I guess it's something that a show like Burn Notice has reached a certain kind of significance in the culture that even The New Yorker stands up and takes notice of it. I'm just not sure if the reviewer likes the show or just tolerates it.Nancy Franklin is often good in her analysis of a TV show or a TV genre, but she seems to have gotten tired of Burn Notice already. While she likes the Miami location and loves Bruce Campbell (deservedly so), she thinks the show is already getting tired. She's not buying the tension between Michael and Fiona, and she thinks the mom/Michael stuff is just too much. She also compares Jeffrey Donovan to Frank Gorshin's Riddler from Batman, which isn't fair (she also gets a fact wrong - Sam is not secretly reporting on Michael to the government, Michael knows about it).Frankln also reviews In Plain Sight, and says that even though she likes Mary McCormack in the lead role, there's not much else in the show to recommend, especially the supporting characters. She loves Wipeout though.
So what do you think? Are you getting sick of Burn Notice for some reason? Is McCormack the only thing worth watching on In Plain Sight?















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
8-04-2008 @ 4:11PM
Drew said...
The New Yorker doesn't like something that is wildly popular?
Stop the presses.
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8-04-2008 @ 11:47AM
Robobagins said...
She's right about Burn Notice the more I watch it, the more predictable it gets. They've found a formula for the writing and gotten stuck in a rut. Hopefully they can pull themselves out of it before the show get's canceled.
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8-04-2008 @ 11:48AM
Argus said...
I think Burn Notice does need to change something up... I'm just not as excited about it as I was first season. But her love of Wipeout suggests that she doesn't really have a full deck to play with.
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8-04-2008 @ 11:54AM
BartmanDK said...
Yeah while she is kinda right about the need to shake things up, i just cant take her seriously if she loves Wipeout
8-04-2008 @ 1:46PM
Thomas said...
They even mention Michael knowing about Sam in the opening narration in every episode.
Personally I'm in now way bored of it but I think it could be better, I think a little more of a sense of humour in the writing would help. Not that it should be funny.
Also agree that Mary is the only thing worth watching about In Plain Sight, you could get rid of any of the other characters and it would make no difference.
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8-04-2008 @ 12:23PM
Butters said...
Nope! Love it the way it is.
It is perhaps the only show on TV at the moment that makes me want to watch another episode as soon as one has finished.
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8-04-2008 @ 12:37PM
Club Peck TeeVee said...
I think this is a great show. This and Top Chef are the only shows I want to watch the night they are on. I don't think burn notice is stale, and I like the way they can have an 80% standalone episode and not be consumed by the mystery of the Burn Notice.
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8-04-2008 @ 1:03PM
DragonRules said...
The format is fine for now, but little subtle changes couldn't hurt. I wouldn't want it to feel as predictable as Law & Order, but in the short term they're sticking with what works. And I'm still anxious to watch each week.
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8-04-2008 @ 1:00PM
DavidM said...
She is right, Burn Notice needs a major arc and soon. It is getting so boring watching the same thing over and over, week after week, especially with some little likable characters. Get Sam and Nate together just BSing each other you have a more enjoyable show because the characters are actually interesting, Micheal and Fiona aren't though.
Nancy is right on the lack of chemistry between Micheal and Fiona, there is none and their angle seems to have run its course. Seems to me that at the finale Fiona should die, just to have something interesting happen to Micheal.
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8-04-2008 @ 1:46PM
EbonyDad said...
The show does have a major story arc. Michael is trying to find out who burned him. Every show this season has slowly showed him, Sam and Fiona working to find out the woman who is pulling his strings to get closer to figure out who burned him.
I think this is doing a lot better than Monk. I gave up on Monk two seasons ago because the lack of a story arc. He was trying to find the killer of his wife. He gets info from the Fat Man, then he continues to investigate crime for a full season without working on the major story arc of the show.
I think both Burn Notice and Psyche are excellent shows. I am not one to follow serialized cable shows, but those two have have scheduled to record every week on my DVR. Until BSG comes back.
