'Burn Notice' - 'Friends and Enemies': Leave the biker, break his heart
Michael ponders a job offer in the fourth season premiere.
Fi goes biker chick in the "Burn Notice" season premiere.
Credit: USA
I said most of what I wanted to say about the "Burn Notice" season four premiere in yesterday's review, so just as soon as I change my hiring policies, why don't you tell me what you thought of Michael's new friend, of Harry Crane from "Mad Men" appearing in the 21st century, the mistake Michael makes at the end, and everything else?
Alan Sepinwall has been reviewing television since the mid-'90s, first for Tony Soprano's hometown paper, The Star-Ledger, and now for HitFix. His new book, "The Revolution Was Televised," about the last 15 years of TV drama, is for sale at Amazon. He can be reached at sepinwall@hitfix.com
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupOtto Man
June 3, 2010 at 10:08PM EST Reply to CommentI find the Harry Crane actor as annoying in this role.
But Robert Wisdom's involvement more than made up for it.
Rollie
June 3, 2010 at 10:08PM EST Reply to CommentWow... just... wow. That was far and away the worst episode of the series. It felt like Nix had a script all written, and then executives yelled at him for him not getting back to Miami soon enough, so he had to edit it to get him back there as unrealistically fast as possible. I actually don't know if I'll even be continuing with the show after that. I wasn't in love with the show to begin with, it was enjoyable, but the formula wore thin at times. There was nothing enjoyable about the season 4 premiere. I half expected Michael to wake up at the end of the episode and to reveal it was ALLL a dream.
jm Um, it may not have been the greatest episode ever, but it wasn't *that* bad. Certainly not enough to stop watching the entire show over...
June 4, 2010 at 9:08AM ESTRobert Rollie, it wasn't THAT bad. The accountant/biker gang stuff was weak, but it wasn't an entirely disastrous episode.
June 7, 2010 at 5:57PM ESTYou have to remember that creator Matt Nix (who wrote this episode) is better at scripting the larger plot arc.
The episodes he pens that focus mainly on the case-of-the-week are hit and miss. Some have been good... others not so much.
klg19
June 3, 2010 at 10:38PM EST Reply to CommentYeah, I get that the plotting was choppy, but that closing scene with Michael and his mom, combined with the bitter irony of Michael causing another spy to get burned, made it all worth it.
pdf
June 3, 2010 at 11:05PM EST Reply to CommentI was disappointed, too. Maybe I'm spoiled by "Sons of Anarchy," but that whole biker gang plot just flat-out sucked. I'm also not particularly intrigued by what they've shown us of this season's arc so far. I didn't like the use of Garrett Dillahunt as the mystery villain in last season's finale - I felt like the uninspired casting choice (I mean, it's like he's in a race with Mark Sheppard to rack up as many cameos and guest shots as possible) mirrored the general slackness of the plotting. And I feel the same way about this episode's use of Robert Wisdom and especially Michael Ironside. I mean, Ironside's minute of screen time was practically something out of "Police Squad!" I'm gonna be watching the next few episodes with a very jaded/skeptical eye.
HydraEclipse
June 3, 2010 at 11:18PM EST Reply to CommentI have to admit the random Michael Ironside cameo and the surprisingly cheesy CGI explosions in the beginning was strange, but otherwise the episode was okay.
Though apparently the plot is now Michael working for a secret government organization to take on some sinister "James Bond Villain" type organization. This could get really ridiculous really fast...
chuchundra
June 3, 2010 at 11:19PM EST Reply to CommentThe whole biker gang plot was beyond weak. I know that the episodes all have the arc story / Mike helps people story structure, but don't you think we could have skipped that this week?
Everything just felt rushed and half-done. Event he line readings seemed off. That's not what I expect from an episode of Burn Notice.
On the plus side, the story arc for this season seems like it has the potential be good and maybe actually make sense, unlike last season. I hope Wisdom's character actually becomes part of the team instead of just another version of Carla.
chuchundra By the way, I love the post title. Have there been other Fountains Of Wayne refs and I just missed them?
June 3, 2010 at 11:44PM ESTHatfield Yeah, back on the old blog I can recall at least one "(Someone's) mom has got it going on" post title.
