Smallscreen Features

Recap: Burn Notice “Fast Friends”

By Alicia Sutton Jun 11, 2010, 6:01 GMT

05/12/2010 - Jeffrey Donovan - An Evening With NBC/Universal Cable Shows 2010 - Arrivals - Universal Studios - Universal City, CA. USA © Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos

What MacGyver was for the 1980’s, Michael Weston (Jeffrey Donovan) is for the 2010’s. 

With just enough cheesy dialogue and action, USA's "Burn Notice" is quite the spy adventure.  In the second episode of season four, Michael takes it upon himself to save Jesse Garcia (Coby Bell), the counter-intelligence spy he accidentally burned last episode. 

Both Sam (Bruce Campbell) and Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar) are against Michael getting involved but they help him out anyway.

Fiona and Michael scout out Jesse’s office and place a tap on Jesse’s line, all while staging the break-in as a disgruntled laid off-worker.  The tap comes to be useful as Michael and Sam overhear Jesse setting up a meeting with a contact to discuss his burned status. 

Meanwhile, Michael’s mother, Madeline (Sharon Gless), informs Michael that she is going to rent out her garage as she needs more “normal” people in her life. 

The cast, courtesy of USA

If Michael is the action hero of the show, Madeline has to be the heart.  Both funny and charming, she makes the show a little bit more believable, and in some cases, bearable.

Sam, Fiona and Michael show up to spy on Jesse’s meeting and find that it is a trap to capture Jesse.  Sam creates a distraction so Jesse can escape.  One can only guess where Jesse goes – to Michael for help. 

Since Michael seems to be a famous burned spy, Jesse turns to him for help not knowing that Michael is the one who got him burned.  Pretending to not know who he is, Michael convinces Jesse to let him get rid of him problem with Khan, a bad guy who wants Jesse dead as he thinks Jesse stole his money.  They come up with a plan to have Khan caught with a bunch of illegal weapons. 

Ah, but only if it was so easy!

To make Khan disappear, Michael goes into character with a really terrible accent (but I forgive him, he is Michael Weston after all!) and walks in on Khan’s lunch with a tough guy attitude with the proposition to work together to bring down Jesse, only if Khan supplies a whole bunch of illegal weapons. 

When Khan’s #2 man asks “what are we supposed to do – share?" Michael responds with the best line of the night, “Share – that’s what we learn in kindergarten.”  

Khan doesn’t buy it, so it’s hi-ho, hi-ho off to the drawing board they go.

Plan #2 does end up working – Jesse attempts a hit on Khan to scare him into working with Michael.  Fiona and Jesse retrofit a truck into being suitable for transporting weapons, and while doing so seem to connect. 

A new love match?  Perhaps, though I can’t see that lasting long as Jesse is too much like Fiona and she needs a more levelheaded person like Michael. 

Michael shows up at Khan’s and tricks Khan into taking the weapons, which leads to a car chase with the police after Sam (who we didn’t see too much of this episode, which is a shame as he is the best character on the show) places an anonymous call.  Khan is arrested and all seems well until Jesse doesn’t return Michael’s calls. Turns out Khan had a get out of jail free card and captured Jesse but can’t get him to talk so he calls Michael and asks him to come over to interrogate Jesse.

With some pre-planning and some help from their money launderer friend Barry (Paul Tei), Michael interrogates Jesse and fools the bad guys into thinking Michael killed Jesse’s aunt.  Michael holds up “Aunt Kathy’s” obituary to Jesse, which really has all the information needed to frame Khan’s #2 as the man who stole Khan’s money.  Khan and #2 kill each other.

Surprise, surprise!  Jesse moved into Madeline’s garage, making it all too convenient for Michael to keep him close enough to pump him for information.  Michael offers Jesse help in finding the person who burned him and Jesse accepts, letting Michael know he plans on killing said person. 

Bad news indeed for Michael.  How long until Jesse finds out?  One episode?  The rest of the season? 

Only time will tell.

Alicia Sutton is a self-professed TV addict and contributor to Monsters and Critics' smallscreen.