Burn Notice s7 so far

[arduinna]

Continuing my complete random assortment of daily posts!

I watch Burn Notice in odd spurts, almost never one at a time but letting them pile up for weeks and then marathoning them when the mood strikes. I'm not quite sure why; maybe because every episode aims for intense, and I'm not quite in the mood for that on Thursdays, who knows.

But tonight was suddenly a Burn Notice night. I'm not quite caught up, but I'm watching the 8/15 ep right now, "Things Unseen". Okay, yeah, this is what happens, I had to keep watching.

Random stuff about this season:

I am seriously loving the way splitting up the team is allowing everyone more one-on-one time, right up to Fi and Maddie -- and wow, how much do I love that they really are friends, that they're always there for each other? (And that Fi bonds with Maddie by teaching her how to blow out the side of a building <3)

I feel like they've been wobbling a littttttle bit on Maddie's characterization this season -- over the last few seasons she's made some very specific choices to be a part of Michael's life (and a part of his chosen family, which zomg, so amazing ♥) and while I completely get why taking care of Charlie is going to change all of her priorities, she bizarrely lost some of the -- hm, "knowledge" isn't quite the right word, but close enough - her knowledge about Micheal's life and work, so everything's a scary surprise again, which... it hasn't been for a while now.

But eh, whatever -- she and Fi are still close, Sam and Jesse come over to play with Charlie, and all of that is with Michael off the grid for a year. This is truly a chosen family, even if the original glue isn't around.

Equally happy-making is all the lovely Sam/Mike this season; I feel like they've gotten a lot more together time as they all swirl around in different combinations doing different jobs. I was a puddle at all the amazing Sam/Mike h/c at the end of last season (oh my god, that car ride), and this season I've just been beaming at Sam's unwavering devotion -- Mike needs him, he goes, and he snarks Jesse down if Jesse doesn't move fast enough. And that just never changes: he'll never not be there for Mike. But it's not blind devotion; he's always ready to question Mike if he doesn't agree with something. I love that they haven't forgotten that Sam's a soldier, not a spy. That scene where he had to kill someone for no good reason, man, and was all bitter anger afterward -- that was a thing of beauty.

I love too that that's sort of the theme of this season; how far are you willing to go for your friends, for a cause that you may or may not believe in?

And how Micheal really, truly wasn't a nice guy when he was a spy, and how that darkness is just lurking around; he fought hard to be a better person, especially after he got burned, and Sam and Fi are not wrong about his steady slide back into that darkness doing this deep cover job.

Man, no wonder Dead Larry had such a hold on him, and was so convinced Michael would always love him best. ... For Dead Larry values of "love", anyway. I mean, I knew he was Michael's rubicon, but. Wow. (And seriously, he's as creepy as Scorpius when it comes to living in people's heads.)

Every time Michael talks about deep cover, I flash to Vinnie and Sonny on Wiseguy -- except Michael's not Vinnie. He's on the verge of being Roger. His friends and family are holding him anchored, but man, he has lost his internal compass, even though he thinks he hasn't. He's gone back to believing the mission is the anchor and compass. No, no, no.

OTOH, I do like how none of the superbadguy-villains have been complete super bad guys; Nathan Petrelli turned out to be all principled, James is a psycho who truly believes he's helping the whole world as he goes around having half the world shot.

As soon as James showed up on screen, I knew where everything was going, ish. He's just too good at playing a charismatic cult leader; the last time I saw him, he was on Alphas trying to force the evolution of mankind, with hundreds of worshipful followers. I have no problem believing he's as crazy and as charismatic as he seems here...

It's weird; the show itself is so, so much darker this year - but the relationships are stronger (and healthier), with emotional connections all over the place. Which I'm eating up with a spoon, even as I freak out a bit over how awful everything is. It's jarring listening to the credits; they're way too lighthearted for this season, and make me really miss the first couple of seasons, when you might get an episode about teaching a kid to stand up to bullies. Rather than, you know. Shooting everyone and everything all the damn time. Dear god, the body count this season.

