Burn Notice

[pseudoidiot]

Kind of surprised there's not a Burn Notice thread, yet.

Anyhow, I really love this show. Bruce Campbell is awesome, as always. And I'm really liking Jeffrey Donovan. At first when the show started, I wasn't too sure about him. Until then, I'd only seen him on that short arc of Crossing Jordan, where he was a bit of a dick and that colored my judgment of him a little.

Even though the show has a bit of a formula it usually follows: <Weston attempts to make some progress on his Burn Notice> ... <in the meantime helps get some nice(ish) soul out of a jam> ... <nothing ever survives initial plan> On the other hand, all the improvising and plan changes is sort of what makes it interesting, anyhow.

I still think one of my favorite moments was the first episode when

Spoiler:

he's trying to deal with that drug dealer that lives downstairs, and he shoots him through the wall, then circles around and busts in. Hilarious.

[Ledah]

Yeah, it's entertaining. Not the show that I make sure I see every week, but if I'm just zapping for something and it's on, I'll watch. The plans sometimes are a bit ridiculous, but I take it as part of its charm. Also, trademark mocking grin fits the show pretty well.

One of my favorite episodes was when

Spoiler:

he was trying to get some cuban mafia guys out of a neighborhood, so he traps three of them on a car, drills some holes, throws gasoline or smthing like that inside and threatens them with a lighter. This while jumping and yelling like a maniac... impressive!

[Okita]

It makes me laugh. And the writers did enough research to make me actually think once in a while about typical spy tropes.

Spoiler:

My favorite episode is when Westin basically has to act like a complete nerd. He puts on a nerdy nasal sound and changes his posture. With the style changes to his hair, it's actually kind of a remarkable change.

Also, is it me or does Westin always seem to have his mouth open?

And Tricia Helfer and Lucy Lawless guest starred at various times. Also Michael Shanks. And Richard Schiff! That's 3 sci-fi guest stars and a West Wing guest star for those of you keeping score at home.

[pseudoidiot]

It makes me laugh. And the writers did enough research to make me actually think once in a while about typical spy tropes.

I know exactly what you mean! It also makes me REALLY wish there was a decent spy RPG out there somewhere, because I wasn't that impressed by Spycraft or Top Secret.

Spoiler:

My favorite episode is when Westin basically has to act like a complete nerd. He puts on a nerdy nasal sound and changes his posture. With the style changes to his hair, it's actually kind of a remarkable change.

Overall, I really like the different characters he comes up with. It's really cool to see how just a couple small changes in the way someone talks and acts seems like an entire overhaul.

[Nath]

It makes me laugh. And the writers did enough research to make me actually think once in a while about typical spy tropes.

Sometimes they get lazy, though. Most recently, there was a scene in a recent episode where Westen was pretending to be Russian, and talking about how he had to know Sambo for his cover to work. And then they had a fight scene with generic Hollywood-jutsu.

Also, the arc in season 2 with the

Spoiler:

Dragunov

was a bit implausible. Why go to all that trouble?

(I read way too much Tom Clancy as a kid.)

But yeah, entertaining show. I recently caught up on Hulu.

[Kazuke]

I <3 this show.

Spoiler:

Is it bad that I was laughing last night when Sam kicked the dude out the window?

And Gabrielle Anwar is so hot. <3

[EdgarJPublius]

I love this show, this, House and Psych are the only shows currently airing me and my brother can agree on.
Just one thing really bother's me...
What's up with all the yogurt?

[pseudoidiot]

What’s the story on all of the yogurt? It’s funny, people think it’s a big mystery and I sort of want to indulge that. But really, it was a combination of things. In the pilot, I wrote in the bit about the yogurt and getting the yogurt from the fridge so he could have, when breaking into a place, doing something so as to make your break-in seem more innocent and doing something that appears incompatible with your behavior, which was based on some real techniques. And so I just threw out - "He grabs something from the fridge, maybe a yogurt." And then when they were shooting it, Jeffrey had the yogurt and then he decided he wanted to eat the yogurt in the scene and we thought that was funny, and so he ate the yogurt.

