First of all, let me state that I'm disappointed with how this season has started.
Carla? So far, not a good addition to the show.
The "dumbing down" of Mike and Sam? Not good for the show.

I dig Fi's new look. (at least to me it seems different that season one)

**side note, all you guys will understand this...Gabrielle used to be on my "top 10 list" for a long time, then she dropped out of sight. When she appeared on BN, she quickly shot back up to my top 3! Whoo Hoo!**

OK, here's what I'm thinking, and I don't know why, just a hunch. They're making it seem that Carla is the one that gave the burn notice, right? If that's the case, does it make sense that she was "hidden" all through season one and now she's everywhere? Not to me. So that means there is someone else who's the "real boss" behind the burn notice. What are the chances that this person turns out to be.........Veronica? (that's her name, right?) Sam's Girlfriend? When Sam first met her, she was sitting alone, at a table next to Mike and Sam. That's just a hunch.

Another theory that's even more far fetched is the Mike's Mom is the one behind the burn notice. Yes, I know, it seems strange but look at it from another perspective. Why was Mike put in Miami when his only know associate at the time (who he also had as an emergency contact) was Fi, who was in New York, wasn't she? Mike's mom lives in Miami. People who want to keep tabs on Mike keep showing up at his mom's house, but she never gets hurt or anything. She seems to be keeping tabs on him quite a bit as well.

Any thoughts on this one?

The mom thing's an interesting twist...if a little far fetched (I say that knowing full well how wrong I was proven this week with the crossword!)....I'd still like to see Ver/Audrey pulled in to something serious though....something more than your typical "dumb blond Miami divorcee"

KA23

I'm not a guy. but I think Gabrielle might have a weave (it's a hair thing that we women with, uh, thin hair consider every now and then) never had one but on her it looks fantastic.

As for your theory, don't think so. Mom really loves him and they kicked his a** when the burn notice occurred and I think Landers has a new reality show coming on. Wouldn't want to hitch my wagon to something that could be gone soon. Both interesting thoughts.

I'll betcha $1 it's some homeland security thing. Ashcroft or somebody equally creepy wanted Michael back in the states to look into a lot of foreign folks doing business through Miami (a truly international city), so they burned him and have him doing jobs from there. How much you wanna bet we get a Gitanimo (sp?) storyline sometime this season?

Hey, I so far have loved the first two eppies. But I do think also that someone else is behind the burn.... interesting to see who they throw in that mix.

Hi Everyone I'm new here this is hotfordonovan! Don't know why I didn't come to this site last season! I'm glued to the Show!
I wanted to get on the theory topic too. First I don't think Carla has anything at all to do with the burn notice. I think what ever organization she is with knows about the bn and his "sidework" and decided to take advantage of his resources and have him do their dirty work.
I also wish they didn't bring a new full time character to the show, I hate when they do that and she sucks! And they did ruin the fun jabs between the characters, it was much better when Fi was always all over Michael about their relationship it was those quick one liners that were awesome! I hope before the season is over Fi kicks Carla's A**! Now after all these years she's just giving up! The writers - stop taking the romance and jealously between the characters out of the storyline.
I agree that Mom is in on the bn some how! You're right "they" just keep coming into her house she doesn't get hurt and she is always pumping him for info. Remember the saying keep your enemies closer!
So a couple of other theories to think about Mom is in the Spy business her self and is trying all the ways she knows how to get Michael to spill intel about his missions and she always calls right in the middle of him doing a job. And how does she support herself? Supposedly dad was a dead beat and they never had money. Yeah Michael sent her money for all those years but what is she living on now. Also Nate needs to be around more! And on the whole family issue, think about this Dad really isn't dead! That could be a possiblity and in the end he comes out to be this major top dog in the Spy world.
Just thoughts! Love the threads

I totally agree. I didn't care for the first episode of the second season when I watched it initially, so I watched it again a few days later to see if I liked it any better. It grew on me a little, but I feel the same way that the reviewer from USA Today did:

So what's gone wrong? Like so many series today, Burn Notice has overburdened a fragile structure with a weighty continuing story. Michael thinks he now knows who burned him, an operative named Carla (a disappointing performance from Battlestar Galactica's Tricia Helfer). And for reasons as hidden as the burn itself, she's forcing him to work for her, using methods that range from threatening a child to breaking into Michael's mother's house.

