Burn Notice

Decided to get this a try and look at the pilot. It has a good story of the spy business and also I liked when he explains tips and tricks of what he about to do. Most of the time it reminds me of macgyver with making things and being creative. This episodes gave a lot of good traits of what the show is about and how it all works, I'm looking forward to seeing more of this show.

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...

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.

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.

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.

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 . . .

Good start to a series, though there were a couple of issues that I had with the first initial episode. Let's begin with the good. I like the idea. A spy is burned for a reason not yet known and now he has to use his skills to help other people to earn some money. So each episode will solve a small portion of the big mystery while he solves a little case week by week. I like that aspect of the storytelling. I didn't like that Weston is the only character I really care about at this point. I do not care about his ex girlfriend, his mother, his handler, the ex-spy, or any of the other people that they introduced in this episode. I think the potential is there for there to be some devolopment of those charaacters, but it needs to happen quick before I devolop negative feelings for all characters not named Weston. Overall, a solid start that has me going to watch episode two but it does need to pick up.

the pilot is really good. some of my favorite parts are, for example, when Michael makes the bomb. I also think it was funny when he was teaching the kid to fight. Then at the end when he grabbed the FBI, or whatever, guys binoculars to see the kid he taught to fight, beat the hell out of the bullies. it was soo funny. I also think it is funny that his girlfriend dumped him in Miami. I also thought it was funny when he set up the trap for those guys at his mothers house. then puts one of the guys prints on the bullets, so the cops know that he shot at his partner! LOL@ i thought it was soo funny. Well, anyway it was a really good opening to a show, it really grabs your attention.

It's always difficult to review the pilot episodes, simply because you're just getting to know the characters and the storyline. In addition, the pilot episode is usually a bit bumpy and incoherant. However, this episode was filled with fun one-liners, interesting people, and an exciting concept. We've seen our share of spies, CIA operatives, FBI shows, cop shows, etc etc. However, this is a fresh new take on the covert operations idea. We've never really seen anything that shows us what happens when one of these guys gets the 'can'. It'll be interesting to see this story develop and as I believe it will be fast paced and fun I certainly hope it's not cancelled after only one season. I give it a thumbs up.

Michael Weston, a spy, receives a burn notice… right in the middle of an operation. What's a burn notice? You don't know? No problem. Neither do I.



The show's opening was really amazing. The first 5 minutes just bought me. I was glued to the screen. Great cinematography, great story, and finally, a show which doesn't feel awkward when jumping right in the middle of the story.



Action, comedy, and a nice touch: narration by the main character. The show has it all, but, does it actually execute it's goodies well enough to create something worth watching…?



Don't get me wrong, I don't want to take part in „how to be a spy within 60 minutes training", but I would've liked to hear some further explaination on what exactly a burn notice is. Clearly, it's something that equals being fired. But, when do they issue it, for what possible reason? What are the consequences? We learn that, it may be even as bad as death, but if not that, what? Will Mike be followed for the rest of his life by the FBI? Plus, being flagged on all lists is not enough explaination to me… if the show's title is „Burn notice", then why not explain it throughoutly?



Unfortunately, this is where this episode fails. No, not neccesserely with the explaination stuff. Rather, with the fact that out of the 65 minutes, it's – at best – only 15 minutes of the burn notice itself. Michael's got himself a new assigment to get some money: he uses McGyver tricks to take down the bad guys, teaches a kid how to fight… oh and he flirts with his ex girlfriend… and, I almost forgot: he takes his annoying mother to the hospital.



Nowhere near boring, it's really entertaining, especially with such a great character – but it just didn't feel right. When you, as a producer, focusing on something that's not interesting, and pushing the interesting things in the backround will definitely have your product called „stretched out" or even „boring".



This is a big issue, but if we forgive the show for it, and just enjoy for what it is – it's an insanely good ride. Mixature of McGyver and Mission Impossible at first – and although it takes place nowadays, the show has a 80's feel to it. This is due to the amazingly well done atmosphere, the cinematography, which is top notch.



Character-wise the show's great. The main character, Michael, who does the narration aswell, is just perfect. He's very lovable from the first minute, and really has alot of dimensions. We got his mother, who's a great comic relief – at least for now. We got an ex-girlfriend, who's also a spy – Fiona – who, by the way provides massive amount of eye candy… and she's really great too. And Sam – a „friend", who might just aswell die in the next episode from drinking too much.



