Burn Notice: Season Two
|
List Price: Our Price: $14.80 You Save: $35.18 (70%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $9.00 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of Burn Notice: Season Two
Movie Review: BURNING AGAIN
Summary: 5 Stars
When I wrote about season one of BURN NOTICE I couldn't praise it enough. Not only was it a well thought out action thriller for TV, it starred Bruce Campbell. How bad could it be? What can I say, I'm a fan.
When season two began I found myself unable for one reason or another to continue to catch each episode on television. Thank goodness once more for the chance to watch a series uninterrupted via DVD box sets.
The set up for the series is easy enough. Michael Weston (Jeffrey Donovan) is a covert agent who has just been given a burn notice. This means that his cover is withdrawn, bank account frozen, history deleted and he is out on his own. Unfortunately Michael was in the midst of a transaction with terrorists and must now escape them first.
He does so and finds himself stranded in Miami, Florida. With no help, no money and no idea who issued the notice, Michael turns to his most trusted friends: an ex-girlfriend named Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar) who used to work as a bomber for the IRA and an old military friend named Sam (Bruce Campbell) who sold information on Michael to the FBI for money now and then.
Michael's goal in season one was to find a way to make a living and at the same time discover who it was who issued his burn notice. In so doing, he hoped to get his old life back. Along the way, we got to see that he was a white knight of sorts who helped people who truly had no one else to turn to. Each episode offered a client with a description and a problem that needed solved Michael Weston style.
At the end of season one, we started to get a glimpse along with Michael of who had burned him. A woman named Carla began calling and as the series finale ended, Michael Weston was in a car in a truck trailer on his way to meet the mysterious Carla.
Season two continued Michael's search for the issuer of the burn notice. It turns out that Carla worked for a secret organization that took Michael offline from his own plans and now wants to put him to work for their organization. The name is unknown and the man in power behind Carla is as well. So the search continues.
As do the jobs needed to make a living and to help people in need. Included in this group are a young teenage whose life is threatened by a gangster wannabe car thief, a Haitian thug wanted for murder by the father of a young woman he killed, a woman who works with a relief program whose medical supplies were stolen by pirates and even Michael's ex-fiancé, a woman no one in his small circle even knew existed.
But season two offered more than the usual search and assist stories we came to enjoy. We got to know each character a little bit better. With Fiona we saw that even though the two had parted ways and tried to keep a professional distance, there was an intimacy and affection that ran deeper than they would care to admit. The love between the pair was there for all to see with the exception of the two participants.
The same was true with the relationship between Michael and Sam, two die hard buddies who would throw their lives down for one another. Thank goodness this relationship didn't get as steamy as the one with Fiona!
And we got to see Michael get a little bit closer to his mother as played by Sharon Gless. Past differences, past problems and more were always on the table with these two. And yet a respect and love for his mother was there even through the frustration he showed to her.
By the end of this season, we are let in on just who is the man behind the whole burn notice. Maybe. But then again there could be someone behind him. As he tells Michael that he's not been trying to take him out but to protect him from the many enemies Michael has mad as a cover op, Michael chooses to go it alone. As season two ends, he apparently has been released, but now any and all enemies from his past can declare open season on him.
Now it's just a matter of time. Time to sit and wait until season three finishes and comes out on disc as well.
The series is fantastic. It offers tons of action, plenty of thrills, a great looking location (and cast) and enough humor to make a perfect blend. Donovan does a wonderful job as Weston showing acting chops I am certain no casting director has taken note of. Had they done so, he would be sought out more often. Anwar has gone from child star to vamp with ease, and offers the perfect touch of romantic at heart in her character of Fiona. And Bruce? Bruce does what he does best, being the sidekick while getting attention as well.
There are tons of series available on DVD. Some you collect because you love the series and some you buy to see what the series is like. When you buy BURN NOTICE you'll end up purchasing for both reasons. And become the fan that I've become.
Movie Review: Dry, Educating, and lots of fun!
Summary: 5 Stars
Mike, Fiona, and Sam are an outstanding group who are always getting into more trouble than they bargained for, yet somehow manage to make their way through the various encounters with a grin and a chuckle.
Quote from Wanted Man:
Sam: Mike, I gotta tell ya, this is more fun than I expected.
I mean, I haven't done this sort of thing since... Gee, since there was an East Germany.
Mike: Glad you're enjoying yourself.
Sam: So how are things at home?
Mike: A little strange. Fiona likes to test relationships with the emotional equivalent of artillery fire.
Sam: Does she even want this guy?
Mike: I don't know, I've never been able to figure her out.
Sam: Well, I'm not one to tell you how to live your life.
I'm a real fan of dry humor, though I can never pull it off. The only time people laugh at me is when I'm being serious. My jokes- when I try to be funny -all fall flat- and nobody can tell when I'm serious or just kidding. My coworkers would tell you that it makes for an 'interesting' working relationship (if they're being nice). I... don't know what it is.
So - when I came across this show, I started watching the reruns from the first season, as a run-up to the 2nd season... and I've been really enjoying the show. It seems to be very educating - there are things that are presented here that I never thought about - in each episode... I discover a different way of thinking about things, a different way to do things, get things accomplished.
Things never quite turn out how I expect them to, or go off in directions that I didn't anticipate. Then again, I'm a computer guy: what I know about people you can fit on a (corner of) a postcard.
I love the show because of the dry banter, just the right amount of conflict (I give it a PG10 for the average American), and the new way of thinking about things. Oh. The acting is outstanding, the dialogue is clean and very well done.
I'm definitely looking forward to more shows. My other 'top of the list' television shows include Life (NBC) and Firefly (which the FOX network brainaics cancelled).