Unfortunately, the added depth has made the show less interesting, not more. Carla's actions, which go beyond kidnapping to multiple murders, are too ugly for a comedy-tinged mystery to support. And the time spent on the continuing story means the episodes' capers are woefully underdeveloped.

The second episode last night was a little better, IMO, but I'm still not thrilled with the Carla angle. For a show that had the great line last year about "Duct tape makes you smart; guns make you stupid" (or something like that), they've had a lot of gun play, cars blowing up and people getting dead in the first 2 episodes.


I've always thought that it would be great if Veronica was the one behind it. I hope this turns out to be true. It would be interesting to see how Sam and Mike would handle this situation.


Interesting concept, and it would be interesting to play that out. His mother betrayed him when he was young by not keeping him safe, and now she's betraying him again as an adult. Think of the therapy sessions that could lead to!

Unfortunately, I don't think his mom is in on it, but I like your thinking on it.

I love the ideas that Carla and her bosses are just taking advantage of Mikey's blacklist status and that the people responsible for the burn notice are a whole different set of characters. However you lose me with the Mom being behind the burn notice. Sorry but when did she get time to marry a wastrel husband that beat the kids, maybe her too, and raise 2 boys all while becoming the biggest hypochondriac in the world AND get involved with CIA or whatever agency or persons within the government that burned Michael. In my opinion this is too far fetched. Also, the dead Dad being involved will make me change the channel. That to me is too convoluted. Please let's not have one of those hokey Star Wars moments. 

Also, I think Mike Nix indicated in one of his interviews that this season Mike and Fi would try to be apart but they would find it not to be easy. This hints that they will still want to be together and who knows they may just have another go.

Good to see you, hotfordonovan (love your name, btw)! I just wanted to comment on what you said above - I think this is a really interesting theory you've got. That hadn't even occurred to me. It would sort of be like what Evelyn did to Michael in "False Flag" - a group who had enough background info on who Michael Westen was and figured out how to use this to their advantage (by creating a wilderness of mirrors, as superspy James Angleton once said about disinformation/deception campaigns). It would certainly make for a bizarre and surreal plot twist, that's for sure!

I still love the show and I am still hanging in there with respect to withholding judgment on the whole Carla/burn notice story arc...but I have to say that I'm feeling a bit let down and disappointed in how things are going thus far in season 2. Mind you, the second episode was definitely better than the first for me, and the good news is that I could feel things began clicking into place within the last few minutes of the show (as though it had found its groove by the end). So perhaps there was just some shaky transitioning going on in these first couple of episodes? That's my hope, at least.

I guess my take on this is that the writers are delving into a much more menacing story-line this season and the challenge is how to take two story-lines (the sinister/unpleasant burn notice story and the lighter weight "client" story) and run them seamlessly alongside one another. The burn notice story is definitely driving the show thus far, and indeed there's less time to develop the B story (the client stories). That's a sad turn of events for me, because one of the things I loved the most about BN was the whole Sam-Michael-Fi teamwork aspect of helping the average guy get some justice in this world.



What you said here in regard to the absence of things like that great duct tape line in season 1 - it's the part of BN that I miss the most thus far in season 2. The MacGyver aspect of the show is notably absent thus far, along with that sharp-edge irreverence and sparkling ironic wit. There are still flashes of it here and there, but it's just not coming across as consistently as it did last year. I think the structure of the show is too irreverent to carry the burden of such desperation on Michael's part and demented shadowy evil on the burn notice group's part.

