USA announces fall premiere dates for 'Burn Notice,' 'Psych' & 'Covert Affairs'
And how's everyone feeling about 'Burn Notice' midway through season 5?
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Fienberg is in New Orleans for a few days doing a movie set visit, which means two things: 1)Podcast delayed until probably Wednesday, and 2)I'm filling in for him on covering various bits of breaking TV news.
Ordinarily, I would take a piece of info like USA announcing its fall premiere dates - that "Psych" will start its sixth season on October 12, while "Covert Affairs" and "Burn Notice" (which go on hiatus in early September) will return to finish out their current seasons on, respectively, November 1 and November 3 - write a short news article, and be done with it.
But in this case, it occurs to me that I haven't written about "Burn Notice" since the most recent season premiere, and I'd like to take the temperature of the audience about how season five is going.
I'll admit that, since taking the show out of the regular rotation, there have been times when episodes have spent a while gathering metaphorical dust on the DVR before I've gotten around to them, but on the whole I'm pleased with what Matt Nix and company have done to tweak the formula this season.
We'd already taken the mystery of who burned Michael and why as far as it could go, and the new arrangement - with most episodes split between Michael helping the CIA out as a consultant (and, lately, trying to prevent himself from being framed for Max's murder) and some combination of the supporting cast helping out a local client - has kept things fairly fresh at a relatively advanced age for the show. There are times when I wish the split wasn't so specific - it's almost always Michael working with one of Sam, Fi and Jesse, while the others (plus Madeline) do their own thing - because I miss the chemistry of the whole ensemble working together. But the individual duos and trios work well together, and having Michael work with the CIA again allows the show to operate on a scale it simply couldn't back when he was more or less an unlicensed private detective (with access to high explosives). The episode from a few weeks ago where Michael, Jesse and Agent Pearce(*) hoodwinked an island full of mercenaries was preposterous and yet a lot of fun, precisely because the odds were so insane.
(*) Lauren Stamile's been an upgrade on some of the show's more problematic guest characters (Detective Paxson, to name one), but I definitely preferred Grant Show's Max, and wish the roles had been reversed: that Pearce was Michael's initial handler, then murdered, and then Max came in as both a new ally and potential enemy.
How does everybody else feel about this season? "White Collar" (which I lost track of when I went to Comic-Con and press tour) seems to have passed "Burn Notice" as the USA summer show that people elevate above a laundry-folder. Do you like the tweaks to the formula? Would you rather the CIA just go away and Michael hang out a PI shingle (and maybe buy a Ferrari and/or grow a mustache)?
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August 22, 2011 at 5:58PM EST Reply to CommentWhite Collar has been really good and I feel that Burn Notice has finally come back from its slump in Season 4. But the whole Michael/Fi relationship is being stretched yet again, but that's a minor gripe
Sy
August 22, 2011 at 6:56PM EST Reply to CommentI like the direction of the current season. It's been an improvement over last season. I also like the strained relationship between Michael and Fi since this was the only direction the show could conceivably go. What I think will be interesting is to see whether the CIA storyline breaks up the relationship between Michael and Fi or causes more conflict. The show at this point is what it is and I enjoy it more than I probably should. While White Collar is a lot of fun it never gets to the level of a great Burn Notice episode for me.
PopCandy
August 22, 2011 at 7:10PM EST Reply to CommentI don't watch Burn Notice (gave up on it after the third episode), but White Collar has been really good this season. The "treasure" storyline provides tension on the "week cases" and also adress the fact that maybe Neal has been changed by his time working with Peter.
jamiem
August 22, 2011 at 7:58PM EST Reply to CommentThis season started out so promisingly and for the first half, I was really enjoying Burn Notice again after a few non-essential seasons. The premiere was so great, just jumping right in and past Michael wiping out the organization that burned him. The CIA stuff has been great, especially Michael's partner getting killed, and the mobster-of-the-week plots have been better than average. I especially liked the one where Madeline played a kidnapped nurse and Michael channeled his father to get a reaction out of her for their prisoner. It was pretty heavy emotional stuff for a light summer series. And now that we aren't waiting for Jesse to realize Michael burned him, he's become a ton of fun.
