Burn Notice

Thursday November 12 9.30pm

Nate is lured into a business deal with Brennan and a Sicilian enforcer called “The Butcher.” They use Nate’s life as leverage to force Michael into retrieving a biometric lock for advanced military weapons. Michael has no choice, but with Paxson watching his every move, it is not going to be easy to stay under her radar.

Barry the money launderer is unwillingly dragged into the battle, mainly to keep Det. Paxson from prying into his line of work. With his help, a dummy company is developed with someone in the Mayor’s office with Michael as co-owner. The investigation into its legality keeps Paxson busy while Michael deals with Brennan.

Thursday November 5 9.30pm

“The life of a spy takes a toll.”

An understatement, of course, but burned spy Michael Westen is a master of the understated. During down time, he says, you have to eat right and take care of yourself, rebuild what you lose in those adrenaline-drenched periods when you’re facing death and destruction 24-7.

Death and destruction, however, may not be Michael’s main problem in this new phase of his life. While he’s got Carla and Management out of his hair, Miami Police Department Det. Paxson (Moon Bloodgood) shows up looking for a ‘one man wrecking crew’ who’s responsible for a string of damage. While Fiona gallantly tries to claim credit, Paxson insists Michael must be the perp, and identifies herself as Michael’s “worst nightmare.”

Meantime, Fiona’s been making progress toward the goal of getting them out of the spy business, working as a bounty hunter, picking up bail jumpers – more work than she can handle alone. In fact, her bail jumper contacts get her a client for them to help: a divorced mum, upset that her son has been in custody of his father for three days with no contact. Angry and hostile about the father, she says she wants to see the boy. She wants Fiona and team to make it happen. Michael rightfully points out this is much more likely a matter for lawyers than fixers, but of course, Fiona insists.

Thursday October 29 9.30pm

We know from last season’s finale that Michael taking the plunge into the Atlantic from a helicopter – thus turning down an offer to work with Management in some organised ops position – was taking a big chance. The leap was a metaphor that the danger for Michael Westen was about to increase exponentially.

Well, in this opening episode, it’s clear that creator Matt Nix has upped the volume for Burn Notice. For Michael, a five-mile ocean swim in suit pants was just the kind of discomfort trained operatives have to learn to endure. When he landed on Miami Beach, one of the busy, bikini-clad girls and kids making sand castle types, he was all in. But no rest for the weary. In short order, Michael was on the run and in a world of trouble.

TRIVIA:
Jeffrey Donovan is now an executive producer which accounts for his bump in salary. His commitment to the show, though, goes beyond money. Part of his new title will be to keep the quality of the show high. Mission accomplished with this opener.

Thursday October 22 9.30pm

The second season ended with a bang. Two bangs, actually. Two of everything, really! This season ends by doubling up on the car chases – we get two – and the deaths, which are fairly rare – we get two. “Lesser Evil” has a bit of a darker turn to it, though it’s still pretty fun, as Michael has to make some tough choices when it comes to life and death.

Michael also finally gets to meet the mysterious head of the corporation that Carla is a member of, a familiar face to TV fans. The climax of the show is both cool and smart, resolving most of the hang-ups of the season in regards to assassination attempts and Carla, all while opening up for several more seasons by promising that everyone who Michael ever made an enemy would be after him.

The bad news is that Burn Notice Season Two is done. The good news is that the third season starts the same time, next Thursday.

Thursday October 15 9.30pm

Why is “Sins of Omission” one of the best episodes of this very strong season?

Let’s count the reasons:

1. A bad guy who was not only well-cast, with Jay Karnes from “The Shield”, but well-written as someone so good at his job and so smart about the way people like Michael operate, that our heroes were never really able to trick him. The best they could do – when all else failed – was to push him into a corner where he had no choice but to do what they needed him to do

2. Some good romantic and familial tension for Michael with the appearance of Dina Meyer as thief/ ex-fiancee Samantha. It’s always fun to see Michael, who’s so in control of any professional encounter, be at a loss on how to deal with his mom, or Fiona’s jealousy, and this particular scenario raised the stakes a little.

3. They didn’t drag out the Karnes portion of the episode once they ran out of interesting twists for it, but instead put Karnes off to the side and did a quick one-act reverse heist story with Michael and Samantha breaking in to return the chip.

4. Victor, so crazy and intense and jittery, makes a great foil for Michael. Even when they’re only talking on the phone from separate locations, there’s an energy to their interaction that isn’t always there with some of his other professional rivals. While it’s fun to watch Michael physically dominate bad guys who don’t have his training, it’s even more entertaining to see him triumph over an equal.

