Burn Notice: Season Two |  | Actors: Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar
Studio: Twentieth Century Fox
Category: DVD
List Price: $49.98
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Rating:  96 reviews
Format: AC-3, Box set, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), English (Dubbed)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Number Of Discs: 4
Running Time: 684 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: FOXD2258933D
UPC: 024543589334
EAN: 0024543589334
Release Date: June 16, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Genre: Television: Series
Rating: NR
Release Date: 16-JUN-2009
Media Type: DVD
Burn Notice settles into a satisfying groove in its second season. The cast is cool and confident, the writers have mastered the mix of stand-alone stories and the season-long hook, and the blend of retro-70s flavor with 21st century self-awareness is delicious. Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan) still hasn.t figured out who .burned. him--i.e., got him blacklisted as a covert agent and left him trapped in Miami. But he has uncovered a lead in the form of Carla (Tricia Helfer, Battlestar Galactica), a mysterious manipulator who assigns Michael unexplained tasks. But if he resists these tasks, everyone he loves is at risk--including his mom, Madeline (Sharon Gless, Cagney & Lacey), his sleek and violent ex-girlfriend Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar, Scent of a Woman), and his squirrelly best pal, Sam (Bruce Campbell, Evil Dead II). In each episode, while wrestling with Carla.s ongoing schemes, Michael gets drawn into helping some hapless innocent, such as a waitress being stalked by a drug dealer, an accountant to a rap mogul with a gangster background, or a father who.s been scammed out of the money he needs for his sick son. While these smartly-plotted stories unfold, the true pleasure of the show is listening to Michael reveal techniques for forging checks, explain how to make a crude x-ray machine, or describe the active ingredients of pepper spray--all the tricks of the spy trade. Are they genuine? Who knows and who cares! They.re completely entertaining, clever enough to be plausible, and they go hand-in-hand with Michael.s arsenal of cheesy accents and cheerful quips. Burn Notice: Season Two features a good dose of deleted scenes, chatty audio commentaries by cast and crew, a genuinely charming gag reel (featuring Donovan doing a little soft-shoe), and a genuinely illuminating featurette with the show.s creator, Matt Nix, describing the process of preparing to direct an episode. All in all, it.s an excellent package, ready for delivery. --Bret Fetzer
Stills from Burn Notice: Season Two (Click for larger image)
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 96
 An amazing season, better than the first and well worth your time and money! March 13, 2009
Pamela R. Heath (Bay Area, CA)
68 out of 73 found this review helpful
The writing for the first season of Burn Notice was excellent, very tight with interesting characters and situations. However, towards the end, a lot of fans were worried. Some of the helpless clients of the week were starting to feel a touch repetitive.
We needn't have worried.
The second season just finished, and I can assure you that the writing is even better, the characters stronger, and many of the story lines more compelling, than in the first season. It's no wonder the show has doubled its viewing audience. I particularly like how the characters have evolved. Michael has dealt with some of his family issues, gotten closer to his brother, and understands that his mother really does care about him--even if that's easier to take when she's not blowing cigarette smoke (literally) in his face. The bad guys are organized and smart, which means he have to be even smarter. It's good story telling.
However, even with all the other positives that made me pre-order the DVD set as soon as it was possible, there are several particular episodes that stand out from the rest, which alone are worth the price of the DVDs. One of these involves Michael Westin trapped inside a bank during a robbery with a government agent, Bly, whom he blackmailed the first season and who hates Michael's guts. Watching the respect build between the two, and the way they wind up working together -- not to mention Michael Westins way of dealing with the robbers -- is delightful. It's nothing you've ever seen before. It's not Die Hard and it's not like The Ransom of Red Chief (where a little boy makes kidnappers regret ever taking him to the point they wind up paying the parents to take him back). From start to finish, the robbers never figure out that they have a tiger by the tail. The only one with a clue how dangerous that Westin can be is Bly, who had read Westin's dossier in season 1 and has been dancing back and forth with him to see who can top whom. The ending is particularly satisfying. So, I really loved "Bad Breaks" and doubted (silly me) whether they could top this story line in the remaining episodes.
They did.
The season finale completed a fascinating story arc involving an ex-CIA agent, Victor, gone to the dark side. This 4 episode story arc alone makes this season is a must-have for fans. What can one say about this amazing character? Played by Michael Shanks in a recurring role, Victor took us through the gamut. We went from hating him and thinking he is a psychopath wavering on the edge of sanity (you were never quite sure how he was going to react to things), to realizing he was an incredibly tragic character and a cautionary tale of what Michael could have been in other circumstances. The emotional roller coaster we share with the characters on screen as we learn of Victor's back story (which comes out in the finale) and resulting changes in his relationship to Michael Westin is story telling at its best.