June 4, 2010 at 1:12PM ESTcadfile
June 4, 2010 at 12:05AM EST Reply to CommentThey seemed to be resetting things for the new season with this episode. The client story did seem like tacked on filler and Fi and Sam's reaction to Mike being back didn't seem right especially when both got emotional the last time he went missing for a few days.
Did Michael Ironsides owe Nix money or a favor because his short cameo just didn't seem worth his time - unless he just needed the money?
Mike with his Mom seemed more real than the other sub plots this time.
Michael's new job seems at least for this episode like his old job with Carla but without the "you do it or we kill you" threat.
Look forward for the show to get up to speed in the upcoming episodes. Glad its back
Dezbot
June 4, 2010 at 1:28AM EST Reply to CommentWell, I thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the twist at the end with spy Michael inadvertently burned.
Hi I'm Larry David
June 4, 2010 at 1:58AM EST Reply to CommentThought it was hilarious that Michael Ironside dies, it goes to Title then the first credit that appears is "Guest starring: Michael Ironside"
Bravo.
AnnaN Ha! Noticed that as well. I turned to my husband and said, "hey, it's Jester!" and thought he'd settle in for a three-episode arc and then KABLAM! Dead.
June 4, 2010 at 9:39AM ESTUnless he's not.
uncanny valley girl
June 4, 2010 at 4:11AM EST Reply to CommentWrite a comment...
uncanny valley girl Ack this is what it does the first time you sign up is the "write a comment" thing. Anyway, I'm with pdf, the line readings seemed a bit off and SOA has made the standard goofy TV biker gang portrayal feel as incorrect as when I was a young punk watching the Quincy punk episode (or the Hunter punk episode). The show has earned a lot of good will with me but this is not the most promising start to the new season. And really, why would you hire Micheal F-ing Ironside and then kill him in the cold open? It did pick up in the end, however, with the scene with Madeline and then also realizing he was responsible for someone else being burned.
June 4, 2010 at 4:20AM EST
June 4, 2010 at 6:49AM EST Reply to CommentGood to have it back, but I didn't think it was one of the better ones. Love the FoW reference!!!
June 4, 2010 at 8:50AM EST Reply to CommentWhile I enjoy watching the show and appreciate the fact that it doesn't or shouldn't take itself too seriously, I'm not sure how they are going to play this season. I hope it doesn't revert back to its usual ways, that being the case of the week episodes albeit with tidbits at the start, in the middle and at the end of the episode, relating to the main storyline each season until the grand finale. In this case, these tidbtis would be related to the case with Vaughn. Well, we'll see how this plays out.
jake
June 4, 2010 at 9:05AM EST Reply to CommentThanks for the subheading. Happy to have that song stuck in my head all day.
AnnaN
June 4, 2010 at 9:45AM EST Reply to CommentThis was a very weak episode. I do like Mgmt's new face and hope he gets a meatier part in the series.
As with most of the Actions Have Consequences take on this episode, I thought bringing in a biker gang death vendetta over something so trivial as an impounded motorcycle to be almost as ridiculous as Michael getting a spy burned for one simple act.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't a burn notice come on top of a body of evidence of "evil doing"? I can't imagine the CIA/Fed gov't is going to throw away all that money, training and expertise over one episode.
tim That would be as ridiculous as the Pentagon firing Arab speaking intelligence analysts just 'cause they were gay. NEVER underestimate the silliness of bureaucracies
June 5, 2010 at 12:21PM ESTjcpdiesel21
June 4, 2010 at 11:12AM EST Reply to CommentThis episode was okay. The client story of the week was a bit on the weak and undeveloped side, which was a little disappointing, since I do like Rich Sommer and would have liked to see him do more. But I liked Robert Wisdom's guest spot and seeing Jeffrey Donovan interact with him. The twist at the end with Michael inadvertently burning another spy was a nice one and has me excited for the next episode.
JanieJones
June 4, 2010 at 12:34PM EST Reply to CommentIf I had some doubts during the episode, the ending completely validated my love for BN. The irony of Michael burning another spy was a nice touch. I think S4 has the potential to reach another level. I choose not speculate (if the road taken is comparable to S3) how I will feel about the show.
