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(S02E09) “What do you see up there? A mastermind petting a Persian cat?” - Sam Axe

So , as you might expect from the finale, Michael is very close to solving one of this season’s mysteries. It seems the only missing pieces of the puzzle are who is the sniper’s target and does Michael want to save them?

I can only imagine that the target would have to be a really bad person in order for Michael to overcome his inflated savior complex. If Osama Bin Laden ends up as a passenger on the ferry, he’ll probably let the hit go down. Anyone else, however, is going to have to be a game day call.

You really have to admire Fiona’s powers of persuasion. It’s not enough that she’s smart and beautiful but she is also a master at the art of manipulation. She knows the exact buttons to push to make Michael do her bidding and the best part is that Michael knows exactly what’s going on.

Quite frankly, I was surprised that there was a B story in this episode considering how much Michael had on his plate. Generally, season finales are pretty focused on the climax we’ve all been looking forward to. Unless, of course, it’s all tied together.

Among Michael’s considerable talents, it’s clear that he also is an expert buzzkill. I’m as cynical as the next guy but even I thought it was out of line for Michael to start forecasting failure before being home for two minutes. I know we haven’t seen much of Nate this season but by all appearances he’s really trying to get his life together and that should count for something. The fact that he thinks asking Nate for help on a job counts as being supportive is a big clue just how self absorbed Michael really is. When a guy spends his days risking his life for total strangers without charging a penny and can’t even pretend to be supportive of his brother, he really needs to check himself.

I’ve always wondered about that image recognition thing. Could it really be that easy to fool the program? Anyone out there with experience in that sort of thing, clue me in.

Sometimes, when I’m watching Burn Notice, I get the feeling that Michael is just giving us his technical spy intel to fill time. However, seeing that Carla had a “slit” of her own was a pretty clever way to tie it in. Although, it seemed that Carla’s hiding place was more accessible than Michael’s since he needs an electric screwdriver to get at his, or did I read that wrong?

I loved seeing Michael act drunk. In my opinion, it was his most believable performance all season. The tips on how to actually stay sober were pretty clever too. I’ll definitely use them the next time I don’t really want to get drunk, if that ever happens.

I was worried that John Allen Nelson wouldn’t be very convincing as a bad ass. After his work on Vanished and 24 I was convinced he could only be weaselly or worried. Although, I’m curious just why “the muscle” was there since Nelson was happy to do the heavy lifting.

The fact that Michael couldn’t get Lesher to walk away from the kidnapping really wasn’t a surprise. This show didn’t build up a loyal following by spending an hour showing how to make sure nothing happens.

I figured that everything in this episode would come together at the end but I didn’t expect the explosion and while I’m sure Michael survived, it will be interesting how this particular message from Carla is received.

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(S02E08) I like it when old friends of the main character show up for a visit. Generally, because they inevitably give out some personal information. For example, it seems that Michael has had a fondness for yogurt for some time now. The other tidbit was that Michael didn’t have such high moral fiber back when he was working for the government. I’m willing to bet it was the reconnection to his family and friends that brought him back from the dark side.

The other thing that visits from old friends bring us is cool guest stars. Tim Matheson doesn’t work near enough for my tastes and to see him turn up as a douchebag ex-coworker of Michael’s was fun.

Another bright spot of this episode was Amy Pietz whom I have been nuts about since she was the only watchable part of Caroline in the City. Pietz is that rare kind of actress that can make me believe her character and be smoking hot at the same time.

It’s pretty clear by now that Michael is torn about his decision that he and Fiona remain friends and nothing more. The great part is that it gives Fi plenty of opportunities to rub that decision in his face. It’s truly ironic how much Michael cares for Fi and yet she is an indispensable asset, therefore he has to keep their relationship as professional as he can. I guess he should feel lucky that Sam isn’t a hot chick as well.