I have not been a fan of Michael Shanks in the past. However, his acting here is truly inspired. It goes far beyond anything I've seen him do other than in "The Arc of Truth" in the prison scene when Shanks' character, Daniel Jackson, finally gives up hope. It is worthy of an Emmy. Moreover, even with the already great supporting cast of Bruce Campbell (always worth watching and allowed some great scenes in the 2nd season), Sharon Gless (as Michael's mother who smokes while exercising to Jack LaLanne--which you have to watch to realize how funny that is), and Gabrielle Anwar (as the explosive Fiona), there's something magical about the chemistry between Shanks and Donovan that seems to kick Donovan's acting--already extraordinary--up a notch to a level seldom seen on the small screen. And if the ending is shocking, the choices made surprising to the viewer, one cannot help but feel that the characters have been changed forever by this experience and nothing will be quite the same again. Perhaps best of all, it makes the viewer asks of season 3, what's next? Because if there's one thing the writers, actors, and producers have shown us, it's that they understand good story telling, and can be trusted to make choices that will keep us on the edge of our seats, coming back for more.
I highly recommend this DVD set, especially if you haven't seen the show on TV. Although most of the story lines could work as stand-alones, there is an on-going story arc (of how and why Michael got burned and what he's doing to get his life back) that makes more sense if you watch them in order. The extras on the season 1 DVD set were excellent (including Donovan and Anwar's audition tapes), and I expect them to be equally good here. So far, I know of at least one extra that should be a lot of fun. Michael Shanks has reported recording a commentary track with Bruce Campbell and Matt Nix.
I speak for many fans when I say I can hardly wait for June, and the start of season 3 on USA network! Thank goodness Donovan's contract has been extended for another 6 years (total 8 seasons)! I love this show!
Dry, Educating, and lots of fun! August 2, 2008
Guy E. Cooley (Charlotte, NC United States)
50 out of 60 found this review helpful
Mike, Fiona, and Sam are an outstanding group who are always getting into more trouble than they bargained for, yet somehow manage to make their way through the various encounters with a grin and a chuckle.
Quote from Wanted Man:
Sam: Mike, I gotta tell ya, this is more fun than I expected.
I mean, I haven't done this sort of thing since... Gee, since there was an East Germany.
Mike: Glad you're enjoying yourself.
Sam: So how are things at home?
Mike: A little strange. Fiona likes to test relationships with the emotional equivalent of artillery fire.
Sam: Does she even want this guy?
Mike: I don't know, I've never been able to figure her out.
Sam: Well, I'm not one to tell you how to live your life.
I'm a real fan of dry humor, though I can never pull it off. The only time people laugh at me is when I'm being serious. My jokes- when I try to be funny -all fall flat- and nobody can tell when I'm serious or just kidding. My coworkers would tell you that it makes for an 'interesting' working relationship (if they're being nice). I... don't know what it is.
So - when I came across this show, I started watching the reruns from the first season, as a run-up to the 2nd season... and I've been really enjoying the show. It seems to be very educating - there are things that are presented here that I never thought about - in each episode... I discover a different way of thinking about things, a different way to do things, get things accomplished.
Things never quite turn out how I expect them to, or go off in directions that I didn't anticipate. Then again, I'm a computer guy: what I know about people you can fit on a (corner of) a postcard.
I love the show because of the dry banter, just the right amount of conflict (I give it a PG10 for the average American), and the new way of thinking about things. Oh. The acting is outstanding, the dialogue is clean and very well done.
I'm definitely looking forward to more shows. My other 'top of the list' television shows include Life (NBC) and Firefly (which the FOX network brainaics cancelled).
Great show, great acting, great plot, wonderful writing - hopefully the USA network will continue to see the value in this series for quite a while yet.
Quote from Turn and Burn:
Mike: Fi - get me a sniper rifle and some C4.
Fiona: Oooh - I like where this is going...
My new favorite show March 15, 2009
Book girl Eva
16 out of 18 found this review helpful
I did not start watching this show until after the 1st season aired. I will admit that the concept sounded kind of stupid, but was urged by a friend to watch the 1st season that had come out on DVD. I was instantly addicted and watched the entire 1st season in 1 day (only 9 episodes). I couldn't wait for season 2 and it did not dissapoint. Here is a tired idea that is made fresh and original with great writing, direction, and great performances from the cast. Jeffrey Donavan, Gabrielle Anwar, and Bruce Campbell really are what make this show great. I love the dry wit and interesting spy facts that are shared, all over a compelling storyline. The main storyline behind the show (who burned Michael and why) is still a mystery after 2 seasons, but you don't get frustrated that the story is going no where. The show focuses on what Michael is doing now, taking whatever jobs he can get for whatever pay they can afford, and that keeps the show going for the most part. I highly recommend this show to anyone that is tired of the bland cookie cutter shows that the networks keep putting every year. This show is really something special.
A sort of snob who doesn't watch tv series, except for "Burn Notice" March 12, 2009
Eric V.
14 out of 16 found this review helpful
I don't watch television series. Sports, documentaries, subscription movie channels, yes...never a tv series on a weekly, don't-miss basis (well, "NYPD Blue" the first year until that fool Caruso left).
