Tiffani Thiessen who said she “had to read a lot to
get the role.”

Mark Goffman took a quick moment to point out that there are eight writers on staff for the show and they were all sitting out in the audience, garnering a very warm round of applause from an appreciative audience (especially after seeing such a terrific season finale).

Some of the other highlights from the panel were:

• Mr. Eastin making it clear that Kate (Neal’s girlfriend who was killed in the first season finale) is definitely dead. Although he did joke that he and author Anne Rice have talked (jokingly, of course) about bringing Kate back from the dead;
• Neal has a “Robin Hood complex” but that is not really reformed. Neal is “never gonna leap across the moral spectrum,” according to Mr. Bomer and while Neal would probably like to have what Peter and his wife Elizabeth have in their marriage, Neal needs to figure out “how to get the best of both (worlds) on his own terms”;
• The marriage of Peter and Elizabeth is one of the best of TV because as Ms. Thiessen stated, “it is nice to have (that) strong relationship on TV” because it is one of few and it is rewarding that the “writers work to maintain the sizzle in Elizabeth and Peter’s marriage,” according to Mr. Dekay.

Then turning the spotlight on the “rocks” of the franchise as branded by Mr. Kelley, the strong supporting cast of Sharif Atkins and Marsha Thomason were asked if they have ever gone to the writers and creative team about getting more for their respective characters. To paraphrase Mr. Atkins he simply stated that he “is pleased with what he gets” and Ms. Thomason “is happy with what she gets” and they “have some great things coming up” in the new season.

It was then revealed that Mr. Eastin is a practical joker on set with him speaking at length on a joke that was pulled on one of the writers that had the entire audience in stitches. Mr. Garson, in his deadpan splendor, stated “it’s a world of open abuse” on set, but it was apparent to everyone in the theatre that the cast and crew truly have a wonderful relationship on- and off-set. Except for one particular scene in last season’s finale episode in which Mr. Bomer and recurring guest star Gloria Votsis (who plays thief Alex Hunter) were stuck in a swimming pool that did not have any heat.

Before the audience had their chance to grill the cast members and creative team, a discussion was held on the production in New York. Each episode is shot in 7 days, not leaving much time for extra shots of scenes and logistical problems that with the help of an experienced crew are navigated expertly. The show also films 3 days in the studio and 4 days on location in and around the city. And lastly, while most shows receive notes from the studio regarding ongoing episodes (this is a typical process by the networks that notes are given to the creative team about what the network wants changed, altered or removed during the filming of each episodes), the ‘suits’ at the USA Network “go pretty easy” on the folks at White Collar with Mr. Eastin recounting that they get strange notes, mostly about shoes, the wardrobe and even one time about “adding a fruit bowl to one particular scene.”

With the audiences’ questions asked and answered as well as a rousing round of “Happy Birthday” – as it was Mr. Eastin’s birthday – the evening had to come to a close with the enthusiastic fans moving toward the stage for much sought-after autographs with the cast members going out of their way to accommodate as many of the fans as possible.

White Collar returns June 7 with all new episodes on the USA Network.