JeffreyLipsey.com

After not watching any episodes of Burn Notice for nearly a month, it took me one marathon night to catch up. And I’m not disappointed.


I just love watching a show where every single aspect is perfect and I have no complaints. In fact, I have no idea how I would have improved it or would have wanted to improve it because its just so good right now.


The only other action/drama where I can remember feeling this way over such a long period would have been 24, but not every season. After that would be Heroes Season 1 and that’s the only other show that I can remember where I don’t have any comments.


Next up on my list is Psych, I’m a good 4-5 episodes behind on that too but I’m getting around to it.

The second episode of the second season, Turn and Burn was leaps and bounds ahead of the season premiere for Burn Notice. The episode featured wittier dialogue, beefed up action and a good pace of the plot.


I wont write too long of a review, but I thought the episode was excellent and a good turn around from the premiere.


Links: Official Site | IMDB | Wikipedia | Episode Summary

Well, Kiyoshi just reminded I have yet to do a Burn Notice review since I watched the episode a few days ago, so I’ll go ahead and say my thoughts now.


I’d like to start by saying that the Season 2 Premiere was not worth waiting a year for. USA built up the fact that BN was going to start a second season and the Season 1 Finale was a tense 2 hour event. I was hoping that the feeling would continue into the Premiere; I was wrong.


Don’t get me wrong the Premiere was still an excellent episode. But it was just that: another episode. I was hoping to have at least half an episode without Sam or Fiona and develop the plot more. Instead we get introduced into yet another ‘job’ for Michael to perform; that’s fine and all but it was nothing special.


In conclusion, the episode was pretty good but not as good as I thought the premiere was going to be. In correlation with the other Burn Notice episodes, the Premiere was right in line and equated to as average. But an average Burn Notice episode is still better than even the best episodes of other programs.


Links: Official Site | IMDB | Wikipedia | Episode Summary

LameRerun.com presents the Best and Worst of 2007. The 1st of 25 awards, Hottie of Year compares the most attractive female actresses.

Hottie of the Year: In what is possibly one of the most debatable categories we will have this year, LameRerun’s Hottie of the Year selection wasn’t an easy one. The top three were all very well matched but, in the end, an accent finalized our decision.

1.) Gabrielle Anwar from Burn Notice

Let me be the first to admit that Gabrielle may not have the best of any one “feature.” However, not only does Anwar look gorgeous, she also has a killer Irish accent as Fiona in Burn Notice. If you haven’t watched any Burn Notice episodes then I doubt you could recognize the complete hotness that Gabrielle confidently displayed on a weekly basis.

Kiyoshi - What makes Anwar the top pick isn’t her looks, but her attitude. Her casual demeanor toward powerful weapons, a headstrong approach to covert operations and ability to pierce the cold-steel heart of her object of attraction gave her a distinct edge. Hollywood casting agents take note!

2.) Hayden Panettiere from Heroes

I don’t think anyone can disagree that Hayden Panettiere is one of the hottest actresses on TV at this time. The only argument that can be made is that she should be #1. The decision was real close but in the end Gabrielle’s accent triumphed over Hayden’s awesome blonde hair.

Kiyoshi - Hayden’s rise is because of Heroes, and she’s managed to outshine her other female co-stars. But she got a bit too angsty teen this season. You’ve got to wonder though if she’ll follow down the path of other young, female Hollywood stars that have ended up tabloid trash. Save the cheerleader, please.

3.) Kristin Bell from Heroes

A late addition to the nominations, Kristin Bell almost got snubbed from our decision. In the end though, she is just as hot as any other girl on TV and there isn’t much difference between Kristin, Hayden, and Gabrielle.

Kiyoshi - Bell only made it on the list because I pointed out that if Jeff wanted to keep Yvonne “Generic” Strahovski, then he might as well put former Ms. Veronica Mars and make all the fanboys happy.

4.) Kristin Kreuk from Smallville

Given LameRerun’s unrequited hatred for everything Smallville, Kiyoshi seriously wanted to leave Kristen Kreuk off the list. Alas, I had to convince him that not only does Kreuk deserve a nomination for her role as Lana Lang in Smallville, but ahead of his coveted Tina Fey as well.