5. Dude, Michael made a taser out of a disposable camera.

Thursday October 8 9.30pm

When a Haitian man comes to Michael and Sam seeking justice for the death of his daughter, Mike is at first reluctant to take the case. After being talked around by a sympathetic Sam, they discover the killer to be the son of a Haitian dictator, now living in the US under an alias.

Naturally with the suspect being highly dangerous and volatile, their plan is to pretty Fiona up and send her in as bait.

Channel Ten Programming for week 43 (Oct 18 – 24)

1. Australian Idol – Sunday 7.30pm: The final 6 perform the biggest hits from the movies and theatre in stage and screen night. Guest judge yet to be announced.

2. Rove – Sunday 9.30pm: Guests this week include Seth Green promoting his animated TV series “Robot Chicken” and Barry Humphries promoting his new book “Handling Edna”.

3. Are You Smarter than a 5^th Grader – Monday 7.30pm – Season Finale. Dr Chris Brown playing for the charity Assistance Dogs Australia is the last this year to take on the 5^th Graders.

4. Celebrity Master chef – Wednesday 7.30pm: Cooking off this week are fashion guru Alex Perry, cricketer Simon Katich and comedian Wendy Harmer. The Pressure Test challenge will be based around a dish prepared by one of Australia’s favourite cooks, Stephanie Alexander.

5. Burn Notice – Thursday 9.30pm – Season Finale. The second season ends with a bang or two. What will replace Burn Notice at 9.30 Thursday? Supernatural season 5 maybe? Hopefully we will find out this time next week.

6. And don’t forget:

NCIS – Tue 8.30 S7E04

NCIS:LA – Wed 8.30 S1E04

Lie to Me – Tue 9.30 S2E03

Three Rivers – Wed 9.30 S1E02

Nurse Jackie – Mon 10.35pm S1E05

Little Britain USA – Mon 10.00pm S1E05

And, if you like a good countdown,

Spearman Experiment Tue 7.30pm. Find out later what they will be counting down… or if the show is still on given its poor ratings of late.

Programming subject to late change.

Thursday October 1 9.30pm

“Burn Notice” is at its best when Mike is either going all out and whipping ass or being super sneaky and busting out his entire collection of spy tools. This episode is one of the latter and it’s awesome.

Mike gets a rude awakening in the form of Government Agent Bly showing up in Miami with the intent to destroy him. (You may remember Bly as the guy Mike blackmailed and had sent out of town). Just as the two are about to go nuclear on each other in an attempt to annihilate one another, they both get stuck inside a bank as it’s being robbed.

Can the duo work it out on the inside while Sam Axe makes things happen on the outside?

Thursday September 24 9.30pm

That’s the thing about spies. You never know who they are” – Michael.

Michael Westen with money troubles? Boy, now you really know how bad the economy is when a burned super spy has to dig up a job to keep himself in Armani suits.

Michael, under the alias of Miles Parker, is hired by Scott Chandler to investigate strange activity – log-ins at odd hours, unusual computer activity and telephone bugging – at an art gallery. But after being attacked by the the gallery’s receptionist, Michael finds himself working against Chandler. Meanwhile, Michael needs to find the person who planted the bomb at his loft, therefore he turns to arms dealer Seymour for help.

Thursday September 17 9.30pm

For those of you who were looking for the most smoldering “will they/ won’t they” couple in all of Miami to hook up, look no further.

Sam asks Michael to meet with Sean (guest star Michael Irvin), a former pro football player who is now a high school football coach in need of Michael’s services. One of Sean’s players, Corey Jensen, got into a fight with Felix Cole (guest star Kirk Jones), the leader of a local gang of car thieves. Corey was projecting his sister and now Felix wants him dead. Michael and his team come up with a plan; pose as a rival gang and force Felix to leave town.

While this is going on Carla is pressing Michael to find the person who blew up his apartment and tried to kill him. Michael senses vulnerability, and he is actually a step ahead of her. Fiona finds the location of the bomber’s house, but walks into a fiery trap. Thinking Fiona has been killed, Michael is relieved when she walks back into his apartment and for an evening their passion is reignited.

TRIVIA:
MICHAEL IRVIN is a former American football player for the Dallas Cowboys, who is regarded as one of the most successful wide receivers in the history of NFL. “Burn Notice” isn’t Michael’s first acting gig – he also features in the 2005 remake “The Longest Yard” featuring Adam Sandler and Chris Rock.

KIRK JONES (also referred to as Sticky Fingaz) is an American rapper, actor, and a member of the hip-hop group Onyx. As an actor, he’s best known for his television roles as Private Maurice “Smoke” Williams on the 2005 drama “Over There”, his recurring role as hip-hop producer Kern Little on “The Shield”, and as the title character in the 2006 Spike action-horror-drama “Blade: The Series”.