On last night’s Burn Notice, we presumably said goodbye to Navi Rawat’s Kendra, an assassin who finally got truly interesting when she repeatedly beat her own head on the desk during Michael and Jesse’s interrogation to prove she wasn’t going to break. The shot of her smirking as the blood oozed from the wound — more memorable than any scene that involved Moon Bloodgood’s Miami PD detective in season 3. By the end of the hour, I was almost sorry to see her go. Why haven’t we seen a great female foil for Michael on this show since Tricia Helfer’s handler Carla? Bloodgood replaced Jennifer Esposito, who had to back out of that guest spot at the last moment and maybe would have brought a playful spark. Rawat was a step in the right direction and definitely felt more lethal, but we didn’t get to experience her full wrath until the evening of her exit because she’d spent so much of her time on suggestive phone calls with Michael (Fiona: “I wish our phone conversations were as flirty.” Michael: “She threatened to kill me.” Fiona: “I can do that.”)
We know the writers can produce juicy roles for women because Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar), Michael’s trigger-happy on-and-off-again ex, is as showy as her wardrobe, and playing his mother, Madeline, has just earned Sharon Gless her 10th Emmy nomination. So what’s the problem? Let’s take the time to develop another female character. I don’t care which side of the law she’s on, how old she is (a sexy, powerful Helen Mirren-type who Fi doesn’t know how to handle?), or how big of a star the actress is playing her (someone like Natalie Zea provides an undeniable jolt to Justified every time she’s on-screen, whether or not you know her name). Just make me believe she has the brains to go toe-to-toe with Michael, and make sure she jumps off the screen. This show is such a fun ride. If the role is fleshed out, an actress would be a fool not to take it.
Who would be your dream female Burn Notice guest star?
I wish they’d never introduced Jesse, the new character. He is not a good fit and he’s throwing off the dynamic of the foursome. This season just seems so dull compared to others. I can’t even remember what the core mystery is for this year. I’m just waiting it out until Jesse is gone.
You’re so wrong on this. It’s perfect now that they have an extra set of hands for some of their jobs. He’s smart, witty, helpful and just as cunning as Michael. This season has been awesome. Wait until Jesse finds out Michael burned him. Those will be some big fireworks!
I don’t actually have a problem with Jesse. I like his semi-rivalry with Michael, and it is fun having another player in the mix. But I have been struggling to get through these past couple of episodes; I don’t know if the momentum is being maintained with the larger arc. I’m also a little tired of Michael just b-s’ing his way through situations.
You should remember that Michael BURNED Jesse. Wait ’till Jesse finds that one out. That should make the season a LOT more interesting.
If I am not mistaken Jesse already knows, I don’t really care for him though
I agree ks. They haven’t said it specifically but I think Jesse has already figured out that Michael burned him. Michael said something at one point about 3 episodes back(I forget the specifics) and Jesse gave him a look that was definetely an aha moment. And can I just veer off topic for a second and say how good Michael looked in those khaki pants the other night? He got up to go do something and it was just like “ahhhhhh”. That was my aha moment!
You’re mistaken. Jesse has no idea that Michael is the one who burned him.
I truly think Jesse already knows. He is playing them for the long con. It’s going to explode.
I couldn’t disagree more with your comment. Jesse has been a really interesting addition and I’m glad he’s on the show.
I agree. Jesse is a mistake. A fourth partner on the team is okay… but not Jesse. Bad fit. I don’t like him at all.
Yunjin Kim – always a formiddable actress and, on “Lost”, showed flashes of a bada$$ side she never fully got to unleash. Plus I hear she’s available.
But, what is “Burn Notice”?
Ha ha but I agree. I would love to see Yunjin Kim in any role except the “Clint of the Week” one. She could even just play Sun hiring Michael to take down someone?
You mention ‘Lost’- I’ll mention SHIRI. That’s her tender and bad girl side…right there!
She’s actually not available. She’s back working in South Korea on a movie.
Did not know that-
However, I’m assuming that movie will eventually wrap-up, and she’d be available for work in the States…if that’s what she wants. (Seeing as how she’s a pretty huge star over there.)
I think the point with Jesse was to throw everyone off balance. Burn Notice is great for small character arcs. Good-guy ish Michael Shanks finally got to break the Daniel Mold and play an awesome bad…Moon’s character wasn’t even one dimensional…I’d like to see America Ferrera rock a bad role…and the not so ugly betty could work a miami locale with ease.
This this this, a thousand times this. America Ferrera is a fox, and I want to see her on a Miami beach in a bikini gunning down some suckas.
if EW loves Burn Notice so much, how about a weekly recap??????????????????
That would take away space from recaps of crap like AI & Dancing With The Stars.
Right?? Even big brother(which I like)gets a recap and it so doesn’t deserve one.
You know EW, a bunch of b!tchy little girls.
I think re-caps are part of an overall advertising deal…the “content” generated in exchange for ad $$ (why on earth else would Slezak re-cap the Kardashians?!), and I think they should disclose this.