But the last few weeks have been back to the same problems the series had before and I have no faith in the creative team to not just coast again. The "Who Framed Michael Rabbit?" case has turned into another fetch-quest driven narrative - get the tape of the cell phone purchase, find the guy who looks like Michael, find who built the bomb to kill the guy who looks like Michael, etc. And they've, once again, turn Fiona into a cartoon harpy. They moved in together at the start of the season and the relationship seemed to have turned a corner. But recently, Fiona's back to asking Michael "Is all of this worth it?", like she spent so many episodes in the past doing, and acting petty over his determination. Except, in the past, there was something to the idea that maybe Michael should just leave his burned past alone and move forward. But he can't exactly ignore being framed for murder! So, now her pettiness seems totally unjustified.
I am pretty much out of faith that the show will ever recover it's momentum again. Especially once its revealed that of course the organization that burned Michael is still out there - he's been working for them all along!
Hooray White Collar. And Suits, actually. Best new USA show since White Collar.
Mariess
August 22, 2011 at 9:21PM EST Reply to CommentWatch Burn Notice only intermittently; it became so predictable. Was hoping that with Michael 'returned to the CIA' we'd see some new plots. Didn't happen; it's the same old, same old: Sam, Fi, Jesse, Mom. More predictable than ever sorry to say; the show is going nowhere.
jcpdiesel21
August 22, 2011 at 9:37PM EST Reply to CommentI'm honestly pretty bored with Burn Notice right now, and consider my regular viewership "on the bubble." If nothing I see between now and the summer finale grab my interest, I may drop the show completely. The show is just far too comfortable within its cozy little formula and most of the individual cases this season haven't been that interesting. And Michael is always chasing something; he said something to Fiona about working with someone that he didn't completely trust as a means to an end last week that I swear he has said in a previous season during another arc. It's all starting to feel stale at this point.
White Collar has really jumped ahead of Burn Notice in quality. It may have a formula as well, but it's not afraid to play with that a bit. I really enjoyed the cat-and-mouse game between Peter and Neal so far this season, and look forward to seeing where the finale's cliffhanger takes the show.
louisjab
August 22, 2011 at 10:14PM EST Reply to CommentI`ve only watched 4 episodes of Burn Notice right now (it ended up with Max's murder and the frame attempt on Michael). So I see I`m not the only one not watching the show regularly.
I liked the first four episodes (up to Max's murder) and I found them OK. The only thing we learned with the beginning of the season was that the show would not get any better. Season 2 was gone for good. It settled into a groove and USA is definitely not interested in rocking the boat. It appears the only thing that could raise the show a little bit would be a really good guest part, like they way John Lithgow made the fourth season of Dexter much more enjoyable despite the stale situation.
I liked Max (I especially liked the little talk he had with Michael when fixing the A/C and downloading the info on the tablet) and I was sorry to see him go that early. Especially since it means a return to the "Michael is a wanted man" state of the show.
Razorback
August 22, 2011 at 10:58PM EST Reply to CommentI put a burn notice on BURN NOTICE this season. WHITE COLLAR may not have the best stories but it has the best cast and that keeps me watching. COVERT AFFAIRS is sometimes OK and sometimes very good. But that sister character needs to die.
Adam Newland
August 22, 2011 at 11:13PM EST Reply to CommentBurn Notice has been excellent this season. Both Burn Notice and Royal Pains have seriously stepped up their games for USA this summer. The network remains the cable juggernaut.
Adam Newland
The TV Czar
tvczar.blogspot.com
Karyn
August 22, 2011 at 11:40PM EST Reply to CommentI am infinitely more excited about Psych's long overdue return, but Burn Notice has continued to be enjoyable as always.
CCK
August 23, 2011 at 12:17AM EST Reply to CommentI've been happy with the season overall. I just wish I could keep straight what exactly Jessie does. He was back working for the government, but then last week he is working in private security. I think they forgot exactly what his job was. And then he turns on his client, which would be bad for business.
It isn't what is used to be, but how many shows really are after 4 seasons? I still find it entertaining overall and I'm never unhappy when I see it on my DVR or bored when watching it.
Ari The show established at the beginning of the season that Jesse had decided to go private. No inconsistencies there.
