Burn Notice (season 3)

Burn Notice (season 3)
DVD cover art
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	16
Release
Original network	USA Network
Original release	June 4, 2009 – March 4, 2010

The third season of the American television spy drama Burn Notice premiered on June 4, 2009 on the cable television channel USA Network.^[1] Season three consists of sixteen episodes, split between a nine-episode summer season and a seven-episode winter season.^[2]

Season overview

Season 3 picks up with Westen, having lost the protection of "Management," now under surveillance by Miami Detective Paxson (Moon Bloodgood), who has been tasked with monitoring his activities. Michael is able to secure the arrest of a major Miami criminal Paxson has long been targeting, and he threatens to reveal the true circumstances of the arrest if Paxson does not stop following him. Paxson agrees to the deal. Michael is soon contacted by a man named Tom Strickler (Ben Shenkman), a "smooth-talking, gregarious freelance spy broker", who offers to unburn Michael in exchange for his help with a potentially lethal job.^[3][4] It is clear to Michael that Strickler has major, if shadowy, connections, but appears to be the first person he has met capable of getting him his old job back. At first it seems to work, and Michael is able to confirm, through interactions with undercover CIA agent Diego Garza (Otto Sanchez), that movement is being made on his burn notice. In the midseason finale, however, Michael is forced to kill Strickler to save Fiona's life. The action has unforeseen consequences, including the murder of Agent Garza.

Following Strickler's death, Westen is contacted by an associate named Mason Gilroy (Chris Vance), who is responsible for the murder of Garza. Gilroy informs Michael that he wants Michael's help on an extremely lucrative operation. Believing Gilroy to be planning something dangerous, Michael plays along to uncover the plot with the aim of eventually foiling it. After performing several errands for Gilroy, Michael learns that the job involves a maximum security prisoner being rendered from Chile to Poland. Gilroy's job is to divert the plane to Miami, but he is double-crossed and blown up. Before dying, he informs Michael that the man behind the operation is named Simon (Garret Dillahunt), a man who committed the crimes used to burn Michael. In the Season 3 finale, Michael solicits help from Management to stop Simon. Michael successfully captures Simon but is arrested himself, while Management states that Michael has a "big future." Michael is taken to a mysterious room, where he sits as the season ends.

Actor Michael Weston appeared in one episode as a schizophrenic MIT graduate who needs Michael to protect him from what he thinks are aliens selling the names of undercover spies.^[5] Also, Sharon Gless was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her work in this season. Gless was also reunited with her former Cagney & Lacey co-star, Tyne Daly, for the episode "A Dark Road".

Cast

Jeffrey Donovan returned for the third season as series protagonist Michael Westen. Gabrielle Anwar also returned as Fiona Glenanne, while Bruce Campbell reprised his role as Sam Axe. Sharon Gless returned to play Madeline Westen.

The third season featured a host of guest stars and recurring guests. Paul Tei returned as Michael's favorite money-launderer, Barry Burkowski. Seth Peterson returned as Michael's brother, Nate Westen. The character of Detective Michelle Paxson was introduced, portrayed by Moon Bloodgood. Another handler for Michael, Tom Strickler, was portrayed in a variety of episodes by Ben Shenkman. Otto Sanchez portrayed Michael's CIA contact Diego Garza. A self-proclaimed "freelance psychopath," Mason Gilroy, was played by Chris Vance. John Mahoney returned as the mysterious man known only as Management. Several villains from previous seasons returned, including Tim Matheson as "Dead" Larry Sizemore and Jay Karnes as the vengeful Tyler Brennen. A former villain, Sugar (Arturo Fernandez), returned needing Michael's help. Marc Macaulay and Brandon Morris returned as Agents Harris and Lane in a single episode. Garret Dillahunt was introduced as Simon Escher, the man who actually committed the crimes Michael was framed for. Various actors made guest appearances during the season, including Carlos Bernard, Jude Ciccolella, Clayne Crawford, Tyne Daly, Callie Thorne, and Danny Trejo.

Episodes

In the following table, "U.S. viewers in millions" refers to the number of Americans who viewed the episode on the day of original broadcast.