Great show, great acting, great plot, wonderful writing - hopefully the USA network will continue to see the value in this series for quite a while yet.
Quote from Turn and Burn:
Mike: Fi - get me a sniper rifle and some C4.
Fiona: Oooh - I like where this is going...
Movie Review: For my money, the best show on TV right now
Summary: 5 Stars
Burn Notice manages to blend spy thrillers and cinematic action with down-to-earth realism. Michael Westen isn't James Bond or Jason Bourne -- as he says in the very first episode, "Guns make you stupid. Better to fight your wars with duct tape. Duct tape makes you smart," just before he gets past an armored door using a stud finder and a roll of duct tape. Like a cool MacGuyver without the bad hair, Michael wins by out-thinking and out-planning his foes, not just by beating them up and shooting them (though there's plenty of that, too). And his running internal narration fills the audience in on WHY he's doing what he's doing. Yes, you too can turn a cell phone into an audio bug, and here's how!
The cast fits together like a glove and with amazing chemistry. His ex-girlfriend (and former IRA terrorist) Fionna adds impulsiveness and anger to the group, while his ex-military friend Sam (played by the amazing Bruce Campbell) alternates between the voice of reason and a hook for some skirt-chasing humor. The interplay and developing relationship between Michael and his mom (who swings between helping the crew -- sometimes even saving the day -- and being a serious thorn in Michael's side) is realistic and fun to watch. The relationships between all of the characters (but especially the one between Michael and his mom) grow and develop as the series goes on, which is one of the best reasons for watching it.
On each episode, someone comes to the team for help with a problem no one else can take care of (A-Team style). While the group is dealing with that, the overall "season plot" gets advanced a bit. In Season One, Michael is just trying to figure out who burned him and why. In Season Two, Michael is trying to get out from under their thumb. In Season Three, Michael has lost his protection and has deal with "real life" in the form of prying cops and old enemies. In Season Four, Michael has a broader view of what's going on, and is trying to stop a dangerous conspiracy. The "story arc" for each season is always advanced -- sometimes a little, sometimes a lot -- so you never feel like a show was just a throwaway they tossed together.
If you're not into Burn Notice, check it out, Thursdays at 9 on USA. If you are a fan, then what are you waiting for? Get this DVD set! The show is amazing!
Movie Review: "This Would be a Good Michael Weston Story, if People Were Allowed to Tell Them."
Summary: 5 Stars
Michael Weston (Jeffrey Donovan) thought that finding out who burned him would be a good thing. Instead, finding out has made this former spy's life much more complicated. Now that Carla (Tricia Helfer) has stepped out of the shadows as the organization's mouth piece, he has to do her bidding. She has him on some assignment, and Michael thinks it isn't a good thing. So he's trying to find out all he can about the organization and the big picture so he can try to stop them.
But, meanwhile, he needs to eat, so he continues to take on assignments for people in desperate trouble. There's the woman stalked by a drug dealer, the ex-con being roped back into a life of crime, the man who was lost his life savings to medical scam artists, and the football player being harassed by car thieves. Heck, Michael even gets involved in tracking down a Haitian fugitive.
Fortunately, Michael has the help he needs in the form of ex-FBI agent Sam Axe (Bruce Campbell) and ex-girlfriend Fiona Glenanne (Gabriella Anwar). Then again, those two often bring him clients with simple problems that turn complicated. Not making things any easier is Michael's mother Madeline (Sharon Gless) who insists on family bonding moments at the worst possible times.
As much as I enjoyed season 1 of this show, I got even more hooked on season 2. Everything was stronger. The on going storyline is more than enough to keep anyone coming back from week to week. Carla seems to be one step ahead of Michael the entire way, and I wanted to know what was going on as much as he did. The weekly stories were just as strong. I never saw how Michael and his friends would save the day. And if you want tricky gadgets and plenty of explosions, this is the show for you.
But the human element of the story actually becomes stronger, too. They play up the relationship between Fiona and Michael even more this season, making both those characters more real. I wasn't a fan of Madeline in the first season, but I warmed to her here. I still wouldn't mind if she was only a recurring character, but I do feel she adds to the show now.
As I write this, season 3 has just started, and they are building admirably on what came in this season. Believe me, if you like action and suspense, this show is for you.
Movie Review: Not without flaws, but a great ride
Summary: 5 Stars
I am relieved to see Burn Notice hasn't suffered form a sophomore slump. Acting = spectacular. Plot = genre-defying. Guest stars = fantastic (particularly Tim Matheson and Michael Shanks as sociopathic nutballs) and once again, the season ends with a gratifying cliffhanger which instills both excitement and impatience for the next one. That said, there are a few irksome problems with the series.
For one thing, while the main story arc is fascinating, a few characters meet abrupt (and icky) resolutions way before we've had time to get to know them. Hey, what gives?! Episodes often have a rushed feel to them. And there's a lot of rapid cross-cutting, as if the show can't juggle the main story and subplot within the time allotted.
Secondly, I hope we get a break from the fractured family stuff. Michael's sleazy brother Nate is a welcome distraction, since he always brings with him buckets of trouble and is a capable sidekick. But what's happened to Madeline (Sharon Gless)? Where's the passive-aggressive blackmailing? The surly relationship with her offspring? Where's the "edge"? Michael's mom is a big teddy bear now, and it's a weak point dramatically...especially since this family's various past traumas are soothed with frequent (and I mean FREQUENT) happy conclusions where everyone remembers to hug.
I'm exaggerating a little, but the family bits are a nuisance and detract from the action. Hopefully, Michael's work will spill over into his family, which will shake things up somewhat. Right now, things are way too cozy.