THE GIFTED Is Special

Article first published as TV Review: THE GIFTED on Seat42F.

With the glut of superhero programming, do we need another series featuring people with powers? DC is dominating on the CW, less so on FOX, while Marvel has solid offerings on Netflix and inferior ones on ABC. The newest entry, THE GIFTED, is the second X-Men show in a year (technically Marvel via the comics, but not part of Marvel Studios), and proves that mutants still have something interesting and fresh to say. It’s not as trippy and unique as Legion, FX’s X-Men program, but it is still very worthwhile.

THE GIFTED is centered on the Strucker family. Patriarch Reed (Stephen Moyer, True Blood) helps capture mutants, though he insists only those who have broken the law. But when his own children, Lauren (Natalie Alyn Lind, The Goldbergs) and Andy (Percy Hynes White, The Grand Seduction), violently exhibit abilities, he doesn’t hesitate to join with wife Kate (Amy Acker, Person of Interest) in taking the clan on the run.

Separately, we meet a group of mutants in hiding led by Lorna Dane / Polaris (Emma Dumont, Bunheads). The daughter of Magneto, she has stepped up when both the X-Men and the Brotherhood disappeared. (Where they went is a mystery.) She is joined by Marcos Diaz / Eclipse (Sean Teale, Reign), John Proudstar / Thunderbird (Blair Redford, Satisfaction), and Clarice Fong / Blink (Jamie Chung, Once Upon a Time) in helping others who manifest more-than-human traits stay ahead of the evil Sentinel Service that pursues them, personified in Jace Turner (Coby Bell, The Game).

THE GIFTED is very ambitious, but it also has a lot going for it. By stating up front that the X-Men and the Brotherhood are gone, viewers won’t be waiting for the more-famous characters like Professor X, Cyclops, Magneto, Wolverine, and the rest to show up. It’s clear that this cast are our heroes, and that’s how it’ll likely stay. The X-Men film franchise has always been shaky on continuity, so THE GIFTED isn’t tied to anything else going on in other mediums, designed to stand on its own. Without the restrictions of movies and super familiar personalities to adhere to (some will know these characters, but not nearly as many as who know the X-Men themselves), it has the freedom to do something different.

Some are likening this show’s premise to an Underground Railroad situation. The mutants are a persecuted class, fleeing from people who fear or hate them. They have to operate in secret, and move a lot to stay ahead of those who would do them harm. Most haven’t actually done anything wrong, attacked for who they are, not their actions. The diverse cast modernizes the story, but the parallels are still obvious.

THE GIFTED is also a family show. We see the pain and suffering of parents Reed and Kate, and their love and dedication to their children. Reed, especially, is expected to question if he should be protecting Andy and Lauren, but he doesn’t. His job as their father wins out over his profession. But without powers himself, is he up to the task of protecting them? Will he have to learn to accept that his kids can keep him safe more than the other way around? And what is his role in the family then? Kate is less developed in the pilot, but I assume she will face similar issues.

This series is smartly written, well-acted, and with pleasing special effects, among the best the usually-lazy broadcast networks have to offer, feeling more like cable programming. It embraces the comic book world it hails from, but isn’t defined by it, making a dark drama full of social commentary that stands on its own. I didn’t expect such a high quality from creator Matt Nix, formerly of Burn Notice, but he has definitely grown into his role as a respected showrunner, and I’m excited to see where he takes things from here.

THE GIFTED premieres Monday, October 2^nd at 9PM ET on FOX.

Fire Goes Out On BURN NOTICE

Article first published as DVD Review: 'Burn Notice - Season Seven' on Blogcritics.

USA’s Burn Notice came to an end last summer after seven seasons. The story of Michael Weston (Jeffrey Donovan), a burned CIA spy, wrapped itself up relatively neatly as Michael and his friends faced some of their most difficult challenges yet. Now, those last thirteen episodes are available in a four-disc DVD set.

Season Seven begins with “New Deal.” Michael has negotiated the freedom of his compatriots in exchange for serving the government. Specifically, Agent Andrew Strong (Jack Coleman) tasks Michael with going undercover to report on an old friend, Randall Burke (Adrian Pasdar). These Heroes alum are Michael’s final mission, sort of, as doing this job will supposedly earn back the life Michael has longed for all these years, as well as protect the people he cares about.

Of course, Michael is strongest when he is with his friends. Season Seven begins with Mike off on his own, separated from those who love and ground him. It doesn’t take long for Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar), Sam (Bruce Campbell), Jesse (Coby Bell), and Maddie (Sharon Gless) to find out what’s going on and get involved, but from the start, there’s a level of distance between Michael and the crew that is sure to make long-time fans uncomfortable and the plot unpredictable, especially as this new dynamic continues well past the first few hours.

Besides identifying and stopping the bad guys, Michael has some personal challenges to get past in season seven. Maddie is still angry at Michael for the death of his brother, Maddie herself taking on the responsibility of raising her grandson. And Fiona, Michael’s true love, has moved on with someone else, Carlos (Stephen Martines), who seems a good match for her. All of this makes coming home hard for Michael, and puts his loyalties in doubt, especially as he suffers the effects of long-term, deep-undercover work.

Unlike the first six season, the final season has a very serial format, trying up some loose ends and giving closure. However, given series format of serial chapters and mini-arcs, the final season isn’t really a culmination of the entire seven years. Only two returning guest stars, Tim Matheson and Garret Dillahunt, figure into this plot, and only in limited ways. But these 13 episodes do tell a tale that feels like a fitting ending for the characters.

The series finale itself, “Reckoning,” is fairly solid. There’s some disappointment, such as the unnecessary death of one of the main characters, and the very small, far-too-late role the great Alan Ruck is given, but overall, most Burn Notice viewers should nod and smile and anxiously await the rumored TV movie or movies that could continue the tale. Plus, Sharon Gless delivers another memorable moment, and Donovan surprises everyone by showing some real acting chops.

I watched Burn Notice from the beginning, and although I considered giving it up a few times in the middle of the series, I do think season seven is some of the best work the actors and writers delivered over the whole run. I did find the ending a little hollow, but no more so than fit the tone of the rest of the show. It’s popcorn entertainment, it never pretended to be anything else, and it ended in the same vein.

As far as extras go, there’s a great audio commentary for the episode “Forget Me Not,” which is the second episode of the season and the 100th episode of the series. A featurette about the ending of the show is present, and a gag reel and deleted scenes round out the bonuses. One could justifiably wish for more, but there’s enough here to avoid complaints that fans were robbed.