No. in series	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	Production code	U.S. viewers (millions)
29	1	"Friends and Family"	Tim Matheson	Matt Nix	June 4, 2009	BN301	5.99[6]
Michael, exhausted and disoriented, finally finishes swimming the five miles to Miami Beach (after jumping out of "Management's" helicopter at the end of Season 2). No sooner has he washed up on the beach then he is hunted by the police. Trapped in a nearby hotel, Michael surrenders and is taken to jail. While awaiting charges, Sam reports that, while Michael is free from interference by the Organization (demonstrated by a note from "Management", including Michael's trademark sunglasses, telling him to contact the Organization when Michael has had enough of being in danger) not only is Michael still burned, but, without the Organization's protection, he is now being investigated by both the police and foreign intelligence agencies. Shortly after, Michael is released from prison by Harlan (Brian Van Holt), an old friend and former-Special Forces operative. Harlan quickly re-establishes his friendship with Michael, who was missing to the spy community while under the Organization's protection, as well as bonding with Fiona and Sam. Harlan requests Michael's assistance in a job to extradite Rufino Cortez, a Venezuelan criminal who is displacing landowners in Venezuela and seizing the land for himself and his partners. Working together, and after extraordinary efforts to get past Rufino's main man in Miami and "gatekeeper", Falcone, Michael and the others succeed in ambushing and capturing Rufino. As soon as Harlan and Michael delivered Rufino to the extraction point, however, Harlan kills Rufino and takes Michael prisoner; explaining that, now working as a mercenary, he was really working for Rufino's partners who, knowing Rufino was under federal investigation, tasked Harlan to kill him to prevent him from standing trial. Harlan did so gladly, planning to set up the newly rediscovered Michael as Rufino's killer. Michael appeals to his former friend to not betray him, but Harlan is unswayed, forcing Michael to escape, fight and defeat Harlan. Michael delivers Harlan to the extraction point and anonymously informs the arriving Venezuelan commandos of Harlan's actions. Harlan is taken away. Meanwhile, Fiona expresses her hope that Michael will give up his attempts to get his old job back, but Michael decides, now that he is no longer protected by the Organization and is in serious danger, to focus all of his efforts to get his job (as well as the protection the CIA provides) back.
30	2	"Question and Answer"	John T. Kretchmer	Alfredo Barrios, Jr.	June 11, 2009	BN302	5.24[6]
Michael encounters Detective Michelle Paxson, a Miami police detective investigating Michael, who eventually finds the storage facility where Michael has been hiding explosives. While Paxson works on getting a warrant to search it, Michael plans to get the C4 out before Paxson gets there. Meanwhile, Michael and the team are recruited to help a woman, Patricia, see her son Brandon, after her ex-husband Howard has stopped her from contacting Brandon. As it turns out, Howard did not contact Patricia for a reason: Brandon has been kidnapped, and the kidnapper, Santoras, is demanding a shipment of diamonds from Howard's workplace in return for Brandon. Knowing Santoras will not let Brandon go, Michael has Sam pose as a dirty cop who accepts a bribe from Santoras to interrogate Michael, pretending to be a junkie who has information that one of Santoras' men is going to betray him. Using reverse interrogation, the team succeeds in making it look like one of Santoras's thugs is planning to betray him. Sam and Santoras head off to the house Brandon is being kept in, while Brandon is rescued by Michael and Fiona. Sam manipulates Santoras and his men into killing each other. Later, Michael and the team sneak the explosives out of the storage facility before Paxson arrives, but this does not deter her investigation.
31	3	"End Run"	Dennie Gordon	Craig O'Neill	June 18, 2009	BN303	5.78[7]
Nate returns from Las Vegas to meet with an investor to expand his limo company, and is questioned by Detective Paxson, who tries to convince Nate to betray and reveal everything about Michael's private investigations. Although Nate remains firm and refuses, Michael and the team plan to get Paxson to back off and break off her investigation. As Michael goes to his car, he is surprised by Tyler Brennen, an arms trader and dealer who proceeds to disable Michael's car (due to holding a grudge against Michael since Season 2; "Sins of Omission"). Brennen has returned to Miami, after succeeding in getting rid of his South American pursuers by anonymously financing and supplying a private, bloody war between them and a rival cartel. He has taken on the role of Nate's investor and brought a Sicilian enforcer, "The Butcher", who is currently in a meeting with Nate. Brennen threatens to have Nate killed if Michael doesn't help him pull off an elaborate heist. Michael proceeds to do so, eventually realizing Brennen plans to steal a government weapon, but gradually lays an elaborate plan, with the help of the team and Barry, to destroy Brennen's presence in Miami. To force Michael to finish the job, Nate is brought to the heist by Brennen and is subsequently shot and injured. Michael, refusing to steal the weapon, is forced to spring his trap: Sam and Fiona blow up Brennen's house, and Barry tricks Brennen into giving him his financial info and pretends to drain his accounts (Barry pretends to be the bank manager). Brennen is undeterred, until Michael claims to have put an assassin in place to kill Annabelle; Brennen's secret young daughter, who is away at private school in Switzerland. Terrified for his child's safety, Brennen departs, but not before saying they will meet again. In the end, it is revealed the plan to get Paxson to back off failed: it only succeeded in getting Paxson's partner suspended, driving Paxson to declare to Michael she will play just as under-handed.
