Burn Notice – Season 3, Episode 16, “Devil You Know”
Starring Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar, Bruce Campbell, and Sharon Gless
Guest starring Garrett Dillahunt and John Mahoney
Fresh off their interview with yours truly, Jeffrey Donovan and Gabrielle Anwar reunite with the rest of the cast to bring us the pulse pounding conclusion to Burn Notice’s third season. It’s never easy to keep suspense in a serial drama. It’s usually a fairly safe bet that all of your major players are going to survive from one episode to the next, and once you’ve removed any real sense of danger, what’s left? Well, whatever it is, Matt Nix and the people behind Burn Notice know how to make the most of it.
At the end of last episode, the “real life” supervillain whose release Michael and friends were attempting to prevent got one over on the good guys and got away. In the season finale, everyone’s favorite burnt spy came face to face with Simon, and the truth about this psychopath is too wild to be believed. But if that reveal gets your heart pumping, just wait for the last five minutes of the episode.
Dillahunt as Simon is inspired, and perhaps the first enemy on the show that will truly make you fear for the safety of the regular cast of characters. Add to that John Mahoney’s return as “Management” and an absolutely flawless performance by Sharon Gless as Madeline Westen – yes, I know she’s part of the regular cast, but her role in the finale elevates the character beyond anything we’ve seen before – and you’ve got the makings for the best damned episode yet.
It’s not flawless, mind you. The hotel bomb subplot is a bit weak, and like the bomb itself, a bit too easily defused. Not to mention that as great as Mahoney’s performance as Management may be, he can only work with what he’s given, and the rookie mistake the character makes seems horribly out of character for someone so entrenched in the life. Maybe it’s too much time spent behind a desk of late. But the worst part of the finale? Waiting for new episodes.
“Devil You Know” is near perfection, with 4.5 out of 5 lone helipads
Gotta agree, that episode started off fast and never let up.
Dillahunt turned in a pitch perfect performance as Simon, you find yourself laughing at what he says one second and then abruptly stop because you see the character is 100% dead serious about blowing up that car full of people or those thousands of people in the hotel. Great casting choice, hopefully this isn’t the last we see of the character, his mix of humor and psychotic made him a very memorable, if not the most memorable, guest star the series has had, in my opinion. If he isn’t brought back I’d call it a collosal waste of the character and actor. Plus with the big reveal at the start of the episode about the past between him and Michael just begs for another visit or five between the two of them.
As usual the main cast delivers in spades, Donovan, in my opinon, gave one of the best performances of the series as Simon’s antics constantly keep him off balance and the ever cool Michale Weston shows some cracks in the armor. Donovan’s facial expressions over the last five minutes spoke volumes about what he’s possibly gotten himself into.
I’ll agree that the bomb side plot was a tad on the weak side, although it did have it’s moments, like Sam talking to Michael while Fiona is in the back ground verbally abusing an arms dealer, and the one liner “You never know about a car until you run it into a building” were small bright spots, but I thought that focusing on Michael and Simon was the right call for the episode.
Gless turned in an emmy nomination level performance as she went back and forth with the FBI agents interrogating her as she held her own and kept them off balance the whole episode buying Michael time to deal with Simon.
I thought “The Devil You Know” was probaby the best season finale of the series thus far and it opened up a whole new possible dynamic for the fourth season with the ending unless I’m missing my guess. Personally I know I have a hard time getting enough of this show, if you haven’t given it a chance, you really should, it’s a fun show with some stand out acting and a great plot that always keeps you guessing.
The first season’s finale is still my favorite. Driving into the back of the truck and everything going black? Priceless. That said, this certainly is evocative of that one, with Gless’s scenes interspersed. I agree entirely that this should be an Emmy nomination for her.
And yes, the scene with Fi in the background was a winner, but the bomb plot was just such a let down. I agree that it was a good call to focus more on Michael and Maddie, but if that’s the case, come up with a better b plot to fit in with things.
So, what is Burn Notice? Is it a detective/CSI show? A super-cop/crime-drama? A spy/espionage show? Some kind of parody of the above?
Do you honestly not know?
Spy/espionage, basically. Michael Westen was a spy till he got “burnt.” Season one was him dealing with being burnt and trying to find out who did it. Season two, he knew who it was, and now they had him right where they wanted him. Season three, he was on his own, trying to rebuild a life. In each episode, aside from the main story arc, Michael takes on a client for some reason or other.
It is FANTASTIC.
Its always scares me to have big expectations about an upcoming episode, but thankfully Matt Nix and his writers never disappoint. Much as I love the tender moments between Michael and Fi just before Michael disappears at the end of a finale, I agree it would have been out of place considering the tempo of this episode. Gee, I wish they’d do a two-hour episode. I thought season 2 was more cohesive than season 3 so the finale was more dramatic, but the Season 3 finale sets up much better for the next season. I’m so glad they brought back Management. Anyone else think that Management masterminded the whole Gilroy/Simon plot just to get their hooks in Michael? Loved Donovan’s performance when he realizes he is right where Management wants him. He can really bring intensity to the moment. And can you think of anyone else who could consistently do what he does on this show week after week. It must be physically punishing. Gless was terrific as always. This show is underated–it’s just so darn good. If it weren’t for the DVD’s I’d go into withdrawal between seasons.