Spoilers for 7x08, Things Unseen:

Sebastian Roche! <3 He will forever be Kurt Mendel to me, from Odyssey 5, in all his shirtless sleazy wonder. Okay also whatsisname from the US Touching Evil. He kept his shirt on in this one, though, which was a good indicator of what was going to happen to him, IMO.

Seriously, Michael, get out, you are in too deep and are an actual bad guy now, wtf. :( He's going to come out of this more broken than he ever has been. (Plus, Sebastian Roche! nooooo)

Unrelatedly, wow I was pissed at Maddie for pulling the "if you don't testify, all future victims' blood will be on your head" with Lloyd -- no, it wouldn't, it would be on Nando's head. Lloyd would probably *feel* guilty about it, but he's not the one killing people, cripes. She knows better than that.

... Okay, I just finished the ep, and wow, go Carlos. I figured he was just a bit of fluff when he was introduced, someone for Fi to be temporarily interested in while she pined for Michael, but he's been winning me steadily over. And man, after this ep, he is the most decent, principled person this show has ever seen. He would have been so much better for Fi than Michael.

I am now seriously rooting for her to end the season by walking away from Michael and finding Carlos.

Okay, I think I can fit in one more ep if I kinda live-blog it a bit, because now I have to see what happens next. Things are getting a bit tense.

7x09, Tipping Point:

Okay, at least the second ep running where Michael says something to the effect of "no matter how important the mission is, no matter how much you believe in the cause, it feels like what it is: a complete betrayal" when doing something for the mission.

Aw, and there again - Michael doesn't trust Strong and looks straight to Sam, who's right there with "don't worry, brother, we'll be there to watch your back." ♥ ♥

Strong? Is a GOOBER. WTF random freelance extraction team to go after James.

OH HOLY SHIT IT'S SIMON WTF

I was on the phone with therienne a few minutes ago and saying how this season, they'd clearly figured hey, final season, let's pull out all the stops, but good GOD. I was not expecting Simon.

(... okay now I kinda want them to bring Victor back from the dead, at least for a few minutes. As long as we're getting everyone else! He could be a hallucination. Or a ghost. Michael Shanks is good at being both of those...)

Seriously, how stupid is Strong, to trust Simon??

Oh, Sam, I love you so. <3 <3 There is no one he won't go nose to nose with when they're being stupid and risking lives unnecessarily. Or calling his best friend a murderer.

.. Okay, I was not expecting actual fisticuffs.

AAAAAAAAAAA OR EYE GOUGING WTF

oh holy crap. *stares at screen* I.

That was freaking brilliant -- he's completely lost his mind, down in the darkness where he kinda likes killing people, but he's there because he can't stand all the killing, and how Simon is his warped mirror image, even more than Dead Larry was. Holy crap.

Oh no -- I can't blame Michael at all for not trusting Strong AT ALL, but walking away from Sam and Jesse :( :(

Okay, this is ALL VERY STRESSFUL AIGH.

Good grief. I need to find some kitten tv or something to unwind from all of that. They're seriously pulling out the stops this season.

in before midnight, woo!

Comments

[teaotter]

This is pretty much entirely my response to this season. It's amazing, and I desperately need kittens.

God, the moment Sonya had her gun to Michael's head and he just closed his eyes and -- Michael doesn't give up, but he gave up there and I swear he just wanted it to be over -- OMGFLAIL!

I agree that I've been less happy with Maddie's characterization this season, but everyone else is just blowing me out of the water.

[arduinna]

I couldn't even come up with words for that scene!! gahh so stressful. He really had totally given up -- he just broke, silently, into all his pieces, and wanted it to be done.