32	4	"Fearless Leader"	John T. Kretchmer	Michael Horowitz	June 25, 2009	BN304	5.35[8]
In an attempt to get the Miami police off his back, Michael takes it upon himself to deal with one of the city's most wanted criminals, whom Detective Paxson has long targeted but has not been able to arrest. Michael befriends Tommy, a low-level wannabe gangster in order to infiltrate the gang, and ends up discovering that his new friend is a better person than he appears to be. Meanwhile, Sam has to deal with an IRS agent who turns out to be the son of an ex-flame.
33	5	"Signals and Codes"	Jeremiah S. Chechik	Jason Tracey	July 9, 2009	BN305	5.51[6]
Michael, knowing that going through proper channels will be useless, begins the process of tracking down a spy in the field in Miami. The aim is to use the spy to make contact with Michael's former superiors at the CIA and try and properly plead his case, set the record straight and get his job back. After painstakingly long hours of surveillance at the airport, Michael and Sam locate a flight not registered, but possessing clearance. Knowing it can only be a spy plane, Michael steals information on the front company owning it and delivers it to Barry, asking him to do research. After unwinding at a local shooting range, Michael is approached by a paranoid mathematician with a history of schizophrenia, Spencer Wachowski (Michael Weston), who has discovered his identity and explains (somewhat) that he needs his help. Spencer is an expert in identifying patterns, and has determined certain people are dying when information is being transmitted out of the defense firm he works at. Michael and Sam eventually realize Spencer's claims that "aliens" are involved isn't entirely false - the people being killed are American spies (one of which was a friend of Sam's who he had thought previously to have died in a climbing accident), and government secrets are being sold by one of the firm's vice-presidents and head of the department that developed the coding used to protect the secrets (and which is also being sold to reveal them); Shannon Park. Spencer is afraid for his life, as a friend of his, Brad Wilkins, was killed in a suspicious explosion in his house when it seemed he was investigating him (really Spencer, who used Brad's machine at work). Michael settles in as a mysterious high-ranking employee at the firm who becomes an ally to Shannon in supposedly sealing the security leak, all the while trying to get the evidence needed to get her busted. After saving Spencer from an assassination attempt, Michael successfully bluffs Shannon into giving him the proof, only to be captured and left for the FBI to arrest (Shannon avoids the death penalty - she testifies against the thug she hired to kill Brad and try and kill Spencer in exchange for a lesser sentence). Meanwhile, Michael approaches the front company - which itself supplies weapons and launders money for the intelligence community, and approaches the manager - Diego Garza: who recognizes and readily reveals he's the spy he's been looking for and, while having nothing against Michael, even to the point of respecting him for his reputation of being a "really, really good" operative, Diego does not wish to lose the easy assignment he earned after 20 years of hard work at the CIA. Michael responds by secretly informing Diego's superiors that he and Michael have made contact, and so they respond by assigning Diego as Michael's point-of-contact to the CIA in Miami. Michael is given two messages by the CIA - they are not interested in his services (at this time) but they will review Michael's file.
34	6	"The Hunter"	Bryan Spicer	Story by: Ryan Johnson Teleplay by: Lisa Joy	July 16, 2009	BN306	6.66[6]