Burn Notice Season Seven is available now.

BURN NOTICE Gets Its "Reckoning"

Article first published as BURN NOTICE Gets Its "Reckoning" on TheTVKing.

*WARNING: If you have not yet watched this episode, there are major spoilers within this review.

USA's Burn Notice came to an end after seven season this week with "Reckoning." The original premise, former spy Michael Weston (Jeffrey Donovan) looks for those who burned him so he can try to get his life back, is long gone. In the final year, Weston discovers the CIA a cold, unforgiving place, and emotionally messed up, considers leaving the agency on his own terms. This comes to a head in the series finale.

Because of the plot arcs going into the year, Burn Notice chooses to mainly end the recent tale told, rather than culminate the entire show's run. I guess the writers feel like they've already tied up most of that, and there's no sense in revisiting it. This is a bit of a let down, since Burn Notice has such larger swings in earlier years, and the ending just comes across as a little anti-climatic.

And, for some reason, the great Alan Ruck shows up in a small role in this episode, a guest part that comes out of nowhere and seems wasted.

A central theme of Burn Notice has always been relying on one's friends. Michael has never been alone, much as he frequently tries to be, with Sam Axe (Bruce Campbell), Fiona Glenanne (Gabrielle Anwar), his mother, Maddie (Sharon Gless), and, in later seasons, Jesse Porter (Coby Bell) helping him out. In the end, it's these people that save him and stand with him against the Big Bad, James Kendrick (John Pyper-Ferguson).

Early on, the story sets up a major turning point. Michael chooses to hang onto his love for Fiona, burning his bridge with Kendrick. Because Kendrick is now mad at Michael, Michael can't finish his mission to bring Kendick in, infuriating his CIA boss,  Andrew Strong (Jack Coleman), so everyone is against Michael and crew. Sort of just how it should be, since no organization has ever really embraced them, brave rebels on the frontier.

I was disappointed when Jesse splits off to protect Maddie and her orphaned grandson, Charlie (Wilson Pennell). After all, Maddie is frequently on the outside, but Jesse is not. We get some great Jesse / Sam moments early and late in the episode, but for awhile, it's just the original trio fighting the bad guys, which has a poetic justice, but doesn't quite serve Jesse's character, making him unjustly feel he has not earned him place with them.

Story-wise, Jesse must be with Charlie and Maddie because that leaves Maddie to sacrifice herself. It's a triumphant moment for Gless, even if it is a frustrating one for the viewers, not feeling right to lose Maddie. It would be much easier to accept one of the gang going down than the mostly-innocent mother of Michael. Jesse gets a touching moment with Maddie, Michael has a teary goodbye call, and Maddie herself gets to go down in a very cool way. Yet, one cant help but feel that there weren't that many soldiers nearby, and Maddie and Jesse could have dispatched them easily enough without having to kill off the beloved matriarch of the series.

Meanwhile, Michael, Sam, and Fiona have a confrontation with Kendrick. For some reason, Sam escapes, leaving Michael and Fiona alone. This is sets up the ending of the episode fine, but again, feels false and doesn't quite fit with the bond between the three. Why doesn't Sam stick by Michael the way Fiona does? It doesn't seem like he really has a vital purpose to get away to.

"Reckoning" seems to kill off Michael, Fiona, and Kendrick, but this triple death never felt real to me. Even as the story proceeded as if Michael and Fiona were dead, I knew it had to be a trick. In this, the show failed to build the appropriate tension and grief. Sure enough, a few minutes later, they are revealed to have escaped. Ick.

Months later, we first get Sam and Jesse's ending. I love that the two pals end up together, doing what they do. Sam gets a cheesy, fan-pleasing line, and they get to honor Michael's sacrifice. It's not clear if they know Mike and Fiona made it out alive, but they better have. Otherwise, Michael is a total douche. But for them, this finale is right.

Lastly, we glimpse Michael and Fiona, snug in a cabin with Charlie. Look, I know this is the emotional conclusion everyone wants, and the dialogue calls back the opening sequence in a satisfying way, but it just doesn't make sense. I can't imagine Michael and Fiona would ever settle down, under any circumstances, maybe being together comfortably, but not getting out of all dangerous games. And where does everyone think Charlie is? Surely, the CIA would have kept tabs and noticed the orphan, who was presumably in foster care, gone missing? Maybe it was a reward by the CIA to give them this set up, but then, why would they also honor Michael's "heroic death"? It doesn't gel.

At the end of the too-quick hour, one is left with a disappointing, hollow feeling. Burn Notice has never been high-quality entertainment, frequently falling short of its potential, too neatly resolving stories, stretching out others too long, forcing case-of-the-weeks for years, and introducing great characters, only to kill them off long before they should have been. The last couple of years have shown improvement, but apparently not enough. In a way, it is fitting the series finale should echo flaws of the previous years. But on the other hand, Burn Notice could have redeemed itself in this final hour, something I held out enough hope for to stick around all those times I considered giving up on it. It did not. It was somewhat entertaining popcorn action, but not much else, lacking the true depth and consistency many discerning viewers wish for. Burn Notice died how it lived.

BURN NOTICE Better In SEASON SIX

Article first published as DVD Review: 'Burn Notice Season Six' on Blogcritics.

Burn Notice, USA’s steps up its game in leaps and bounds in Season Six, elevating above the standard case-of-the-week, old-school-USA, fluff summer show. It is now available on DVD.

From the two-parter in which the central team is trapped in a foreign country to losing a major recurring character, to seeing a main player sit in jail for quite awhile, the series comes across with a new energy.

Michael Weston (Jeffrey Donovan), the center of Burn Notice, grows as a character a lot. We see him run the gamut of emotion in Season Six, from pure, unadulterated fury, proving he is capable of scorching the earth, to deep, soul-wrenching grief, to fiery love, to being helpless. Michael is put to the test in a variety of ways, and it finally gets him out of the pattern he has been stuck in.

The most shocking and jarring development for Michael is probably when his brother, Nate (Seth Peterson), is killed. In the past, the series has avoided removing any of the important players, but despite Nate’s recurring status, he is a vital member of Michael’s family. It’s an unexpected, gutsy move, and one that provides much motivation for Michael moving forward.

We also see the evolution of Michael’s relationship with Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar). It’s a challenge to show it   on screen, especially as she serves time in prison, but there is a strong, passionate bond between them that transcends that. Michael doesn’t open up much, not even to the audience, but Fiona owns his heart. Which leads to him by season’s end to one the most difficult decisions of his life.