Then when I was working on the first episodes of the series, he needed to have something in his refrigerator. What does he have in his refrigerator? Well, we know he likes yogurt. And then the writer of the second episode, Alfredo Barrios, thought that was funny and so he threw a yogurt into his episode. And once you get a yogurt in a pilot and two episodes, man, you gotta keep going. So it becomes - it’s just sort of fun. At the same time, I will say that it was inspired by some research that we did, or actually discussions that I had with Michael Wilson [consulting producer]. The essence of which is that operatives do find themselves in circumstances where they need cheap sources of healthy protein. Michael Wilson’s preferred source of cheap protein was canned tuna fish. So Michael could just as easily have been a tuna fish man, but we made him a yogurt man.

I was curious, too, and just never bothered to look it up until now.

[Malice]

Burn Notice is tragic. It's very good, but it could actually be great if they just delved into the emotions a little bit more, and, more importantly, stopped using a style counter to their story. Your story is about minimalist spy tactics and the mundaneness of spy life. It is not about girls in bikinis, sweeping aerial shots of Miami beaches, and jittery music video editing. If they shot Burn Notice as down and gritty as they wrote it, it would be ten times more awesome.

[pseudoidiot]

Yeah, the unnecessary shots of bikini-clad girls and Miami landscape gets pretty old. But I like the rest of the show enough that I can put up with it.

[Okita]

Unnecessary Bikini Shots actually is a metaphor. A metaphor for the glitzy celebrity-watching filled television watching short-term indulgence universe that people tend to live in being only a small cover for the gritty spy-ops life that goes on unknown to the rest of us.

In other words, if they did it all as a straight gritty spy-ops show it would :
A.) Not be as funny
B.) Be more like 24
C.) Make it seem like it's an entirely spy universe as opposed to being a spy universe hidden underneath everyday Miami
D.) Make it seem weird that amongst all this gritty spy stuff, Westin decides that he has to help all these down on their luck people (prompted by his mother no less).

[Malice]

Unnecessary Bikini Shots actually is a metaphor. A metaphor for the glitzy celebrity-watching filled television watching short-term indulgence universe that people tend to live in being only a small cover for the gritty spy-ops life that goes on unknown to the rest of us.

I don't mind the unnecessary bikini shots (hey, you've gotta transition somehow) so much as the hip-hop editing. Freeze-framing at random intervals doesn't make things more exciting; it gives me a headache and is probably a cheap way to edit a poorly covered scene.

In other words, if they did it all as a straight gritty spy-ops show it would :
A.) Not be as funny
B.) Be more like 24
C.) Make it seem like it's an entirely spy universe as opposed to being a spy universe hidden underneath everyday Miami
D.) Make it seem weird that amongst all this gritty spy stuff, Westin decides that he has to help all these down on their luck people (prompted by his mother no less).

I disagree entirely. I love the mix of humor with gritty spy stuff; I just think all the humor comes organically from the characters, and none of it requires stylistic flourishes. It's like, they're not just telling the joke, they're telling you the joke while winking and going "eh? eh? it's FUNNY" every few scenes.

[Allenr]

The two biggest complants I have with the show are:
1. The transition music
2. The somewhat silly pauses they use to introduce new characters

Otherwise, love the show.

[Nath]

Thus ends season two. I thought the finale was quite strong; some unusually good writing. It's almost a pity it's coming back; this is a good place to end it.

My one complaint, though (minor spoiler):

Spoiler:

It would have been nice if they'd built up more tension with the Carla situation over the last couple of episodes, given that the arc was coming to its end. Last week, I wouldn't have guessed that the finale was one episode away.

And, OK, another minor complaint:

Spoiler:

Michael seems to make allies too easily. Bly and Victor, just a few episodes apart.

[Allenr]

I can't wait for the next season.

Spoiler:

They could end the show right now, although I am glad they are not. I agree with Nath that Carla seemed to just flip shit this time when she normally seemed to be rushing him, but not so much, do this in three weeks or I kill your family. Very good finish for the season.

[pseudoidiot]

Gah! Haven't watched last night's episode, yet. Must resist urge to open spoilers anyhow.

[ArgonV]

I liked the episodes as well, but

Spoiler:

he forgot his shades!

[punkymonkey]

Bruce.. Campbell...