And it was perfectly set up, with his repeated observation over at least the last two eps (and it feels to me like probably more than that -- hell, it's probably been all season, I just watch too sporadically) that no matter the reason for doing something awful to someone who trusts you, it's still a betrayal. He's been made to betray people over, and over, and over, and then Strong turns around and betrays *him*, and that last tiny thread holding him loyal just snaps.

SO well done! But argh, so stressful!

I was thinking more about the fight with Simon, too. They so specifically showed them both dropping their guns to go at this hand to hand, and then fighting over the knife. It was the most visceral fight I've seen on the show (... mostly because of the *eye-gouging*), and I think that really, Michael was literallly carving the betrayer out of his soul at the end there. I mean, that slow knifing with the crazy eyes was CREEPY omg, so creepy, and so intensely personal, and you couldn't see where the knife was, and man. *flails*

He broke there, too (wow did he break there), but he's so used to holding himself together that he thought he was still okay, right up until he would have had to stand by and watch someone else die for him, all because she trusted him enough to sleep next to him, and *poof*, no more duct tape over his cracks.

... or something. I'm very tired. *g*

Everyone is definitely knocking it right out of the park this season, man. This is amazing.

Here, have a pic of my derpy little cat!

[merryghoul]

I guess I'm still one of the few that's been disappointed in this season overall. I can't excuse the show's retcons. I feel there are a lot of plot holes that are cropping up moreso this season than other seasons. And I hate hate hate the romantic subplot.

But Fi & Maddie time is the best.

[arduinna]

My thing with the plots on BN is that I've been really frustrated with the endless repetition of the *same* plot every season. I almost didn't watch this season; it was the Sam stuff, and Maddie choosing to leave with everyone, that convinced me to stay.

So this season, seeing that we've taken a left turn from the usual plot is fantastic to me. And it's actually making the repetitiveness of the other seasons make more sens; Michael's been trapped in a never-ending cycle because of his innate loyalty to and belief in the CIA, and he couldn't break that until the CIA finally broke *him* by betraying him once too often, and too severely. Now it feels like things are actually *changing*, and that by the end of this season (assuming they all come out of it alive, which I think they will), he'll actually be able to move forward instead of sideways.

Plot holes I totally handwave for this show, I admit. I don't even really notice them. I did think the secret mission that no one could not about was a bit much, but god knows I've been expected to swallow worse as a fan of shows before. At least they didn't have a total stranger appear in Miami claiming to be Michael Westen and expecting everyone, including Maddie, to play along...

I'm not much of a Mike/Fi shipper, which helps a lot in dealing with Carlos; I was actually really happy to see that if they were going to break them up, Fi didn't sit around pining, but instead got on with her job and her life and found what turned out to be a seriously decent, good man (who knew!). And that Michael respected her enough to respect that (which I would absolutely expect him to! I was just glad the writers agreed). And especially that breaking up, even badly, didn't make them bitter toward each other; their feelings for each other are genuine and deep, no matter what else is going on.

&heart; Fi & Maddie ♥

[klia]

Flailing right along with you. The closeness between various characters has been awesome, but dear god, they're going to give me a freaking coronary with the rest of it.

I'm not as down on Maddie's characterization as you are. Yes, she got used to the random WTFness that went along with Michael's "job," but he was totally out of touch with all of them for a long, long time, and I think that really pulled the rug out from under her, to the point where she no longer knew what to expect. And it didn't help that random, threatening stranger, James, and his creepy thugs just showed up out of nowhere to "protect" her and Charlie, either. One of my favorite moments of the season was her pointing the gun at James, and telling him if he ever showed up in her house again, she'd shoot him on sight.

Oh, and what she said to Lloyd came across to me as her saying whatever it took to get him to do what they needed him to do -- and she acted her part really well. It was very subtle, but I thought there was emotion behind her words, but not any real conviction. But, obviously, we're interpreting some things very differently!

I could totally understand why Michael flipped the hell out over Strong hiring Simon. It was just insanely stupid of Strong -- did he really think Michael would be okay with it, and not see it as yet another betrayal by the CIA?

