Burn Notice season one episode review - "Wanted Man"

“You're Westen? I thought you would be taller.”

Libyan operative Anwar

The first season of Burn Notice is entering into the home stretch, and burned spy Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan) is beginning to get some answers. Unfortunately, they raise even more questions.He now has a copy of his burn notice, and a finely crafted piece of fiction it is. Certainly good enough to convince the government that he's gone rogue. Someone has gone to a lot of trouble to get him burned. In Wanted Man, Michael is obsessed by the file he managed to finagle out of Agent Bly in Broken Rules, much to exasperation of Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar).

The job of the week concerns bail jumper Thomas McKee, the wanted man of the title. Fiona is moonlighting as a bounty hunter, but ends up wanting to help the hapless McKee who has been accused of stealing a diamond brooch and is completely out of his depth. If she can make Michael jealous in the process, that's an added bonus.

Sam (Bruce Campbell) discovers the real thief is hotel owner Laurence Henderson. The best scene in the episode has to be where Sam takes on the persona of teetotal international businessman Charles Finley to set up a meeting between Michael and Henderson. Henderson makes a great show of his scotch, and Campbell's expression as he says “I don't drink” while trying to tear his gaze away from the glass is wonderful. As an aggrieved Sam says to Michael afterwards:

“From now on, no cover id's that involve turning down 20-year old scotch.”

Meanwhile, through Fiona's scary contacts, Michael approaches a Libyan agent with a view to flushing out the man who authorised his burn notice. He'll help them with an outstanding problem if, in return, they get the attention of NSA officer Philip Cowan. When asked how they should do that, Michael suggests having the head of their secret police send him a fruit basket.

The espionage tips in Wanted Man are particularly ingenious. Henderson is paranoid, and the team use that paranoia against him. Compromising his security is no easy task, but making him think they've compromised his security is easier.

Then there's the tip about how to act if you're ever used as a human shield. You never know, it may come in handy.