Michael is tracked down and approached by Tom Strickler: an "Agent to the Spies", who offers him his services in exchange Michael sells his services as an ex-spy to the highest bidder (thus transforming him into a mercenary). Strickler not only offers Michael the majority of the money from the jobs, but also information (courtesy of his many connections); Strickler warns Michael of an Ukrainian operative who, having a grudge against him, is coming to Miami to hunt Michael down. Michael, despite having doubts about Strickler, cannot help but take the threat seriously; knowing it could be the truth. Strickler lacks further details, and because his own research time will take too long, Fiona directs his attention to John Beck, who might be able to help. Beck was a local gangster based in Miami who went big-time, becoming a truck cargo hijacker & seller, and is now a prominent member of Miami's underworld who, having made a lot of money for very powerful people in Eastern Europe, has connections. Michael approaches Beck without a formal introduction (as Fiona "intercepted" a couple of his weapon shipments at one time), and quickly finds out Beck, who considers himself a businessman rather than a hustler, isn't as susceptible to his charm as he thought. Michael quickly changes tactics and offers to have Fiona's intrusion on Beck's operations stop, but this only makes the situation worse. Before the meeting breaks down completely, a Ukrainian paramilitary team, led by Vlad - a subordinate of the operative, storms the restaurant and kidnaps Michael and Beck (the latter because he was seen with him). As they are being taken out to the Florida wilderness for interrogation, Michael and Beck escape into the Everglades, with the team chasing them down. Michael, after a great deal of difficulty, forces Beck to work together with him to survive, and soon draw the operative into the open: it's Piotr Chechik; who spent 10 years in prison for war crimes after Michael, during an operation in his past, got his heinous crimes exposed, and so Chechik, supplied, funded, equipped and armed by an Ex-KGB officer; Colonel Fyodor Markov, and other Ex-KGB officers, has now the means to exact his revenge. Meanwhile, Sam and Fiona turn to Strickler to find out more about the kidnapping and, with Strickler's help, track down Chechik. While Michael lures Chechik into an ambush and captures him, forcing his men to stand down, Sam and Fiona rescue an injured Beck. Later, Beck's subordinates have Chechik and his men taken away and Chechik's warning that Markov will finish Michael soon proves useless - Beck is an associate of an Ex-KGB General who will have Markov, the officers and Chechik himself killed for almost killing Beck (who does all of the General's import-export work, making him millions - which Chechik and his associates jeopardized for almost killing Beck). Despite Chechik's pleas for mercy and offers of bribes, he and his men are taken away to be killed. Beck and Michael part ways, as friends. Later, Michael meets with Strickler and turns down the cut of the money given to Strickler for Chechik's death.
35	7	"Shot in the Dark"	Ernest Dickerson	Ben Watkins	July 23, 2009	BN307	6.80[9]
While Strickler still tries to convince Michael to work for him, Michael attempts to find out whether Strickler is as connected as he says he is. Michael catches a boy trying to steal one of Fiona's guns. After hearing him out, Michael decides to help the boy get rid of his abusive stepfather, Erik Luna. Erik's brother Quinn has built a business empire (cover for smuggling operations) using Erik as a public relations face. Michael finds out about Erik's side business not known by his brother (luxury car smuggling) and poses as an unsatisfied customer to approach Erik. Michael with the help of Sam and Fiona manages to convince Quinn that Erik is mentally ill. Quinn sends his brother to a mental institution. Strickler offers Michael the chance to work together in exchange for Strickler clearing his burn notice.
36	8	"Friends Like These"	Félix Alcalá	Rashad Raisani	July 30, 2009	BN308	6.63[10]
Barry enlists Michael's help in tracking down his money-laundering client list, which has been stolen by a vicious thief (Callie Thorne). Michael goes after the thief, only to find that there's a lot more to the situation than he realized. Meanwhile, Fiona tries to be supportive of Michael's efforts to reconnect with the intelligence community, but she and Michael find that their differences on the subject may not be reconcilable. Strickler instructs Michael to photograph a group stealing weapons from a Government agency storage facility, in return for some progress on getting his burn notice removed.
37	9	"Long Way Back"	Jeff Freilich	Craig O'Neill	August 6, 2009	BN309	7.59[6]
A dangerous Irishman from Fiona's past resurfaces in Miami after years of hiding, with deadly intentions. Teaming up with Fiona's ruthless brother, Michael will do whatever it takes to save her... even if that means crossing a few lines. Strickler meanwhile tries to train Michael for his upcoming review and to clean up Michael's background based on false information. Tension ensues between the two when Michael cannot approve Strickler's way of handling the situation. Forced to choose between saving Fiona and using Strickler's "connections" with the intelligence community, Michael shoots Strickler dead in a heated showdown. After rescuing Fiona from her captors, Michael receives a distressed call from Diego Garza, his local contact with the CIA, who questions Michael incredulously for working with Tom Strickler; then warns Michael that there are people after both of them. Telling Diego to stay put in his apartment, Michael rushes to meet Diego, only to find that he has fallen to his death from his apartment building. Michael finds himself confused immensely over the situation at hand, having no idea who was behind Diego's death, if anyone.
38	10	"A Dark Road"	John T. Kretchmer	Matt Nix	January 21, 2010	BN310	5.35[6]