Also, I have to agree with the biker storyline-SOA has completely spoiled me. Whenever I see a attempt at a biker sup-plot, it's disappointing.
DB Cooper Ironically, the gang in this episode appeared to have approximately 50 more members than the SAMCRO Charming chapter. SOA must have the smallest budget in television, b/c they can only afford a 9 man gang (RIP Half-Sack).
June 5, 2010 at 12:46AM ESTSC
June 4, 2010 at 12:35PM EST Reply to CommentI guess the biggest problem with this episode is the fact that Michael's imprisonment and jaunt to South America is all wrapped up before the first commercial break. If Burn Notice was a different show, they might have turned that one act into an entire episode.
Still, while that's arguably a missed opportunity -- though I don't know if the show would really ever have gone there -- this season premiere did successfully set up a strong serial arc for the rest of the season, didn't it? And it had a lot of terrific moments between Michael and the people in his life. So I suppose I can't complain that much. I wish, in some ways, that Burn Notice were a different show so that it could play around more with serialization and its main procedural elements (something like what Justified has been demonstrating in its first season, but the show is still a lot of fun. And I think this premiere showed a lot of potential for the fourth season.
Flashman
June 4, 2010 at 7:12PM EST Reply to CommentThis episode would have worked as a two-hour premiere so that they could actually have spent more than 7 minutes getting from prison to the jungles of another country and back to Miami, as well as giving the story the breathing room to make the timing on him getting another spy burned make sense. The biker stuff was cheeseball, but the villains almost always are on Burn Notice, so it didn't much matter. Generally they save the convincing acting for the people in the serial arcs, and given that Robert Wisdom is a huge step up from Moon Bloodgood I have to agree that the season at least has a lot of promise.
M.A.Peel
June 4, 2010 at 11:06PM EST Reply to CommentI was a little disappointed, like many felt it was rushed and didn't quite have its old rhythm. Also because the promos with Talking Heads "Burning Down the House" are SO good, the actual season premiere felt lesser in comparison--didn't quite pay off on that sleek, dynamic sensibility.
DB Cooper
June 5, 2010 at 12:39AM EST Reply to CommentFirst, while I enjoy SOA as a program, it's hardly cinema verite. Saying SOA "ruins" other drama biker portrayals is like saying Spiderman ruined superhero movies. They're ALL ridiculous and unrealistic.
Second, I liked the episode. Again, ALL the line readings are "off" on this show. That's how it always is. The show has a specific style, which everyone doesn't have to like.
Third, and I just noticed this: Matt Nix is using one of my very favorite tricks from my all-time favorite shows - the delayed credits, ala The Rockford Files. With Rockford, they had opening credits, but then the episode credits (title, writer, director, guest stars) would pop up anywhere from 3 to 10 minutes in. It's not exactly the same w/ BN, but it's evocative.
Kujo
June 5, 2010 at 6:58PM EST Reply to CommentI'm glad Robert Wisdom is part of the show this season. That was a surprise. He's was great as an Angel in "Supernatural" last season.
The ep was OK. I do agree the biker sub plot was particularly weak, though I liked the scene were Fi broke into the biker office.
Best thing about the ep was Mike unknowingly burning an agent. The irony. I guess what goes around, comes around.
OldDarth
June 6, 2010 at 8:39AM EST Reply to CommentPredicatable premiere - though Michael burning an agent at the end is a good twist and hopefully a springboard to a good story arc.
Derek
June 7, 2010 at 10:50AM EST Reply to Commentline reading was terrible, and there was no witty dialogue. michael seemed so stiff. i expected more from burn notice seaon opener. matt nix should feel ashamed about this episode. if this was a preview of episodes to come as far as quality is concerned than im not watching any more.
Guest
June 8, 2010 at 10:00AM EST Reply to CommentThis must be the millionth time we've heard... "I don't know who you (three/guys) are but I never want to see you again/you better never show your face around here again"
The show was never terribly original to begin with (just entertainingly executed), but that was pretty bad.