With Michael going on revenge missions and getting involved in government work, Sam (Bruce Campbell) and Jesse (Coby Bell) are forced to step up and pick up the slack, while making sure he stays on the proper path. Sam has known Michael a very long time, and it’s gratifying to really see that pay off when Sam sticks by him during the tough times. Jesse enters the game much later, of course, not even being an original cast member, but is now completely intertwined and invaluable to the ensemble.

As usual, Michael’s mother, Maddie (Sharon Gless), is somewhat wasted. Don’t get me wrong, she has some absolutely brilliant moments to play this year in saving lives and losing a son. However, Gless is a masterful actress who really breathes something special into this role. As such, in the episodes where Maddie barely appears fans miss her soulful presence. She is essential to Michael’s humanity, maybe even more so than Fiona, and Gless deserves some serious pay off in the end.

Among the supporting players populating the show, a handful really deserve recognition for their work in Burn Notice Season Six. Jere Burns (Justified, Bates Motel) plays Michael’s greatest foe to date, Anson Fuller, a man who is as crafty as he is ruthless. Meanwhile, Lauren Stamile (Community, Grey’s Anatomy) hits the other end of the spectrum as Agent Pearce, a member of the FBI Michael learns to like and trust. Sadly, both complete their runs during Season Six, but for awhile, they expand the world of Burn Notice in new and incredibly interesting ways, becoming much more memorable than previous guest stars. Also, Sonja Sohn’s (Body of Proof) Agent Riley, while more familiar and less fresh, is still an entertaining addition.

Now, Burn Notice is not counted among the best shows on television, nor even on USA, and Season Six has some mediocre installments. But this is the year where it becomes a show worth telling others about and viewers can actually get invested in the tale, rather than just flip it on randomly some week. If the final season is as good as this one, or even builds upon it a bit, it will be a worthwhile and satisfying pay off.

The extras on Burn Notice Season Six are a little light. We get audio commentary only on a single episode, the standard deleted scenes and gag reel, and a single featurette, “Matt Nix Gets Burned. The latter is six minutes of behind-the-scenes talk about the creator of the show as the Season Six finale is being filmed. It’s an attempt at a humorous mockumentary in the style of Burn Notice, and it somewhat succeeds, though it lacks continuity, which for a short, shouldn’t be difficult to achieve.

If you are a fan of Burn Notice, Season Six is the best one yet, and especially if you have drifted away from the show, I do recommend checking it out. It could be better, but it’s a couple of steps above what has come before it, and regular viewers should be very satisfied.

"New" BURN NOTICE

Article first published as BURN NOTICE Review on Seat42F.

Grade: 90%

As USA’s final season of BURN NOTICE begins this week with “New Deal,” Michael Weston (Jeffrey Donovan) hasn’t been heard from by his loved ones for nine months. He’s deep undercover in the Dominic Republic, and all they know is that they were released from federal custody without a trial and haven’t seen Michael.

It isn’t hard to do the math that Michael has made a deal to protect those closest to him, and they are smart enough to realize this. Which might be why they don’t hate him, and when a creeper comes to town and questions them on Michael’s current status, they do what they can to not give the guy any information.

The bad guy does manage to get the drop on Michael’s friends, as, like him, they work best in a united team, and their team is missing one of its number. The slip up is regrettable, but understandable, and certainly not done to hurt Michael. Yet, it happens all the same. This is evidence that the gang must be put back together.

BURN NOTICE has moved from procedural to serial as it ages, ramping up the stakes and excitement. Uncovering who burned Michael may no longer be the primary premise of the show, but Michael is not free and clear, and every new story development only pulls him deeper into the muck. In this last run of episodes, it’s certain that Michael will once and for all try to get away from his past, which should make for some serious action and a few nasty explosions, just what the fans want.

But in order to clear his name, Michael is going to need some help. No man is an island, and while Michael likes to try to go it alone sometimes, in the name of being a protector, he is strongest when he has Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar), Sam (Bruce Campbell), Jesse (Coby Bell), and even his mother, Maddie (Sharon Glass), around him. What that tells viewers is that we should not expect Michael to remain isolated in a foreign nation forever. He will eventually make it home.

Not that coming back will be entirely easy. Sam seems to have settled into a sort of easy retirement, while Jesse runs a security company. Both would probably either give those things up for Michael, or at least make some time for him on the side, as they do, without his knowledge, in “New Deal,” but they aren’t just hanging around, waiting. And while Maddie is fighting to get custody of her grandson, who has no capable parents left, she probably wouldn’t be opposed to assisting her son, as long as it didn’t endanger the child.

Fiona remains the sticking point. Fiona was once closer to Michael than anyone, having lived with and loved him. His departure, along with other actions, feels like a betrayal to her. Fiona being Fiona, she hasn’t just rolled over and cried; she’s too tough for that. She has moved on both professionally and romantically, and while she’s fine with supporting Maddie, has no intention of helping Michael anymore.

Can Michael win her back? He does what he does with good reason. But, in the past, she hasn’t excused good reason when it means lying and abandoning people. Fiona has a fiery temper and cannot be messed with. Michael should know her well enough to realize this by now. I predict their reconciliation will happen (because the fans really want it to), but it won’t come quick or smoothly.

Michael is a bit busy, too, getting close to a former “friend” (Adrian Pasdar, Heroes). This is the spy side of the episode, and it’s pretty enjoyable, especially because it isn’t a typical mission. We know that Michael has been deep undercover in the past, but “New Deal” is the first time BURN NOTICE explores this scenario, usually operating in limited-run missions. I would like the series to let this play out for a while, if for no other reason than it gives us a glimpse of a component the spy life that has been unexplored up until now. Even with the end of this installment, which points to a break from this arc, I think this is possible.

“New Deal” continues the improved BURN NOTICE delivered the last couple of years, a step above what the show once was. It also sets up some juicy conflict and potentially rocky run-ins. It’s a great way to begin the season.

BURN NOTICE airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on USA.

Burn Notice gets desperate

USA's Burn Notice returned this week with two hours of new episodes. The first, "Desperate Measures," is a follow up to the summer finale, "Desperate Times," centering on the team trapped in a foreign land. The second mostly moved on to another story, but kept some of the serial elements surrounding Michael (Jeffrey Donovan) this season as he seeks to get justice for his brother's death.