I found this particular assignment interesting because instead of kicking ass and outsmarting people, Michael was forced to play the protector, which is something he usually only does for his family. Of course, there’s bound to be some kind of confrontation between Michael and Larry, but it seemed like it had been a long time since we’d seen Michael’s softer side.

It’s nice to see Zachary Bryan finally getting some work as an adult. I’m sure, like the others on Home Improvement, he never has to work again, but I admire a guy who will take such an unlikable role. It reminds me of all the evil parts Alan Alda took after he was done playing Hawkeye. Not that I’m comparing Brad Taylor to Hawkeye Pierce but you get the idea.

I loved the visit with the therapist. It’s clear that he is completely useless but he will be a catalyst for Michael and Madeline getting closer. It’s about time that they both realize they have more in common then meets the eye. That exterminator uniform should be evidence enough.

I wasn’t too crazy about Fiona involving her new beau in the operation but I guess he’ll need a really good reason to break it off with her, which he will eventually do. It’s clear he doesn’t have the stomach for that kind of excitement and I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up being collateral damage in a future episode.

The conversation between Michael and Larry was awesomely creepy. I really hope Larry returns to cause more trouble. It’ll be nice to see Michael have to deal with someone who he actually has to be wary of.

(S02E07) “Sounds like the world’s worst game show.” - Sam Axe

Finally, Michael gets himself involved in someone else’s problems in a truly organic way. Like most of you, I was tired of people seeking Michael’s help like he was Robert McCall Jr. So when he came to the defense of Seymour, it was really refreshing to see.

Speaking of Seymour, I was surprised to see Silas Weir Mitchell playing a character who was so socially functional. After his stint on Prison Break
and Earl
I wasn’t sure if he was even acting.

Unfortunately, it only took until after the opening credits for someone to ask for Michael’s help. Virgil didn’t make much of an impression on me the first time around. His intended phone call to Michael’s mom helped me remember who he was but it also made me wonder why Mike would get involved with this guy again after everything that happened last time.

The cute way that Virgil and Madeline and everyone was playing off their relationship really didn’t work for me. Michael had a point about Virgil attracting bullets and was doing what any good son should. It didn’t make sense that Virgil would ask Mike for a favor and still push so hard to get with Madeline or that she would still be interested in him considering how freaked out she is by guys with guns. I didn’t buy it.

Watching Michael and Seymour try to work together was hilarious. It actually reminded me of shows like Tenspeed and Brownshoe or Crazy like a Fox where one partner would get the other involved in something really dangerous just so he would have his back. If Seymour doesn’t at least become a semi-regular, I will be very disappointed.

I’ve mentioned before that one of the reasons I love this show is because it actually shoots in Miami. That fact offers a host of things that a Hollywood sound stage can’t. Case in point, Gerard the thief and his crew. Only in Miami, Florida could you a find a group of extras who look that sleazy and worthless. It made me long for Art Deco days.

Out of all Michael’s covers, this nerdy character was definitely my favorite. The inhaler, the fast talking and the running like a dork were all more believable than anything he’s done thus far. I only hope that like the “spy for hire” thing, his “cover of the week” doesn’t get overused.

Michael and Virgil’s little play on the boat was awesome. That scenario has been done a dozen times before in movies and on TV, but Michael’s solution was pretty original. The only thing better was his reaction after recognizing his fridge.

This was an episode that can only be described as kick ass. Aside from the fact that there weren’t enough hot ladies for my liking, I thought it was the best offering this season. I’m thinking the return of the yogurt was a sign that this show will only get better. At the very least, I’ll definitely be back in three weeks

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Here’s a neat idea: the Burn Notice promotional kits that USA Network sent out to Emmy voters were written in invisible ink! You needed a UV flashlight to read the words, which was included in the kit. The Denver Egoist has all of the details and several pics from the kit, created by TDA Advertising in Boulder, CO.

The kit, which contains 12 episodes of the show on four DVDs, is set up to look like a classified file, and though some of the words are legible, you need the flashlight to read the others. Very cool and very spy-ish, though I wonder if they should have done it a different way. Isn’t the preferred method of getting secret messages to Michael via a crossword puzzle? They should have included a secret message about the show inside of a crossword too.

