Burn Notice

[GoblinWhirlwind]

Where's China Chow?! I miss her!!

Dude! I forgot all about Lucy. I hope she shows up again needing a favor from Mike, or vice versa.

 

[carrrnuttt]

I posted what's below in the Royal Pains thread, but it deserves to be on here, also:

USA is owned by NBC right? Why the flying eff can't they run shows like this (and all the other great shows they produce) on their broadcast networks?

Personally, I think it's because they're too hung up on oversensationalized crap, since they all mistakenly believe that is what will draw people. In the meantime, their character-and-story-driven shows on cable draw in better ratings than a lot of their primetime crap, even the reality drivel.

EDIT: To emphasize my point:

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/ar...s_Broadcast_With_Burn_Notice_Royal_Pains_.php

Ratings: USA Beats Broadcast With 'Burn Notice', 'Royal Pains'
'Burn Notice' had best season premiere ever with 6 million total viewers

By Alex Weprin -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/5/2009 2:48:43 PM MT

The third season premiere of Burn Notice and the series premiere of Royal Pains delivered strong ratings for USA Thursday night.

Burn Notice had its best season premiere ever, drawing 2.5 million P18-49 and 6 million total viewers, topping both a rerun of CSI (1.5/4) on CBS and the premiere episode of The Listener (1.5/4) on its broadcast sibling NBC.

The series premiere of Royal Pains at 10 p.m. drew 2.3 million P18-49 and 5.6 million total viewers. That beat the second episode of The Listener (1.4/4).

Royal Pains delivered a better P18-49 rating and more total viewers than both Burn Notice and In Plain Sight did in their series premieres.

Nielsen national data for the broadcast networks has been delayed till Monday morning, due to the NBA playoffs on ABC.

Early overnight data shows that ABC handily beat the competition with basketball, though it looks like viewers in the mood for scripted fare drifted toward cable.

 

[wiegeabo]

I posted what's below in the Royal Pains thread, but it deserves to be on here, also:

That news tastes so good, I don't think I can eat another bite.

 

[carrrnuttt]

That news tastes so good, I don't think I can eat another bite.

Glad to serve. t:

Anywho, an interesting tidbit I read on the USA network forums. It was a discussion about what branch Michael might have joined, when he was 17:

Well we know he joined right after high school at age 17, so he couldn't have been an officer right away.

He probably first enlisted for a couple years, volunteered and tried out for SFAS (Special Forces Assessement and Selection aka Phase 1) and then the Q (Qualification) Course.

He might also have joined up with Delta Force (which recruit specifically from US Special Forces, including Green Berets and SEALs), but it's a confident assessment to say Michael eventually found himself a part of the CIA's Special Activities Division, which are a kind of paramilitary force for the US Intelligence branch, and are almost all made up of former Delta Force, Green Beret, SEAL, etc. operators.

SAD/SOG has several hundred officers, almost all of them former members of Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) units. These units include the U.S. Army's Delta Force, the Navy SEALs, DEVGRU, Army Rangers, Army Special Forces and USMC Force Recon teams. The CIA's formal position for these individuals is "Paramilitary Operations Officers". These officers are then fully trained as clandestine intelligence operatives, otherwise known in the vernacular as "spies". The primary strengths of SAD/SOG Paramilitary Officers are agility, adaptability, and deniability. They often operate in small teams, typically with six operators, all with extensive military special operations expertise and specialized skills that do not exist in any other unit.

This is also probably where he met and operated together with Sam Axe.

In addition to the two years of training to be a clandestine intelligence officer, Paramilitary Operations Officers are trained to a level of high proficiency in the use and tactics of an unusually wide degree of modern weaponry, explosive devices and firearms (foreign and domestic), hand to hand combat, high performance driving (on and off road), apprehension avoidance (including "picking" handcuffs and escaping from confinement), improvised explosive devices, Military Free Fall parachuting, combat and commercial SCUBA and closed circuit diving, small and in some cases large boat handling, foreign languages, hasty and detailed disguises, entry operations and vehicle "hotwiring", Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE), extreme survival and wilderness training, first responder combat EMS medical training, tactical communications and tracking. These are just some of the skill sets required.

Sounds like a certain "Michael Westen" we know.

So out there, somewhere, is a real-life Michael Westen. I'd like to know what he thinks of this show.

 

[wiegeabo]

Glad to serve. t:

Anywho, an interesting tidbit I read on the USA network forums. It was a discussion about what branch Michael might have joined, when he was 17:

So out there, somewhere, is a real-life Michael Westen. I'd like to know what he thinks of this show.

He's probably the technical advisor.

 

[carrrnuttt]

He's probably the technical advisor.

Yeah, but the tech advisor's probably not burned.

The "burn notice" is a very true thing, from what little I've read. So someone out there is experiencing it, as we speak.

 

[GoblinWhirlwind]

So out there, somewhere, is a real-life Michael Westen. I'd like to know what he thinks of this show.

