Burn Notice

There seems to be a trend these days to add an overarching conspiracy to shows such as LIFE and Burn Notice to give a little bit extra to those fans who come to see the procedural crime solving that week. With those two shows its was actually the unfolding mystery that brought me back. Both Detective Cruise and ex-spy Micheal Weston (Jeffry Donovan) have to wade through a cast of shady characters to find out who put the kibosh on the lives they were enjoying and turned their worlds inside out. Set in Miami, Weston has been issued a 'Burn Notice' after being betrayed in Africa. A burn notice is basically a pink slip from the agency a spy works for that freezes their assets and locks them out of any protection or contacts they may have previously enjoyed. However, Weston is not taking his exile lying down and with the 'help' of a dangerous, reckless ex-girlfriend (Fiona Hughes) and an ex-spy buddy who is informing on him to the feds (played by the awesome Bruce Campbell)he is on the hunt for the reasons why he was 'burned'. Along the way he uses his conciderable skills to help those who need his type of skills like a one man A-Team. I love the way you learn the little tricks for staying alive and getting over on those who are trying to get over on you.The little things you can only learn from real life spy experience. The technique of having Weston narrate those moments is very effective. The actor playing him is also very charming, unasssuming, dangerous but heroic and decent with a wicked smile that masks his frustration with no longer being in control of his life and being forced to think on his feet to stay one step ahead of those who would do him, or his friends and family harm. He is too noble a character to ever let them suffer for his mistakes but is constantly frustrated that its his friends and family that bring on much of their own problems by being reckless and then needing Weston to pull them out of the fire. Did I mention all of this is often very funny especially the scenes with Sharon Gless who plays his mother. She excells at that kind of role and is serious Emmy bait. If you are missing this series (on the USA network and the highest rated cable show for the past two years) you need to check it out. I wish I could have found the intro to each show that tells you all you need to know but this is the best I could do. Another failed myth of the internet that claims you can find anything you need.