Michael begins searching for intelligence on the person who purportedly killed Diego and is after him as well. While caring for Fiona, he is asked by her to help a widow who got caught in an insurance scam. After Sam unsuccessfully tries to extract the records behind the scam from the insurance agency who paid out the claim, Michael recruits his mother to get the records, since she has much in common with the insurance agent (Tyne Daly).
39	11	"Friendly Fire"	Terry Miller	Alfredo Barrios, Jr.	January 28, 2010	BN311	5.30[11]
An old friend of Sam visits town requesting help from the team to bring down a child predator who is hiding inside a gang territory. Michael is drawn into a game of intimidation with the gang members (including Danny Trejo) in order to flush him out. An associate of Strickler named Gilroy (Guest starring Chris Vance) starts to follow Michael wanting to find out whether he's worth recruiting.
40	12	"Noble Causes"	Michael Zinberg	Ben Watkins	February 4, 2010	BN312	4.25[6]
Michael is caught off guard by a visit from his drug-dealing neighbor Sugar. But to Michael's surprise, Sugar isn't looking for trouble. Michael infiltrates a mobster crew in order to save Sugar's cousin.
41	13	"Enemies Closer"	Kevin Bray	Jason Tracey	February 11, 2010	BN313	4.66[6]
Michael, Fiona and Sam must clean up the mess caused by "Dead" Larry Sizemore (Tim Matheson), a sociopathic old acquaintance of Michael's, who used his name to steal two million dollars from a Colombian drug cartel. Michael must dodge cartel hitmen and shift the blame for the theft to someone inside the cartel. Since he has to show the cartel boss the money to sell the story, Michael also has to get the two million dollars back from Larry, who is less than willing to turn it over. Sam and Fiona strongly dislike Larry's presence and feel that he and Michael still have too strong a connection from when they were operatives in Serbia. Meanwhile, Michael is also assigned a new task by Gilroy, who wants flight-plan data for a private aircraft flying through Miami sometime in the next six weeks.
42	14	"Partners in Crime"	Dirk Craft	Michael Horowitz	February 18, 2010	BN314	4.12[6]
Michael has Fiona pose as a CIA agent to discover what Gilroy (Chris Vance) is after. They also agree to help Sam carry out a seemingly easy job with good pay, to find out who is stealing money from a high-end fashion house. The client is found dead and an employee is framed for murder.
43	15	"Good Intentions"	Dennie Gordon	Rashad Raisani	February 25, 2010	BN315	4.50[12]
Fiona goes undercover in a kidnapping ring, while Michael continues to work with Gilroy (Chris Vance). The episode ends with Gilroy's operation going awry, as Gilroy is betrayed after holding up his end of the deal - he is shot and wired to a bomb in a vehicle. Michael finds him and Gilroy tells Michael that Simon, the terrorist that Gilroy was trying to help escape, has double crossed him. Gilroy tells Michael that Simon has other "friends in Miami". Michael then hears a beeping sound signaling that the bomb is about to explode. Michael runs and jumps out of the vehicle, landing safely onto the nearby grass while Gilroy is killed when the vehicle explodes.
44	16	"Devil You Know"	Matt Nix	Matt Nix	March 4, 2010	BN316	4.32[6]
The episode opens with Michael lying on the grass next to the vehicle that was blown up at the end of the previous episode. Michael gets up and calls Sam to brief him on what happened. The call is cut short when he is chased by the local police for his involvement with Simon's escape. Michael escapes from the local police as well as the FBI and various other agencies. Michael notices his face plastered all over the TVs in a electronics store. He walks inside only to come face to face with Simon. Simon informs Michael that he is the man who did all the things Michael was accused of. Simon shows Michael a picture of a bomb which is "in one of Miami's many hotels" and tells Michael that if he doesn't help him get to Management, Simon will blow up the hotel. Using various ploys and tricks, Michael contacts Fiona and Sam to let them know what's going on, as well as contacting Management (John Mahoney) to let him in on the secret as well. Michael meets up with Fiona and Sam and decides to keep the meeting. Simon blows up Management's helicopter and tries to kill Michael but Michael manages to get away by sliding down a trash chute. He reaches the ground where Sam and Fiona are waiting, very confused. Michael tells them he has to go after Simon. Sam and Fiona want to help, but Michael responds by saying that "this is something I have to do on my own." Meanwhile, FBI agents visit Madeline to press her for information about Michael, and inform her of who the "real" Michael Westen is. When she refuses, the agents arrest her. Michael hijacks a truck and crashes it into an ambulance Simon is driving with Management inside. Management escapes, and Michael holds a gun to Simon's head, but police show up and they are both arrested, Simon taunting him saying Michael is going to end up just like him. The episode ends with an FBI agent informing Madeline that Michael is gone, while a prisoner in a hood is escorted through a dark hallway. It is revealed that the prisoner with the hood on was Michael and after his hood was removed, Michael sat in a nicely furnished room.

