Burn Notice!

This is without doubt my favorite modern dramatic-action adventure TV show, and I know that's true because it's the only one I ever watch. I was exhausted on TV shows with extensive back stories and ongoing plot lines when I watched The X Files religously over a decade ago. It was good, but the sheer level of commitment to keep up with the story was just more involved in a particular TV show than I wanted to be over any stretch of time.

Don't get me wrong, I watch TV, just not dramas much unless it's a Law and Order I've seen a dozen times or maybe a marathon of something on a weekend. But showing up week after week after week for a particular show so I can know where the characters are at, to be kept up to date, that I haven't done in a long long time.


Burn Notice won me over. It's got plenty of action, lots of charm, some fantastic locations, and beautiful babes galore. The humor is character driven and feels very natural. The show has heart.

And on top of that it's a pretty dang good mystery over the long haul and the weekly adventures tend to change up enough to make it all pretty flavorful.


I think though the single thing that's kept me with it so far for so long is the little seasons. There have been three so far, the third having just wrapped up, and each is broken into two mini-seasons, one in the summer and one in the winter. They show up, entertain to the hilt, and then disappear before it all gets too familiar. Nice gimmick.

The show has some fantastic lead actors. Jeffrey Donovan is brilliant as Michael Westen the hero, a spy cut loose by his U.S. masters and dumped in Miami left to wonder why and seeking answers. There's almost nothing he can't do with a cellphone. His mother is played by Sharon Gless and she's a hoot and a half with a cigarette always lit and dangling, a neat throwback character to a less PC time. But while she's excellent in small doses, I fear too much pushes the concept of suburban spies doing good. Gabrielle Anwar as Fiona the bomb-making I.R.A. girlfriend adds some neat sex appeal and some excellent humor to the mix.


But it's really Bruce Campbell as retired Navy Seal Sam Axe who got me to give the show a chance to begin with. He's a delightful character, full of wit and smarm and never far from a cold beer. I'll watch just about anything Campbell is in, I might not like it, but I'll watch it at least once. Sam Axe I can watch all day long.

I've even gotten the first and second seasons on DVD, both as presents. My daughters know I like the show and they've loaded me up. I don't own any TV show on DVD newer than 1980, so it's a real departure for me to have these. They really hold up to repeated viewings very well.

The show gets lots of attention, so most folks surely know about it. But on the off chance you haven't seen it, give it a gander.

This link will give you a closer look.

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