Kiyoshi - Once again, not even the allure of all the eye candy the WB offers on Smallville can make me watch the show. I still stand by anti-Smallville boycott and look forward to Kreuk not being in a film that typecasts her.

5.) Yvonne Strahovski from Chuck

Personally, I think Yvonne Strahovski deserves a higher ranking from her role as Sarah in Chuck. But, when compared to Anwar, Panettiere, Bell and Kreuk, Strahovski just doesn’t hold up. Yvonne is still completely super hot, and that is why she’s in the Top 5.

Kiyoshi - For the record, I completely disagree with this choice. I find Strahovski to be irrelevant in her role. They could replace her next season with another blonde and no one would notice. What she’s doing here over Tina Fey just boggles my mind.

Honerable Mention: Tina Fey from 30 Rock

Even though it’s my site, Kiyoshi is literally forcing me to mention Tina Fey in the list of the hottest of the hottest. Fey definitely is very good looking and she has this whole hot-nerd thing going on. Even at 37 Tina still turns the heads of many; for that, we honor her here.

Kiyoshi - Tina Fey is now on walking two picket lines because of this ranking. Great, now it’ll be even longer until we get new episodes of 30 Rock. Thanks, Jeff.

Technorati Tags: LameRerun, Gabrielle+Anwar, Burn+Notice, Hayden+Panettiere, Hereos, Kristen+Bell, Smallville, Kristen+Kreuk, Yvonne+Strahovski, Chuck, Tina+Fey, 30+Rock

Burn Notice’s finale, titled Loose Ends marks the end of the summer season and its going to be a good one. It has taken me 10 weeks (or whatever) to come to the realization that I don’t really care what happens in the show, as long as what happens is 1) believable and 2) entertaining. Granted, I want Michael, Sam and Fiona to be successful, but what I really want is entertaining action and cool spy stuff (along with the standard quality writing and acting).

Obviously going into the finale I’m pretty excited, because I knew Burn Notice was going to accomplish all of the events I listed above, and it did so with flying colors. With the finale being two hours instead of one, the writers were actually able to develop a decent storyline, allowing for a more developed villain and supporting cast. In Loose Ends, Michael’s brother Nate makes an uneventful reappearance; his main role was making sure their mother was safe (and to keep the fuck out of the way). At one point, Sam and Fiona team up without Michael and fail miserably (both in the plot and their chemistry together as actors). Apparently, Michael’s burn notice was meant for a much higher purpose, as he leaves the season driving Sam’s Cadillac into an 18 wheeler.

One of the most amusing scenes in the finale was when Michael acted like a former Green Beret for a client, and he was so over-the-top ‘marine’ I’d almost believe it all to be true (used a heavy accent, quoted combat training, and of course the term semper fi was used in passing).

Fine, you want me to describe the action? I’LL GIVE YOU THE ACTION (in list form). Fiona’s gun stashes, Freon lock freezing, armored cars, scuba (yes, SCUBA!), grappling hooks, sticky bombs (yay tile adhesive), both Sam AND Fiona use sniper rifles (in two different scenes!). Oh, and if you didn’t know, buildings that have reinforced doors usually don’t have reinforced windows and that walls with a lot of windows aren’t load bearing (perfect for smashing a truck into).

Loose Ends is the best Burn Notice to date and definitely fitting for a season finale. The only problem I have is that I’ll have to wait until next summer (@$%#!)to see any more episodes.

Favorite Quotes:

*Sam: But you never charge Mike.
Fiona:oh but I expect other things from Michael.

*Carmello: Who are you?
Michael: I’m Michael Weston, I used to be a spy.

Links: Official Site | IMDB | Wikipedia | More Reviews | Episode Summary

Technorati Tags: Burn+Notice, Bruce+Campbell, Gabrielle+Anwar

Farewell Burn Notice, I shall miss thee.