August 23, 2011 at 12:33PM ESTBlake
August 23, 2011 at 2:08AM EST Reply to CommentIt's my wife's favorite show, so I have to watch it. This season is definitely better than the last one. The balance of continuing plot and problem-of-the-week is better. They seemed to have a dropped a promising plotline of Michael maybe being crazy paranoid, and I don't know what's happening with Michael and Fi's relationship. But last season was outright dull; this one isn't.
Ben Kabak
August 23, 2011 at 9:57AM EST Reply to Comment"White Collar" cops out. They have a world class con artist who doesn't go for the cash? Really?
Ari
August 23, 2011 at 12:31PM EST Reply to CommentBurn Notice is by far the best show on USA, IMO. I can always count on the interplay and ironic humor to bring me a laugh, and I've really enjoyed Jesse's role this season. The only regret I have is that, into the fifth season, the show is closer to its end date than the beginning.
SpyTV
August 23, 2011 at 12:48PM EST Reply to CommentI dropped Burn Notice last season. Even though I still like the cast, it became difficult to sit through the set-up for each case of the week, I just didn't care what the clients were saying. White Collar has become more interesting, I agree with Alan, just a step above laundry folding background noise. Looks like the only spy shows I'll be watching this year are Chuck and Archer.
xbrooklyngrrl
August 23, 2011 at 12:48PM EST Reply to CommentWhile this season has at least shaken things up a bit, the problem I have with Burn Notice -- and the reason I only watch it randomly -- is Fiona. As played, she's just too beef jerky tough, and her character simply doesn't change at all, it's always, let's blast the hell outta them, let me kick some ass. The romantic scenes with the two of them don't inspire. She's one of several female leads on series that I think are real casting blunders -- Robin Tunney on the Mentalist is a black hole of energy, the bug-eyed woman on Hung annoys. There's no surprise to Fiona, no layering, and I think the show would be more interesting if Michael had different love interests, even though I get that what they're saying is a man like him couldn't hide his reality from a civilian woman. Still, I think her energy just jars.
Jackson
August 23, 2011 at 1:48PM EST Reply to CommentI know you gave up on Suits after the premier, but I have actually found that show to be as good, if not better, than both White Collar and Burn Notice (both of which I enjoy).
xbrooklyngrrl Same here! it has a quirky charm that makes it feel less formulaic, it doesn't beat a story to death, women don't run in high heels and I really like the actors, they guy who plays Louis is a riot. I think this is the best of USA, especially since the females are well cast and acted, and not blonde bimbos. This show deserves a bit more respect.
August 23, 2011 at 2:48PM ESTstevehbk
August 24, 2011 at 8:44AM EST Reply to CommentI'm enjoying Burn Notice more this season than I did the last couple. I'm easily entertained.
Cixelsyd23
August 24, 2011 at 12:27PM EST Reply to CommentI never got into Burn Notice, honestly, but I'm excited about the Psych thing. Maybe it's just me, but I gave up on White Collar this year completely, it's nothing but fluff and I've found it really boring for a long time
milo1
August 26, 2011 at 3:49PM EST Reply to CommentI think Burn Notice is best when Madeline is involved somehow. I watch it for entertainment value when I don't want to watch something heavy. The show premises are sometimes pretty outlandish, but it's not supposed to be a drama. I give it a B for effort.
Guesser
August 29, 2011 at 6:38PM EST Reply to CommentI find "Burn Notice" harder and harder to watch, mainly because the characters don't really evolve, which I think only works in Sam Axe's favor. Fiona's gone from badass to shrill, Michael is an obnoxious know-it-all, etc.
I know the show's not aiming for realism, but do we really need another action series where the heroes are experts at everything AND have access to vast resources? Is there ever any doubt that the "Criminal Minds" and "NCIS" teams will solve their crimes within 42 minutes? "Burn Notice" has crept into that territory for me. Earlier seasons led me to wonder "How will Michael and Co. pull this one off?" Now it's basically "How could anyone, much less professional spies, possibly screw this one up and lose?" The villains must have some sort of advantage for any semblence of suspense.
Penny Montalto
September 5, 2011 at 3:11PM EST Reply to CommentI miss the interaction and chemistry of the old characters. I feel that was a major strength of the show. I'm losing interest for that reason. Still a fan. Just wish they hadn't moved so far from what made the show work.
Love, love, love White Collar, Covert Affairs, Necessary Roughness and In Plain Sight. White Collar definitely more interesting, I regret to say.