Burn Notice

Pilot

Season 1, Episode 1, Aired 6/28/07

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Episode Summary

Michael Westen, a spy, is "burned" while on assignment in Nigeria. Spies are not fired; they're issued a burn notice to let the agent know their services are no longer required.
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Dumped in his Miami hometown with no money or resources to his name, Michael agrees to help a man accused of stealing valuable pieces of art and jewelry.moreless

9.1

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Cast & Crew

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Jeffrey Donovan

Michael Westen
Sharon Gless

Madeline Westen
Gabrielle Anwar

Fiona Glenanne

Fan Episode Reviews (24)

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Fmeh.

3.0

"Bad"

By MovieMark, Mar 17, 2011 Report Abuse

Overlong and underwritten, but with the occasional glimmer of a series worth watching, Burn Notice doesn't exactly get off to a good start. Having devoured Alias, and all of its mind-boggling mythology, and enjoyed Chuck's quick wit and affable characters, Burn Notice aims to avoid both of these shows' formats and trademarks; instead, opting for a more DIY spy show, which doesn't really work. (Not yet, anyways.)

It would be easy to forget that once upon a time, a pilot, usually, would be a mere glimpse of what the show will eventually evolve into. But these past few years, we've been spoiled by the sheer volume of impressive pilots most resembling feature films. Burn Notice takes a nice and easy approach, with minimal plotting, and a very few main characters. It also doesn't help that there's very little action, and some of the makeshift espionage is a little tedious.

While the first half could very well send you into a coma, the second half does pick up the pace a little. There's more humour to digest in the second part and less torturous exposition, but things still feel forced, and the setup isn't as inviting as it should be. The main plot also doesn't really work: it's boring, for the most part, and offers up a lot superficial scenes, nothing feels genuine.

I also had an issue or three with the main lead. Smarmy is never a good quality in anyone. Especially if that someone is the main character. The voiceover stuff also didn't click with me I thought it to be pretentious and mostly unfunny. I just can't get behind a character that's so bloody full of himself. Hopefully the writers tone him down throughout the course of the season.

If there's anything that's worth praising, it's the show's impressive casting: David Zayas, Ray Wise and Bruce Campbell round out some impressive genre names. I also got a kick of seeing a strong, Irish lass onscreen. She's probably the best thing about the pilot, even if there's not a lot to her character as of yet (she drinks a lot and likes a good ol shag).

Overall, an unimpressive outing, it has to be said. It can only get better...moreless

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The pilot

4.0

"Poor"

By thefanof, Mar 17, 2011 Report Abuse

Okay, some shows start off great, but others start off with a bad pilot and grow into an excellent series; Burn Notice was one of those shows. B Note has evolved into one of cable's premiere programs, it has led to USA Network ordering several similar series, but it struggled to find its footings here. The witty dialogue was not there, outside of a few isolated lines, and the interactions between Michael and the villains were just pitiful.

You can tell the show needed a lot of reworking after this pilot, and thankfully it put in that work to become the great show it is today.moreless

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Wasn't what I expected, but wasn't as bad as I feared. Grew on me through the episode.

8.0

"Great"

By NawfalQ, Oct 10, 2009 Report Abuse

This episode was not particularly great. It was not very amusing, there wasn't a whole lot of action, and it does begin in media res. However, halfway through, the viewer should get a handle on things. This pilot won an Edgar Allan Poe award in 2008, and I think that's fair.

It felt very Miami - which is good, it was supposed to. (I've seen shows that were supposed to feel like a certain location and seemed entirely not that location.) I appreciate the narrative by the main character that are explanatory and witty. The main character is interesting - but surprising. He says he has two black belts, is seen beating up baddies, but he's scrawny and lanky. The actor has curious and engaging facial expressions and fits the role well. Will we tire of him in his beige suits?

The supporting characters were rather blah, but I suspect they will develop in time. I'm patient. I will wait. I like the Miami Vice-meets-MacGyver feel. And there's a "happy" ending.moreless

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My favorite new show

9.0

"Superb"

By OnePerCentClub, Jan 07, 2009 Report Abuse

Very exciting episode. You get to see Michael in his spy personality, being very tough but when it comes to help a kid deal with a bully or try to go through a teary moment with his mother, he might not be the opposite, but he changes and tries to help.
The voice overs reminds me of one of my favorite shows of all time, MacGyver. But not only because of that, as Michael is an expert in creating artifacts and devices with things you can find in a garage. It was good to see Sharon Gless back and she did a great job playing the so-hypochondriac mother. It was also nice to see Gabrielle Anwar back, but unfortunately the restaurant scene was a little bit over acted. However, I like her and I'm sure she will improve in the next episodes
The case was interesting, entertaining, with good action scenes and funny moments.moreless

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good start...

8.7

"Great"

By Fwirrel, Jul 24, 2008 Report Abuse

I like how the episode went strait into the story and the problem. Michael got "burned" which means that he was fired and he can't get to any of his money. He has to go home to Miami and helps a man clear his name as a art stealer. I expected who actually did the crime and I like how Michael black-mailed him. I also liked the action scenes. I liked Michael's interactions with his mom and his ex-girlfriend. Overall, this episode introduced all of the characters well and had a mildly interesting story. Good start to the show . . .moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
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- When Michael pays Enrique, he holds the money over the envelope but in the next shot, Michael is pressing down on the money in a different place.
  Edit
- After getting off the phone, Michael sees the cops watching him and he pays the two boys to "distract them". After that, when Michael is riding away on the bus (smiling), you can clearly see a reflection of the boom on the left side of the screen in the windows of the bus. Edit
- When David is fighting the bully at the end of the episode, he stands up suddenly to headbutt the bully as instructed by Michael earlier in the episode, however you can see that his head does not make contact with the bullies. Edit
Notes
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- International Show Titles: Czech Republic: Status: Nežádoucí (Status: Unwanted) Slovakia: Agent (Agent) Edit
- Awards and Nominations 2008 – Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Television Episode Teleplay (won) Edit
- Original International Air Dates: Australia: January 15/22, 2008 on TEN Brazil: October 2, 2007 on AXN Czech Republic: February 06/13, 2008 on Prima New Zealand: November 4, 2007 on TV3 Sweden: February 17, 2008 on TV6 Germany: September 28, 2009 on Vox United Kingdom: October 5, 2008 on FX Finland: January 25/February 1, 2010 on MTV3 Slovakia: February 12/15, 2010 on JOJ Edit
Quotes
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- Michael: (voice-over) It doesn't matter how much training you have. A broken rib is a broken rib. Edit
- Michael: (voice-over) People with happy families don't become spies. A bad childhood is the perfect background for covert ops. You don't trust anyone. You're used to getting smacked around, and you never get homesick. Edit
- Michael: (voice-over) For a job like getting rid of the drug dealer next door, I'll take a hardware store over a gun any day. Guns make you stupid. Better to fight your wars with duct tape. Duct tape makes you smart. Edit
Allusions
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- Madeline: Well, remember when you were six and Daddy locked you in your room and wouldn't let you see the Star Wars movie. Well, you just pulled up the floor and sneaked out the heating vent. Star Wars was created by George Lucas in the 1970s. Edit