These are the major characters we were introduced to in this episode. As I said, this show is mostly a mixature of action and comedy. And it's really not hard with these characters. Bottom line is, it's a good pilot. I was amazed by the brilliant start, but the pacing and focus went away very quickly, but still managed to entertain me until the end. This show has an incredible amount of potential in it, but it needs to be used. Let's hope it will be.

Burn Notice is an awesome show! I loved the pilot episode, it was hilarious and very cool. Jeffrey Donavon is a great actor and very attractive as well. I really like the voice-overs that give a little information.

Michael's first client was very funny, a strange sort of guy in need of a bit of help.

From this episode I knew I was going to love this show and I hope it stays on air for a very long time. Can't wait to see more of this brilliant stuff.

One of my favorite shows, and I don't have many of those. Don't miss this one.

I was hooked on the premise from the get-go. The main character, at first looking like your Plain-Jake cookie-cutter Jack Bauer-wannabe, actually has a real personality hidden behind that rent-a-cop veneer. And...BRUCE-EFFIN-CAMPBELL?!? Are you kiddin' me?! I wanted him in the lovable-sidekick role forever and a day, and now the ultimate wise-crackin', best friend you could ever find any day of the week (and twice on Sundays) is in arguably the role of his lifetime on USA's sleeper new smash hit. I was surprised to find out that Gabrielle Anwar is nearing 40 years of age, she rocks hardcore in the femme fatale role, and plays her half-jilted ex, half-ice queen, fully-full on badass personality MUCH better than, say, Michelle Pf. in Batman Returns, to pull out a quick comparison. I hope they don't kill her off, she seems to be something of a clear target for the enemies of Jeremy Donovan's character, and sadly I predict she'll be killed in the season finale for a cheap cliffhanger... (I'm usually never wrong about these bold predictions, MARK THESE WORDS_)



- Jenkins

This show is one of the most entertaining new series' i have seen in years. I love this show and i intend to follow it all the way through the series. The narration of the show simplifies the story of the main character Michael Westen, as he goes on his mission to find out who burned him and why. The episode leaves a lot untied, perfectly set up for the rest of the series. Simply put, this is one of the best shows i have seen ever. Many people may criticize it because its kind of a simple plot, but the way it is put together makes it feel fresh, and fun. I love it.

A decent start to what promises to be a good series.



This show has a good amount of promise. We, my wife and I, like the mix of action, comedy, and drama.



This has the potential of becoming a solid show for USA network, it is currently our second favorite on the network behind Monk.



We like the characters and the premise quite a bit, hopefully it will continue with decent plot lines.



It's nice to have a good off season show to give us something to watch when the main line shows are in repeats.



I can't wait until it's released in HD on directv, hopefully this fall.

This episode was not only amusing it also held my interest throughout. I did spend a lot of the episode imagining William Balwin (Firefly, Day Break) in the role; I thought he’d be great in it but Jeffrey Donovan did a great job of defining the character by the end of the episode I couldn’t imaging anyone else playing it.



Nice to see Bruce Campbell back on the screen but he’s put on a few pounds, I wouldn’t have imagined him blowing up like that. The added weight does add to his alcoholic ex cop character though. As Pilot episodes go this was very well put together and will keep me interested until Psych returns.

Jeffrey Donovan is GREAT! I am so stoked that this show is doing so well. If they yank it off the air I am going to give up on TV altogether.(grin)

And Bruce Campbell! YOW! Who could ask for a greater cast. Not to mention Gabrielle Anwar as Fiona. And Cagney! WOW. that was a surprise. She's great as Mike's mom.

My only complaint would be that they really need to get him out of Florida. (It reminds me of CSI:Miami. Yuck!)

The narrations are cool and it's a real eyeopening lesson in the spy biz.

If you haven't seen it, See it!

Putting together an interesting and varied television show is a very difficult thing to do. Only a handful of programs have managed to escape a repetitive or eternally prolonged story concept. Soap operas are ridiculed for rarely resolving anything as well as overhyped DRAMA.