I don't believe Michael's an irredeemable psychopath, not like Larry, Simon, or James. I think he still does have a moral compass, only it's lost its magnetic center ATM, thanks to Strong's stupidity and incompetence. BUT... and this is the last thing I'll say... I'm VERY afraid of where they might be headed. I don't want BN to be another show where, after the finale, my guts are all ripped out and stomped on, and I'm wondering why the hell I bothered. *gnaws remaining fingernails*

[arduinna]

Oh, I'm only a little down on Maddie's characterization; mostly she's awesome. Pulling that gun on James was fantastic, and exactly what I've come to expect from her. <3

But she used to be able to stare anyone down, anytime -- feds, cops, bad guys, crooked politicians. And she's lost that, in a way that feels less like she's forgotten how than like she never knew how. It's not major, just a tiny niggle, mostly because everyone else is just rockin' it.

Not crucial, in any event!

The Lloyd thing, I totally get her trying to convince him, and I agree that that was her entire motivation, not true belief that he'd be responsible. I just have a kneejerk thing about blaming someone scared of retaliation for a criminal's future acts. I would have been a lot more comfortable with Maddie saying something like "I could have stopped a child abuser, if I'd told the police. But I was scared and I didn't tell, and I have to live with knowing that he kept right on abusing those kids because I didn't try to stop him." -- it makes the point, but in a non-blame-y way, just in a "this is my experience, think about that being your experience before you decide".

But yeah, given the time constraints, I can see going for the stock "it'll be on your head". I just don't like it. *g*

Re Strong, as soon as he lit into Michael with that "I've been after James for 10 years, and I'm not going to let [niggling details] stop me now" I had a really bad feeling. I mean, I've had a bad feeling all along; he's way too cavalier about how he uses people up. But that was the freaky icing on the cake. He's completely obsessed, and doesn't see anyone as people, really. Simon was an asset; Michael's an asset; who the hell cares what assets think or want? They're controlled pawns sent to do a job.

And Simon reinforced that; he knew what he was, he know how and why he was being used, he didn't object to it because it was better than being in prison. From Strong's POV, Michael had the same general background, got the same general deal (except more generous), and would be as objective about the need to use whatever assets were at hand. He just. Doesn't understand Michael at all, or Michael's strong sense of personal loyalty and how he expects that to be reciprocated on some level.

I don't believe Michael's an irredeemable psychopath, not like Larry, Simon, or James. I think he still does have a moral compass, only it's lost its magnetic center ATM, thanks to Strong's stupidity and incompetence.

Oh, me either! I think he's shattered at the moment, from trying to hold things together for way, way too long, but he's not a psychopath. He saw himself heading down that road and stopped himself back with Dead Larry, which is huge. And he was still trying, even as he got sucked further and further into this new web; he wouldn't let Sonya call an airstrike on the compound, because of all the people who would die. But I think - hm.

I think there's a really big reason why for the first time ever, we saw Michael interacting with his dad when he was being tortured, as well as his time with Dead Larry. These men who were supposed to teach him, protect him, help him be a better man -- they betrayed him. His dad taught him violence and manipulation; Larry taught him (controlled) psychopathy. He managed to twist both their lessons into using those dangerous tools to protect other people, but they still made him dangerous.

But what made that okay in the end was the CIA, which was a good, noble institution doing its best to make a dark world a better place. He could use those dangerous tools to good purpose; he could be a good man. So as long as he was working for the CIA, everything was okay.

And then he wasn't working for them, and he became obsessed with getting back in their good graces, because that would justify his dangerousness. And I think he kinda didn't notice that all the time he was trying to get back in, he was becoming a far, far better man, because he was able to choose for himself how to use his dangerous tools, without anyone else using him as a weapon.

So finding out that the CIA thinks Simon is A-OK to send out armed into a city -- man. Poor Michael. He managed to stay such an idealist, after all these years.