Of course, these went out before the Emmy nominations were announced. The show wasn’t nominated, and Jeffrey Donovan and Bruce Campbell weren’t nominated for their roles. Interestingly, Sharon Gless was nominated, but for her guest spot on Nip/Tuck, not Burn Notice. The show did get a technical award nomination.

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Burn Notice’s ex-spy Jeffrey Donovan remains tight-lipped about his USA Network hit and… kissing Angelina Jolie? (Burn Notice airs Thursdays at 10 pm/ET, USA.)

TV Guide: What’s coming up for “burned” spy Michael Westen? Any big cliff-hangers?
Jeffrey Donovan: My line is
always “tune in and find out.”

TV Guide: You can’t reveal anything about what’s coming up?
Donovan: I
like to leave that to other
people. I’m never sure what
I’m supposed to keep silent
and what I can give away.

TV Guide: OK. While shooting Season 1, you got injured many times doing your own stunts. Any Season 2 injuries?
Donovan: Surprisingly,
none. Here’s the funny
thing: I’ve been hurt zero
times on set and a few times at
home. I walked off a boat and
fell on the dock and ripped my
knee open. And I was trying to
open a drawer and the ceramic
handle broke off and slashed
my hand open. So I’m going
to do all my own stunts on the
show, and my stunt double is
going to live my life.

TV Guide: You recently turned 40. I don’t believe it.
Donovan: I know. It’s a surprise
to everybody. I just try to
take care of myself. I’ve never
smoked. I don’t do drugs. I
just have a really clean diet.
I’m really proud of it. I think I
look good for 40.

TV Guide: Well, you’re making the rest of us look awfully lazy.
Donovan: It’s hard
work — regular exercise and
being strict on set. I’m not the
guy eating Krispy Kremes and
drinking Mountain Dews. I
can’t. It will just kill me. With
the energy I need for 14-hour days, it’s just impossible.

TV Guide: On top of that, you know all sorts of kung fu, right?
Donovan: I don’t
know any kung fu. I have a
black belt in karate and six
years of aikido and about a
year of Brazilian jujitsu.

TV Guide: So you could beat me up pretty handily?
Donovan: Only if you threaten
me or my family. Otherwise,
I’m talking my way out of it.

TV Guide: Do you ever go online and read what Burn Notice fans have to say about you?
Donovan: Hell, no. I’m
scared to read something bad
about me. What if someone
said something mean like
“Donovan can’t act”? I don’t
want to read that. I like to live
in my little fantasy bubble that
people like me.

TV Guide: Clint Eastwood obviously likes you. He cast you opposite Angelina Jolie in his upcoming mystery, Changeling, out this October. How did you feel when you got the part?
Donovan: It was kneebuckling.
To say that you’re the
male lead opposite Angelina
Jolie in a Clint Eastwood
film — it’s one of the best memories
of my whole career. And
then they didn’t disappoint.

TV Guide: Are you the romantic lead?
Donovan: No. It’s a period piece where Angelina’s son disappears. I’m the police captain who finds him.

TV Guide: So you didn’t get to kiss Angelina?
Donovan: No.

TV Guide: Damn, I really wanted to live vicariously through you.
Donovan: [No
answer. Absolute silence.]

TV Guide: All right. Did you party with Angelina and Clint at Cannes, where the film debuted?
Donovan: I did
not. I was working on Burn
Notice. I was actually going to
poison everyone here for two
days so I could fly over there.
But I couldn’t find any poison.

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(S02E05) “Sammy’s gettin’ some hammy tonight.” - Sam Axe

How great was it seeing Michael and Fi still sitting in that car? I like to imagine that they were sitting there for an entire week while we waited for the new episode.