"Desperate Measures" is an exciting, action-packed episode as the team attempts to get out of Panama. Having captured Tyler Gray (Kenny Johnson), the man who actually shot Nate, it is soon clear to both Michael and Tyler, after some inconveniences that delay a return home, that their beef isn't with each other. Tyler has been lied to by Card (John C. McGinley) about the threat that Michael poses, and Tyler was simply following Card's orders when the tragedy occurred.

Donovan really handles the emotion swelling within Michael well in this episode. As a mostly collected guy, it's rare that we see Michael really loose it. His brother's death sparked some heavy grief, and because of that, Michael is definitely a danger to Tyler and himself. But, in the end, Michael's hero goodness wins out, and he spares Tyler, knowing that they are both somewhat in the same boat.

But then, in the second hour, "Means & Ends," Michael gets to confront Card, and he gets dangerous again. Michael has kept it together when dealing with people who don't deserve his rage, and he has above average abilities to empathize with others, and to try to help them. However, when he finally gets in a room with Card, his friends not around to even try to calm him down, it ends with Michael putting a bullet in Card's head.

I can't recall ever seeing Michael quite like this. It's clear that a line has been crossed for him. We know that Michael is a spy, and has probably killed people before. But after watching six seasons of him go out of his way to avoid getting lethal, it's chilling to see the lead character murder someone like Card, especially when Card is not posing an immediate threat. In this one instance, Michael moves beyond justice and goes for revenge. Sam (Bruce Campbell) or Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar), or even, to a lesser extent, Jesse (Coby Bell), might have been able to talk him out of it, but without his moral compasses in the room, Michael takes that big, irreversible step.

How will this change Michael, going forward? Will this mean that he's going to be colder, with a sharper edge? Fi and Sam are still around, so there will be influences to draw him back to the light, if he can let himself be happy with them. But will that be enough? What does it do to one's soul to commit such an act? I hope that Burn Notices gives Michael the time to fully explore the ramifications of his actions.

One thing does seem certain, and that's that Michael's mother, Maddie (Sharon Gless), will not be around to help. Unable to forgive Michael for letting Nate get killed, and disgusted with her living son's inability to be honest with her, no matter how good his intentions might be, she decides to leave town. Will this be the end of Maddie on the series? Let's hope not. Her sorrow is completely understandable, as are her negative feelings about Michael. But he is her son, the family she has left, and hopefully that will be enough to let her move past it.

There are other things going on, too. In "Means & Ends," Fiona's old prison friend needs the team's help. But at this point, these side missions take a backseat to the main arc, which is finally being given the attention it deserves. Burn Notice will probably continue to deliver some case of the week type stories, but the more it shifts focus to the big stuff, the better it becomes.

Burn Notice airs 9 p.m. on Thursdays on USA.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my website, JeromeWetzel.com! First posted on TheTVKing

"Desperate Times" for Burn Notice

USA's Burn Notice has had a heck of a summer. Finally dropping a mandatory case-of-the-week in each episode format, the show commits to an arc and sticks with it, allowing much more movement in the story of Michael Weston (Jeffrey Donovan) than the first several seasons combined. This is gratifying, even when the onion, which we thought done, peels yet another layer into the conspiracy.

In "Desperate Times," the CIA finds Nate's (Seth Peterson) killer. Tom Card (John C. McGinley) agrees to let Michael take his team down to Panama to hunt the shooter, but only sends them with one agent as back up. Things go awry, of course, and it isn't long before Michael discovers that Card has set them all up to die. The only thing to do is let Card believe he succeeded, leaving the effort of taking down their latest foe for the next run of episodes, beginning in November.

It seems like the agent sent with Michael and company to Panama is only there so someone can be killed off. He gets a bit of development, which is nice, before biting the big one. But that doesn't mean we care about him all that much. This sort of low stakes game is why Burn Notice still ranks a little lower than other summer shows. However, with the recent loss of Nate, perhaps it is too soon to kill another important character. I just wish it hadn't been set up so obviously.

Other than that complaint, "Desperate Times" is fairly great. McGinley makes a terrific villain, even if viewers are growing weary of the deeper and deeper plots against Michael, wanting him to finally catch a lasting break. Maddie (Sharon Gless) gets to let out some of that raw emotion she does so well talking to Card about Nate, even as we know Card is playing her. And Jesse (Coby Bell) having to run around with no shoes is very amusing.

The action is good, too. Lately, Burn Notice has been splitting up the team, which does lend itself to more story and a larger world. But it's great to see the ensemble working together again, because they really do have an entertaining chemistry. Michael, Jesse, Fi (Gabrielle Anwar), and Sam (Bruce Campbell) have such different personalities, and when separated, sometimes that can be forgotten. Seeing them slip back into their familiar roles is comfortable.

Comfortable is what works for Burn Notice. Yes, we want some change and movement from week to week. However, the show is not going to abandon its roots and alienate those viewers who prefer the older style of predictable storytelling. Balancing this with the superior way things are being handled keeps the show from truly soaring, but it does allow improvement, and it was never bad to begin with. Burn Notice is fun entertainment, especially in the summer. And what's wrong with that?

Will Burn Notice continue the new trend of larger arc this winter? Will Michael stop Card, only to find another man behind him? Will something bad happen to Maddie before she can realize that Michael and his friends are still alive? And will Jesse get some new footwear? All of these questions are on hold for now. But I can't wait to find out!

Burn Notice returns in November to USA.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my new website, JeromeWetzel.com! First posted on TheTVKing

Burn Notice is "Under the Gun" and I like it

USA's Burn Notice continues its bold sixth season with "Under the Gun." Michael (Jeffrey Donovan), Jesse (Coby Bell), and Sam (Bruce Campbell) are following a lead when the encounter Rebecca (Kristanna Loken, Painkiller Jane, The L Word), the member of Michael's CIA team that betrayed him. Rebecca takes Sam hostage, leading Michael and Jesse on a dramatic, high stakes chase.

Applause to Burn Notice for continuing to chuck case of the week over interesting, longer story arcs! The return of Rebecca comes at the perfect time! Like Michael, Anson (Jere Burns) has some leverage over her, meaning there will have to be at least another episode where Michael and company try to help her. It's a worthy development, continuing the Anson plot, and finally raising the stakes of the series.

"Under the Gun" is pretty cool. It's not the first time we've seen Sam in danger, but he makes an entertaining hostage. His interactions with Rebecca are fun enough, but with that hint of danger that keeps the pace moving and the episode enticing.