BUT... and this is the last thing I'll say... I'm VERY afraid of where they might be headed. I don't want BN to be another show where, after the finale, my guts are all ripped out and stomped on, and I'm wondering why the hell I bothered. *gnaws remaining fingernails*

I don't think it will be! I think there's a good reason we've been getting so much emotional interaction and sheer unadulterated proof that this team will be there for each other no matter what, every single time.

I think the whole season is about Michael realizing that his faith in, and wanting to belong with, the CIA has been badly misplaced, but that in the meantime he's built this rock-solid family that's his true center. They've stuck with him through umpteen rounds of "I just need to find out the truth so I can get my job back", gone after the most powerful people in the world for him, gone to jail for him, and never, ever betrayed him.

I think he's going to figure out that being burned was the best thing that ever happened to him. In my heart, the ending is everyone sitting around a table in the sunshine having mojitos. <3

(And if they don't do that, if they go darkside for drama? Which seriously I do not expect at all. Welcome to my revised canon! *g* pull up a chair, there's plenty of room.)

[klia]

Yes, Strong's the other psychopath in this scenario, and the fact that he viewed Simon and Michael as pretty much exactly the same -- tools for his use, nothing more -- speaks volumes about HIS mental state.

I really hope you're right about the series finale. I love these characters too much to be even remotely OK with anyone else being killed off, or Michael going darkside. And they've been so good about keeping the team safe for 7 seasons -- but that's exactly why I'm afraid of what they might feel free to do in the finale, especially after such a highly-emotional season. I just don't trust showrunners or networks to not destroy their creation in some way, even if it's over, and ratings don't really matter anymore. *sigh*

[arduinna]

If this were on HBO or something, I'd be more worried, I admit -- but not on USA. It's always possible they'll pull the rug out from under, but to me, it's just not what the show *is*, or the network, either.

I've been thinking this out more as I talk to more people (okay, mostly writing the world's longest reply to poor gwyn, and really, I can see a full-series narrative arc playing out here. If I'm right, we're in for a tense few episodes, but potentially a much happier ending than I would have expected with BN, actually.

/eternal optimist, I know *g*

[klia]

K, K, and I recently talked about BN and how it fits into the USA Network "brand," and the thing to keep in mind is this: BN is the anomaly, not the norm. None of their other shows are anywhere near this dark and intense. And that's why I'm worried. I can totally see the showrunners and network wanting to really pull out all the stops and go out with a bang -- literally.

That said, I really, sincerely hope you're right. I've just been burned (har har, pun intended ;) ) too many times in the past by shows suddenly veering into, 'OMG, WTF are you even DOING?!' territory.

[sakana17]

Like klia, I have grave fears about the finale, because this season has been so dark and intense. Eeeeek!

I can go with Maddie's characterization this season because:
* losing Nate last year
* held in custody for however long
* Michael even less in contact than before
* and Charlie is bringing out all her protective instincts but also her wish to give Charlie a more stable home than her own sons had

[arduinna]

See my reply to klia! I think we're in for an incredibly tense ride (zomg), but that there's a reason this season has been dark and intense on one hand, but on the other hand just swimming in team connections, loyalty, and trust.

If you believe in nothing else, believe that Sam Axe is not going to give in to darkness!

I am totally down with that entire list for Maddie. Really, my issues with her characterization are niggling little things; I can see what they're going for, I just think they bobbled here and there in small ways. Which I notice mainly because her character arc has been pretty rock-solid all these years, and everyone else is just bang on target. But she really does have the most-changed set of circumstances to deal with.

[gwyn]

This is so weird, I've had almost the complete opposite reaction to yours this season and end of last. I loved Burn Notice because of the characters first and second, the whole "when you're a spy" thing of being The Equalizer with this hilariously altered way of looking at the world. There's been no saving people or helping people for such a long time, and while that might feel repetitive, it was what I enjoyed. I don't even understand what the fuck he's doing anymore, I literally cannot follow the plot and I have no idea why he is working with this James guy and whatever. None of it makes any sense to me beyond he was trying to save everyone at end of last season.

