Burn Notice 4x18

Everything is on the line for Michael Westen, his friends and family. Even his more distant associates are kept under tabs. Vaughn is coming to town and means business. He’s tried being friends with Michael, now Michael will find out what it means to be his enemy. Before Michael can even get the flash-drive with the list to a safe place, Vaughn’s men are on to them. An exciting car chase, some explosions, and a few car crashes later and Jesse is seriously wounded while they need to keep running. They hide out in an abandoned hotel and soon they find themselves under siege. Meanwhile, Madeline and Sam are trying to convince some shady congressman to deliver the list to higher government authorities. He is understandably hesitant, due to their earlier run in, but eventually is convinced by Sam’s pleading. Michael’s plans to escape from under the siege and get the list to the congressman keep failing. He faces death and hopes Fiona will chose life and get out safe. For his part, Vaughn has been able to kidnap Madeline. Michael and Fiona take their last stand, ready to blow themselves up so that Jesse can escape with the list. But suddenly armed forces drop in, at the congressman’s instigation. Vaughn is arrested and Michael is escorted by two men who refuse to tell him who they are. They drive him a long distance without letting him know where they are taking him. When he finally steps outside the car, he’s not in Kansas anymore, nor in Miami. It’s snowing. A suit walks up to him, who welcomes him back. He’s in Washington, D.C.

It’s been another fun and exciting season, with lots of explosions and car chases, blood and guts. This Cricket can’t always follow the plot contrivances, but that doesn’t really matter. It’s a great show with a cheesy sense of humor and an entertaining vibe. There’s a nice chemistry between the characters. Especially Madeline (Sharon Gless) unfailingly offers the emotional bedrock of the series, manipulative and scheming, chain-smoking and complaining, demanding and exacting, but always loving and upright. The writers are well aware that Michael’s obsessive insistence to get his former job back is bordering on insanity – and also point out frequently that he has no real clue what is going to happen should he ever revert his burn notice. There are at least two more seasons left. So it will take awhile before we know (if ever) what is going to happen. I’m glad that, at least for the last two episodes, they focused on the main narrative without the distraction of another job on the side. I can only hope that they will be able to avoid some of the formulaic set-ups that are starting to become just a tad predictable. At any rate, don’t miss out on the fun!