Jeffrey Donovan as Michael Westen in "Burn Notice."

Credit: USA

When "Burn Notice" wrapped up its previous season back in December, I wrote that while I still enjoyed the show as a summer diversion, it had been telling the same kinds of stories for so long that I'd run out of new things to say about it, and had lot some emotional investment along the way. So unless this new season presents an unexpected masterpiece at some point, I'm going to be watching but not writing.

But since I got to see the season premiere in advance, I wanted to at least take the temperature of the room on where the show is right now. Many of you agreed with me on last season's finale — not that the show had gone awry, but that we'd seen it all before, many times. Did the seven months away rekindle your passion for Michael, Sam and Fi, or are you still feeling the same ennui I am? How did you feel about the way the Anson and Fiona stories played out in the premiere? Do you buy that Michael would be this reckless for the sake of Fi? Were you happy to see the return of an old face? How did you feel about the introductory narration finally including Jesse? 

Have at it, folks. Again, barring something special, I'll be back around mid-season finale time.

Bryan Cranston from "Breaking Bad."

Credit: AMC

Last year, the Television Critics Association Awards were hosted by Ron Effing Swanson himself, Nick Offerman. So perhaps the only way to top that in terms of finding someone capable of making very dangerous things was to recruit Bryan Cranston from "Breaking Bad" to emcee this year's awards.

In my ideal world, Jim Rash from "Community" would be up for an Emmy to go on the shelf next to his Oscar.

Credit: NBC

It's Emmy nominating time once again, which means it's time for Fienberg and I to resume our annual tradition of predicting the people and shows we either wish will be nominated (me) or think will be (Dan). I pretend that I have an Emmy ballot and pick the six performers/shows per category that I'd be happiest to see nominated, while Dan runs down the contenders in each category, starting with the locks, then moving to the contenders and then the ridiculous longshots.

Yvonne Strahovski from "Chuck" will be guest-starring on "Dexter."

Credit: NBC

Credit to Showtime for casting one of the few guest actors who might convince me to give "Dexter" another try, as they've just announced that "Chuck" alum Yvonne Strahovski will be doing a multi-episode story arc in the upcoming seventh season.

Strahovski will play Hannah McKay, whom the press notes describe as "a strong, independent woman with a past that she's struggled to put behind her." Miami Metro recruits Hannah to help solve some old cases, Dexter works alongside her, begins to wonder if there's more to her than meets the eye, etc., etc., etc. It's "Dexter." You know how this works.

That said, loyalty to "Chuck" and admiration for Strahovski's work — along with some other interesting guest stars like Ray Stevenson and Jason Gedrick — might lead me to give the show one more look when it returns on September 30.

Sutton Foster in her showgirl days on "Bunheads."

Credit: ABC Family

I posted my review of ABC Family's "Bunheads" on Saturday morning, and now that the pilot has aired, I want to talk specifically about a couple of things, just as soon as I develop a dirty ventriliquist act...

Credit: AMC

Last week, we did two installments of the Firewall & Iceberg Podcast: one where we went on at some length and depth about "Game of Thrones" and "Mad Men," the other with quick hit reviews of new and returning shows. This week's only podcast is a blend of the two, with brief-ish reviews of "Bunheads," "Dallas" and "Falling Skies," plus a longer discussion of the "Mad Men" finale and this week's "Buffy" chatter.

The line-up: 

Don (Jon Hamm) finds himself alone at a bar in the "Mad Men" season finale.

Credit: AMC

A review of tonight's "Mad Men" season finale coming up just as soon as I'm president of the Howdy Doody Circus Army...

Lena Dunham and Allison Williams in "Girls."

Credit: HBO

A review of tonight's "Girls" coming up just as soon as I work at a consumptive women's hospital...