Also, seeing Rebecca match wits with Michael and Jesse, with neither really gaining an advantage for quite awhile, is pretty neat. As the stories have gotten better on Burn Notice, so too have the villains. In this episode, not only does the bad guy get to be complex, not really being all that bad, but she's also smart, testing Michael on many levels. It's this kind of writing that will keep fans coming back to Burn Notice, and frees it of any age curse.

There might also be hints here of how Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar) raises Michael's game. Without her, he has seemed a little lost. He doesn't bring the firepower she frequently supplies, and he's distracted. Donovan's acting may not be flawless when he has to dig into sorrowful emotions, but it's effective and appropriate for the character. Having Fiona in jail is doing a number on Michael, which might explain why he can't quite stop Rebecca throughout "Under the Gun."

In the subplot, Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar) make a friend in prison named Ayn (Zabryna Guevara, 3 lbs.). It's clear that someone, most likely Anson, really wants Fiona dead, and the would-be assassins keep coming. To stop the latest pair, Fiona asks Ayn to orchestrate a shake down, which she does, building a little trust among the two women.

It comes not a moment too soon. Fiona is marked for death, and how long can she keep it at bay? Sure, she's stopped a couple of attempts thus far, but people are just going to keep trying to take her out. Having Ayn in her corner makes it a little more difficult to get to Fiona.

As Fiona's part of the bargain with Ayn, she must have a package delivered to the prison. This is easier said then done, which Madelaine (Sharon Gless) discovers when she attempts to retrieve it from Ayn's ex. She leaves with a black eye. Poor Maddie! She needs more good story, and when she gets some, one would prefer not to see her beat up during it.

Of course, Michael avenges his mom in a very serious fashion, letting some anger boil over. It's a testament, once more, to how much he misses Fiona. Yes, Michael will not let anyone mess with his mother and get away with it. But he's also on edge because of the situation, making him less predictable.

Going forward, surely Fiona will be freed before she is killed. But until that point is reached, how far will Michael go? How much will he break down? These are the questions driving the current batch of episode, and they are doozies, to be sure!

Watch Burn Notice Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on USA.

Check out my new website, JeromeWetzel.com! If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Read every Burn Notice review I've ever written. Article first published as Burn Notice is "Under the Gun" and I like it on TheTVKing.com

Burn Notice Season Five on DVD

USA's Burn Notice recently began its sixth season. It is appropriate, then, that season five recently came out on DVD. Fans who missed the lead up to the great season six premiere will want to know that back story of how Michael (Jeffrey Donovan), Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar), and the others got to the point where they are. This four disc set answers those questions quite nicely.

Season five, itself, is a wonderful story, with more ambitious arcs than earlier runs of the series. Picking up with Michael back in the CIA's good graces, hunting down the people that burned him, Michael's work is finally legitimate. He even has a new partner named Max (Grant Show, Private Practice, Melrose Place)!

But this status quo does not last long. Max is murdered, and Michael comes under suspicion for the crime, leading to the appointment of Agent Pearce (Lauren Stamile, Community, Grey's Anatomy) to oversee things. Michael struggles throughout the year to prove himself to her and to stay on the job. This is made more complicated with the arrival of Anson Fullerton (Jere Burns, Justified, Dear John), a psychiatrist who burned Michael, and now wants to blackmail him for his own purposes. Which Anson does by making it look like Fiona committed murder.


The various factions warring on this season of Burn Notice, with bad guys, CIA agents, a lover, and Michael's regular crew all competing for attention and story time, make the year not only jam packed with excitement, but one of the most complex stories on the network. Michael's focus becomes frayed, often splitting the team into two groups, simultaneously working separate missions. There are twists and turns, many with high stakes and unintended consequences. Bringing in new faces like Anson and Pearce not only mix up the dynamics, but also rejuvenate a formula that had begun to grow stale.

Besides Donovan and Anwar, original cast members Bruce Campbell, as Michael's friend Sam, and Sharon Gless, as Michael's mother Maddie, continue to shine, getting their moments in the spotlight. Coby Bell's Jesse, added to the cast the year before, also settles into the group's chemistry, and cements his status as one of the main players.

Among the highlights of the summer run of season five are: "Company Man," where Michael is first seen working as a government operative; "Mind Games," in which Fiona urges Michael to move on from his past, which he refuses to do when he realizes that there is still an active, ongoing conspiracy; "No Good Deed," which finds Michael trying to avoid blame for Max's murder, while also searching for the real killer; "Enemy of My Enemy," where Sam is abandoned by the CIA during an undercover mission for them; "Hard Out," involving the team tracking a bomb maker, as well as Maddie finding love; "Army of One," in which Maddie is taken hostage at an airport; and the fall finale "Dead to Rights," which clears Michael of Max's murder, introduces Anson, and brings back old foe Larry (Tim Matheson, Hart of Dixie, The West Wing) one finale time.

The shorter fall batch of episodes also has great moments. "Damned If You Do" finds Anson sending Michael and Fiona to Puerto Rico. In "Necessary Evil," Maddie's boyfriend is exposed as an agent of Anson's, with tragic consequences. "Acceptable Loss" features a friend of Jesse's who is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to bring down a very bad man. And the season concludes in "Fail Safe," with Michael running a very important CIA operation, which Anson screws up, and Fiona turns herself into the police to free Michael from Anson's control.

This four disc DVD set includes a number of special features. There are lots of deleted scenes spanning all the discs. "Army of One" gets the extended treatment, while "Fail Safe" has an optional audio commentary. There is also a gag reel and a featurette on the villains of Burn Notice, which profiles such memorable bad guys as Carla (Tricia Helfer), Vaughn (Robert Wisdom), Mason Gilroy (Chris Vance), Larry, and Anson.

Burn Notice Season 5 will likely be remembered as the year when the show raised its game a level. There are still clients in every installment, but the serial elements of the series finally get more attention, and the characters show real growth and development. This is a DVD set any fan should own.

Buy Burn Notice Season 5, on sale now.

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Burn Notice is "Damned If You Do"

     As USA's Burn Notice returns to finish their fifth season in "Damned If You Do," Michael Weston (Jeffrey Donovan) is sent by Anson Fullerton (Jere Burns) to get a computer guy hiding down in Puerto Rico. Michael and Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar) make the snatch, but when the guy takes them to his girlfriend (Carla Gallo, Bones, Men of a Certain Age), a cocaine dealer is soon after them. Michael figures out how to get the info Anson wants, let the guy and girl escape, and have the cocaine dealer end up in jail. All in a day's work.

