'Burn Notice' recap: Mike turns criminal

Let’s talk Sam and Veronica. If you were Roni, would you have kicked Sam out of the house for already being married and not telling you about it until you proposed? Or would you have forgiven him? As Fiona said, “We all have skeletons — terrible, terrible skeletons.” (Then again, I assume ex-IRA Fiona’s are worst than most.)

I’m on the fence about it. First, he’s Sam and he’s cool — you’d think that’s all one would need. And obviously Veronica adores him: “I’m pinching myself to make sure I’m not dreaming,” she purred at dinner. “It’s like I waited for you to show up my entire life.” Blech. It’s also not like Sam has any secret kiddies hidden in the closet somewhere (that we know of at least) or Wife Number One’s body on ice. On the other hand, nobody likes falling in love with someone (or proposing to him) without knowing his whole story. Or buying that liar an $8,000 Ferrari timepiece only to discover he’s already spoken for. Speaking of which, did anyone notice if he got to keep the watch? And who knows exactly what “Sammy’s getting some hammy tonight” means? (I know it’s sex, but that just sounds odd.) 

So is Sam really moving in with Mike? Or will he end up bunking with new best bud and top female confidant Fiona? Or maybe Madeline? She was, I’m sure you noticed, totally absent from yesterday’s episode, but I was too busy celebrating the brief glimpse we got of Veronica to care at the time.  One campy platinum chick is good enough for me. And I laughed aloud at Sam’s response to the latter’s marriage proposal: “How ‘bout that? There’s a question!” Ouch. Though, now that the show’s over, I miss my weekly dose of Mike’s chain-smoking caffeinated mom. I have a feeling I get my nicotine fix through her. 

addCredit(“Burn Notice: Glenn Watson”)

Sam’s relationship issues did give Mike the chance to offer himsome good advice: If Veronica is the one, say yes; if it’s complicated,say no. I’m aware that this was played for laughs in the episode — butfor any of you in iffy relationships, it makes sense. Then again, Mikeshouldn’t really talk. He and Fi definitely had some heat between themlast night when they practiced safecracking (he prefers the logicalapproach, she prefers using power tools). I’d say her “nay” to theirrelationship in the premiere is going to turn into his “yay” prettysoon: We all desire to what we can’t have. 

You know, like Robin Givens wants a career.  Who wasn’t excited tosee her guest starring yesterday as henchwoman Kandi? I think everyactor — especially Head of the Classalums — deserves a second chance (that means you, Tony O’Dell andKhrystyne Haje). Too bad the part was so underwritten it could havebeen filled by any chick that looked believable holding a gun and crazyenough to be arrested twice for assault and battery and once forassault with a deadly weapon. The dialogue in Robin’s penultimate scenewas cramp-inducing: “He’ll be dead long before you find him. Said whileslowly putting on sunglasses. Ugh. (By the way, what’s up with Michaelalways tricking criminals into murdering each other? Sure, they’re badpeople, but we never really saw Timo kill anyone. The deaths make theshow dark and give it an edge, but what happened to plain old going toprison?) 

Kandi and Timo (played by Sleeper Cell’s excellent Oded Fehr) bothfigured into last night’s job to help ex-getaway driver Trevor avoidbreaking a promise to his young son to go on the straight and narrow.Funny how Michael wasn’t won over by the jewels Trevor offered him, butgave in when he heard the guy had a kid. Boy, does Mike have daddyissues. Then again, who on USA primetime doesn’t?  Monk? Shawn fromPsych? They’re all stricken. Anyway, so Trevor was being pressured bypain of death to help his old boss, Timo the nasty control freak, pulloff a major jewel heist. That’s where Kandi comes in: She’s Timo’sgirlfriend and muscle. So through several complicated machinations(including letting Sam get the crap kicked out of him in the street bya massively large member of Timo’s crew), Mike got himself in on theplan as the safecracker. The plan? Keep it from ever going down. And itsort of worked: Sam triggered the jewelry shops alarm system in themiddle of the theft, forcing all the thieves to scatter mid-robbery.Mike, who never even opened the safe, managed to make it look like Timohad stolen the jewels for himself and screwed his team (knowing how topop tires and convincing Fiona to blow up a boathouse really comes inhandy). This sent Kandi into a fit and after Timo — putting Trev in theclear. In Mike’s words, “You know what your boy needs more than apromise — he needs a dad.” Point taken, but we think you’re talking moreabout yourself, Mikey, than anyone else. 

The Carla plotline, unfortunately, went nowhere last night — butnot without great effort on Mike’s part. He found her office by stakingout the Mail ‘N More. He broke into the building next door to set up aspycam on the roof (which at one point he was hanging off of). ButCarla was one step ahead of Mike, clearing off and leaving himballoons, champagne, and a crossword puzzle with the ominous answer“quit” filled in. 

I’m anxious to see this plotline move forward; that’s why I’m soexcited for next week episode when Carla throws a new operative in themix. He wants to put Michael’s “talents to good use.” We’ll see. 
So what did you guys think? It wasn’t one of the best for me, but stillgood. I’m also wondering: Will Sam seek an officially divorce fromwifey? Does that mean a new character?