In an interview Jeffrey said he actually has an email dialogue with an active agent.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

That's pretty cool. I always wonder how exciting spies' lives really are. I bet they're mostly mundane, like everybody else's, except for a day or a week here or there. I don't see too many real-life people surviving half the stuff Mike gets into on any given day, expert training or not.

 

[carrrnuttt]

That's pretty cool. I always wonder how exciting spies' lives really are. I bet they're mostly mundane, like everybody else's, except for a day or a week here or there. I don't see too many real-life people surviving half the stuff Mike gets into on any given day, expert training or not.

Wouldn't it be interesting to find out that your local mall-security guy is actually a burned agent?

 

[GoblinWhirlwind]

Yeah, I thought about that once while I was loitering around in the mall after seeing Taken. What's the chance that one of these unassuming, anonymous dudes is actually a retired agent?

 

[ChickenScratch]

That's pretty cool. I always wonder how exciting spies' lives really are. I bet they're mostly mundane, like everybody else's, except for a day or a week here or there. I don't see too many real-life people surviving half the stuff Mike gets into on any given day, expert training or not.

My aunt's in the CIA and she's posted somewhere overseas as a school teacher. Needless to say, it's mostly teaching. It's as mundane as watching your next door neighbor's comings and goings, except you have to take notes.

Read a John LeCarre novel, he's one of the few who get it right.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Hmm, I may just do that. Thanks.

 

[ChickenScratch]

Yeah man, not only is LeCarre the most literary and technically beautiful writer of the whole spy novel bunch, he was actually a spy! He got fired from the service when it was discovered he published a novel.

 

[Kaleb]

Didnt he write the book the Constant Gardener ?

 

[ChickenScratch]

Yes he did.

 

[Kaleb]

Ah ok, I sort of liked that movie and I always wanted to read the book but I could never find it anywhere.

 

[ChickenScratch]

I never saw the movie, LeCarre's work is very internal, as I said he's a literary writer, not a thriller guy like Clancy or Ludlum or other spy writers. His entire novels take place through dialogue (some of the best, twisty talking youve ever read), if there is action it's recounted in interrogations etc.

After reading The Tailor Of Panama then watching the movie I was kinda turned off of movies based on his works. It's a story about liars, a spy who's a liar and a tailor who's spying on his clients and is a liar. The novel plays out so heartrendingly and splendidly funny but the movie though great missed it. So when I heard about The Constant Gardner I stayed away because the novel is pretty brutal and is a very non linear story. If I see it cool but I'm not running to see it.

Here's a great interview/doc on him that starts with a short reading from "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtoNLPeaxj4

 

[Kaleb]

I was going to post this earlier this week, but decided against it, anyway Jeffery Donovan posted on his Twitter page that he was filming the final episode and is shooting a big fight scene with Fi, I didnt take much notice of it cause I just thought it was one of their usual arguments they get into. But aparently it looks like it might be a big thing.


anyway check this this video out

Spoiler

When it comes to scooping their own shows, spies don't get silent, they get downright chatty! Case in point: Jeffrey Donovan dropped by Ausiello TV last week to discuss his little cable phenomenon known as Burn Notice and among the many spoilers he unleashed was this bombshell about the July 30 midseason finale: "Michael's personal life with Fiona is going to come to a tumultuous fight that will almost probably end their relationship." To find out what else Donovan let slip during our revealing sit-down, and to get answers to your burning questions about Michael's invisible shower and MIA dad, click the play button after the jump!

http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2009/06/burn-notice-video-qa-jeffrey-donovan-.html

oh and Jeffreys latest twitter


Today I am Irish. Undercover as Michael McBride. Half way season finale. It is my favorite ID I have ever played. Hope you like. July 30!!!

 

[Spider-Man Luvr28]

oh and Jeffreys latest twitter


Today I am Irish. Undercover as Michael McBride. Half way season finale. It is my favorite ID I have ever played. Hope you like. July 30!!!

When I read that on his Twitter, I got so happy.

 

[PWN3R]

Great episode, Sam's crooked agent was the best.

One thing that was bugging me the entire time was the name of the actor playing the kidnapper. I know I've seen him before, I've been imdb-ing like mad, but to no luck.

What's his name?

 

[Gilpesh]

Holt McCallany (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564697/)

He was in Fight Club.

 

[PWN3R]

Holt McCallany (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564697/)

He was in Fight Club.

"His name is Robert Paulson."

****ing thank you, you have no idea how much it was bugging me. I need to watch the episode again to actually enjoy it, lawl.

 

[Anubis]

"In death....a member of project mayhem has a name. His name, is Robert Paulson."

 

[Gilpesh]

****ing thank you, you have no idea how much it was bugging me. I need to watch the episode again to actually enjoy it, lawl.

I just now stop using brain cells and just say, "It's that guy!" and get back to enjoying the show... then do the obsessing later.

"In death....a member of project mayhem has a name. His name, is Robert Paulson."

And Holt didn't even get a name in that movie.... he's listed as 'Mechanic'.

 

[Anubis]

Oh s**t, and he got beat up by the Priest, who was the father of the kid he kidnapped!!! I didn't even realize until just now.