     Carla Gallo should guest star in every series, and she is well on her way, with many credits already under her belt. She is cute, funny, and a pretty darn good actress. Despite her very small role in Burn Notice, she still adds to the episode's enjoyment greatly. Wonderful decision to cast her.

     Anson is making Michael do things that aren't right. Anson isn't the first man that leads Michael down a dark path, but this time, the stakes are considerably high. If Michael doesn't keep doing as Anson asks, his love, Fiona, will spend the rest of her life in prison. But what Anson asks is not only dangerous and illegal, but could get people hurt. In "Damned If You Do," Michael gets a horrible virus for Anson that could cause some real damage. Considering what a psychopath Anson is, there is no telling what he might use it for. Is saving Fiona from being behind bars really worth other lives?

     Even scarier, Agent Pearce (Lauren Stamile) ups Michael's security clearance with the government this week. Michael now has more access to sensitive things, and Anson will surely take full advantage of that. Since, somehow, he knows. Is there a leak in Pearce's camp, or even higher up the food chain?

     At some point, Michael is going to decide that it's not worth it. He has to. True, he could end up clearing her name first, but it would be far more interesting if he doesn't, and has to sacrifice Fi. Of course, he wouldn't let her stay in prison. There could be a Prison Break-esque arc where Michael and friends break Fi out and spirit her away. This would make a fantastic final season, as the gang, or possibly just the couple, dodges bad guys and authorities alike. Given Burn Notice's penchant for taking some chances and changes, but not going too far, this probably won't happen. But how cool would that be?

     Instead, Michael and co. will find some way to clear Fiona's name and stop Anson. That's how the series works. On that front, Sam (Bruce Campbell) and Jesse (Coby Bell) get Madeline (Sharon Gless) to break into a police laptop in "Damned If You Do." The point is to discover if there is currently any evidence in the investigation on Fi. Or rather, the bombing Anson promises to frame Fi for. Not only don't they find anything helpful, but Anson reveals he knows what they're doing, and he's too smart to be tricked. His arrogance may be his undoing, but for now at least, he maintains the upper hand.

     For some reason, the opening of Burn Notice remains the same as it was in season one. This isn't cool, because Michael is no longer burned. Plus, Jesse, now a main character for two seasons, isn't a part of it. It's past time to change the opening. It's understandable that the series is going for consistency, but this is one area in which it needs to stop. It used to fill the viewer in on what is going on. Now, it may just confuse them, if they are not up at current plot.

     Watch Burn Notice Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on USA.

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Burn Notice is not "Dead to Rights"

     USA's Burn Notice summer finale, "Dead to Rights," finds Michael Weston (Jeffrey Donovan) clearing his name in the murder of Max (Grant Show). But that's just the beginning of the episode. Then the real murderer (Andrew Howard) jumps to his death, and criminally insane Larry (Tim Matheson) returns to wreck havoc once more. Before the smoke clears, Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar) makes a tragic mistake, and Michael is under the thumb of Anson Fullerton (Jere Burns, Justified, Breaking Bad), one of the men behind the company that burned him.

     This season of Burn Notice is a satisfyingly slow investigation into who kills Max. Clues come together bit by bit as Michael looks into who is framing him, and tries to stay a step ahead of his new work buddy, Agent Pearce (Lauren Stamile, Community, Grey's Anatomy). Things end perfectly in the penultimate episode, as Michael is arrested by Pearce, who doesn't believe his frame claim. But that plot is dispatched with in the first few minutes of "Dead to Rights," instead of making it the tense, exciting installement that it should be. As far as long plot arcs go, this one fizzles out at the end and highly disappoints. Not the first time Burn Notice does this, but still incredibly upsetting, given the high quality of much of this season.

     That being said, a Larry episode is always welcome, especially with a powerful Fiona bend. If there hadn't been such a big let down, there would be nothing to be upset about with "Dead to Rights." Not only does Larry's return challenge Michael, it also puts Fiona in a very tough spot. Michael wants her to stay away from the situation, but she distracts their friends and takes out Larry herself. Probably. With Burn Notice, one is never quite sure if a character is dead, even though it doesn't appear as if Larry has any chance at all of surviving the explosion. But the point is, Fiona proves how much she still loves Michael, despite how tough the transition to living together seems to be.

     Now it's not Larry's fault that Fiona kills two civilians in the process. No, the new big bad, Anson, is behind that. It's a tragic turn that wrecks Fiona emotionally. While Fiona is one tough cookie, and she wouldn't blink twice at taking out those who deserve it, she also just doesn't kill for fun. She has compassion for others. Knowing that she is responsible for taking innocent lives, even if not directly, hurts her badly. Will she blame Michael, too, since rescuing him is the reason she acts? What kind of lingering effects might her guilt have? This remains to be seen.

     Besides Fiona, "Dead to Rights" also gives Sam (Bruce Campbell) and Jesse (Coby Bell) a chance to prove their loyalty to Mike. After Mike is arrested by Pearce, they decide to ram the CIA convoy in order to get her attention. It's the only way they think she will listen to them about how Michael did not kill Max, and they may be right. But they risk serious trouble themselves. There is no fleeing from their stunt. They are committing a crime and turning themselves in for it in the hope that it will give Michael a chance. That shows some real affection.

     Unfortunately, after the brief, desperate act, Jesse all but disappears from the episode. Madeline (Sharon Gless) is barely in the hour, too. This is a crying shame. While both have interesting stories this year, they are also not as involved as Fiona and Sam in Michael's activities. Considering the strongest episodes often feature all five working together, it is always sad when one or more of them are left out. Sure, there really isn't anything for them to do with the way that the plot unfolds, but surely that could have been changed.

     Pearce is a really interesting player. Like most of Michael's contacts, it is easy to assume that Pearce will disappear when her limited arc ends. Yet, even though Max's murder case is closed, Pearce says she is staying in Miami, and continuing to work with Michael. This is a wonderful move, keeping a fine actress on the series, as well as setting up a whole new dynamic, now that she no longer trusts Michael. How long Burn Notice will keep the new arrangement is circumspect, as the series usually ditches its great recurring characters. But Pearce has already lasted longer than most, so here's hoping.