Not that I didn’t enjoy Michael’s how-to on exposing covert security but I feel bad for the delivery guy. As if it isn’t bad enough to get to the delivery and realize you’ve been pranked, this poor guy is also going to get the crap beaten out of him. No wonder Michael helps everyone he meets. He has a lot of bad karma to make up for.

After so many weeks of being an easy touch, I loved seeing Michael really try to turn Trevor away. In fact, it wasn’t until Trevor played the father/son card that Mike finally gave in. The scene was really quite moving and Maurice Compte gave a much more sensitive performance than most of the actors who play clients. The best part is that the father/son angle is more evidence that Michael’s father may show up before the season is over.

It was brought to my attention that last week’s episode was very similar to most plots of Mission: Impossible. Michael befriended the bad guy and then burned him and in the end the bad guy looked like a rat and was dragged away by his cronies. Tonight’s offering gave me the same feeling when we were introduced to Timo and his crew. Even the inclusion of Robin Givens reminded me how a well-known actor like William Shatner or Eartha Kitt would appear to spice things up.

While I’m on the subject, Oded Fehr has been absent from television for far too long. I’ve been a fan ever since I saw him in The Mummy and I have always thought that he would be great in his own action series.

Once again, the comedy team of Campbell and Anwar do what they do best. I don’t know what was funnier; seeing Sam trying so hard to be assaulted or watching Fiona stand by and take her time before she screamed.

Was it just me or was Michael using one of his signature accents as Joseph the safe cracker? I guess I should be thankful that this one was a little more subtle than his Texan or his South African dialect.

I don’t really know what to say about Sam’s situation other than I really, really hope we get to meet his wife.

Once again, Michael solved the problem by eliminating the bad guy who was causing it. I wonder if the writers are consciously trying to make the show look like MI or if there just inspired. In either case, Rollin Hand would be proud.

As for Carla, I am totally digging the little pieces of information that we get with every episode. Moreover, it’s so refreshing to see Michael have to match wits with someone who is at least as smart as him if not smarter. I still have no clue what Carla’s story is but with all the buildup she’s getting, it better be a good one.

I can only imagine that it is bad news to be involved with any mobster outfit, especially those featured on Burn Notice. If you somehow get lucky and happen upon those who can truly help your cause, thank your lucky stars.

Spoilers are like fine wine… it’s liquid gold if you know what you’re doing.

Michael and Fiona are enjoying what appears to be frozen yogurt at the beach while Michael pores over Carla’s dossier, which appears to be largely devoid of any really juicy details. Fi lets slip the Lincoln that’s been tailing them all day. This is when Michael decides to flee the scene, Lincoln in tow. In a “kids, don’t try this at home” moment, he jumps from the moving car in order to push a random rickshaw in front of his tail. It turns out his tail is none other than his brother Nate.

Back at Casa Michael, Nate weaves his tale of woe: his secretary friend is in bad with the Russian Mafia and he needs Michael to step in and untangle the sticky web. The damsel in distress only wants to do good by bringing her sister to America. After she pays an initial $25,000 fee, she goes to pick her up, but as it turns out, the mobster-in-question wants double the initial fee or the sister dies.

Katya, Nate and Michael set off to do initial surveillance. Michael deciphers Ivan the bad guy’s tattoos: the spade for thief, the tiger for enforcer and the skull for murderer. Ivan seems like quite the charming fellow, don’t you think? Fi then continues to tail Ivan.

Later, Sam meets with an agricultural guy, Harvey Gunderson (played by Larry Miller with even less hair than I’ve ever seen on him). The purpose of this meeting is to find out how legit Carla is in the industry. Sam wants the info, but Harvey seems unwilling, for whatever reason, to part with it so easily. Too bad Sam can’t drink Harvey under the table.

All Sam has to show for his efforts the next day is a wicked hangover. Fi’s attempt to pin anything on Ivan went just as poorly. With their backs against the wall, the three plan on hitting Ivan hard for any kind of info. If they make him think this is the end of the road for him, he might just crack under the pressure.

