Burn Notice - Season Two [Blu-ray]

Burn Notice, the USA Network's original series about a spy who trapped in Miami while figuring out who's deemed him unreliable, hence unemployable, is not only critically lauded for its hip, fresh writing, but is the only scripted television show filmed entirely in South Florida (CSI: Miami films about 5-10% in Miami while Dexter shot their pilot in Miami and quickly retreated to LA).

Authentic locations and hot Miami bodies contribute to the fun of watching Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan), his ex-girlfriend Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar), and his washed up former FBI agent buddy Sam (Bruce Campbell) maraud around town, helping people with problems that can't involve the police.

Westen is constantly juggling his social life and his professional livelihood, and he's forced to deal with his mother (played by former Cagney and Lacey star and Miami resident Sharon Gless).

Westen searches for ever-elusive answers to who burned him and why, and in Season 2 he is forced to be an errand boy for Carla (Tricia Helfer) an operative for The Management, the people who claim to be protecting Michael from "all hell raining down" on him, presumably people Michael worked against in his operative days.

Michael's clients in season two are mostly people in trouble with gangsters: A girl who's sister is being held by the Russian mob, a man who's family is being held, a woman being stalked, a high school kid being harrassed by gangsters, etc.

There are also episodes devoted to return characters, like C.S.S agent Jason Bly, Michael's brother Nate (Seth Peterson), and also guest stars like Robin Givens, Tim Mathesson, and Method Man.

The show isn't so much about guest stars and, dare one say, hot bodies, so much as the clever, self-awareness of the character's, their lines, and their attitudes.

Whether of not you find the show plausible isn't as important as the show's consistently crisp pacing. There are a multitude of elements in every episode that you can set your watch to: Michael takes on a client while concurrently trying to help himself, something blowing up, plus his mother will be around to complicate things, or in some cases help.

The quality control is what keeps viewers tuning in on Thursday to watch the show. That, plus the beautiful people in the background don't hurt.

There are a few obligatory bonus features--audio commentary on select episodes, deleted scenes, and a gag reel, plus a featurette with the show's creator, Matt Nix.

The Blu-Ray experience is definitely the way to go for the ultimate Burn Notice experience, but the show works pretty much the same if you watched it on youtube. It's fast and fun, just like Miami.