I've never even heard of this show. (I don't have cable b/c I'm poor..) but I MUST watch it now.

I'm at work and can't really look up a place to watch it online right now.. but I'll definitely look into this later.

How can anything that has Bruce Campbell in it not be awesome? I mean.. even if the show sucks ass.. BC throws in some major cool points on his own.

[0range]

I've watched the first two seasons of Burn Notice, and I'll probably watch the third sometime. I just wish someone would edit out all of the scenes that don't involve Bruce Campbell for me.

[Allenr]

Watch out Orange, Punkymonkey will kill you if she ever sees that.

[ian]

Watch out Orange, Punkymonkey will kill you if she ever sees that.

I think you misread Orange's post.

[0range]

I think you misread Orange's post.

Indeed. I love Bruce with my whole body.

[punkymonkey]

I misread it at first too. But it's late.

Orange - you're cool. I'm not in the killing mood tonight anyway.

[0range]

I'm not in the killing mood tonight anyway.

Good thing, too, because I just finished a psychic-channeling to Bruce, and he told me he would totally back me up in my next fight.

[Allenr]

/facepalm.

I'm in public school, reading is not important.

[Onomi]

Sure, it could be better but its kinda funny and I enjoy it. The shots of Miami make sure its setting is kept in perspective. The freeze frames I thought where funny the first few times but I am getting tired of them now.

The show will lose it's (small bit of) charm for me if they don't keep doing the longer story arcs well, it really needs those.

[Xeio]

*casts true resurrection on thread*

So, I couldn't help but bust out laughing every time Sam put his glasses on. Just priceless.

[Griffmo]

Poor Gilroy. He was my favorite

[Griffmo]

Season Finale tonight. Who's with me bitches?

[SheriffPony]

Bunny!!!11! ( from The Wire )
Now, I have to watch the rest of the episode..

[ArgonV]

So they brought Ironside out for a 2 minute scene?

[t-note]

One of the other channels is showing the first season now. it's nice because I missed a few episodes. There is one thing though that bothered me, regardless of how much I like the show. something that would have brought a little more flavor to it.

Spoiler:

is it just me, or am I the only one who noticed Fionna dropped the horribly done accent after the first season? she is supposed to be ex IRA- why doesn't she have at least a little flavor of the brogue when she gets mad? I was reminded of this by the episode where Fi's brother shows up. WTF?

that's the only real glaring hole that I see in the show. Other than that, I enjoy watching it.

[sugarhyped]

One of the other channels is showing the first season now. it's nice because I missed a few episodes. There is one thing though that bothered me, regardless of how much I like the show. something that would have brought a little more flavor to it.

Spoiler:

is it just me, or am I the only one who noticed Fionna dropped the horribly done accent after the first season? she is supposed to be ex IRA- why doesn't she have at least a little flavor of the brogue when she gets mad? I was reminded of this by the episode where Fi's brother shows up. WTF?

that's the only real glaring hole that I see in the show. Other than that, I enjoy watching it.

it was annoying which is odd because i thought i'd like the accent. i imagine it tested badly.

she said she dropped it to fit in with the people of miami. i think it might have been dropped in like the second episode.

[t-note]

it was annoying which is odd because i thought i'd like the accent. i imagine it tested badly.

she said she dropped it to fit in with the people of miami. i think it might have been dropped in like the second episode.

meh- maybe I nitpick...
I'm so used to getting phone calls from people all over the country and sometimes the caller's voice is local flavored, and sometimes it's whatever nationality they were/are.

[ArgonV]

The newest episode had me putting up a real big grin by the time

Spoiler:

the Doctor was giving a speech to the drugs dealers and Fiona blew the car up

And

Spoiler:

Navi Rawat

as a bad girl, now that's sexy!

[zien321]

I love this show. I've watched it from the very beginning. I usually watch it on Hulu, still need to catch the latest episode.

[sugarhyped]

On the newest episode I wished

Spoiler:

the doctor would just die.

[ArgonV]

I hate cliffhangers...

[mowdownjoe]

If you hate Burn Notice, then why are you watching Burn Notice? They end EVERY half-season in a cliffhanger!

[ArgonV]

Not specifically in Burn Notice, just in general