Fi’s solo effort to take Ivan down does not go as planned, so Sam springs into action. Before he arrives to save the day, we learn that if you intend to use a stun gun on a person who is in contact with you in any way, you will be stunned yourself. Sensing that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, Fi takes one for the team and stuns Ivan anyway.

Sam and Michael end up building one badass interrogation cell to house Ivan. If they control all aspects of what Ivan can see, hear, eat and so on, and if they make him think all hope is lost, they might be able to better extract information. Once Fi brings Ivan back from the disorienting drive through the Everglades, he gets the third degree from Sam. Of course when you’ve dined in gulags more horrific than this, you’re not going to break as easily.

Sam suggests expanding the supporting cast to include everyone. Michael takes on the role of “Prisoner #2″ in order to gain Ivan’s trust. To look convincing, he needs to look the part. Enter Fiona, who proceeds to beat the living piss out of Michael.

Once in the holding cell, Michael asserts his dominance and kicks Ivan’s ass. Working as Sergei from Tampa, Michael doesn’t initially learn much from Ivan… but that’s how these things start: slow and easy.

Fi and Sam stake out the Russian restaurant where Ivan focuses his energy. Thanks to thermal cameras, Fi is able to determine the top floor is heat-shielded. Inside, Sam points out the boss, Takarov, who looks an awful lot like a bad Larry Flint impersonator from the 70s. Sam plays up the angry customer, buying Fi the chance to get up to the third floor. What she hoped would be the missing girls turns out to be pirated computers running God-knows-what.

Sam makes one last go at extracting information from Ivan, telling him that the Russian outfit is near extinction. With Ivan still as strong as a rock, Sam places the shroud over his head and turns up the electronica. It was torture for me to hear what I did, so I’m not sure how long Ivan can hold out. Sam proceeds to change metaphorical suits and is off for yet another meeting with Harvey.

Back in the cell, Ivan finally lets Michael in on what he knows. Basically, he won’t say a word to the Americans, because the girls will be dead before they have any clue as to what happened.

As it turns out, Ivan isn’t the only one withholding info from Sam, so he kicks his other character into high gear. Before Harvey can enjoy the crab cakes, Sam flashes a DEA badge, insisting he gets the info, or else Harvey will be on the outside of the agricultural society looking in.

This is why they paid Sam the big bucks, kids.

Michael determines that Ivan must escape the holding cell and return to the girls for them to survive. Nate is skeptical of the plan, but ultimately agrees to help out.

By helping out, it’s Nate’s turn to take one for the team. Michael engineers the escape with a little help from Ivan. Nate is bitch slapped back to the Stone Age, while Michael and Ivan walk out unharmed. Michael insists not going back to Takarov without the girls, so he has Ivan tell him what he wanted to know all along… the location of the girls.

The two reach the house in Hialeah to find the guards not knowing what’s going on. Michael gets the guards to split up, making it easier to ultimately take the rest down and save the girls. Meanwhile, Ivan goes to Takarov, thinking he’s doing the loyal thing and forewarning him of the impending danger. Of course, there was no Sergei, no operation in Tampa, and so I guess that’s the last we’ll be seeing of ol’ Ivan.

In the end, Michael and Nate make nice, and Nate gets a kiss from Katya. All Sam got from Harvey was a PO Box address, so we leave Michael and Fi enjoying yet another surveillance session in the hot Miami sun.

When Jeffrey Donovan first auditioned for the role of Michael Westen, a new TV spy, he didn’t go for the intense, Kiefer-Sutherland-on-”24″ sort of thing. Donovan’s take was more laid-back. Sarcastic. Been there, done that.

In an instant “Burn Notice” creator Matt Nix knew he’d found his star.

The last thing Nix wanted was for his hero to be, well … “spy-ish.” He envisioned something un-”Alias,” a non-”24.”

