Burn Notice "Old Friends" (2007)

While this episode continued to follow the pattern of narrative plot laid down in the pilot we did get to see the two previously separate story lines begin to converge in the form of an assassin stalking Michael while he is trying to complete this week's assignment. Michael's barriers are starting to break down. He takes calls from his mother instead of ignoring them, agrees to work with his deadbeat brother, Nate (Seth Petersen), who is mother had to beg him to call previously, he's flirty with Fiona and he's not being dragged into his assignments kicking and screaming. The subtle changes in the nuances of the character wouldn't be as apparent if the episodes did not follow a similar structure so I am grateful for that. By setting down a clear framework for the stories we can see the progression Michael makes from being someone who loathes being back home to someone who is beginning to acclimate to his situation and even enjoying himself every once and a while.

We're starting to see a deeper connection between Michael and Sam and Fiona. Now he easily could have been trying to play Michael, but Sam seemed genuinely hurt that Michael would not confide in him about he and Fiona's side mission in this episode. Even though he has justified his informing on Michael to the FBI, there is still a fragile trust that exists between the two characters. Michael tries to go the professional route and claim that his keeping Sam in the dark gives him deniability however even though Sam is a fellow spy and should understand that he can only see the situation as his friend not being able to trust him. The scene between them in the bar following this has a humorous feel with Michael joking he will euthanize Sam before he becomes invalid, but it works on another level as two buddies reaffirming their friendship. On the other hand with Fiona, she wants anything but to be friends as her playful demeanour with Michael in the hotel as he is changing demonstrates. Michael doesn't seem as reluctant to engage in such activities with Fiona as he has in previous episodes, it's just her timing that he would prefer should be better.

The assassin plot is able to accentuates how much danger Michael is in at any particular moment. Up until now he has been to pursue his activities in Miami unhindered, and in fact greatly aided, by his past life. However a blacklisted spy confined to one area, once the word gets out where he is, would be forced to constantly fend off attacks from people in his past. Having an assassin stalking your every move while you're trying to solve a case is the perfect method to demonstrate this danger and I hope we continue to see the ramifications and investigations of Michael's burn notice outside of the teasers and tag scenes of episodes. Having the two plots in each episode converge would be a great way to break out of the narrative rut the show has put itself in while still holding true to the original appeal of the series. The scene where Michael rushes to save his brother while being shot at by the assassin was both tense and compelling and hopefully is the start of more situations in Michael's future.

Favorite moment: Sam and Fiona's staged car accident again highlights the chemistry and hilarious dynamic between these characters. Their bickering in the car before hijacking the villains' car and kidnapping their mark contrasts sharply with how they should be preparing for their mission. Sam's impromptu plan of getting hit by the car and milking them for money to keep from having the insurance agents and police involved was both a ingenious method of delay while still being in style of the character as he'll be running to the bar with that money as soon as the bad guys depart. Fiona's shrugging off his arm afterwards also is a smile-worthy moment. More Sam/Fiona missions, please.