The number one saving grace of Burn Notice is that it has a clever sense of humor, but not in a tongue-in-cheek way. Jeffery Donovan plays Michael the way spys have to behave, like a regular person. If he acted like he was a spy he couldn't fit in anywhere. Voice over monologues are becoming more commonplace on TV, but this is used as a Spy Work for Dummies. I enjoyed his thoughts on breaking and entering; plan in advance to appear accidental and you want a yogurt from the fridge to give you an excuse if you are caught.

Anything with Bruce Campbell is pushed up a few notches just because he makes any scene better. His Sam is an archetypal rarely sober best friend with all the contacts. It's a classic character but it adds dimension to the characters. Watch him create a Bloody Mary with vodka and a can of tomato juice.

Fiona his ex-girlfriend at this point seems to be the typical ex-girlfriend. They appear to hate each other, yet still have feelings for each other, yet seem to need each other for the time being. I hope their renewed relationship is handled uniquely and stay away from the typical stuff.

The inclusion of Michaels mother in the events can dangerously become saccharine. She does have a nice scene with Michael lamenting that all his combat experience doesn't help him prepare for Moms crying. I think it will be a good show, it had great humor, but I think what will make it work is by sticking to the formula of someone who sets up his plans based purely on what he expects them to do. It's fun television.

I liked it.

First I really liked the funny/serious combination, the show is serious but has a funny twist every once in a while and that make it much more fun to watch.

We can here the guy "thoughts" a lot and sometimes it is a bit annoying. I don't know if the whole show is going to be in Miami, but who can say he doesn't like the hot blonds in bikinis walking around.

All I can say is; if they keep it interesting and not the same "saving helpless people for no money" all the time, it can be a really good show.

p.s. love the Ex girlfriend!

What does a spy do when he's no longer a spy? And not only that, when he's been fired? That's the thin premise behind this surprisingly engaging and witty summer program. In the case of Michael Weston, on whom a "burn notice" has been unceremoniously issued, he gets stuck in Miami Beach with an old buddy, his alternately helpful and resentful ex-girlfriend, and his determined mother, who could find him "in a cave on the moon." The pilot gets the show off to a promising start, as we learn how Michael was burned, if not why or by whom, and what he decides to do about it. Stuck in Miami, he must depend on his skills and non-financal resources to survive while he tries to investigate the origins of his situation. And it's those resources that bring the fun to the episodes, as he demonstrates how a hardware store becomes a spy's best friend when a drug dealer must be eliminated. Now on paper, that sounds absurd. On screen, it worked wonderfully!



Why? Simple: Jeffrey Donovan. He of the velvet voice and intense characterizations adds comedy to the mix and serves up a thoroughly enjoyable character in Michael Weston. We've seen the usual comparisons, all of which are apt enough, but sell both the actor and character short. Donovan's Weston crafty, quick thinking, witty, henpecked, frustrated and determined. It's a winning combination that let me care about the character what happened to him quickly.



Less important was the story that drove much of the pilot's action, the case of a wealthy man's caretaker, accused of art theft. Weston agrees to help the man for some reason I forget (and therein lies the problem) in a tissue thin crime story designed to provide a reason for Michael's clever skills and derring-do. But never mind, light to inconsequential stories often underlie character driven pieces such as this; the shame is that that wasted were the wonderfully eccentric Ray Wise and David Zayas as the wealthy man and his caretaker, both recently used to great effect in summer's blockbuster series (y'all know the one I mean), another show light on crime story but with the richest ensemble, including its guest characters, on the summer schedule. It's OK that stories supporting main cast are a bit on the light side, but when talent like this is wasted, the writing needs a bit of propping up. More successful is our cohort of regulars: Bruce Campbell as Michael's ex-partner/buddy who I thought was the weakest of the regulars and his ex-girlfriend Fiona played by Gabrielle Anwar whose NI accent was miles off (go spend some time with Gerry Adams, and let's get it right, girl!) but who more than makes up for it with the gusto she gives to her portrayal. Best of all is the marvelous Sharon Gless as Weston's mother, who is, well, marvelous! Filling in the gaps are a quirky collection of contacts, former colleagues and a Russian mobster as a landlord. It's madness, and Donovan's sharp, well-timed performance as Weston ties it all up with a ribbon.



This is not cerebral entertainment. The Miami locations are pretty, if excessive in its lingering on bikini'd young women - Miami Vice colorations without Miami Vice style. But this is a lighthearted show played for laughs first, and on that level, it succeeds. It has enough substance not to be utter nonsense, thanks largely to a sharp edge to the humor and to Jeffrey Donovan. If you haven't seen it, tune in!