“Those shows [depict] a very dramatic world,” Nix says. “People run around saying” - he adopts a deep, basso acting voice - “‘You don’t understand! We’re up against the hugest organization in the world, and we’re all going to die unless we do this thing in the next 42 minutes!’”

Back to regular Matt: “On ‘Burn Notice,’ we kinda go in the opposite direction.”

Like in the pilot, when Michael is stuck between two thugs in the back of a Mercedes. “You know, Mercedes makes an SUV now,” he says. “Big backseat … surprisingly affordable, too.”

Michael Westen is no James Bond. He’s Stephen Colbert armed with sunglasses, a hot babe sidekick and perhaps some combustible homemade thermite powder, outwitting villains with levity as well as pyrotechnics.

The series, which debuted on the USA Network last summer, was a hit. And Thursday, after nearly a year, “Burn Notice” returns for a second season (at 10 p.m.), as quirky and clever as ever.

The premise remains the same. Michael, a former agent, is stuck in his hometown of Miami, broke and blacklisted. (In spyspeak, a “burn notice” is like a pink slip, but worse.) He’s desperate to figure out who “burned” him and why, but he also needs to pay the rent. So he dabbles in crime-solving, helping folks in need using Special Ops training and assistance from Sam ( Bruce Campbell), a semiretired colleague, and Fiona ( Gabrielle Anwar), a sultry, ruthless IRA operative - and Michael’s ex-girlfriend.

Donovan’s no dummy

Each episode is like “Spying for Dummies,” with Michael explaining how to tail a suspect, use a flash grenade, escape from a house when all exits are blocked. (Bust out the A/C unit, where the wall is weakest and when nobody’s watching.) Nix prides himself on getting the details right, and even has a private intelligence operative on staff.

When Donovan was first cast, he read up on spies and intelligence. “I don’t remember the [book] titles,” Donovan notes. “Or [they] made me forget - by some brainwashing message embedded in the text,” he jokes. “They all spoke about the same thing. How boring and long the waiting is between actual missions. Kind of like sitting on a movie set.”

The show revels in that kind of reality. Michael’s world is shaken, not sugarcoated.

Take Madeline, his manipulative, chain-smoking mother (played by “Cagney & Lacey” vet Sharon Gless). “It’s a little weird to have a spy show with a mom on it,” Nix admits. “But this is a show where all the hard things are easy and the easy things are hard.”

Thug in the doorway? No problem. But a nagging mom? That 007 never had it so tough.

And then there’s the ex.

“I love how outspoken and unrestrained Fiona is,” Anwar says of her character. One minute she’s pushing Michael to rig a bigger bomb - the next, to face his issues. He knows her well enough not to judge her by her slinky attire.

“We were shooting a couple weeks ago, and I had a micro mini on,” Anwar says. “One of the writers said, ‘Do you know you’re gonna be loading and firing a shotgun? [Maybe] you should be wearing jeans.’ And I was like, ‘It’s Fi.’ He nodded and wandered off.”

Hey, the show tweaks convention, but there’s still got to be a sexy gal with a gun. Plus the requisite chases, the cool clothes, the muscle car (a ’70s Dodge Charger).

Bringing his work home

In truth, “Burn” is a spy series moonlighting as a private-eye show - part “Rockford Files,” part “MacGyver.” The MacGyver act doesn’t come naturally, Donovan admits. “I usually pick a project at home, research it on the Internet, tackle the job myself, screw it up, then call in an expert at twice the original cost to fix it.”

But Donovan’s flair for accents has encouraged the writers to create more scenes where Michael goes undercover. Over the hiatus, the actor boned up on dialects - and jujitsu, for good measure. (He already knows aikido and has a black belt in karate.)

“Michael runs around with a gun and there are explosions on the show,” Nix says, “but the reason he defeats the bad guys always has to do with how smart he is.”

It’s the power of the brain over the bullet.

If that doesn’t work, Fiona can always whip out a missile launcher from under her skirt. Now there’s an ex a spy can count on.

