Burn Notice’s FEARLESS LEADER
Review by Baudyhallee
Season 3 Episode 4
Directed by John T. Kretchmer and written by Michael Horowitz. Guest starring: Nicholas Turturro. Yea, Nick!
“It’s important to lay out a plan before you go into action,” expounds Michael Westen in the opening narrative. And if there’s going to be any disagreement or dissension in the ranks, it’s best to get it out of the way beforehand. We see the Charger!!! Yea!!! It has a trick trunk latch. [wink]
Fiona wants to approach this mission as a business. They need the cash, $5K. Michael wants to use his share to get in touch with some old intelligence contacts. He’s still determined to get back into what he knows best. Fi’s not happy with that. He compromises and asks her out to dinner. “It’s a date.” With 3 minute synchronization, they start the mission. Michael is the muscle waiting outside for his entrance. Fi goes into a house to ‘talk’ to Randall, a sleazebag bookie who owes her client money. The clock is ticking.
Detective Paxson shows up along with a cruiser of cops. They are Michael’s new tail. Meanwhile Fi is asking Randall for the $20K he owes. There’s a pile of money on a poker table as he tells her he doesn’t have it. Mike watches the last 15 seconds of his 3 mins count down. He explains his presence as being Fi’s designated driver since she’s drinking and playing poker in the house. Paxson puts a snafu in his attempt to contact Fi as the seconds tick.
The collector tells the sleazebag if she doesn’t get the money, she’ll deliver him. She tells him she has help. Trust is a beautiful thing. Unfortunately, it doesn’t pay in this instance. Some other players approach the lone Irishwoman as she sees Michael’s dawdling dilemma outside a window. Fighting her way out, she picks up a chair and smashes the window, climbing out and running for dear life. Sleazebag and friends run out and stop in their tracks when seeing the police cruiser.
Fi plays it perfectly. Thanking her ‘host’ for a great party. Paxson gives us a clue in this episode on just what she’s doing. “We can make your extracurricular activities a lot more dangerous for you and for your friends.” So Michael is to answer questions before somebody gets killed because of Paxson’s interference in perfectly good plans. [Question: If Michael has extracurricular activities, what does Paxson consider his curricular activities?]
At the Carlito, their usual stomping grounds, a police cruiser is in view and Fi is angry about their date setting. “Have you forgotten what a date is?” Since they didn’t get the cash, the date got downsized. Well, at least this hero knows what a date is!!! Fi in retaliation orders the most expensive dessert. Good girl!
Sam arrives and plops down. This date is just getting better and better. He thinks it’s business as usual. He’s being audited. Not because of Paxson as Fi suggests, but because of deducting mojitos. [Everybody drink!] Cool man Michael looks like he’s in the middle of a train wreck and tells Sam with their 24 hour tail, someone could get killed. Sam’s been digging into Paxson. “Problem is, she’s a good cop!” The giant dessert arrives and Sam gets a clue. “Is this a date?” There is disagreement on that point from the couple. Sam asks for an extra spoon and takes the cherry on top. Gotta love Mr. Axe! Hehehe
The police cruiser following the Charger. Michael explains that cops are problems for criminals and detectives trying to remain anonymous on a stakeout. Turn about is fair play. He sits at Paxson’s table. She tells him to get lost. She’s been working on this case for eight months. “I don’t have time for these games.” Mike informs her, he doesn’t either. She wants proof that they are on the same side. Michael is going to give it to her. He calls Sam for the intel on Paxson’s other case.
Michael arrives at Mom’s who has taken up cooking to relax. Frustrated, she tosses her cigarette butt in her cookie dough ingredients. As she tosses it all into the garbage disposal, Michael tells her to inform the cops out front he went to the store. She growls about being a ploy for his tail and tells him to pick her up some eggs . . . and some cigarettes.
At a cemetery, Michael is sitting in a $300 car, the second most popular model in Miami. Sam gets in the passenger seat talking about Paxson getting an harassment complaint. Rick Matheson, who rips off drug dealers, leaves dead bodies behind. The funeral Paxson is attending is for an innocent neighbor caught in the crossfire. She has no case against Matheson and the DA has declared him off limits to her. Michael is going to help Paxson with her case. She is now the client! Maybe then she’ll get off his back.
Sam has to get to his audit. Stacey is the auditor and Sam is going to pull out his suave arsenal. Teehee.