You never know...maybe the whole "hypochondriac/doctor visits were actually rendevous/meetings with her (office) contacts...be one He!! of a cover

But beating the beatings....that might take a bit.....it's not like it was for a cover like the woman in this week's epi...it was Mike and Nate's childhood...YEARS!!!!

KA23

I don't think they will delve into the aspect of the kids getting beaten down and just continue to try to come up with ways of who and what is behind Michael's burn notice. Otherwise it becomes a different storyline and show altogether and albeit a more depressing one at that. But I am sure Flashbacks will occur at some point in the storyline. We have to find out when Michael turned SPY etc...

The MacGyver aspect! Oh that's a PERFECT saying for this show! I never thought of it that way, but you're right about that line!

I think the dead dad thing is waaaaayyyyy off the beaten path and I, too, may have to change the channel if that happens.

I'll admit, the mom angle is a stretch as well, but you never know.
As far as Nate is concerned, it wouldn't hurt my feelings at all if we never see him again, I didn't care for his character at all.

The Carla angle was awesome in season 1, having just a voice was good. Bringing that voice to "life" right away....I'm not so sure. (I'm still not warming up to the fact that she's making Mike and Sam look like fumbling fools either)

I liked when Sam was always mooching stuff from the Feds at the restaurants, that was classic stuff. So far, we haven't seen anything like that from Sam except for some beers at Mike's place.

I'm glad they keep the yogurt thing though, that's a great touch.

Also, taking away the "love/jealous angle" with Mike/Fi is somewhat a downer. I also liked it when Fi and Sam were always bickering about things. I haven't seen it so much this season yet. I'm glad they kept Barry "The Money Launderer" around, I like his character. But, in Ep.2, he seems too scardi-cat-ish for me. I liked the cool calm guy from last season.

I'm with you on the start to this season. I miss Fi and Sam's bickering. I wasn't crazy about Barry in Ep. 2 either. Keeping Carla as "the smokey voice" was far more intriguing than bringing her to life. I really didn't like Carla's goons making Sam and Fi look like rookies, although it does serve they aren't bullet proof. I was encouraged in next week's preview where Mike has Fi over his shoulder, swatting her rear. Can't wait til Thursday!

The minute I saw the actress who played Veronica I thought the same thing! She is at least spying on the spies (spy's sp?)! She's been nothing but word of mouth for a while now & I am disappointed.

I don't like the edition of Carla. I think the formula they had going was working & why fix what's not broke? It has nothing to do with the actress. I think she's doing a fine job. In fact there was a brief moment in the 2nd ep where she was looking out at the ocean waiting for Mike & I saw something that said...she's vulnerable. Still, I liked the old Three Musketeers/Robin Hood formula & while they still have it I think this Carla stuff is just distracting from some good ole fun! But they do have to move the burn notice stuff along I guess.

As for Mom, I don't think she's a spy, but I would not be in the least bit surprised if Carla hasn't had contact. She is really pushing about the spy stuff this season, maybe it's from having to run, or maybe it's because someone has threatened Mike in some way to her. That's my theory. If she has any notion of what's going on at all. Or & this is just on the fly. What if Carla has Nate? And Mom knows it but Mike doesn't yet.


NDGD~

I forgot to add I really like the idea that Carla & Co are just exploiting the burn notice to use Mike! Now that would be a twist!

NDGD~

Another theory that's even more far fetched is the Mike's Mom is the one behind the burn notice. Yes, I know, it seems strange but look at it from another perspective. Why was Mike put in Miami when his only know associate at the time (who he also had as an emergency contact) was Fi, who was in New York, wasn't she? Mike's mom lives in Miami. People who want to keep tabs on Mike keep showing up at his mom's house, but she never gets hurt or anything. She seems to be keeping tabs on him quite a bit as well.

