The White Collar reboot can honor the memory of Mozzie (Willie Garson) by bringing back one key but forgotten character from his backstory that we were introduced to in the original series. White Collar: Renaissance continues to be an exciting topic for audiences who loved the original show, myself included, with speculation on what story beats will be featured adding to the anticipation. However, the lack of updates on the White Collar revival is a bit worrying, as Jeff Eastin’s last update saw the series being shopped around after Disney’s rejection of the reboot.
Nonetheless, ideas about the story of the White Collar revival keep circulating, ranging from how Neal (Matt Bomer) and Peter (Tim DeKay) will reunite to who will return alongside them in the series. Audiences, though, have reached a consensus on one aspect of the upcoming series: that it will honor Mozzie’s memory, as he is a long-standing fan favorite and responsible for many of White Collar‘s best episodes. To do this, one episode from the original has a character who can create an organic moment of remembrance while giving us answers about Mozzie we never got: Mr. Jeffries (Ernie Hudson).
The White Collar Revival Could Include Mr. Jeffries From “Dentist Of Detroit”
Mr. Jeffries Was The Head Of The Orphanage Who Took Mozzie In
Mr. Jeffries could be included in the White Collar revival, adding more to his and Mozzie’s shared backstory, which was only briefly glimpsed in the main series. Mr. Jeffries was introduced in one of the best episodes of White Collar season 3, “Dentist of Detroit”, which brought Mozzie face to face with his past with the Detroit mob. Mr. Jeffries was the caretaker of the orphanage Mozzie grew up in and was one of his most treasured friends, so when his life is put in danger, Mozzie, Neal, and the team rush to help him.
Mr. Jeffries only really appears in a flashback and towards the end of the episode, but his storyline still lets us learn a lot about Mozzie’s upbringing and how he formed his abilities as a conman. Only a few other episodes really touch on this, as so many of the episodes relegate Mozzie’s role to a more comedic sphere or to his reaction to other characters’ arcs, largely Neal’s. If the White Collar revival included Mr. Jeffries, it could remedy that, adding to Mozzie’s character posthumously as well as providing a new layer of heart to the reboot.
Having Mr. Jeffries Would Add So Much To Mozzie’s Absence In The White Collar Revival
Mr. Jeffries Could Give Neal The Space To Mourn His Friend
By including Mr. Jeffries, the White Collar revival could give the characters who cared for Mozzie a chance to mourn him while giving us more information on this beloved character years later. Much like Mozzie did in White Collar’s ending with Peter, having a scene with Mr. Jeffries could give Neal the opportunity to properly mourn his friend with someone who knew him as deeply. Mr. Jeffries could give Neal some comfort over his pᴀssing, allowing us more insight into Neal and Mozzie’s dynamic offscreen as well as more on Mozzie’s past.
With Mr. Jeffries, the revival could reveal more about Mozzie as a person, giving us and Neal more information on how he became the man he grew into.
As mentioned, Mozzie was a secretive character who was largely relegated to a comedic role. With Mr. Jeffries, the revival could reveal more about Mozzie as a person, giving us and Neal more information on how he became the man he grew into. He could even reveal Mozzie’s thoughts on the other characters and how much he cared for Neal, creating a moment of emotional catharsis as Neal says his goodbyes and the White Collar revival tips its hat to its most iconic character, who is sadly no longer here.
