Burn Notice "Bad Blood" (2008)

Burn Notice had a return to form this week. With the introduction of Michael's new wrangler, the slump that seems to be a recurring factor after the first episodes of the season is ended by inserting a new facet into the actual burn notice continuing plot. It's also a distraction from the fact that Carla has been MIA since the beginning of the season as well. If she's the carrot, then Victor (Michael Shanks) is certainly the stick as it seems Michael has been bucking at his reins a bit during his first few missions. He needs a strong hand and Victor provides that amply in his introduction to Michael over a friendly chess game in the park. Michael's threat of opening an artery in Victor's arm is calmly counter moved with a gun aimed at Michael's groin. Victor also aides in the continuation of the season two switch with having the burn notice interfere in SPI's cases as he scares away Michael's mark when he needs him to help pull a job the next day. He generally gloats over the fact that Michael can do nothing but obey him as he's trapped in a corner, all the while not realizing that Michael is still figuring out bits of information and putting one over on his new employers. Everyone has continually underestimated Michael until it was too late to do something about it. Hopefully Victor won't be another Agent Bly and be out of the picture by the next episode.

Turning matters to this week's case, Michael is contacted by the brother of an old friend who is in a bit of bind since two million dollars has gone missing from the company he's be named head accountant at. SPI looks into the case and decides the best cover for Michael should be as a money launderer. Cue Barry who has been making recurring appearances this season in about every other episode. He's well aware of how continuing relations with Michael can be bad for his own business as "the next day you do the Michael Weston thing, stuff starts exploding, and everybody's saying, 'Hey, Barry, wasn't that guy a friend of yours?' Barry's a likable addition to the SPI support team but I wish we got to see more of him. Maybe delve more into his and Michael's past history? For now, we'll settle with the amusing repartee that the two have developed with Michael always managing to win him over to his point of view. In this instance it just takes an additional two grand and the promise of no blow back.

Michael begins his new cover by trying to convince Eddie (Rob Benedict) to invest the stolen money into some condos Michael, or Jimmy Glinn, is negotiating to buy. The pressure is on however since Valentine (special guest star Method Man) is demanding to know where the elusive money is and Victor has successfully scared off Eddie from getting involved with Michael. SPI always works best under pressure and manage to turn the tables and convince Eddie that Jimmy is his only chance of laundering his money in a clinch. The case this week wasn't the most gripping except for the fact that Victor is able to hinder the well-planned operation Michael is setting up. Michael continually impresses with his smooth operator persona who can convince anyone of anything no matter how the deck is stacked against him. I'm curious to see when SPI is unable to complete their mission. Right now they're pushing a perfect batting average on their cases, aside from some messiness in their last assignment of season one. Burn Notice needs to shake up the format a little, maybe some blow back from a previous assignment, a failed mission, something to show that it's all not always wrapped up in a nice little package at the end of the hour.

Seriousness aside, we can always rely on the other two members of SPI to provide some welcome comic relief. While no Fiona/Sam pairing until the very end of the episode, we got something just as fun with Sam playing guardian over Madeline since, as usual, Michael's family and friends are in the Victor's sight lines should Michael decide not to follow protocol. I was worried it might cross into romantic territory, but it was hilarious to see Sam and Madeline hit it off so well, her providing relationship advice since Veronica kicked him out and she gets a new shopping buddy. Sam even picks up some great cooking tips from watching the Food Network with Mama Westen. Even getting Madeline to play a part in the assignment this week, she is believed to be a FBI agent conducting surveillance with Sam under the pretense of scoping out a new place for Sam to live. Proving she's just as sharp as her son, she sees through the charade and knows Sam was sent to babysit her however she is touched that Michael is so worried about her safety. Even when locked into a procedural format, the characters of the show are what make it must see viewing every week. Not a single one of them is extraneous and you always want to spend more with all and not one at the expense of another. There aren't too many casts out there with that kind of appeal but when you find one you can only hope the show is on for as long as possible.

Favorite moment: Proving just how adept SPI is at manipulating all the players for the final end game, Michael's planned dive in his tussle with Eddie was comical, but the true laughs came from Sam and Fiona's capture of Valentine so he could bear witness to Eddie's confession. Bruce Campbell is a pure delight in these diverting rants, this time criticizing rap music and preferring some gangster Kenny G or Captain & Tennille. And there is nothing hotter than Fiona pointing a gun at someone while calling them sugar bloomers. Picture perfect casting has never seemed so possible.