Why we love spies

There’s nothing covert about spies these days. They’re in films (”Get Smart,” “Wanted”), on Broadway (”The 39 Steps”) and in new novels, like the latest James Bond novel. On TV the genre has thrived since the 1950s and shows like “Doorway to Danger.” So what explains our fascination?

“Spies in American culture are like real superheroes,” says “Burn Notice” creator Matt Nix. “In a time when anxieties have a lot to do with … how shall I put this … individuals with nefarious plans living sneakily among us, we like the idea of heroes living among us who are supersmart - and can save us.”

Some say we live in a climate of “clandestinity,” notes Wesley Britton in his book “Spy Television.” Corporate bureaucracy makes “outsiders of us all,” he writes. We work in cubicles “under the eyes of security cameras while supervisors … oversee what electronic correspondence comes and goes from our computers.”

Or maybe we just love a good David vs. Goliath tale.

“I don’t know what it all [means],” Robert Vaughn, star of the popular “Man from U.N.C.L.E.” series, admitted to Britton in a 2002 interview. “I know it was good fun for us to do, and good fun for people to see.”

“Your mission, should you choose to accept it…”

Oops, sorry, wrong spy show, but the declaration stands: Your mission is to catch up on Burn Notice by the time season two premieres—Thursday, July 10 at 10 p.m.! (Tip: The Burn Notice season one DVD came out Tuesday.)

I recommend the whole kit and caboodle of Burn Notice without reservation, and if you won’t take my word, then at least listen to dreamy star Jeffrey Donovan, who said, “It’s a summer show, there’s nothing else on, it’s got action, and there are some pretty hot women on the show.” Touché.

Stars Donovan and Bruce Campbell just took the time to chat about the season, and they were as witty and astute as their characters, Michael and Sam. Click in to find out about Tricia Helfer’s incoming character, Carla, and more inside scoop on the series…

Michael’s Old Ladies: There are two ladies in Michael’s life (his mom and his love interest), and they are simultaneously beloved and a pain in the bunda. When asked about the fiery Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar), Donovan said, “That’s a crazy relationship that’s going to have its ups and downs. It’s gonna go left, right and all around.” (Go forward! Go forward!) Jeffrey also said Michael’s relationship with his mom, Madeline (Sharon Gless), will be getting a little more settled this season: “The writers have brought her more into a personal connection with Michael Westen, so I think you’re going to see more of a true mother-son relationship.” Sweet.

Guest-Star Fiesta: Jeffrey spilled a little bit about the mysterious and dangerous Carla (Helfer), “You are actually going to meet Ms. Helfer in the flesh. She’s behind a lot of things that held Michael back, and you realize she’s actually controlling his life. She’s very evil and sexy at the same time.” Bruce: “That’s evexy.” Apparently Tricia was in and out of Burn Notice’s Miami set in a flash. (Cylons are nothing if not efficient.) According to Jeffrey , “She shot all of her stuff in one day. I wish I had her agent.” Jeffrey also revealed that Method Man guests in episode six.

Fermented or Demented? There’s no specific secret behind Michael Westen’s yogurt fetish, but Donovan and Campbell enjoy it as a gag. According to Jeffrey, “It was just something that was written into the script by Matt. For some reason every time I open the fridge, it says, ‘All there is is yogurt.’ And then when Sam joins me, it’s beer. So I’m living on yogurt and beer, and that’s how I stay so thin.” Bruce added, “Some things have been added to the fridge this year—because Sam hangs out there a lot. So pickles have been added, and there may be hard-boiled eggs coming up sometime later.” Oops, should have mentioned: Spoiler alert!

What’s to Come: “I love the second-season scripts,” Jeffrey says. “They’re even better than the first season, and I think the first season was pretty darn good in and of itself. The ratings are not up to me, they’re up to the general public, and if they go up or down we’re still going to do the same thing we did last year, which is make the show we’d watch. And that’s what we’re doing this year again.” Yay!

Courtesy of Kristin at E! Online

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.