In need of a new identity
By fred | July 7, 2007
(S01E02) So reading my review of its pilot, it looks like I hated Burn Notice. And I did. Yet I still did watched the second episode, of course.
I did so for a couple of reasons. First of all, never judge a book by its cover, or a TV show by its pilot. Great pilots can lead to shitty shows, just like awful pilots can be introduce awesome shows.
Also, I absolutely hate it when networks remove a show after a couple of episodes, no matter what reason they use trying to justify such non-sense. And in the same way, I don’t like to “reject‿ a new show after only a couple of episodes, unless of course I can see from the first minutes of the pilot it’s not a show for me. But that’s another story.
So here we are, for a new dose of Burn Notice. And before going further, I need to clear something up. Remember a few lines ago, when I said I hated the show. Total lie, I absolutely not hate it. I just really don’t like it.
There are shows that I hate (Heroes), that I wouldn’t mind would they announce they wouldn’t renew them for another season (Heroes), but Burn Notice ain’t one of them. Yet.
Again, this new episode started well. But then it died. Again. Quick. I understand that this show, despite dealing with spies & terrorists and other bad things, is made in a very light & colourful way.
When thrown into a car by two big armed guys, our spy is chitchatting with them around the new Mercedes. Whatever happens it’s never serious, or dark, or dramatic. By the way, is it classified as comedy or not? I’m not sure, but it might.
It’s not funny, but that never stopped anyone before.
It’s a different way of doing things than usual, today’s shows are more realistic, and dark. Burn Notice is probably closer to MacGyver or Starsky & Hutch than it is to Without A Trace or even 24.
But that’s not the problem of the show.
The problem is that it sucks. Pretty much sums it up nicely, yeah.
If you want to do a show that makes fun of old clichés of the genre, and stupid plots that have been over & over or years, in many shows and movies, fine.
But let’s be clear : re-using them without taking your self too seriously isn’t making fun of them, nor is it using second degree. And anyway, second degree isn’t necessary funny.
Re-telling again an old joke anyone heard at least a couple of billion times in his life isn’t funny, au contraire. It is painful, it is pathetic, it is boring, and more important it is not funny.
Yet that seems to be the only thing this show does. See that line :
“For starters what you’re talking about never officially happened. But unofficially, even if it had…‿
Yeah, it’s lame. We all heard it so many times we really don’t ever wanna hear it ever again. Never.
Not just because it is not funny, or because it makes watching the show unpleasant, but also because it means that you know exactly what’s going to happen before it even started.
Posted in Reviews
Shows: Burn Notice
Burn Notice a hit? | I Watch TV!