While I liked Fi getting on with her life, I just...I dunno, I hate that they broke up the band. It's grimdark and I didn't sign up for that. The whole thing just...disappoints me. I can't see what Michael will be at the end of the series, and it bothers me that he will end up broken and horrible because of what he once believed in. I just want him to hang out with his wonderful friends and provide leverage solve people's problems.

Maybe I should have watched in live with you in chat or something, I would have felt different.

[arduinna]

(Oh, my god, this is long, sorry! I'm thinking this out as I type it.)

Oh, it wasn't the individual episode plots I found repetitive! I loved them saving/helping people, and putting all the spy-soldier-armsdealer skills to good use. It was the formulaic season plot arcs (which is a problem in every USA show I watch - they loooove their formulas): Michael wants to clear his name and get back into the CIA, but to do that he has to catch this one bad guy, who has crucial information. So all season he chases the bad guy, and finally catches him/her! But it turns out that s/he is really just middle management, and there's someone new he has to chase, because he's been after the tip of the iceberg. So next season, we start with the next big bad, because Michael has to clear his name to get back into the CIA.

Last week's episode crystallized this season's arc for me like nothing else has (helped a lot by basically watching the last three consecutively). Looking at the last seven seasons narratively, I really think it's brilliant, at least if they're doing what I think they're doing. (I've also been thinking this out as I respond to people here, so it's crystallizing sloooowly.)

So basically, the series begins when Michael is absolutely a spy for the CIA. Someone betrayed him, and he is totally focused on undoing the damage of that betrayal, proving his loyalty, and regaining his job. In the meantime, he takes on odd jobs to pay the rent, reconnects with old friends and shifts from working solo on almost everything to working solo on almost nothing, and discovers he's pretty good at helping people, and he likes doing that.

But he's hugely goal-driven, and identity-driven, and his identity is Really Good Spy For The CIA, Helping To Make The Whole World Safer. If he doesn't have that, if he's not putting his incredibly dangerous skills to use for the greater good, what is he? He's seen what happens when men like him start acting outside the the structure of the CIA's (and therefore society's) goals and needs: his dad, Dead Larry, all kinds of terrible people who think they can do whatever they want and let someone else pay the consequences.

Every season, the same cycle repeats, because Michael is completely trapped in his identity as a Really Good Spy For The CIA. Every season, there's a new layer of corruption or evil to peel back and destroy, and he believes every time that finally, he's going to be able to go back to The Real Him, CIA Agent Extraordinaire.

Everyone around him knows this is mostly a fool's errand; it's clear the CIA doesn't want him, and outside of this obsession of his, he's doing huge amounts of good in the world. But he can't shake this obsession, or break out of this cycle. All he can do is promise "just this one last time, I swear, and then it'll be over" (which, huh, huge shades of Nate's gambling problems, actually).

Along the way he runs into corrupt government agents and officials, but that's okay; he knows you can't expect all the people in an organization to be worthy of it (see: Dead Larry). But he never loses his faith in the CIA itself, even when an old, beloved friend and mentor betrays him. And we end last season on him apparently back in the CIA's good graces, in spades, but on the outs with his family/team.

Which in retrospect is *fascinating* to me, because every season has ended with the knowledge that hey, sorry, there's a new big bad to go after, and s6 ended more like "... the hell? Okay, everything's okay now...? what?"

But no! Because for Michael, the CIA turns out to be the big bad!

So we get a seriously ramped up season, where his first big bad is Nathan Petrelli (... sorry, it's literally the only name in my head for that guy), who Strong-the-handler says is really really bad, Michael totes has to get in with him and stop him, evil bad. So Michael does, and... actually this guy is kinda like him, down deep, it turns out. He's completely willing to sacrifice his life to save Michael and this woman. (Shades of Victor, there.) And meanwhile, Michael has pulled in Sam and Jesse for help, because TEAM. ♥ Sam ♥ And Sam saves Michael's life when Strong completely misses his cue, no less.

