Burn Notice Recap: Devil You Know (Season Finale)

March 5, 2010  |   Filed under: Features,Reviews  |   Posted by:

By: Stephanie Sigafoos

When USA Network’s Burn Notice premiered three years ago, it had all the ingredients for a great TV show:  the cast was dynamic, the scenery was nice and the premise was instantly understandable thanks to a quick voiceover starting with the now familiar words, “My name is Michael Westen and I used to be a spy.”

When season one quickly gave us an answer to “Who burned Michael?” the show shifted gears for season two, introducing Carla and Victor as adversaries working with Management to sort of rein in their superstar.

Season three, however, was different. It opened with Michael cutting ties with his ‘handlers,’ free from their control but also from their protection. The police took note – in the form of a “stalker with a badge” known as Detective Paxson – before there was Diego, Strickler, Gilroy and finally Simon.  Lots of pieces to a big puzzle, without knowing how the picture should really look in the end.

Along the way, the series’ story shifted from Michael seeking more information on his burn notice to somewhat accepting his fate as a do-gooder on the streets of Miami. Had these frenemies not come crawling out of the woodwork, it makes me wonder if the spy-for-hire would’ve tried so hard to clear his own name, what with yogurt in the fridge, breathtaking views from expensive hotel balconies and Fiona in his bed.  What more could the guy ask for?

How about justice?

Last night on the show’s third season finale, “The Devil You Know,” we finally met the stone cold psychopath who committed all the crimes Michael was actually held responsible for. Simon wanted his life back, which was fine with Michael. For once he and the bad guy were speaking the same language, though Michael appeared to have just a twinge of sympathy for a man thrown in some deep, dark hole for God knows how long.

Simon became the client, but only so he could force Michael to flee the cops, destroy property and get Management to a helipad location by 6pm. The hour literally became a tour de force for Jeffrey Donovan, who really can leap small buildings in a single bound, perform hand-to-hand combat with only one hand (and maybe one leg?) and still look no worse for the wear after throwing himself down a garbage chute.

The end game played out with Michael pulling Simon into a chokehold, putting a gun to his head and then deciding he couldn’t pull the trigger. Yet just 20 minutes after being taken into custody, Michael is cut loose from the FBI and transported to a super secret location while wearing shackles and a hood. When they’re finally taken off, he opens his eyes to find himself not in some federal prison but a beautiful drawing room.

“You have a big future … see you soon,” were Management’s parting words to Michael — his being transported out of Miami for the first time in the series only leading to more questions as we head into season four.

Thoughts:

-           I’d be remiss in not mentioning the absolutely stellar performance by Sharon Gless in this episode. When cornered by the FBI, Madeline not only held her own, but decided to take the blame for Michael’s crimes even if it meant going to jail. “I know my son,” she told the agents, but perhaps it was never more apparent until now just how little she knew. Their next scene together should be dynamite.

-          Sam and Fi laying into Michael for his “lone-wolf crap” was satisfying, if only for the fact they were right. Even when the team split up for much of the episode it was fun to watch – especially with Sam and Fi doing spyish things to track down and disable Simon’s bomb at the Epic Hotel after a rendezvous with Mike at a “emergency emergency” location.

-          Favorite quote: “You never really know a car until you drive it through a wall.”

What did you think of the Burn Notice season finale?

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Posted by on March 5, 2010. Filed under Features, Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
  • Justina

    I absolutely loved it. I was kind of touch & go, throughout the second half of season three. Some things were good, some things were a little boring but the episode before this and the finale were just on fire.

    I agree, Sharon Gless was so good. I especially loved the end, when she fount out Michael went missing. Beautiful moment.

    Fi & Sam, finally getting on him and to have Michael apologize, actually, saying the words and meaning it, was beautiful.It shows a great change in Michael, Fiona & Sam.

    Finally, Simon was an a-hole, I really hated him, such a crazy person. Not to mention, the return of management, I wouldn’t be surprised if they set this all up, just to trick Michael back into working with them.

    The ending threw me off. I had to rewind twice just to make sure I was seeing it right. Great season three finale and I can not wait for season four.

  • Christopher

    WIth classic Burn Notice flare and style, Michael Westin again finds himself in a situation that will require the skills of a spy to escape from.

    I will be polishing my weapons, eating yogurt, and working out while I count the days until I can see the spy of spys again in June!

  • Colleen

    Well, first of all, how do we know he has been transported out of Miami? Did we see that? Is there any indication that he left the city? I didn’t catch it.
    I thought the acting was top-notch on all accounts. I thought Simon was perfect as the psycho – there is no telling what that dude will do next, should he ever be free again. Michael’s terror in realizing that Management has him right where they want him; absolutely painful. How true is Simon’s prediction? “You’re gonna be just like me.” The fact that he did not pull the trigger shows us that Michael isn’t like Simon – yet; he was willing to endure physical capture rather than kill an unarmed man. But what really fueled that decision? His own moral code or the knowledge that Management would be 2 steps behind him with his “freedom”? Interesting questions!
    Yes, I’m a Michael fan. I know he will not bend to Management’s code. It’s just going to be a fun journey.
    Actually, my greater concern is the newest member of the “team”. I find that disconcerting because there are so many characters whose roles they could have beefed up before introducing a Michael “clone”. Just don’t see how that is going to work out. I hope I am pleasantly surprised and that I have to eat my words.