This week’s Burn Notice episode, titled False Flag, followed a different plot line than normal and of course the writers made it work. For the most part, Burn Notice follows a standard episode plot sequence as we learn more about Michael’s burn notice. Along the way, Michael, Fiona and Sam usually help clients that have trouble with some kind of heavily weaponed group.

However, in False Flag Michael did not help out a formal client in that same way, but yet the episode was still as fresh and awesome as it’s ever been. While Michael thought he was helping a client find her missing son, he finds that he is being double crossed by another assassin to help find her next target. Don’t worry, the plot is quite entertaining; Michael faces off against an adversary that is equivalent in both fighting skill and intelligence.

False Flag only presented two official spy secrets, showing that Burn Notice can still be excellent without all of the cool gadgets. It sounds like common sense, but I just wouldn’t have recognized that an air conditioner bolted in the wall would be a weak point if no windows are present. The battle between Michael and the female assassin was more a battle of wits than that of brawn (more than it usually is) and it shows the commitment the writers have to making quality shows. Every new character from Michael’s past (in this instance Lucy) allows for further plot development and creativity in the future. I always hope that writers have a plan when they write the series (sometimes it is previous obvious they don’t); I’d say that Burn Notice writers are keeping their options open for a long-running spy drama.

One thing is for certain: the writers have set up the season finale to be an interesting one. Apparently, Michael finally gets to meet the guy that burned him. I’m expecting at least a little action but I imagine something real big is going to happen at the end of the episode. Okay, I’m not omniscient I just assume that since it is the finale of Season 1 part 1 then some drama will occur to move (and hold) the plot until the second half (which I assume will begin in January).

Overall False Flag was just as good as every other Burn Notice I’ve seen even without the action.

Favorite Quote:

Michael: How’s my Mom?
Sam: Locked up cozy and tight with a cigarette and a shotgun. Ready to kill anything that walks through the door.

Links: Official Site | IMDB | Wikipedia | More Reviews | Episode Summary

Technorati Tags: Burn+Notice, Bruce+Cambell, Gabrielle+Anwar

Originally aired on August 23, this episode of Burn Notice was again very original and quite good (standard). With a good balance of witty jokes, unique action and sexy drama, Burn Notice maintains the perfect formula from week to week to make awesome television.

The side plot this week featured Nick, a surfer, who has a problem: his fiancé has been kidnapped for ransom. Of course Burn Notice made it stereotypically funny as the writers made the surfer not very smart and included several surfer jokes (you realize quickly how out of place words such as ‘dude’ and ‘bro’ have in normal conversation). The episode ends with Michael getting attacked by another CSS agent, which was very surprising given that Michael did his background work.

There wasn’t much cool spy stuff going on, other than a gps device in Sam’s shoe and a homemade flash grenade (okay, that is still badass). Although the standard plot usually revolves around some kind of kidnapping or other group related crime, Burn Notice always remains original in how the story works out and Michael’s voice-over material (the main reasons to watch the show).

Technorati Tags: Burn+Notice

After watching for five minutes, I could tell that this episode of Burn Notice was going to be another good one. Fiona is doubling as a bounty hunter (pretty cool) and uses Michael’s help to secure her suspect. I don’t mention Bruce Campbell’s character Sam too much when I review Burn Notice, but that isn’t to say he isn’t a powerful force in the show. Sam hates to pay for any meal, really anything for that matter. Also, Sam drinks; he drinks a lot. I’m sorry, but Burn Notice wouldn’t be the show it is without Campbell’s character.

I found it quite funny when Michael calls random people on a phone owned by a black-market diamond dealer. It is a discreet alternative to torture, just make it so that the guy loses a bunch of clients. Also, we get to see where Fiona lives, although I thought she lived with Michael and Sam. Fiona and Michael’s relationship conversation, although short, was pretty awkward (and hopefully will continue to remain short–barely existent).

The writers of Burn Notice are never afraid to have Michael’s plans go wrong. I believe it gets old when everything goes right in some of the main dramas today (such as Law and Order, Psych and most of your other cop based dramas), and just knowing that the hero is fallible adds believability to the show. I like it when plans don’t go right; not only is it original, but it also makes for good TV.