So then the woman is the focal point, and back they go to Miami, where it turns out that no, there's another bigger, badder big bad - more layers to the unending onion to peel back. And this time Michael gets tortured, but holds out - not just for himself, but for the mission. But all that torture brought up a lot of stuff that Michael's been keeping pretty damn locked up, about his dad and Larry and Michael's own violence and dangerousness, in the wake of a pretty simmering stew of betrayal and loss (between Nate, Tom Card, and everything else).

So Michael, he is a mess. And he's clinging to the righteousness that is the CIA, but there's no getting around that some of what James is trying to do is actually... not that evil. Methods aside, anyway. And his values overlap with Michael's on things like "no one gets left behind". And he is so, so far inside Michael's head, in a lot of ways. But Michael knows how to deal with that, and hangs on, because he is A Really Good Spy who believes in the CIA and in the mission. He's going to do whatever it takes, even if it means betraying or killing people who trust him, even though those are things that go against his nature.

And then he finds out that Simon is free, and on a CIA leash. And this time, it's not one corrupt agent or official to blame; Strong's holding the leash, but this is an Agency-backed play. There's no way Simon is out without official approval.

The CIA is as bad as everyone Michael's been fighting. He knows how to take individual betrayal, but this is the institution he's devoted his life to, believing all this time he was doing the right thing, believing that it gave him a true, good purpose.

So he breaks. *pause for wibbly flailing just a bit*

And things look AWFUL right now, right? And yet.

When Michael has been talking about his job with the CIA, he says things like "even if you know it's in a good cause, it's still betrayal [to do this thing I'm doing]". Strong has been cheerfully urging him to betray everyone and everything in the pursuit of the mission.

But when Michael looks to Sam, especially, but also Fi or Jesse, they just look right back and tell him they're there for him. Even if they think he's being stupid, that doesn't change the fact that they will always, always have his back. And that's been utterly consistent all season, even more so than most seasons. It's a double track they're giving us: the CIA is betrayal and pain on all fronts, but Michael's own chosen family is security and trust.

And outside of that, it's not just security and trust with Michael; with him mostly gone, all of their relationships with each other have strengthened and deepened, as they call each other in on whatever they happen to need help with. The entire team is stronger than it's ever been.

Er, so. *skims all of this again to figure out where she was*

oh! So, in a way, this is a repetition of the cycle Michael's been in -- identify an obstacle between himself and getting his old life back, try to overcome it. But the obstacle this time is his old life, which turns out to have mostly been a lie.

And when Michael broke, first by killing Simon, then by warning James about the threat outside, then by not letting Sonya die in his place, and just completely giving up because he's run himself ragged for nothing and he's just so damn tired -- when he broke, so did his obsession.

For the first time in 7 years, Michael doesn't want his old job back. For the first time, he's going to be able to move forward, into a life of putting all his many skills to good use by helping people who can't find help anywhere else. He really will become the Equalizer. (<3)

I think the last few episodes are going to be insanely tense, but I have total faith there's going to be a happy ending. Not just because of the way they've carefully built up the nonstop looks and declarations of support, trust, and affection from Sam in particular, and the strong relationship with Fiona that isn't dependent on them sleeping together, and Jesse's seamless integration with the team and willingness to go anywhere and do anything with them, and the way ALL of them are willing to tell Michael that they think he's screwing up, he's too deep, he's taking the wrong kinds of chances, he's at risk of going darkside -- keeping him anchored all the way. I mean, that's all huge, to me!

But thematically, I think the show is going to end with Michael finally *accepting* the damn burn notice, and figuring out that when you've got a trigger-happy ex-girlfriend, and a best friend who used to spy on you for the FBI, and a down and out spy who forgave you for burning *him* and moved on with his life and a solid friendship with you, and a mom and cute little nephew -- you're doing pretty damn well.

