June 17, 2008
Burn Notice - Season One
Robert Newton READ TIME: 2 MIN.
With looks and a charismatic style so striking, it is a small wonder that series lead Jeffrey Donovan has not broken out before now. USA's snarky spy adventure is his obscurity escape vehicle, and he rides it in every one of these 11 Season One episodes. He plays Michael Westen, a government agent who finds himself on the "burn list," the spy equivalent of a pink slip. Donovan plays him suave, like Bond, and inventive, like MacGyver. Cut off financially as well, he uses those skills on odd jobs (? la "The Equalizer") to make ends meet as he quests to find out who had it out for him so badly as to saddle him with this ultimate dis.
Series creator Matt Nix nicely incorporates some gorgeous Miami locales, and keeps things moving at a suitably hyperkinetic pace. The characters are likable, even after we learn of the kinds of things they do to pay the rent. Westen's sidekick, Sam Axe, is the most fun of the supporting bunch, thanks largely to the man who plays him -- B movie king, Bruce Campbell ("Bubba Ho-Tep"). Sam is the only one of Westen's spy friends who will still talk with him, and they have a mutual awareness of the boundaries and realities of their friendship. Campbell plays his with the kind of wink-wink hamminess that has endeared him to fans for a quarter century in movies like the "Evil Dead" trilogy and series like "Xena," "Jack Of All Trades" and "The Adventures Of Brisco County, Jr."
Michael's ex and scheme-stopping utility player, Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar), is a little underdeveloped, though there is time to remedy that during the next season. Michael's martyr of a Mom, Madeline (Sharon Gless) is a riot, doting on the boy like he was still eight years old, yet fully knowing what he does for a living. Nix's decision not to make Michael live this dual life (? la "True Lies") is a smart one, as the ruse would get tired very quickly. Thankfully, he has good sense to make "Burn Notice" the kind of fresh and fun boredom escape vehicle in which you can leave the Big Four's summer of reruns and reality barrel sludge in the dust.
The second season of "Burn Notice" begins airing on USA on July 10th.
Robert Newton is the National Film Editor for EDGE. He is also Editor of North Shore Movies Weekly, and a film and TV writer for a variety of newspapers, magazines and websites. He is also an award-winning novelty recording artist (aka "Fig"), and runs The Cape Ann Community Cinema on the island of Gloucester, MA.