I watch "Burn Notice." Every week. The first season of this spy action/comedy/drama about a spy who is "burned" or thrown into the street by his agency for reasons he cannot fathom was very good. That brought more budget. For second season that means better stunt and action scenes. And the show has even more humor.
Just finished the final hilarious, dramatic, edge-of-the-seat episode in the Carla theme. As good as a first-run theater production. Better, actually. Certainly better than Daniel Craig's James Bond franchise, which is cliched and takes itself way too seriously. "Burn" gives you real people you can care about. Unexpected things happen. Unexpected things are said.
What is top-flight is the quirky cast of characters that continues to develop...solid actors, main and supporting (Jeffrey Donovan of "Touching Evil" finds a winner here)...scripts that surprise with their humor and drama...direction that doesn't try to be too cute...eclectic sound track. That should do it.
If the concluding Carla episode doesn't win an Emmy, there is something wrong with the television industry. And of course for my money, there is. But I'm sort of a snob I guess. Which is why I don't watch tv series.
Except for "Burn Notice."
A Great Show Became Exceptional! June 29, 2009
Elton V. Pinto (Seattle, WA, USA)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
Content-wise, this was an incredible season. I thought that it was a very good show in Season 1 that I would recommend to people with the caveat that it's not the best show on television, but it's a lot of fun to watch. With the second season, amidst the other shows on television this spring, it was clearly one of the top 5 shows on television, in my opinion. It went from just being a methodical, serialized spy show to really digging in deeper into the characters it revolves around and a more concrete driving plot towards the main character's main goal.
It follows burned (fired) spy Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan) as he works for the people who burned him while trying to get his freedom back from them and figure out exactly who issued the burn notice and why. All the while, he's moonlighting in really fun situations. The writing got better this season, and the acting was as solid as ever from Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar (Fiona), and Bruce Campbell (Sam Axe). Donovan really shines, but everyone holds their own. To sweeten the pot, the season finale was one of the best season finales I've ever seen. I've never seen a season come to such a satisfying end while leaving me wanting more. For example, the last season of Lost left me wanting more, but I was pissed because it's sole purpose was almost to cheat me into watching next season by not wrapping barely anything up. Anyway, I highly recommend watching this show. Season 1 is a great season, don't get me wrong, but this season was like having your cake and eating it, too. It never ceases to amaze me how creative this show gets - it's not your standard formulaic cop show like every other cable television show out there, it really does make you think and you learn some pretty neat things.
As far as the Blu-ray set: it's as unimpressive as Fox's television DVD sets normally are. There's commentary and deleted scenes on a handful of episodes, a blooper reel, and a short behind-the-scenes featurette. What I found very tacky, though it's a common practice nowadays, is that it starts out each disk with an advertisement for this very set as well as the upcoming season. This is a touch better than advertising other shows, but I feel like I should get back some of the money I paid for having to watch their advertising. By the way, the advertising is in sub-standard definition - it's terrible quality. The behind-the-scenes featurette and blooper reel were pretty neat, and some of the commentary was alright but I didn't listen to all of it. The deleted scenes were in pretty terrible quality, but they're just nice to have on there. The actual episodes had pretty decent sound quality and really spotty video quality.
A lot of people have been bashing the video quality, but I think they're being HD brats (I'm usually an HD brat, myself). I'm sorry, but this isn't Lost or Heroes. The Burn Notice folks don't get big budgets to put on stunning visuals. I'll admit that it's overpriced as a Blu-ray to not have near-perfect colors and sharpness and such, but it's definitely not that bad. I felt that it was plenty sharp and some scenes had really beautiful colors. Several scenes tended to have a lot of grain - typically in the background though. The people usually looked pretty good, but sometimes a black background would be speckled with white. This wouldn't bother anyone except for people like me who walk to the television to look for imperfections like that for reviews like these or people who watch way too much high definition content. I'm used to watching Burn Notice in standard definition, so I can vouch for this being significantly better than that, and whether or not it's better than what you see on USA HD is debatable because I didn't see Season 2 in HD but Season 3 doesn't seem to look a whole lot better than what I see on my Blu-ray. It is, however, much prettier than Season 1 on DVD. The graininess thing is really not that bad though - there were plenty of scenes that really do look good. My TV is fairly top-of-the-line (Samsung Series 7 LCD), also, so maybe that's why I'm not seeing it as bad some others are. I do think it lives up to being a Blu-ray disc, just on the lower end. We have the same issue with DVDs: the best looking DVDs look a lot better than the terrible ones, and that's just how it is. You're going to have that with any high definition format, the point is that it's still a lot better thant he previous generation.
Should you get this season? Absolutely. This show bears watching again and again. Should you get it on Blu-ray? That's a judgement call. I think the DVDs for Season 1 looked bad enough to spring for Blu-ray for Season 2 (especially with the excerpts of Miami scenery), but if you only want Blu-rays that look in line with Planet Earth then you should stick with the DVD.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 96
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