And cue mojitos in the sunset.

I dunno, maybe I'm wrong! But given the network this airs on, the thematic setup of the CIA as the big bad for this season, Michael's seriously dramatic break last week with his mission objectives - I think the series ends with him finally starting to heal.

(I also think it's no accident that this season we got a character who actually lives by, and up to, his principles. Everyone else has been willing to go along with sacrificing some principles for the greater good, even Maddie; Carlos is the first person on this show I can remember seeing walk away because he couldn't be a party to their "pragmatism", no matter how much he loves Fi. That's a huge counterpoint to the endless compromises Michael, especially, makes all the time, and asks other people to make. But there's hope for a better, more decent life! Carlos is proof!)

(okay, and it's 2am again and I'm back to rambling - I hope this comment makes at least some sort of sense.)

[alchemise]

It's weird; the show itself is so, so much darker this year - but the relationships are stronger (and healthier), with emotional connections all over the place. Which I'm eating up with a spoon, even as I freak out a bit over how awful everything is.

Yes, this! I am so in love with this season, it feels like the perfect ending for the show. Although I really don't think it will end on a down note. I think Michael's friends will save him and they'll ride off into the sunset together. I am possibly unrealistically optimistic. :)

[arduinna]

Hee, I am right there with you on the optimism! I expect to be stressed out beyond belief by these last eps, but I'm actually starting to think the ending could turn out to be a happier one than I would have believed possible for BN, with Michael starting to heal from all these (painfully lanced) emotional and mental wounds, and ready to truly move forward, finally.

[ithildin]

not looking at post, not looking at comments [hums]

So waaaay behind on Burn Notice. Really need to catch up!

[arduinna]

Catch uuuppppppppppp!!

Although I get why you're not. *g* I really do have a hard time staying caught up with BN -- I love it while I'm watching, and am totally capable of watching 6 or 8 eps in a row, because I get all invested! But then nothing, for ages. It's so odd.

(Oh, Janette! <3 <3)

[katie_m]

I'm pretty sure my fundamental issue with Burn Notice these days is that I'm 99% done with Michael Westen. You're right that there is a pattern, and I suppose as a storytelling choice spending the final season on him breaking it is a good one, but I have officially reached the point with him where he has screwed up his life in the same way too many times for me to sympathize anymore. So whenever they get "oh no, we must help Mike, he's in trouble!" I think to myself "it's called Stockholm Syndrome, guys."

I think if they'd done this three seasons ago I'd've been more sympathetic, but as of sometime after Nate's death I officially hit the point of not understanding why none of these people have walked away from him yet. Well, except Madeline, since she's his mother. Special circumstances.

[arduinna]

Hey, you!

Oh, yeah, this is a view I can completely sympathize with. The show really has gone on too long repeating the same ground over and over, using shifting goalposts to imitate forward motion, and: seriously.

Although I do think that part of the reason none of them have walked is that they're all adrenaline junkies, and Michael's their pusher. *g* And I appreciate that they all clearly have lives they like a lot outside of his endless missions, even if they're willing to put them on hold for him. Also that they're all questioning him more, to the point that I don't think Jesse would have gotten involved this time if Sam hadn't pushed it, and Fi had to be blackmailed by the CIA, pretty much. (Sam will never not get involved, his loyalty kink runs waaay too deep. <3)

But really, Jesse's the example Michael should be following: burned spy, got angry, got over it, got on with his life. Hey look, healthy!

[katie_m]

Well, that's true. Jesse is my favorite. Go back to your cushy security job, Jesse! You can do good deeds on the weekends or something!

Although I do think that part of the reason none of them have walked is that they're all adrenaline junkies, and Michael's their pusher.

Ha! Fair enough. I suppose they'd all look a lot crazier without Mike to stand next to.