     Anson is a whole new mystery. The surprise of his evil reveal is only half unexpected, because of huge telegraphing, but still works out, since the stakes are so high. Not only is he one of the two founders of the company that ruin Michael's life, but he also has connections, the extent of which are currently unknown, to Michael's father. Dad has come up many times over the years, but mostly in vague terms. Having Anson mention him in "Dead to Rights" seems to indicate that the mysteries of Michael's other parent may soon be explored. For an aging show that must constantly keep things moving, it's a predictable move, but not one that sucks. In fact, such a plot should give Madeline continued deeper involvement in future episodes, a good thing.

     And what does Anson want? With Michael under his control, and a promise that he will use Michael, anything is possible. Anson's motivations are still very murky, but it could very well be that he wants Michael to help rebuild the company Michael so recently destroys. Does that mean Michael will have to take it down all over again? Should be easier, with insider knowledge. As squirm inducing as it is that Michael will have to continue to betray and keep secrets from Pearce, the Anson factor is interesting, and Burns is a good choice to pull it off. Assuming Burn Notice lets Burns do more than a few episodes.


     Burn Notice will return next winter to USA.

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Article first published as TV Review: Burn Notice - "Dead to Rights" on Blogcritics.

Burn Notice plays "The Enemy of My Enemy"

     This week's Burn Notice on USA is called "Enemy of My Enemy." Michael (Jeffrey Donovan) helps Pearce (Lauren Stamile, Community, Grey's Anatomy) recover a stolen military warhead by sending Sam (Bruce Campbell) undercover into the hands of dangerous heroin kingpin, Carmelo (Todd Stashwick, Men of a Certain Age, Heroes). Sam convinces Carmelo that the Serbians that took the warhead really have Carmelo's drugs. Things take a dangerous turn, and Michael finds the CIA unwilling to help Sam. Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar) and Madeline (Sharon Gless) are not pleased with Michael's willingness to risk his best friend's life.

     Fiona and Maddie seem to think Michael is being awfully selfish in sending Sam into such a risky situation. Are they right? Michael certainly seems to give them consideration when they confront him. But in this scenario, Michael is already known to Carmelo, and there is a lot at stake in recovering this warhead. Michael is worried sick about Sam, and goes in himself to rescue his friend when things get dicey. Yes, Michael is shown to be too-mission driven plenty of times, often at the expense of his friends. But in this case, there is a lot more going on than just looking into revenge. Michael knows he is playing a dangerous game, but Sam is willing, and the end result is important.

     It's great to see more of Jesse (Coby Bell) this week, as the fifth main character has been absent much screen time this season. This is due to plot circumstances, and understandable. But it is also regrettable, as Bell is now a valued member of the cast, deserving of his fans and attention.

     Fiona and Madeline have their own side mission, attempting to find the man who looks like Michael on a security camera, furthering the investigation into who killed Max (Grant Show). Anwar and Gless have delightful chemistry. Their characters are different in many ways, but both are tough, and they deeply love Michael, so they also have things in common. Any time they can go off together is a good time. Their aliases are very humorous, matched only by yet another variation of Chuck Finley.

     Speaking of Max's death, why is it that Burn Notice has a tendency to kill off wonderful recurring characters so quickly? This is far from the first time it has happened. Richard Schiff and John Mahoney have also been victims of this trend. It would be nice if the series would keep around some of the very strong talent it attracts for a more considerable length of time. Which is not to say that Show's replacement, Stamile, is inferior in any way. But he is still missed.

     Not everyone on Burn Notice gets killed off. "Enemy of My Enemy" actually returns several previously seen characters. Sugar (Arturo Fernandez) puts in his fourth appearance, while Carmelo is in a 2007 episode. Agents Manaro (Brendan O'Malley) and Bailey (unable to find the actor name) are in the TV movie, Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe, which conveniently was released on DVD this week. They are silly in a good way, and hopefully will return to bother Sam again.

     Burn Notice airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on USA

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Article first published as TV Review: Burn Notice - "Enemy of My Enemy" on Blogcritics.

Burn Notice now employs a "Company Man"

     USA's Burn Notice begins its fifth season with "Company Man," an apt description for main character Michael West (Jeffrey Donovan) as the season begins. For six months, since the previous episode, Michael has been partnered with Max (Grant Show, Melrose Place, Big Love, Private Practice), a CIA agent, as the two take down the organization that burned Michael back when the series began. Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar) and Sam (Bruce Campbell) feel left out, so Michael convinces the CIA to let his friends tag along when they head to South America to take down the man behind it all. The CIA tries to limit the involvement of Fiona and Sam, but luckily for Michael, they go behind the agency's back and prove invaluable. Michael and Max corner their target, but the bag guy kills himself before they can question him.

     Burn Notice has a history of lame season premieres, following amazing season finales. That's because premieres usually return things to business as usual, no matter how the game changes at the end. But "Company Man" is different. For one, Michael is finally out of Miami, where he was dropped when burned four years ago. For another, he isn't helping some case of the week. He is hunting down the man that ruined his life. There's excitement and action with real stakes, not just a standard episode.     It's a little hard to believe that all of the villains that are part of the secret company are taken down in a mere six months, even with CIA help. And now Michael has nowhere to go after one man offs himself? Surely, there are further leads. Please do not return Burn Notice to procedural formula after a mere one episode! Michael may be in the good graces of the government, but his repuation has not been restored, and surely there are things he can do help that.

     Sam and Fiona will draw Michael back to the old gang soon enough. Max will never replace the two devoted confidants who Michael cares very deeply about. And that's fine. Family is important, as Michael's mother, Maddie (Sharon Gless) always insists. Michael can both be involves with his Miami existence and still look into plots and concerns much bigger than one city. Striking that balance is the challenge the series faces moving forward.

     Perhaps the most interesting development in "Comapny Man" is that Jesse (Coby Bell) soon quits his government job to return to Miami and take a gig with a private security firm. While this at first points to Jesse staying with the team, later comments in the episode between Michael and a man he captures about the pain of bueracracy instead mean Jesse may be toying with a very bad path. Should Jesse go full renegade, tossing aside the rules, he could be part of the next big group that springs up to replace the one Michael just took down. While Michael works outside of the system, he does so by a code of ethics. Jesse is a good man, but could fall into a dangerous trap if he is not careful.

     Burn Notice airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on USA.

