Burn Notice "Double Booked" (2008)

Burn Notice returns after a brief hiatus with the first of two episodes which end the first half of the second season. The pieces start to come together with regards to Michael's part in Carla's current scheme but again this takes a back seat to this week's SPI case. In a slight change of pace, the client does not come to Michael or one of his associate's for help, she's not even aware of the danger she is in until Michael brings it to her attention. Michael is approached by an old colleague, Larry (Special Guest Star and episode director Tim Matheson) who until recently was presumed dead. He has a job offer for Michael, a fellow former spy who has taken to using his skills in the private sector. Michael, driven by a need to protect the woman that Larry has been hired to kill takes the job in order to do what he does best: protect those who would never stand a chance of staying alive without his help. We've come full circle, Michael has gone from being roped into helping these clients out of guilt, into accepting jobs with much less reluctance to now where we see him make a proactive choice about protecting this woman.

This episode certainly had plenty of well known guest stars, particuarly Matheson who had a recurring role on The West Wing as the philandering Vice President John Hoynes. He shines as the former spy who is a darker variation of Michael. He also does work in the private sector but is not bound by the same code of ethics as Michael, evidenced by his willingness to take a murder for hire contract. He's also a cold, merciless man who has no problem with killing any and everyone associated with the job at the slightest hint of trouble. This is a strong contrast to Michael who goes out of his way to avoid having to directly kill anyone. This is most evident when he is forced to try and kill Larry at the end as it is the only way his client, and himself, will be safe from further danger. He struggles immensely with this choice and in the end it's inferred that he is unable to kill Larry, perhaps because he was worried he would hit Drew (Home Improvement's Zachary Ty Bryan) or simply because he could not bring himself to kill someone in cold blood. I'm glad Larry has been kept alive and not killed off, like Lucy Lawless' character last season, as he would make for a worthy adversary who could make recurring appearances on the show.

There was certainly plenty of guest stars to go around in this episode, from the previously mentioned Matheson and Bryan and to the always lovely Amy Pietz, as the woman targeted by both Larry and Drew. Pietz is just coming off the recently canceled Aliens in America where she certianly proved her comedic talents. She's not given much to do here but plays the part she is given well enough, her best scene probably is in the bathroom when Michael reveals to her that he has been sent to kill her but is going to protect her instead. She mostly shares the screen with Fiona, who Michael has asked to watch over her who obliges even if it means time away from her previously mentioned new boyfriend, Campbell (Gary Weeks). Michael is clearly uneasy around Campbell, and is probably surprised Fiona has actually moved on, as I was.

As has been the case this season, time away from Fiona means more time with Mama Westen as they give counseling another try, this time instead of sharing stories, they are tasked with making a list of what they are most grateful to the other for. While we didn't get to hear the lists in their entirety, we know that Michael's contained the fact that his mother provided him with a cover ID, a humorous glimpse at how crafty Madeline is in her own right (I think if you looked deeper you would see that where your resourcefulness and cunning come from Michael) and good vision. While not exactly what the counselor was looking for, Michael's poorly thought out list does lead to a touching revelation that Madeline was responsible for Michael being given permission to join the military, fearing for him if he stayed at home any longer. Michael is genuinely grateful to his mother for this deed and it's another sweet moment in their new relationship since he was forced back to Miami.

An interesting case, with an excellent adversary makes for another enjoyable episode, pulling Burn Notice out of its earlier slump. The seeds are also planted for the mid-season finale, as Michael is finally able to piece together what Carla is planning. Sam points it out best when he says that Carla has made him Bill Johnson's (Joe Kimble) own personal shopper and I sincerely hope there was more to Michael being roped into this organization than simply forging an ID card and helping to steal a rifle. Looks like next week's client will probably be either Johnson or the proposed target who has yet to be revealed and with Carla making a more than welcome return appearance should make for a satisfying installment before the four month long hiatus before the end of the season.

Favorite moment: Discovering that the hit on Jeannie (Pietz) is about to go down with Fiona in the car with her, Michael races to the rescue and places himself in harm's way in order to ensure their survival. The entire sequence is edited like a 24 episode with mulptiple split screens used to heighten the tension and create a sense of urgency. In the end, the look of concern on Fiona's face as she pulls Michael from the wrecked car speaks volumes about how she still cares for him. A similar aside is how Sam also seems worried about Fiona, since he is all too aware of Larry's lethal capabilities, during the final scheme to fake Jeannie's death. It's nice to see the SPI team looking out and being concerned for each other. It's an unlikely family, but a closely-knit one nonetheless.