Burn Notice "False Flag" (2007)

Well we've been building to it all season. Michael's been getting progressively closer and closer with his clients despite his desire to keep things strictly professional and this week it almost does him in along with his new client who originally was his mark. Lucy Lawless makes for a fine adversary in this episode as a professional assassin who has crossed paths with Michael before. I think she gets into his head a little more than a man would, playing the endangered child card and playing off Michael's daddy issues to get him to do what she needs. It's a shame it was decided to kill her off because Michael needs a Lex Luthor or a Master. He needs someone who is his equal and can anticipate his moves and counter them with some of her own. Of course it helps to have an attractive nemesis so they can have a little Batman/Catwoman dynamic going on. It helped her deception that Michael had an attraction to her as she was a needy woman who required his help. I think that attraction grew a little bit when he discovered just how alike they really were. I will say that I was not expecting her to be the villain. It was a nice little turnaround when Michael realized that he had been set up.

Of course as much as I would have enjoyed a flirtatious rivalry between Michael and Evelyn, I still think Fiona will always be the woman for him. I loved that she picked up on how Michael was getting too close to the client and that something was amiss. I think she was more cautious just because she saw the effect she had on Michael more than instinctual distrust, but she was still right in the end. She stubbornly allowed Michael to go in alone even against her better judgment but she was there as soon as she got the call. Fiona can be a bit aggressive in getting Michael to open up and talk about his feelings but she also knows when not to push anymore after she gets him as far as he is willing to go. The two characters are certainly meant to be together. No one will get Michael as much as Fiona does and I don't think he opens up to anyone, even his family, more than he does with her.

I'm glad we got to see Lucy again, the first I believe since the pilot, because I like to see Michael building up a little network in Miami to help with his investigations. We have Lucy, the security consultant or corporate spy, and Barry, the money launderer. Obviously not everyone Michael encounters can become a member of the gang, but I like the idea of associate members who pop up every so often. That being said I wish we had seen more of Lucy before her life was put in danger. I think we could have felt more for the character if we knew more about her and seen her more than just for the second time after so many episodes in between. We should see more of her though as Michael and her have a history, he trained her and maybe there's a bit more there than what we're seeing. And maybe our chances for an arch nemesis aren't completely dashed. Phillip Cowan is still waiting in the wings and I'm sure he did not act alone. So maybe come second season another Burn Notice wish list item will be delivered.

Favorite moment: Fi's rescue of Michael at the beginning was both a tense and hilarious scene, further proof that the show can do both so well. I loved her look when she saw Michael in danger and her immediate transformation into a ditsy girl wanting to show her boyfriend her new shoes. Michael's smile and head bobs are priceless as she is showing off her new footwear. They escape with Michael claiming she is pregnant and Fiona almost heads back in to get her shoe that she left in all the excitement. Fiona is definitely someone you want to have in your corner as she will always be there to save your ass and show you a good time while doing so.