Burn Notice: Operação Miami

Last week Thursday was one of those days: The kind that gives you the choice of staring at the ceiling, or perusing your DVR in hopes of finding something worthwhile (but rarely finding anything).

After sifting through the various MythBusters episodes and my regularly recorded series', I came across something that had me utterly confused, "'Burn Notice'? The hell?" I hadn't heard anything about the show, so I thought, "Screw it, I'm bored, let's see if I can't squeeze some water from a stone." I can honestly say, I'm utterly impressed with the show. I was floored by the entire piece.

Jeffery Donovan leads a very talented cast as the 'burned' spy-turned-private-eye Michael Westen, a man just trying to figure out why someone would put a 'burn notice' out on him. (For those who haven't seen the show or the commercials a 'burn notice' is when a spy is cut off, no jobs, nothing.) Donovan's acerbic delivery and amusing narration pull the show together, and his on-screen chemistry with acting veteran Bruce Campbell really keep the laughs coming.

I'd highly recommend the show for those who like a mix of comedy and espionage.

Jeffrey Donovan is an engaging lead in an interesting program - which combines an interesting dramatic story line with a good balance of lightness and humor -- much like the outstanding "Monk," also a USA Network production.

The premise has been well-publicized; he's a crack covert operator, who's now been ostracized by his agency, and is seeking to learn why, as well as exist amidst the barriers they've erected in terms of his credit and finances, availability of former colleagues, and while he is under surveillance from multiple agency operatives.

During the course of this program, he also assists a man whose former boss - a powerful citizen - has placed both his livelihood and son in jeopardy.

Again, done with both serious drama and whimsy, this is a show which is a breath of proverbial "fresh air," especially among the lame quiz programs and reality shows impossible to avoid today.

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I entered this comment a year ago, upon seeing initial episode of the series. In continuing to watch, I've found Jeffrey Donovan's performances and character to remain interesting and engaging, the remaining cast excellent, and the episodes, overall, also interesting and well-written. Along with "Monk" and the recently-added "In Plain Sight," the USA Network is producing, in my opinion, better fare than the four networks.

Without question, "Burn Notice" is the coolest show on TV since the first episodes of Alias. I was totally engaged the moment Michael got his burn notice when he called to make the wire transfer--seeing the wheels turn for that beat before smiling and turning to the Russian mobster was sublime. This show has edge and attitude to burn, no pun intended, and I hope it keeps it--the only thing that could dull it would be any hint of silliness (Bruce Campbell's character needs to demonstrate some ass-kicking spy mojo somewhere along the line). Matt Nix: You've done a fantastic job on the writing, great casting (Jeff Donovan is a "Where'd he come from?" find), locations, etc. Keep the edge. The first two shows were great, can't wait to see what's next.

Burn Notice was such a great and underrated show. Most shows get old or repetitive after it's been on a while but not this one, it's absolutely terrific right up until the last episode. It tells the story of burnt spy Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan) as he's stuck in his hometown of Miami after being framed. He will do anything to find out who did it. I'm the meantime he helps helpless people who really need his expertise to help them. He has the help of his ex/current girlfriend in ex IRA spy Fiona Glenanne (Gabrielle Awar), his best friend and former spy Sam Axe (Bruce Campbell) and new friend and ex spy he accidentally burnt himself Jesse Porter (Coby Bell). He also has to deal with overbearing mother and sometimes loser brother. Obviously some of it is ridiculous unbelievable but it's a thrilling show that has action, comedy, drama, etc., all in one series! I just started watching it for a 2nd time during this lockdown and forgot just how entertaining this show really was. I really do miss it!

Which is a comment you will seldom find in my reviews.

First of all, the concept. The whole idea of a "burn notice" forcing a spy to take roots in a community is very clever. Really.

And the casting. I call this "Leprechaun Casting" because Donovan's career both before and even after the show was unspectacular. But in this part, in a successful series which ran for years, he was nothing less than brilliant. Almost as though elves pulled him out nowhere just for this role, and then disappeared into the forest with him after.

The setting is also clever, relying on an old Hollywood adage which says, to improve your odds, cast in a city that people wish they lived in. Check.

Even the voice-over works and works well. Voice-over seems like an easy thing to pull off, but in fact it isn't. Which is why it dropped out of favor in the 1940s and has been used very sparingly ever since.

Estrogen content? Check. Gabrielle Anwar, in a part which really is more a sidekick than a love interest, manages to "sashay" between scenes (yet another word I do not use often) and also manages to give the impression that she is on "slow simmer" even when all she is doing is mixing explosives or hot-wiring a car. (If you are a male reader, you will get that.)

Supporting cast? Bruce Campbell plays his role like he was already happily retired and the casting director begged him to come out of retirement just for this part, and then gave him permission to sit down and drink while delivering his lines. (Which may be the way it actually happened, I don't know).

I will confess it took about three episodes for me to get hooked. Like I said off the top, this is a one of a kind. But it is a fun ride.