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Burn Notice Fourth Season Finale and What's Next

    USA's Burn Notice is known for big, cliff hanger finales. They do one every year, but this might have been the biggest one yet. It was presented in two, separate parts entitled "Out of the Fire" and "Last Stand", and while the first half was fun, the latter is what was most impressive. It was exciting, action-packed, and contained plenty of suspense. The final scene was of Michael (Jeffrey Donovan) being handed a coat and arriving in Washington D.C., presumably his burn notice gone, or expected to soon be. For four years, the major premise of the show is that Michael's life has been hindered by this burn, and he has done everything he can to clear his name and get his job back. While it was not explicit that he accomplished that mission, he did have a list of people who burned him. And somehow, that was supposed to clear his name. And it was put into the hands of Congressman Cowley (returning guest star John Doman), who could do something about it.

     What will the direction of the series be, then, for season five? The pessimistic part of me thinks that there will be some twist that will keep Michael on the outs. He has come so close to finishing things several times, and it has never worked out. The D.C. thing could have been a red herring, designed to make us thing he's out of the woods. Perhaps the organization that made his life a hell will go down, but there still won't be enough evidence to clear Michael. Or maybe the government just won't want him back, after all of the other 'questionable activities' he has been involved in. This is my least favorite possibility, but the most probable.

     Or, it could go the other way. Perhaps Michael will be offered his old job, but he will decide to turn it down and return to his friends and family in Miami. As much as I know he wants his life to return to what it used to be, he has developed some very strong bonds in Miami, and I could see him giving up that old dream for a new one. Without the burn hanging over his head, he could enjoy Miami and make peace with who he is.

     Either of these two options would allow the show to continue with it's case of the week format, in the city that is as much a character as Michael is, though the latter would need a new, large arc to go with the side stories. USA has shown no interest in tinkering with the elements that define its series. That's sad, in a way, because I would like nothing more than the show to pull an Alias and completely redefine what it is. I'm not knocking how good the show has been up until now, as it has been good. But how exciting would it be to have a new premise, a new setting, new supporting characters, and totally different situations thrown at the same characters we've grown to love?

     Going back to the Michael returning to Miami bit, as I find that very, very likely, and my dream set up very, very unlikely, Jesse's (Coby Bell) fate is a little more fluid than Michael's. He was the first new principal character to join the series, being a regular for just this past year. I think his inclusion was a successful experiment, and hope he sticks around. Hence, I imagine that not-cleared scenario will happen, because Jesse doesn't have those same ties to stay in Miami, and he would probably leave the show if he got his job back. Unless he was made a handler or supervisor or some type of attache from the government to Michael, an interesting possibility. In fact, I would really like to see that.

     The number one reason I see Michael staying in Miami is Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar). They have tip toed around each other for much of the series, at times closer than others. Fiona's willingness to follow Michael into a suicidal standoff in last week's finale shows just how deep their bond has become. Surely, there will be lasting consequences for that decision. No matter which way Michael's plot goes, it is definitely time for a full-fledged Michael and Fiona romance, with an official, sticking relationship.

     Michael's mother, Madeline (Sharon Gless), used to be fairly useless, but has really become an essential heart to the group. Her involvement in several missions has been a delight, and the way she stood up to Vaughn (Robert Wisdom) while being held captive in the latest episode proves she deserves to be more involved in Michael's activities, at least as much as she'd like to be, which would never be one hundred percent. A move of the series out of Miami, my unlikely wish, would most certainly see her departure, and that alone is enough of a reason for the network to not consider it. Without Mama Westen, something would feel off.

     Sam (Bruce Campbell) would be at home anywhere, and will surely be Michael's right hand man no matter where his life leads him.

     Burn Notice will return for a fifth season next summer. Only time will tell just how much the show will change, and what the full effects of this finale was. Either way, the show ended this season on a very high note.

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Article first published as TV Review: Burn Notice Fourth Season Finale and What's Next on Blogcritics.

Burn Notice "Eyes Open"

     Normally, USA's Burn Notice delivers fantastic finales, but disappoints on openers.  With the two-part season format, it gets two chances at each every year.  This past Thursday, the second half of season premiered with "Eyes Open".  Coming less than three months after the first batch of episodes, half is really a misnomer, as this run will be much shorter.  That's a shame, because this episode was remarkably better than most of the show's previous premieres.

     I like Burn Notice best when it focuses on Michael's (Jeffrey Donovan) efforts to get his name cleared, rather than on the case of the week format the TV shows feel they need to follow to get viewers (sadly, this is probably true).  "Eyes Open" found a middle ground, with a case of the week that tied into past plots, and allowed a little more depth.  Plus, it was a hell of a story.

     Michael's sleazy lawyer client from August's finale (Danny Pino, Cold Case) is bent on revenge against the people who kidnapped his child.  He hires a bomb maker named Dennis (James Ransone, The Wire, Generation Kill) to take them out.  But Dennis is a little crazy, thinking that it is his duty to rid the world of bad guys, and not minding if some collatoral damage, a.k.a. innocent lives, is lost in that mission.  Michael decides that he must put a stop to Dennis.

     Poor Michael is still recovering from injuries sustained in the finale, and isn't able to get away when Dennis comes home while Michael is breaking into his house.  Pretending to be a huge fan of Dennis's work, Michael tries to get in with the bombmaker, learning that his devices are incredibly unstable, and that some have already gone out.  Michael is eventually able to figure out where the bombs are and stop the destruction, of course.

     What might be the most intersting part of the episode, though, was Jesse's (Coby Bell) growth.  Feeling betrayed by Michael and company after he discovered that they accidentally burned him, Jesse was the one who shot Michael, albiet in the way that saved his life.  Jesse agrees to help Michael recover a list of people involved in Michael's burning, but only to bring criminals to justice, not to help Michael.  The dark turn, though, comes when Dennis is trapped in a house, surrounded by police, carrying one of his unstable bombs.  Rather than risk any innocent lives as cop go in after Dennis, Jesse triggers to bomb, killing Dennis and blowing up the house, but protecting any innocent bystanders.

    The shock on Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar) and Sam's (Bruce Campbell) faces as Jesse blew up the house mirrored my reaction precisely.  What has happened to Jesse that he is willing to kill, even if it is a criminal?  Michael, Fiona, and Sam would not have chosen that option, at least not lightly and without discussion.  Jesse did it so casually, it was shocking.  What will the new Jesse mean to Michael's crew as the end of the season plays out?

     Besides the current run of episodes, Burn Notice was already had two more seasons ordered, so whatever happens, Michael Weston isn't going away anytime soon.  Tune into new episodes Thursday nights at 10pm on USA.

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