8-04-2008 @ 2:10PM
DavidM said...
Monk is a character show and while I agree it was lame that they did not follow the death of his wife arc, his character is so enjoyable, as well as the supporting characters, that I can overlook it.
Burn Notice doesn't have that luxery. Micheal is not an enjoyable and interesting character. Sam, Nate, and the Mom are characters, Micheal and Fiona are like bad cliches with no depth, so you need a solid storyline to make people interested in them and what is going on with them, unlike Monk.
8-04-2008 @ 1:21PM
Boomstick said...
The show went stale over the break. The formula/rut will not keep the audience interested. Altho formulaic shows have proven to be money makers. The A-Team ran for 5 years. :(
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8-04-2008 @ 1:23PM
Boomstick said...
I hope this show doesn't turn into another A-Team or Knight Rider show. I would be very sad.
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8-04-2008 @ 1:52PM
Allison Solow said...
I find Burn Notice appointment TV. It's like Psych for me; a guaranteed pleasure to watch. I don't want it to stretch or get out of its element. It works fine just as it is. Michael is still obsessed with his burn notice, his friends are still quirky but reliable, his family is annoying, but he loves them. There's nothing boring to this as far as I'm concerned, and few flaws in the storytelling.
In Plain Sight, on the other hand, needs something more. It's good, not great. I want it to be better. Her family is annoying and not worth watching.
As for Nancy liking Wipeout, and getting the part about Sam and Michael wrong, makes her a critic I can't get behind. Sorry, Nancy.
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8-04-2008 @ 1:34PM
Steven said...
I think the michael fiona relationship is the best part of the show.
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8-04-2008 @ 2:38PM
Ras Thavas said...
I have enjoyed the second season so far. I don't get the "formula" complaints. All shows have a "formula." In Burn Notice I know that Michael will always be trying to find out who burned him, and always doing side jobs. I like the new twist this season that he has to do jobs for his handler.
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8-04-2008 @ 3:40PM
dan said...
I would love it if they pursued adding Tyne Daly to the cast as her Sharon Gless' sister. I can imagine the two of them with their synergy would be amazing ripping Michael up.... would be fun to watch the sit around and just make his life utter hell.
I would think that would liven it up a bit - especially if htere were episodes when the 2 of them had to leave the house to save Michael - could be very funny to watch
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8-04-2008 @ 5:24PM
Argus said...
One of my issues is that with all the brilliant and interesting minor characters in the show, they just aren't used enough... Barry and Lucy for example, are excellent characters and I would love to see Barry call in a favor on Mike, since he never seems to get much out of that relationship. Also, it would be interesting to see Mike handle a deal involving jewel theivery where he was on the wrong side...
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8-04-2008 @ 6:07PM
Karen said...
I actually have parted company with Nancy Franklin on a number of shows recently. Loving "Wipeout" is defintely not earning her any bonus points with me, either.
I still like "Burn Notice." Sure, it's formulaic, but it's not as formulaic as "House," for heaven's sake, and that show wins Emmys.
I agree that Mary McCormack is the best thing about "In Plain Sight" but I would add that the guy who plays her partner (my argument would be stronger if I could remember his name) is also making it stronger. But all the other characters are a waste of time.
But, again, like "House," a show whose plots have me screaming week to week, I just don't care as long as there's a character or two (House, Wilson; Michael Weston, Sam, Fi [hey, I LOVED when Fi tasered herself last week!]; Mary, Marshall) who compels my attention.
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8-04-2008 @ 10:32PM
YouFaceTheTick said...
Burn notice has gone too Equalizer/Fall Guy problem of the week. They need to move away from that formula. A large, more pressing over-riding issue would help. Also, Michael needs to really get his hands dirty...as in kill some people. There needs to be more at stake,. Right now, there's no threat and it makes the show seem like a PI show.
And stop with the STUPID undercover accents. God his accents are awful.
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