Monday, July 02, 2007

Bruce Campbell in Burn Notice

The legendary Bruce Campbell stars in USA's new show Burn Notice, a spy-themed series which stars Jeffrey Donovan as a former spy, and Campbell as his colleague Sam.

With Painkiller Jane the only regular show running at the moment I was in danger of not watching enough new television, but along comes Burn Notice!

A Burn Notice is an official statement by one intelligence agency to other agencies, domestic or foreign, that an individual or group is unreliable for any of a variety of reasons. I've issued about a dozen in my career but I digress...

I had just finished watching the box-set of Briscoe County Jr., a television series way ahead of it's time, starring Campbell in the title role. I said to myself that it was a shame that he wasn't on television now, I think he's someone we need on television. Thankfully I didn't have long to wait. Burn Notice premiered to favourable reviews on Thursday night on USA.

The new series is about a discredited and dumped CIA agent Michael Westen, whose life comes crashing down he finds himself down-and-out in Miami. Campbell plays Sam Axe (left), an ex-spy already washed out. In a recent interview Campbell says "He doesn't give a shit. So I'm unshaven and I drink all the time. I'm a smartass. I shack up with rich Miami women because that's how I make money. But I know a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy. So I'm usually in that role; I can help him that way."

Other stars include Gabrielle Scent of a Woman Anwar who plays Fiona, a former IRA operative with whom Michael has a past, and Michael's crazy hypocondriac nagging mother played by Sharon (Cagney from Cagney & Lacey) Gless. "It's a bizarre set up for a show" adds Campbell "And it's not a doctor show. It's not a cop show or a lawyer show. And to me, that's very appealing."

Campbell describes the show as played pretty straight but with a lot of gallows humor. "I think that there's a lot there for whoever is looking for an interesting new show. I think this is the one."

After digesting the pilot episode, I will say that I intend to continue to watch Burn Notice, even if it didn't have Campbell. Most are comparing it to The Equalizer but I don't think it's as dark as that, it's more like a cross between MacGyver and The Rockford Files with just a small hint of Alias thrown in. Jeff Donovan (right) is a bit-part vetran of Television since the mid-90's and got his break with the substandard US version of the popular UK crime-drama "Touching Evil", but this will be his first as lead and he pulls off the hard-ass spy-shit very well. Gabrielle Anwar suffering from a not too perfect collagen job (but hey, I'd still do her) has to put on a terrible N.I. accent to play her part which is distracting when you're from this part of the world, but thankfully she'll get rid of it in subsequent episodes in order to blend into Miami. As for Bruce Campbell, well... as I said, "he's someone we need on television" and hopefully he'll be able to stick around the show and handle his directorial responsibilities and Bubba Nosferatu as well.

Find out more on USA's Burn Notice Website.

Source: IGN, Burn Notice Pilot

10 comments:

Unknown said...

Bruce Campbell looks like shit in that photo.

Douglas Kastle said...

I have to agree, I loved Brisco when it first came out it was (and maybe still is) way ahead of it's time and Bruce Campbell was great in it. He was also one of the few (maybe only) lights of this years "blockbuster smash" Spider-Man 3. But man in that picture, like cubaboy says, he looks like shit.

Anonymous said...

A Burn Notice is an official statement by one intelligence agency to other agencies, domestic or foreign, that an individual or group is unreliable for any of a variety of reasons. I've issued about a dozen in my career but I digress..." Just how many of these burn notices do you have outstanding on you right now?

Major General Creedon said...

@ Cuba & Doug: WTF? - Read what it says: he's an ex-spy already washed out. "He doesn't give a shit. So I'm unshaven and I drink all the time." He's supposed to look like shit!!!

This is what he looks like when not playing a washed out drunk!

@ Civvy: None. I'm a 100% loyal at all times. My dedication has never been questioned. Only my methods, but most of the time the higher ups look the other way on those as "I get the job done!"

Anonymous said...

"I'm a 100% loyal at all times." Wow, I'm impressed but who, exactly are you 100% loyal to?

Unknown said...

This show has stylish, cheaply made and lots of fun. "Burn Notice" is the coolest show on TV since the first episodes of Alias .download burn notice episode from here...

Serena said...

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Unknown said...

Hi friends....Bruce is really good in Burn Notice TV Show. Its good show and its all episodes are really very interesting.

Jessica Hart said...

Burn Notice is an American television series created by Matt Nix. This is really best show and I like it very much. Burn Notice Season 4 is running on television. There is a rumor that this show will premiered its fifth and sixth season very soon.

Anonymous said...

Show is awesome. This is the best show. You can use this link to watch all Burn Notice Episode online.