Burn Notice 1.7 - Broken Rules

Plot: Turns out stealing Bly's wallet was not a good way to make friends. Now Bly's making life difficult for Sam and his lady friend, calling the cops on Fi (who was in a stolen car with a trunk full of guns, but still). Michael needs leverage on Bly to make him back off while giving Mike what he wants, but that requires cash. So he takes a job from a local shopkeeper whose neighborhood is being strongarmed by a gang. Michael decides the best way to get rid of the gang is to convince them it's not worth their trouble to do business here. Which is how we get Mike running around in a sleeveless shirt with a baseball bat, causing trouble for everyone.

In the subplots category, we have Sam actually turning to Fiona for advice on how to patch things up with Veronica after Bly's visit, and Fi pressuring Michael to discuss why they broke up. That particular conversation leads to fisticuffs, and Michael forgets what he said about Fiona in the first episode: That violence is foreplay to her. That certainly made Bly's next visit awkward.

The Players: Ernie Paseo (The Client), Concha Ramirez (The Boss), Diego Cruz (Assistant Crime Boss), Oscar & Luis (Diego's Thugs), Barry (Money Launderer).

Quote of the Episode: Ernie - 'My job is to tell the cops a psycho robbed my store? What's your job?' Michael - 'I have to be the psycho. Trust me, it's a lot harder.'

Does Fiona blow anything up? Concha, again by proxy, since she made the bomb but didn't set it off.

Sam Axe Drink Count: 1 (24 overall).

Sam Getting Hit Count: 0 (4 overall). It was Michael getting punched this week. By Fiona. Repeatedly.

Michael's Fake Laugh Count: 1 (10 overall).

Other: There are several sort of callbacks to the Pilot. Michale forgetting what he said about Fi and violence. Michael was recommended to Ernie by Javier, the client from that episode (who was not supposed to tell anyone about Michael). And it's the first time we've seen Barry since then. He's going more casual with his wardrobe now.

It's interesting to see Fiona actually being helpful to Sam, though this is the second episode in a row she's said something complimentary about him. Last week it was his loyalty to Virgil she appreciated, this week his romantic streak. Of course, as Michael noted, Fiona was only talking to him about Sam as an excuse to talk about them.

The real joy of this episode for me was watching Michael play a lunatic. I love the part where he's jumping up and down on the roof of the thugs' car yelling, 'This is MY NEIGHBORHOOD!' Also when he's telling the trapped thugs how the fire won't kill them. It will suck all the oxygen out, so first they'll suffocate, then they'll burn. But first they'll suffocate. And the whole time he's actually working for Concha he's just driving Diego crazy by not following orders. Diego's such a great crotchety old mobster type. All, 'In my day. . .', and 'That kind of stuff is bad for business!' Good times.