Burn Notice 1.1 - Pilot

Yes, the next series on the list is Burn Notice! So I broke alphabetical order, but um, they both have Bruce Campbell!

Plot: Michael Westen is in Nigeria, trying to pay a Russian fellow a large sum of money to protect some oil fields. The deal falls apart when he is blacklisted, or put on a "burn notice", and the agency he's working for breaks contact with him in the middle of the mission. One beating, some fast talking, and an escape on a dirtbike later, Michael wakes up in a Miami hotel, his ex-girlfriend Fiona there waiting. Michael quickly learns all his accounts are frozen, no one will talk to him, he has an FBI tail, and unless he wants a serious manhunt after him, he better stay in Miami. Oh, and his mother won't stop calling.

Michael does manage to find lodgings over a nightclub, though they come with an idiot drug dealer as a neighbor, and he finds work, helping a Javier, a man under suspicion of stealing art from his employer, Mr. Pyne. While not high paying, it's also not the most challenging operation he's ever undertaken, so he makes some bread and does some good. Have to savor the small victories as it becomes apparent there are other forces watching him other than the feds.

These other categories are under construction, we'll see what goes and stays.

The Players: Fiona (The Ex-Girlfriend), Sam (The Buddy), Javier (The Caretaker), Mr. Pyne (The Rich Guy), Vincent (Security), Oleg (The Landlord), Barry (Money Launderer), Dan (The Handler), Sugar (The Drug Dealer), Walter (the Art Dealer).

Quote of the Episode: 'We got a burn notice on you. You're blacklisted.'

Does Fiona blow anything up? No.

Sam Axe's Drink Count: 5 ( a couple of beers, an umbrella drink, some other stuff)

Sam Getting Punched Count: 1

Mike's Fake Laugh Count: 4

Other: I like that Michael won't mess up your car if he steals it, and he'll return it by 5 if it's a work day. Unless, of course, he steals it with you in it and uses it total another person's car.

It's strange to see Madeline Westen, Michael's mother with longer hair, since she shortens after this episode. Thinking about now, it seems odd Michael was all right with a new home with so many windows. Beggars can't be choosers, I suppose.

I'm pretty sure Michael killed those two Nigerian fellows in the bathroom. He's generally a bit abrasive in the pilot. Snide to Javier about how much he's offering, rude to the free hat girl, simply assuming Fi will make that distraction for him. He is fairly understanding about Sam informing on him to the feds, but even there he felt vaguely threatening with his suggestion to tell them just enough to make them leave Michael alone. Then again, Michael taking his friends for granted will be an ongoing concern in this series. He does have a soft spot for kids, though.

The FBI surveillance seemed pretty lazy, with that sequence where Agent Harris is sitting in the car, and Agent Lane leaning against a low wall. It might be they don't realize Michael's importance to certain parties, and simply regard it as scut work. Their willingness to loan Michael their binoculars was a nice humanizing touch.

I still don't entirely understand how he rigged the gun with the flare and the phone to trick Pyne. Calling the phone triggered the gun going off, or something.

Next week, Michael tries to track down the person who decorated his floor with photos of him. He'd like to see if they could do up the ceiling with some nice snapshots of cuddly puppies, you see.