References

1. "Burn Notice". USA Network. Retrieved 2009-05-20.
2. "Burn Notice". The Futon Critic. Retrieved 2009-05-21.
3. Fowler, Matt (2009-04-28). "Michael Westen To Get Unburned?". IGN. Retrieved 2009-05-17.
4. Ausiello, Michael (2009-04-28). "Exclusive: Grey's widower heats up Burn Notice". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2009-05-21.
5. Ausiello, Michael (2009-04-21). "Casting scoops: Ugly Betty, Burn Notice, and Californication". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2009-05-21.
6. Berman, Marc (March 7, 2010). "Burn Notice Ratings". Mediaweek. Archived from the original on April 18, 2010. Retrieved July 2, 2015.
7. Gorman, Bill (2009-06-23). "Jon & Kate Minus 1.3 Million Falls Way Out Of Cable Top 20". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
8. Gorman, Bill (2009-06-30). "Jackson Tribute BET Awards Edges Jon & Kate Plus 8 To Lead Cable Shows". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 2009-07-08.
9. "Top Cable Shows For the Week Ending July 26, 2009; Burn Notice, The Closer, Royal Pains, SpongeBob Squarepants, WWE Raw, NCIS - TV Ratings, Nielsen Ratings, Television Show Ratings". TVbytheNumbers.com. Retrieved 2010-06-11.
10. Seidman, Robert (2009-08-04). "Updated:The Closer, Burn Notice, Royal Pains Top Week’s Cable Shows". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 2009-08-10.
11. "Relax, Burn Notice Is Doing Great - TV Ratings, Nielsen Ratings, Television Show Ratings". TVbytheNumbers.com. 2010-01-30. Retrieved 2010-06-11.
12. "Archer Repeat As Good As Original; Burn Notice Rises - TV Ratings, Nielsen Ratings, Television Show Ratings". TVbytheNumbers.com. 2010-02-26. Retrieved 2010-06-11.