The ending of the episode is just as fantastic as when it started. We get to see Campbell use the scoped rifle (again) and the writers again get creative. The trio plan and execute a fake bank robbery to set up the real crook, and I’d have to say I was very impressed with the way it all turned out.

I don’t know how many times I can say this about one show, but I really am a big fan. With nothing but quality episodes, Burn Notice really is the best show on TV.

Quote of the episode:

When trying to find information about his burn notice, Michael states: “Lets avoid having people use Michael Weston and Jihad in the same sentence.”

Technorati Tags: Burn+Notice, Bruce+Campbell, Psych, Law+and+Order, USA+Network

The biggest problem I have with Burn Notice is that I am so disappointed after watching every OTHER TV show. I’ve said it before and I’ll continue saying it: This Show Rocks. I’d have to say that this episode of Burn Notice had the most “stuff” compared to the other episodes. The episode had an original plot and also furthered the overall storyline. Plus, we learned more about his personal life.

I’ll begin with the individual plot unique to this episode only. Michael plays the role of a mentally unbalanced thief to get rid of a Cuban gang ran by Ms. Concha Ramirez. I have to say the writers have become real creative in using all of Michael’s attributes. In one scene, Michael blocks one of Concha’s henchmen’s car, then killed the electronic brain by drilling into the hood. Afterwards, Michael begins to jump wildly on the car and drilled holes into the roof (very original); that scene was possibly the most amusing scene yet in Burn Notice, as Michael plays a very funny lunatic. On top of that, Michael mugged Fiona (against her knowledge) to maintain his cover; the look on her face was priceless (before she punched him in the face).

After avoiding ‘the problem’ for the first few weeks, Burn Notice finally digs deeper into Michael’s personal life. The attempt to clear up relationship confusion between Michael and Fiona ended unfortunately cheesy (and also lame). Hopefully the writers will devote less time to this in the future so it doesn’t overshadow the rest of the story (or add any unnecessary drama).

Also in this episode Michael fights back and forth with Agent Bly. The agent tried to blackmail Michael involving his mother, his brother as well as Fiona in order to get Michael to give up his investigation. Meanwhile, Michael hired Barry, a money launderer, to set up the agent and get some leverage on his own to get the burn notice files, which was where the episode ends.

One of the best things about Burn Notice are the spy tips (We can’t forget the spy tips!). The episode started off with a bang with Michael and Fiona having to evade the police in a car chase. Michael also mentions using zone coverage instead of ‘man-to-man’ when stalking people, as it is less detectable. And, apparently we can make homemade ‘fire-bombs’ using Styrofoam.

Another week, another awesome Burn Notice has come and gone. I sometimes wonder how long it can last, but for now I want to enjoy it while I can.

Technorati Tags: Burn+Notice

WOW! This show rocks! In yet another great Burn Notice episode, we are given everything that makes great action/comedy: excitement, cool spy stuff and a gun fight. Before the opening credits we receive a dose of excitement, when a group of CSS Agents “interrogate” Michael’s mom (Michael didn’t like that very much). So Michael and Fiona rush over and Fiona takes a big ass gun to the surveillance van (she’s pretty classy) while Michael deals with the agents.

On top of the action we get to see a lot of cool spy stuff (everybody wants to be a spy). Michael takes his bugged phone and starts calling random overseas numbers, while speaking gibberish into the phone (to piss off and keep the agents watching him). Also (in list form): Michael mixes flour and with some powder on the floor to see hidden footprints, he finds an Laser microphone (optical bug) by using a digital camera, he breaks into the main agent’s hotel room (Agent Jason Bly) to destroy his laptop (magnets and computers don’t mix) and he pick pockets Agent Bly with help of Fiona. Another great thing is that Michael’s brother was not in the show, unlike the previous episodes. We even get treated to a gun fight in the end (Bruce Campbell sniping)!

I would have to say this episode was the best one I’ve seen in an already stellar season, also the best episode of ANY program that I’ve seen in quite some time. Why watch any other show?

Technorati Tags: Burn+Notice, Bruce+Campbell, USA, Spy+Sows