Sam, dressed to kill faint hearted female auditors, awaits his prey. Michael comments that flirtation is always a tactical option. Stacey Connelly from the IRS arrives dressed in a suit and tie looking like your typical male spectacled bureaucrat. He complains about the atmosphere and the two drinks Sam has ordered for them. “I do not drink, I audit!” A clicking of his pen emphasizes his point. Sam has miscalculated big time! His pension checks are being withheld until his three year audit is concluded. With no records handy, Stacey informs him his office will call him. Stacey is onto Mr. Suave.
Michael and Fi go on some reconnaissance to find a way into Matheson’s organization. The target is a pig and Mike talks tactics. Inner circle is impenetrable. Driver and bodyguards don’t have real access. “You want someone desperate to make a move. . . Frustrated middle manager.” Nick T is playing Tommy, the aspiring public enemy.
Sirens wail as Fi informs Michael, Paxson has found her car in the area. Seeing Michael with Paxson would not sit well with Matheson and vice versa. They leave to find the detective outside acting badass. “It’s just a matter of time.”
We get an education on prison tats (tattoos). Sam is drawing on Mike’s arm with a permanent marker. “It’s a job resume for criminals.” Fi arrives to comment on the bromance. Sam stuttering tells her about the tat as Michael chuckles. Sam gives the intel on Tommy. He’s there ‘in’ to Matheson. Michael looks out the window reminded of his tail. He has to take the over the roof, down the rain gutter exit.
At the dog track where Tommy hangs out, Michael informs us how spies fit in by imitating their targets. “I’m your kind of guy.” Mike strikes up a conversation. He knows who Tommy is because of his friends. He casually makes sure Tom sees the tat. They begin to bond. Milo, Mike’s alter, is just trying to ‘earn’ after a stint in the big house. He’s brought his girl down to Miami. He shows Tommy respect and that he’s in awe of him and his ‘reputation.’ Milo talks about his crew (Fi and Sam) and Tommy says to bring them around tonight. Y’know I love these characters for Donovan to play. And he’s just so great at it!
Mads’ house. Stacey has Sam sweating while asking about business drinks. “It’s classified.” The auditor ain’t buying that tale. He produces a gun. It’s Sam’s ‘documentation’ he was in the Middle East. “The gun didn’t have an owner anymore.” Maddie appears with a plate of cookies as Stacey informs her he’s allergic to chocolate, wheat flour and eggs. Sam bravely takes one and then puts the bite in a convenient napkin. Stacey wants Sam’s estimates of the value of his gifts from ‘lady friends.’ Who is this guy? “I have a headache in my eye.”
“For a spy, knowing how to follow is as least as important as knowing how to lead.” At Carlitos, Tommy meets Milo’s crew aka Chuck Finley and Brianna. Fi’s alter twists her hair and laughs like an airhead. Bruce and Gabrielle are sooo good at this also. The crew used to steal cars from dealerships up north. Milo wants in on the ‘big leagues.’ In reality, Tommy’s big ain’t so large, but he has his smoke habit down to one a day.
At the dry cleaners, Tommy explains the heist. Mike is checking out everything as T babbles explaining his plan to the experts. Milo suggests cutting the security camera wire. So it’s a comedy of errors as ‘the crew’ sets out to work T’s plan. Tommy can’t get the cash register open. Michael plays cleanup to T’s poor planning. They escape by the skin of their teeth and Fiona’s stolen getaway car.
Michael’s place. Paxson arrives on her ‘I’m onto you visit.’ Sam is putting things into the frig and she talks about the dry cleaners’ robbery. “Are you arresting me?” She doesn’t have a thing on him but she wants him to confess before the lab work comes in. She’s just trying to tie him to anything she can. Paxson leaves as Sam thinks she’ll be electronically surveying Mike’s place soon.
Fi ditched the stolen Impala and apparently they gave the dry cleaner back his money. The heist cost them $1K. Mike steps up their plan with Matheson.
After conking his head to show he was attacked, Milo approaches Tommy at the dog track again. Milo needs a score and he needs it real soon. Tommy tells him a tale of how he saved a race dog with a broken leg. “You have to wait for the door to open before you can run.” Tommy sees Milo is desperate so he arranges a meeting with Matheson. “Wear something nice.”
Sam and Stacey at Maddie’s going over spa weekend deductions. Stacey pulls a baseball card from his files and Sam knows who this guy is. Apparently Sam dated Stacey’s mom. Was there a doubt? Teehee. He played catch with Stacey, bought him baseball cards and made his Schwinn bike noisy with said cards. Apparently Stacey felt abandoned when Sam left and that’s why he was so vehement about nailing him in the audit. Sam offers to have a beer with him. Maddie comments about him making an impression on the man.
