Burn Notice

Identity

Season 1, Episode 2, Aired 7/5/07

Episode Summary

Laura, one of Madeline's friends, was scammed and beaten up by a con artist. Michael agrees to help Laura at Madeline's insistence in exchange for information on two men that were asking about him.

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Cast & Crew

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Bruce Campbell

Sam Axe
Gabrielle Anwar

Fiona Glenanne
Sharon Gless

Madeline Westen

Fan Episode Reviews (11)

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It takes a wolf to kill a wolf.

10

"Perfect"

By sebzx, Sep 10, 2011 Report Abuse

In this episode Michael helps a friend of his mother in exchange for some information she has about some people. Apparantely, a few months ago, some people asked Michael's mom about her son, and they planted a bug in their house. Also, Michael tracks down a con artist and tries to put him out of bussiness. He takes the identity of a guy in prison, who apparently has a mutual friend with the con man. We find out other spy-tricks about planting bugs. Another thing, Michael asks Fiona to go to dinner at his mother's, and Fiona is more than excited..moreless

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1 1
Con artists again? Why not!

10

"Perfect"

By OnePerCentClub, Sep 10, 2011 Report Abuse

I love con artists plots. But what I like better is people who con con artists and this episode did a good job. We learned that Michael and his mother don't have a good relationship and it was kind of sad that whoever came to her house to get information about Michael was told that he is the example of a good son when in fact, it's just the opposite. I don't think their relationship will be any good any time soon as there are a lot of feelings that need to be discussed between them.
Sam and Fiona complement this team and they make the dynamic very interesting and fun. They hate each other but it comes to help Michael, they put their differences aside.
Fiona and Michael's relationship is something I'm looking forward to watch in the series. Not that I want them to get together. It wouldn't be bad, but it will be interesting to see the direction it will take and how much they wil depend on each other and the feelings involved.
So who called Michael in the end? We don't know. But that's what makes me watch this show week after week: the mystery of who got Michael burned.moreless

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102

6.0

"Fair"

By thefanof, Sep 10, 2011 Report Abuse

So, this episode was a little bit more like the current Burn Notice than the pretty uneventful pilot was, but it still took the show quite some time to really get itself going and to get people buzzing about it (circa season 2.)

The episode was pretty interesting as it really gave viewers an idea of what Burn Notice is: a show where Michael, Sam and Fiona con people to save someone, and I think most people, at this point, are on board with the concept.

Plus, it featured an early appearance by the man who would go on to become Jacob on Lost!moreless

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Ya got to pick a pocket or twooo

5.5

"Mediocre"

By MovieMark, Sep 10, 2011 Report Abuse

There are still an awful lot of creases to be ironed out, but I actually had a lot of fun with this episode. A lot stronger than the pilot, hopefully Burn Notice can retain this healthy balance of inoffensive case-of-the-week stuff, and keep the funnies coming with the light-hearted banter on display here.

I was a little sceptical about this episode, as it doesn't exactly start off on the strongest foot. The idea of concentrating your second episode of a spy series on the home-front, as well a fluffy main-plot about a con-artist taking money from pensioners, is a risky move that could have killed the show there and then.

Luckily, the writing staff do well to interject enough menace from the FBI that's tailing Michael, to remind us that's he's still not off the hook (although they do come off fairly inept for field agents surely they'd think it suspicious that Michael is hanging with a criminal and blowing up cars with two other agents).

And there are a lot of typical espionage niches here which prove to be a lot of fun: Fiona, mostly, gets to have a blast going undercover as Michael's long-term girlfriend, and of course, her faux romp with Sam that results in a few slaps in the face.

Casting kudos, once again, for guest star Mark Pellegrino (of Dexter, Supernatural and Lost fame). I enjoyed watching Michael play a player, as the kids say, and this time the voiceovers didn't grate as v/o-Michael detailed the dos and donts of pulling the rug from under a professional con-artist. Michael, too, has been dialled down considerably, and his relationship with his mother comes off much more splintered here, much more realistic.

It's a very watchable second episode. Once again, we're shifted towards the overall arc to the season within the last few minutes of the episode. I have a strong feeling that whoever is behind the phone could very well be related to Michael it could very well be his brother. I'm less enthused about the decision to give Fiona an American accent. They do make fun of that fact within the episode, but I have a feeling it'll nag me for the rest of the season cos I keep hearing snippets of her native accent, and as an Irish man myself, I'm more than a little miffed at the decision.moreless

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good episode...

8.8

"Great"

By Fwirrel, Jul 25, 2008 Report Abuse

I liked the story in this episode. Michael had to help on eof his mother's neighbors by finding who scammed her. He basically tricked the scammer . . . I've seen the story done before, but I like what Burn Notice did with it. I love seeing more character development and learning more about Michael's relationship with his mother. Sam and Michael's ex - girlfriend were funny together . . . Great ending to the episode as it leaves story lines for future episodes. Overall, another solid episode of the show with an interesting story and great character development. . .moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
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- When Fiona and Michael are sitting down to have dinner with his mother, you can see that the strap on Fiona's dress is off her shoulder, but then in the next camera angle the strap is on her shoulder. Edit
Notes
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- International Episode Titles: Czech Republic: Totožnost (Identity) Edit
- Original International Air Dates: Brazil: October 9, 2007 on AXN New Zealand: November 11, 2007 on TV3 Australia: January 29, 2008 on TEN Czech Republic: February 20, 2008 on TV Prima Sweden: February 24, 2008 on TV6 United Kingdom: October 12, 2008 on FX Germany: October 5, 2009 on Vox Finland: February 8, 2010 on MTV3 Slovakia: February 16, 2010 on JOJ Edit
Quotes
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- Michael: Not bad for a man in his underwear. Sam: You think that's good? You should see me without them. Edit
- Michael: (voice-over) Eavesdropping and fieldwork go hand-in-hand. You wanna know what your target is saying, what he's typing into his computer. But technology can't work miracles: bugs don't plant themselves. Fact is, even the fanciest equipment usually needs help from a good old-fashioned crowbar. Edit
- Michael: (voice-over) A good cover identity keeps the target feeling in control: you talk too much, drink too much, just to let him know he's got the edge. Edit
Allusions
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- Sam: Good afternoon, Miami PD. I'm Detective Cagney. This is Detective Lacey. A reference to the CBS television series Cagney and Lacey, which starred Sharon Gless (Madeline Westen) as NYPD Detective Chris Cagney. Edit