Some fail so that others might succeed. Or at least some stumble so that others can learn from those mistakes. That’s pretty much how I would sum up my reaction to USA network’s new series Burn Notice, a story about a spy who has been fired (of a sort) from his job as an inter-agency (see freelance) spy. The show reminds me of a lot of various shows I have seen in the past, especially the A-Team, with a little Magnum P.I. splashed in. Don’t fret, if you didn’t care for those shows there is more than a little hope for this one.
It seems to me that someone sat down and watched a ton of 80’s action television and figured out how to improve on a lot of the crap we thought was good at the time (admit it, you liked A-Team). What makes this show better than the past shows of its kind has a lot to do with the cast they’ve put together. Jeffrey Donovan is almost too cool for TV and seems to really have a grasp of his character Michael Westen, a smooth talking, quick thinking, military trained spy who finds himself suddenly on the outs smack dab in the middle of a mission. I liked how the show wasted no time showing what its star is capable of. The voice over narration seemed suspect at first, but it really added to the shows comedic appeal. Gabrielle Anwar (The Tudors) plays a fiery ex-IRA operative named Fionna with an accent so sexy it makes me feel things inappropriate for these pages. Both play cool, almost subdued counterparts that work well together onscreen. Bruce Campbell rounds out the initial cast playing Sam, a military wash out that isn’t without connections. Sharon Gless plays the mother Michael has traveled half the world to get away from, now that his current misfortunes have him veritably trapped in Miami he is forced to reconnect.
It looks like we get to follow along with Michael as he tries to piece together the events that lead to him receiving the burn notice. Along the way, Michael will offer his unique services to people who can’t go to the police (reminds you of the A-Team a bit doesn’t it?). The first episode features Michael stopping a corrupt real estate magnate from pulling the old one two on one of his employees, by foiling an attempted kidnapping and finding evidence to exonerate the would be victim. The show has a very solid beginning, with a smartly put together plot line and great dialogue. Donovan is very convincing as a leading man, with a lot of slick style. You should give this show a try.
Dante can’t be fired, they pay him in high fives and left overs.