Fi and Mike bug a pack of cigarettes for Tommy unknowingly to have. Sam is worried that Paxson’s interest could go higher than just questioning. Tommy arrives and sets down his pack of ciggies and the switch is made. Michael talks about building up an asset and how its like raising a kid.
They meet Matheson who wants to re-frisk Sam and Fi. Tommy does some fast talking and Milo and crew leave to listen to the bug. Matheson is going to let Tommy in on a big job of robbing a meth lab. He’s supposed to drive a van and his crew is to be the front end security. Tommy is worried about guns and ‘his crew’s’ safety. “We’re in.”
Milo meets Tommy at the dog track again to get the word. Tommy tells him there is no job. Michael needs this job to get to Paxson, but Tommy insists that he doesn’t want the crew to get killed. Mike is surprised by his actions. Tommy confesses he’s small time. Mike surprises himself by telling Tommy the truth. He tells T that he needs his help in taking Matheson down.
“We need to get him caught redhanded.” Back to their real names, Mike tells Fi to get the Impala and Sam is to rig a substation for some time. Tommy is to get the van for Matheson so they can do their prep work.
Tommy arrives with the van as the crew hopes Paxson doesn’t show up. Matheson arrives explaining his plan. We see he thinks Tommy’s crew is a bunch of losers.
Matheson and his buds break into the meth lab. Mike and Fi superglue the door using canned air so the bad guys are trapped inside and have to go out the back. Sam and Mike roll a dumpster in front as protection from oncoming drug dealers and Fi has explosives planted in the area. Was there a doubt? As an alarm sounds, Sam calls the cops. Armed drug dealers come running and Fi blows them up with her C4 surprises. There’s gunfire, but our crew are not aiming to kill. Tommy drives by in the van giving a nod as he blocks the back door. Matheson screams at him as he leaves the van. The robbers try to escape as Mike calls Matheson. He tells him the tables have turned and that he isn’t going to get away with anything. “That’s it! You don’t think!” With one last Fi blast they leave the scene as the cops show up.
Matheson is cuffed as Paxson watches. She is informed by a patrolman that an Impala was found with C4 in the trunk. A calling card? Oh yea.
Tommy and his rescued race dog are going straight and moving to St Louis maybe to start a kennel. Tommy hugs Mike. “I think you guys are going to be good without me.” Ahhh, the Mike grin!
The Carlito. Paxson sits at Mike’s table. She’s closed her biggest case today. She knows it was Michael who caught Matheson for her to pick up. Rick had never used C4 in any of his other cases. The C4 was used in seven other explosions in the area. Michael tells her she can either close the books on those cases or keep coming after him and have her case against Matheson unravel. “We’re on the same side.” She nods and Mike’s tail drives off. She’s still going to keep her eye on Michael.
Madeline’s house. Stacey and Sam are at the dining room table as Sam pours drinks. Stacey explains he was out to get Sam when the opportunity presented itself. He thanks Sam for his invitation. They’re drinking buddies now. He hands Stacey a Fuzzy Navel. Sam is mentoring Stacey into the world of fine drinking. Starting out slow and working his way up to ‘the good stuff.’ Stacey asks if he has questions about a drink at a bar if he can call the ‘drinking genius’ to ask him questions. “Absolutely, Stacey. Anytime.” Ahhh, male bonding. Ain’t it grand? Sam’s audit just took a turn for the better.
Michael and Fiona in a restaurant with real linens on the tables. Fi is discussing getting rid of the C4. Fi looks beautiful in her dress and she’s lined up some more jobs for them. Michael tells her it isn’t a good time. “We still have no idea who is coming after me next. I still need back in.” Fi tries to tell him people change, ala Tommy. Michael shakes his head. She asks if he’s sure and he says he is. “I’m free of the people who burned me. I’m free of the cops. This is the moment I’ve been waiting for.” With tears in her voice, Fi pleads, “This is the time I’ve been waiting for, too.” She tries to hold back the tears. “Fi,” Michael breathlessly whispers. She wants to try and enjoy their dinner, but she doesn’t take another bite.
Rating: 4.25. Even though we got a bit more info on Paxson and she was the client tonight, I still want to know more about her edges. Michael is determined to get back in – and Fi was hoping he’d see what was right in front of him. Sam with all his dallying is really a good guy who enjoys people. Maddie should never be allowed to bake again. Tommy was a guy with a great big heart. Matheson, sort of textbook baddie. And Stacey was a nice departure as a sideline story. Love the way they film this show. It keeps the interest and emotional punches going.
Michael is a fearless leader – but losing his identity is scaring the hell out of him and only Fi can see it.
