Burn Notice: “Breaking and Entering” Review
From http://tv.ign.com:
July 9, 2008 - Advance Review: Yogurt. Handguns. Sunshine. It’s all back, baby! When we last saw Michael Weston he was driving his friend Sam’s (Bruce Campbell) new Cadillac into the back of a mysterious sixteen wheeler…in hopes of meeting the woman that put the “burn” on him. Where would he wind up? As part of the videogame Spy Hunter? As a new operative for the Foundation for Law and Government? No, but he does wind up smack dab in the middle of an explosive assault on a private plane, and babysitting a captured computer programmer (Patrick Fischler). And if you got any of those previous references…yermanewbestfriend.
All of this opening scene mayhem is courtesy of Carla (Tricia Helfer), Michael’s new adversary. A sinister vixen whose hair smells like fresh lilac after a summer rain. Well, that’s just my guess, since Carla still refuses to meet with Michael one on one. That and it’s TV and I can’t smell things that I’d like to.
Carla, ostensibly the one who “burned” Michael, now plays the role of the puppet master, ordering him to do jobs for her through cell phones and crossword puzzles. She and her shadowy branch of phantom spooks give Michael a bit more motivation than the usual couple grand - threatening physical harm to his friends and family. They’ve already hit the floor running by kidnapping the computer programmer’s wife and daughter in order to get him to steal secret files from a high tech security (ahem, mercenary) firm.
I had spent a bit of time wondering what direction this show might take. Would Michael be still somehow stuck on Miami? Would he still be there to help his local Miamians with their problems? Then, on my conference call with Jeffrey Donovan and Bruce Campbell, who plays Michael’s friend Sam Axe, I got the feeling that they were going to stick with what worked. That’s not to say that the stakes wont be raised in some fashion, but that somehow the status quo would remain intact, and familiarly enjoyable. As Donovan had put it, if Michael figured everything out and then got re-instated as a spy, then the show would have to be called Not Burn Notice.
I am really hoping that Michael’s interactions with his mother get a little more tolerable. The episode was fun, until Madeline Weston (Sharon Gless) calls and continues to nag Michael into one of those classic gritted teeth smiles of his. With not much to do except play a worrisome vulnerability, I’m hoping that we see a more supportive role for Sharon Gless in Season Two. Be it comedic, dramatic or…anything. Just no more worrying. If we’re going to delve back into the old humid battle grounds of last summer, we need to keep it fresh and progressive.
That goes a little bit too for Michael getting stuck with a nervous, emotional bumbling “client.” It’s already well covered territory by now, and I’d hate to see the “burn notice” story arc overshadow the fun of Michael’s good Samaritan asswhooping. The show works best when you’re equally invested in both.
This time around, Michael and Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar) finally get to have their “talk.” You know, the one that got postponed all through Season One. With a better understanding, these two have find a common ground of disappointment - sort of a clarification of both of their psychological needs to sabotage things and flee. It might certainly put the “will they won’t they” murmurs to rest for a while, but that’s not to say feelings might not resurface eventually.
Michael’s ultimate goal is to play the hero. So far, everyone that’s been trying to manipulate him has fallen under the categories of “villainous” or “annoying,” which is able to conveniently feed into his somewhat perverse priorities. Is there a global conspiracy that might endanger millions of lives? Well, no. It’s all still just about Michael Weston, and him wanting all these people to get out of his hair and re-instate him to his old life of solitude and secrets. But we wind up rooting for him anyway because he’s so damn cool.
I have several favorite moments from last season, and one of them was Agent Bly (Alex Carter). First off, his name might have been a nod to The Adventures Brisco County Jr., and second of all he was sent down to Miami to put the screws to Michael and get him to “back off” of his investigations. Michael pwned him in two episodes! I was expecting him to be an annoyance for the rest of the season, but Michael dispatched him with ease, and I was pleasantly surprised. Carla seems to be a larger “end of level boss” form of Bly. Threatening. Secretive. A couple steps ahead. And while Michael seems to be playing along with her, he’s really gathering tiny clues to unveil her true identity and possibly even shatter her entire operation.
The show is still damn fun. Bruce is still a god among men. Miami is still sunny and vivacious. And let me just tell you that the original sentence I wrote there was “This show is fun.” And I looked at it and thought it sucked. It just didn’t capture the essence of this show, so I went back and put the word “damn” in. I get very serious about my fun.
This is an entry-level episode of sorts, which might be good if new people begin watching the show from here on in. And without giving too much away, I can tell you that “Breaking and Entering” is the best Donovan “fake accent” episode yet. Something I like to call “cockstralian.” Which is also the name of my Midnight Oil cover band.
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