Of all of USA's original shows (all of which I love to one degree or another), Burn Notice took me by surprise the most. Many of their shows make me wonder before I get a chance to watch them, some of them even leave me with a lot of doubt. When I had only heard about PSYCH, I wasn't so sure, but it was at least pretty screwy, and that's right up my alley. As you might imagine, several of their shows don't exactly suck me in with the synopsis.
When Burn Notice first hit, I didn't have any doubts. I was quite sure I wasn't going to like it. Sometimes you feel pretty lucky that you are forced to do things.
The third season took things up a notch, and made a very important turn (I think) in convincing us that the show really had the legs to continue long-term. Season Four is already heating up the summer, and we already know that there is a lot more Burn Notice ahead.
The Miami crime scene continues heating up for Master spy-for-hire Michael Westen as the Third Season of USA Network original series “Burn Notice” arrives on to DVD June 1 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.
Jeffrey Donovan (Changeling, “Crossing Jordan”) plays blacklisted spy Michael Westen, a free agent following his “burn notice” that effectively wiped out his existence: no work history, money or identity. Watching his back are friends, Sam played by Bruce Campbell (Army Of Darkness) and sexy ex-girlfriend Fiona played by Gabrielle Anwar (“The Tudors,” Scent Of A Woman), but with friends like this Westen often finds himself in even hotter water!
“Burn Notice” Season Three also features Emmy® Award-winner Sharon Gless (“Queer As Folk,” “Cagney & Lacey”), Moon Bloodgood (Terminator Salvation) and Jay Karnes (The Shield, “Sons of Anarchy”).
As I said, season three maneuvers the show to somewhat new levels and allows viewers a more "settled" experience. No matter how well things are done, year after year of the quest to figure out who burned Michael isn't going to sell. We focus a good deal on the Miami detective who starts poking around, because there aren't enough complications, and the general effort switches more toward finding out how to become "unburned."
There's a bit more flash overall, and some of the general theories of the episodes move toward the silly, but it is one of the top shows on cable for very good reason. As is customary of USA, according to their tagline anyway, it's all about the characters, and here is a show that knows how to work such a theory.
BURN NOTICE -- "Question and Answer" Episode 302 -- Pictured: (l-r) Gabrielle Anwar as Fiona Glenanne, Jeffrey Donovan as Michael Westen-- USA Network Photo: Glenn Watson
Oddly, this is a bizarrely poor DVD release. Fine enough for watching the show, though it doesn't look great, but a bit more of a bonus effort is becoming pretty well standard for television releases, and this one doesn't offer much. Smash, Crash, Boom: Inside the Burn Notice Stunt Unit isn't at all bad actually, but there is only so much to it. Just as you'd expect I predict. The only other feature you get is a sort of featurette compiling some material from 2009's Comic Con.
That's very little bonus material, and for new DVD releases of new shows, it's hard not to expect at least a few commentaries, and a bit more effort in general.
Own it on DVD today!
Win it!
Leave a comment below and tell me your favorite episode of the new season, and you are automatically entered to win the DVD release of Season Three! U.S. only. Winner will be selected July 20th.
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About Marc Eastman
Marc Eastman is the owner and operator of Are You Screening? and has been writing film reviews for over a decade, and several branches of the internet's film review world have seen his name. His reviews have brought him personal praise from the director of a major motion picture, and have been used as required reading in a course at a major University. These priceless rewards, along with just bags of cash, keep him from straying from freelance writing. He is also a member of The Broadcast Film Critics Association and The Broadcast Television Journalists Association.
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