Any thoughts on this one?
[/quote]


Mike's mom has been my pick, since early on, in the first season. I think his Mother is behind it all. I think his mother & father were both spy's and worked together like Mike and Fiona do (when she wasn't playing mom, that is). My hunch is she had him burned, because she was worried about his future and may want him to slow down and start a family and/or keep her family together. kind of a coincidence he wound up in Miami, where his family is. It's obvious she knew more about what he did for a living, then she let on.

Whoever wanted the BN, wanted it because Mike hurt him/her. Leaving Fi behind years ago definitely would make her a scorned woman. She could have made the BN happen, got him sent to Miami (knowing mom & sas were there), and now have him where she wants him. She is showing him another side of life where they could still work their spy-like stuff, as well as a life together. The break-up scene is what made me think Fi was behind the BN. She thought the move there would allow them to have a life together. The pain in her face, realizing her would rather get his old job back instead of being with her, was what made me think she was behind it.

As for Carla, I agree, she's just taking advantage of the BN.

I don't think Carla was the one who actually had Michael had him burned, she's just the mouthpiece, the handler, as it were. We still haven't met that person. Madeline, no, I don't think so, but I like the Veronica angle. She could keep an eye on everything pretty well. Stays in the shadows, yet, has her thumb FIRMLY over Sam.
BTW, going back to the Michael-Fiona story, I lmao'd when they were in the club scouting out Zeke and Fiona was trying to find Michael a new woman. Michael: Are you looking for me or for you? Good one, Mr. Nix. Keep it interesting!!!!

I too love the Barry character and I thought Paul Tei did a great job in the one scene he had. He played it very well, and I love the 'sleazy teddy-bear' thing he's got going on.
I posted on another thread quite a few days ago about the possibility of Veronica being part of MW's burn notice, what better way to get close w/o being noticed than w/the womanizing best friend? What might be an intriquing thought/story line is both the Veronica & Carla characters' calling the shots over Michael & Sam w/Veronica being the one in charge.
As far as TH being the 'smokey voice' from S1, it's not the same voice. Smokey, yes, but if you taped last season's finale you will be able to tell the difference in cadence and diction. The resonance is mostly there, but TH's diction is much more clipped and she bites her syllables. I guess it's obvious I still prefer the other v/o better.
All in all I think we should be patient and see how things unfold while keeping in mind thay had to deal w/the writers strike for months and the threat of an actor's strike between S1 & S2. \Regardless of any & all positive & negative opinions, it's still a great show.
aloha,
-K-

I don't think it's the mom that burned him, but someone she knows. This person wants to help Madeline be near Micheal, but still use Micheal as an asset. I'm thinking that they are hinting that Micheal's dad was a spy...."he was gone months at a time". Maybe, his dad faked his own death, burned Micheal to send him back to his mother, and is keeping an eye on the family from a distance.

How does the Carla haters feel now after viewing epi 3? I figured Mike would relentlessly pursue the identity of Carla and will find what it takes to bring her down. He will run thru handlers faster than a check from "Bad Check" Barry.

I like the theory that Madeline is an ex-agent or both she and her husband ran covert ops before she 'tried' to settle down, but ended up a wreck from not being able to go out in the field anymore and straddled with 2 kids and an abusive husband. HOWEVER, I have another theory that is also a really good story line for Fi and Mike It would play out over the next couple seasons and will also reveal who gave the burn notice.