I just watched this show, because a friend said I should. How right she was. It was sassy, it was fun and it had heart. I love the lead character - that voice could talk to me all day, and he has principles, which I acknowledge are, in the main, pragmatic; but principles nonetheless! There were plenty of stories interwoven; we got some background, but more to reveal - for example his brother; we had family; ex-lover; colleagues; retired colleagues; FBI, and CIA; anti-bullying; big guy v little guy; and even Christmas! What more could there have been? I liked the whole show - every bit of it. I am really looking forward to the next episode. This will be top of my viewing list this summer - a hit imo!



The only twinge was that I would suggest that the girl's Irish accent is a little off, but she did try.

Fast paced for a pilot. A good introduction with some excellent actors. It was wonderful to see Sharon Gless again, she actually seems to look younger than she did in "Cagney & Lacey" - probably due to having access to a better wardrobe & stylist. It was also cool to see Bruce Campbell still going strong. If you've liked him in his other stuff you'll like him in this.

I liked the programme editing too, unusual format but a great way to move the story along quickly without having to rely on storyline to explain who everyone is and what their relationship is to each other. This means that the viewer can just jump right into the story. A great opening but....

Will SOMEONE PLEASE tell Gabrielle Anwar to stick to her Middlesex accent & not try to pull off an Irish accent EVER again. It actually meant I had to watch her first appearance on screen twice because all through the first time I was desperately trying to work out what nationality she was trying to represent. My first thought was that she was trying to portray someone born of Middle Eastern parents who'd lived in US for a large part of her life. It eventually clicked she was trying to "do" Irish!!! I could hear my ancestoral line cringe & threaten to haunt her eternally. This accent will rank alongside Dick Van Dyke (fake Brit in Mary Poppins), Angela Lansbury (fake Irish in some Ep.s of Murder She Wrote)- and the classic - Mel Gibson's Scots in Braveheart (purrlease stick to Mad Max Mel!!)

I thought this was such a wonderful, exciting show and being that it is not on a major network has a great chance of not being cancelled. I can now relax and enjoy this show even more. The show started off entertaining from the very beginning to the very end, never missing a beat. It was witty, smart, action-packed and extremely intriguing with a promise of an excellent show for viewers to watch weekly when the pickings are very skimpy right now. Michael's personality just drawed me in with how he handled himself in every situation that came his way and that smile of his that could just turn on or off like a water faucet fascinated me. I look forward to all of the future episodes.

Excellently written. I loved Michael's one-liners and the voice overs. They were perfectly placed and fitted to the script. The plot of framing the caretaker for the theft of the art for the insurance money was not a surprise. How Michael dealt with him was a pleasant and enjoyable scenario. The interaction with Michael and his mother was great. I loved the scene with Fiona, she is definitely different. A woman who can keep Michael on his toes and guessing. The idea that the FBI agents trailing Michael not keep a secret of what they are doing I think will be great entertainment for Michael.

This TV show tells us what happens to a spy when he is fired or disavowed. Michael Weston, professional spy, is on assignment in Southern Nigeria when he receives a burn notice, an official statement issued by an intelligence agency telling that an individual is an unreliable source of information. The plane he is on is told to bring him to Miami, where he wakes up after two weeks determined to find out who had him blacklisted. While getting work from Lucy, and ex-spy friend, he gets help from his ex-girlfriend Fiona and his playboy friend Sam. He even spends time with his hypochondriac mother. Michael shows us different spy techniques that can be very useful. He also shows that he can be pretty caring as well as hard to kill. The ending, in Michael's apartment, tells Michael that his task might be harder than he thought.

While Burn Notice may not be the best of TV, it definitely delivers. The premiere (which was fantastically commercial-free) had just enough action to keep me entertained. Michael's dry and witty comments, and the pauses during the action scenes, worked very well. Fiona, Michael's girlfriend, was excellent. Unfortunately, when the show delved into Michael's family life... well, that aspect didn't flow that well. Luckily, most of the time was spent on michael's first case, which made me smile with its (happy) conclusion. Burn Notice isn't perfect yet, but I could see this show becoming really great in the future. I'll definitely be tuning in next week.