Please, please go back to the regulars. Get rid of Jesse, he is unnecessary and boring. And please stop casting tough talking actresses who can’t act–we have the wonderful Fi and she is enough for us. Apparently, somebody on this show has a fantasy about being abused by a tough woman–could you keep it to yourself? I cringed every time they went back to Jesse and that horrible actress last night. It made me want to change the channel. Are they trying to kill this show?
And Carla was even worse. Michael doesn’t need a woman constantly threatening him to do his job.
Carla drove me up the wall. All these “badass” female characters seem cookie-cutter and it’s getting tired. None of them can match John Mahoney. I’d like to see a really great actress put a different spin on it (and America Ferrera or Yunjin Kim are inspired choices). Maybe flirt with Fiona or Sam for a change.
I think John Mahoney’s character as MANAGEMENT is awesome. I don’t have a female character in mind to challenge Michael but they should bring him back for more episodes.
I would like to see Eliza Dushku on Burn Notice.
I would like to see Eliza Dushku in anything… she’s been MIA since Dollhouse
Absolutely- Kendra in the interrogation room reminded me of Faith, I’d love to see her on this show.
i’d like to see callie thorne come back as natalie (the real estate woman selling barry’s ledger). she and fi had a chemistry. her character could be built on. also, they need more female writers!
Callie Thorne was cool. She could be a possibility. If you remember after she was about to take off with the money in the trunk, remember she told Fi to count on her seeing her if she ran into her once again. She would be a great villian for Fiona.
I agree that the addition of the Jesse character has completely thrown of the dynamic of the show and had made this season by far the worst. He’s a bad actor to begin with, the character wouldn’t last a minute “on the field”, and it just makes a really smooth working team have a third wheel (ok, 4th or 5th wheel, counting Sharon Gless) that the show didn’t need. I’m afraid we’ll look back at the addition of Jesse as the day “Burn Notice” jumped the shark. Should have named him “Cousin Oliver”, or “Pinky”.
That’s unfair…I think your not giving the story a chance to work. If he came in and was a perfect fit then it’s boring. If you don’t like his acting thats one thing, but I’d give the story a chance to breath before corking it.
I’m so glad someone else feels the same way that I do. He seems like a big petulant child, not a trained, ruthless spy. And I don’t think he’s that good of an actor either and it’s bringing down the level of the show. Sharon Gless wasn’t even in last night’s show.
I’m guessing you’ve never seen Coby Bell in Third Watch. He’s a darn good actor. The story’s unfolding at its own pace, and I’m sure it will continue to develop and surprise you.
Obviously you don’t realize that the character is still being developed. Do you really think that without adding new characters, the show could continue to be as good as it always has been? Eventually, the trio would have done everything already, and without introducing new characters, even “bad” ones, there’s no different way to go with the show. If they didn’t introduce Jesse, they could not continue the base storyline the show has been on.
I’d love to see some flashback episodes….how Michael and Fiona met…what it was like…most of burn notice has been their aftermath how bout watching the fire get lit.
I would love to see how it began when Michael was in Ireland.
Great idea! I’d love to see that!
I hated Carla!
Okay, got that out.
The guest stars on this show who are male are so much stronger characters than the females. I’m not sure why, because as the writer points out, Fiona and Michael’s mother are great characters. It’s a mystery.
I don’t like Jesse either. His character just isn’t that interesting. If he’s supposed to be a hot head who rushes into things, then they should have played him wackier.
But the real problem with the latest shows have been the scripts haven’t been up to par. Michael’s clever spy tricks have been M.I.A. and he’s narrating plot points that aren’t unusual enough.
I thought the actress that played Kendra was HORRIBLE! I’m so glad she’s gone. I cringed every time she was on screen. I thought Moon Bloodgood last season was pretty bad too. I’m waiting for the BN people to get it right again with a kick ass female that can actually ACT.
It’s funny how there was an articel here on EW.com after Navi’s first appearance on Burn Notice about how bad she was in her role, and now here is an article about her second appearance about how good she was. Two different writers, two different opinions. Too funny.
I’ve never posted a comment on a television show on the web before . . . only stumbled across this one because I was curious who played Kendra. And I don’t understand the nwegative comments about her. Physically, she’s a beautiful woman, but The industry id full of those! My curiousity comes from feeling that she did a great job “selling” the Kendra character as a professional, cold-blooded killer.
I was hoping Navi would have gotten nasty with Jesse, being that all he does is strut and get mad. That would have been interesting and at the worst, give her a reason to bring her back. Info on who burned him (Michael). Hey writer-guys, that’s a freebie.
As a gueststar, how about Deborah Ann Wolf from True Blood?
How about hiring an actress who doesn’t already have a job?
That sounds unnecessarily nasty, Carol. Vampire Jessica would be excellent, though maybe would need a tan first to pass as a Miami resident?