It begins with Fiona's mysterious dealings in New York. One day, a man should come looking for Fiona at Michael's and introduce himself as "Fiona's husband". Mike will immediately be pissed off and go to Fi for answers. Fi will reveal that she left New York the day before she was to be married because she realized that she could not take it and found her "out" when she was called to Miami to his hotel to find him.
Over a couple of episodes, Fiona would feel like Mike did not care if she married the other man, so she plans again to settle down because she wants more from life and a family, and Michael is not easily committing to her. We also, over this period of time, get background information to Fiona's family, who we have not heard about before. She has one brother who died in Iraq, one who is in the green berets and she has not heard from in years and a younger brother that is an electrician and plummer in NYC. This brother is closest to her and is very cool and down to earth, coming to Miami to add levity to the situation before the wedding (he should play well off of Bruce Campbell and Jeff Donovan for comic relief and raport). Quickly, we find out that Fi's fiance is a gun runner and drug lord, and his relationship with Fiona is only a cover and strategic operation to gain access to her knowledge of the IRA other covert military operations. He is also the man that ordered the Burn on Michael and is Carla's boss. He is planning to kill Fiona eventually and does not hide his disdain for her when he is with his true love (CARLA!).
Meanwhile, Mike is fuming over Fi's wedding and wants to stop her, but does not feel he is better for her. BUT, on the morning of the wedding, Mike finds out that Fi's fiance is this evil warlord and the man that ordered his burn. Mike manages to stop the wedding just in the nick of time with the excuse of her fiance's betrayal (but secretly relieved for his own purposes too!). The problem is, rival warlords planned to ambush the wedding and kidnap Fiona, which is a success anyway, but Fi's fiance dies in the explosion/crossfire/exchange. This is season 4 ender.
Season 5 starts out with Mike searching for Fiona and has no luck. He eventually gets a coded message from someone and follows the trail, only to find that it is Fiona's brother in the green berets who has led him to Fiona. Fiona is alive, but does not remember him or her life. Of course, she eventually snaps out of it to save Mike's life and they eventually come back around to where they are now, only they take the plunge.

I know this is extremely romantic and to write this storyline, we need to continue to have the odd-jobs element to the show.

I also must note that I am always thrilled to see Bruce Campbell. I would like to see Sam written in as more capable. In episode 110, it was a bit of a let-down to see that Sam was inept w/o Fiona and Mike. He is an ex-agent and may be a boozer, but should still have 'IT' in him when called upon.

I also like the idea of Fi's mom being Irish (and wild) and her dad being English (and a quiet professor-scientist). Good sub-plot lines would be covert ops run by Madeline w/o Michael's knowledge and then he finds out, Nate gets a girlfriend-who is a great street-smart addition to the group's crime-solving dynamics, and Fiona's brothers coming to help Mike, Fiona and Sam. Of course, all shows must have Sam, Mike and Fi still!!!! We don't want to take away from our main characters.

Thanks for reading my input and I can't wait for Thursday!

No offense but I just cut the tv off (your episodes made me remember a movie that didn't do too well either)

No
No
No

I like the ride we're on ....and all the stops were making are a plus!!!

I enjoyed Sam wearing one of Michael's shirt - 'they're like doll clothes' lmao

I love JD! I loved him Touching Evil - I just think he's awesome!

I like the idea that dad may be out there somewhere & involved with the BN.

I can't see Sam being the mastermind behind the BN. He'd have much better things to do than what he's doing if he did. But considering Fi was the first person he laid eyes on when awakening she night be involved somehow.

There's one person we're forgetting about. Lucy? I think that's her name. She was the first person he contacted in Miami. There's a possibility. After all she got him set up with his first job & a place to live..

NDGD~

Has tonight's episode changed your BN theory?

I want to know more about Karla first....once we can get a handle on her, I think we can dig a little deeper into how the BN happened and who did it.....

My radar's still pointed at Mom though....


KA23

How so? Gathering from your earlier post, you think Fi got him burned. It's possible. She doesn't look to be in a power position, but she could have used her charm to get someone to burn Micheal. Did they ever explain how she knew to pick him up from the airport when he first got burned?

If she did burn him to be with him, then why did she break it off with him? That doesn't make sense. I think her hostility to Micheal is that he doesn't love her enough.

After watching some of the re-runs on Thursday, his mom looks more and more guilty. If it's the mom that burned him, I would think she would want him to get out of the spy game, not be forced to do jobs.

And after the "Comrades" episode, Nate looks rather suspicious, like he got paid to keep an eye on Micheal.

I still tend to think it is somebody that is close to the family, but still needs Micheal to work as an asset. Maybe the mom or Fi made a deal to get him "stationed" in Miami.