I don’t think there is any other way I can put it: I used to be a Burn Notice fan. It’s not that I actively dislike the show now. I just… stopped watching. I know Deb is still watching and reviewing the show, so I decided to see if she could talk me into jumping back on the Burn Notice bandwagon.
Bob:
Alright, I know that you’re still championing Burn Notice. A few years ago you convinced me to tune in and catch up with the series and I did. I understand the draw. It’s a lot of fun. The characters are engaging, there are some fun actors on it, and, you know: spies. Here’s the thing, though. Burn Notice has become one of those shows that I record every week and never watch. I think I have six or seven episodes taking up space in my DVR (including two or three from the end of last season), and I just never seem to be interested in watching them.
So here’s your challenge: Convince me again why I should check out all those episodes that I have yet to delete.
Debbie:
Hmmmm … that’s interesting because Keith feels the same way about Burn Notice, although I think he’s enjoying this season a bit more than last. I can’t see where the magic has faded. Sure, the focus may be less on Michael’s actual burn, but there is still an interesting story arc. The writers are smart and continue to focus on their best trick: the characters.
There are very few shows whose leads have the chemistry that Michael, Sam and Fiona have. They always stay true to who they are and how they interact and it’s always fun and enjoyable. The little nuances are the charm of it all — Fiona’s unbridled joy when she gets to blow things up; Michael, part bad-ass, part sensitive justice-seeker; Sam being Sam. Add in Madeline to the mix — man, she has grown from an annoying hypochondriac to a ballsy and supportive mom who has taken Michael’s makeshift family under her wing. Every interaction between these four is a pleasure.
For me, Burn Notice is akin to comfort food. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy every time Michael eats a yogurt (though I do want to tell him to get the plain and just stir in his own fruit to avoid all that sugar….) and I get giddy during the voice-overs which I still find so clever. I can count on the fact that Burn Notice will deliver 44 minutes of pure entertainment and I get a visit with my fictional friends each week.
Have you queued up your DVR yet?
Bob:
Not quite, sorry.
All things you have mentioned I agree with, but here’s the thing: none of those things have changed all that much since the first episode of the first season. The characters have seen virtually no growth. Sure, Michael and Fiona have been on-again-off-again with their relationship, but have they really grown? It just seems like all the episodes have become interchangeable. There is some comfort to be found in a formula, but for me, formulas also grow old really fast.
I’m sure that if I went back and watched all those old episodes, I would enjoy them. It’s an enjoyable show. The problem, however, is that there is nothing compelling me to go watch those episodes. The sexual tension isn’t good enough to get me to watch. The case-of-the-weeks aren’t compelling enough to get me to tune in (unlike on Leverage, which I like so much more than Burn Notice). Heck, at this point I care about who burned Michael about as much as I care about who the mother is on How I Met Your Mother (which is to say: very little). Though, it would be an awesome moment in television if the two shows had a crossover episode where the mother also turned out to be the person who put the burn notice on Michael.
I’m glad that folks are still enjoying it, and I’m glad that it’s still on the air, but for me, I think I’ve just had my fill. Is there anything earth shattering happening this season that shoul compel me to watch?
Debbie:
Oh, I probably can’t convince you, just like you can’t convince me that Cooper’s Dream on Twin Peaks is the one of the greatest scenes ever filmed for television.
I think part of the lack of growth is that the main three know who they are and that’s that — they’re pretty self-actualized bad-asses. They all have grown some, but that’s not what’s important to this show’s success. I would argue, though, that Madeline has grown leaps and bounds, like I mentioned before.
If the sheer fun doesn’t compel you to watch, then me telling you that the spy that Michael burned at the end of last season (whoops … by mistake) is living in Madeline’s garage and working cases with the team won’t interest you at all. Nor the fact that he doesn’t know Michael burned him and is looking for who did so he can kill them. It’s going to come to a head in a big way, I feel it.
Bob:
I wouldn’t say that that is going to make me run to my DVR and watch all the episodes right away, but it sounds interesting. I definitely haven’t deleted any episodes, and I’m sure some lazy Sunday I’m going to dive in and catch myself up.
What do you folks think about Burn Notice?
Clacked by Bob Degon
on Jul 14, 2010 @ 11:00 EST5EDT
I’m with Bob. Its not that I dislike it, its just stagnant. Not only is there no character growth, any growth in the overall story arc is always downplayed for the case of the week. I find it incredibly dull. Its just another procedural. And I don’t watch those, so why would I continue watch this?
Put me in Bob’s camp. It’s really not fun anymore. It seems like the guns/car chase/explosion level has gone up, and the voiceover/MacGyver spy tools/setting up a con job/humor has gone down. Even the onscreen titles are predictably cute now. I’ve made it through 2 or 3 shows this season, and the rest are sitting like a lump on my TiVo. I used to look forward to the show. Now it feels like work–it’s almost grim. Now “White Collar” is that fun show for me.
I agree with Bob only in the sense that there’s not enough character growth and that they’ve left the “who burned Michael” question hang for so long that it’s become a non-issue. And, yes, the show isn’t as fresh as it was a few years ago, but it’s certainly not stale, either.
However, overall I’m WAAAY over in Debbie’s camp. At the very least Madeline has gone from a character I wanted to see burned (in a very literal way) to a true part of the team. Sure, she doesn’t go on wild car chases, blow stuff up or have clandestine meetings with clients, but she covers their butts when anyone gets too close to home. She’s always known what Michael was up to and was bitchy because Michael lied to her. Now that Michael’s mostly up-front with his Mom, she’s got no reason to be so nosy and bitchy. Hell, if my kids were treating me that way I’d be bitchy too.
I actually relish Madeline’s screen time now and I felt so terrible during the episode where she had to blackmail her friend just so Michael could help someone out. You could see how it tore her up inside, but she knew it had to be done because all these years it was her harping in Michael’s ear about helping others. It was great to see Cagney and Lacey together again and disappointing that the plot twist will make it very unlikely we’ll see those two together again in Burn Notice.
Maybe I’m just a sucker for fun spy dramady, over the top situations, quickly rigged and probably impossible gizmos, overused, but still fun subtitles and a beautiful woman (who would look better with 10-15 pounds on her) who can handle both C4 and a sniper rifle like June Cleaver handles a vacuum cleaner.
But, Bob, I don’t know how you can’t see the most obvious and best reason for continuing to watch Burn Notice. Two words: BRUCE CAMPBELL :o)
Debbie FTW! Sorry, Bob, but I guess I should be glad you don’t like the show any more, because if we both did our combined powers would wipe it from the universe. Still…BRUCE CAMPBELL! C’mon, it’s Bruce. Bruce would keep it from disappearing, he’s managed all these years. He always defeats evil powers.
In case you missed it: BRUCE CAMPBELL! Go, Team Debbie!!
I’m in Debbi’s camp. No, with the exception of Madalyn, the characters haven’t grown. For me the stories are still interesting and I admit I’m sticking around for the actors, as someone said above Bruce Campbell FTW.
The one thing to say to Bob is that BN has added a new character this season and he has the potential to shake things up a bit. I’d say, give the first few episodes a try and see if Jesse, the new character, gives you enough change in the dynamic to make the show more interesting.
Now I need someone to talk me into liking Psych again, because I see far less growth in that show than in BN.
I like Burn Notice, but I never seem to watch it either. I think the reason is because procedurals don’t punish me for missing half a season. I can forget to watch or DVR it and its ok because next week is a different plot. And then I wind up forgetting 6 weeks in a row.