Burn Notice to End with This Season

It's a sad but inevitable day for Burn Notice fans. The final season draws nigh. USA confirmed that this would be the last year for the popular spy series earlier this month (on Deadline), and today they've released this bittersweet image of Michael Westen and the gang walking off into the sunset. I hope the season lives up to that image! The final season of Burn Notice begins next week, on Thursday, June 6. Read my original review of the pilot, from when Burn Notice debuted in 2007, here.

Upcoming Spy DVDs: Burn Notice: Season 6

TVShowsOnDVD reports that Burn Notice: Season Six  will hit DVD on June 11... oddly not quite in time for the Season 7 premiere on June 6. Weird. The website previously reported that bonus content for the sixth season of the hit USA spy show includes deleted scenes, a gag reel, the featurette "Matt Nix Gets Burned" and an audio commentary on the episode "Shock Wave" featuring series creator Nix, director Renny Harlin and stars Jeffrey Donovan and Bruce Campbell. (The Burn Notice commentaries, like any track involving Campbell, are always entertaining.) MSRP for the 4-disc set from Fox is $49.98, but of course it will be available from Amazon for significantly less. The sixth season marked some more major changes to the series' format, and saw some cast departures. (I was personally very sorry to see the departure of Lauren Stamile as Agent Pearce.) I'm particularly excited for this season on DVD, because I was in the midst of a move when it aired and temporarily without cable, so I didn't get to see most of it. I'm looking forward to getting caught up at last!

Vote For Your Favorite New Burn Notice Opening Titles

USA is conducting a poll in which fans vote for the title sequence that will accompany the upcoming sixth season of its flagship spy series Burn Notice, and today is the last day to vote. You can choose between an updated version of the classic opening (adding Coby Bell's Jesse Porter as "a down-and-out spy you met along the way," per Michael's narration) or an all-new one. I like change (well, sometimes), so I voted for the all-new opening. It's more spyish, and besides I'm sick of that old intro calling Sam (Bruce Campbell) "an old friend who used to inform on you for the FBI." That's not a great intro for Sam, and it's five seasons out of date anyway! Vote here and vote today, before it's too late! Burn Notice returns on June 14.

Upcoming Spy DVDs: Burn Notice Season 5

Fox Home Entertainment announced last week that Burn Notice: Season Five will be out on DVD on June 5. The fifth season of USA's flagship spy series was certainly an interesting one. The creators finally shook up the formula, which had honestly become a little stagnant, by having Jeffrey Donovan's formerly burnt spy Michael Westen finally rejoin the CIA... at least as a consultant. This new role opens up the scope of Michael's missions, and finds him on assignment overseas as an actual spy rather than just helping people in need in Miami. He also strikes up a somewhat uneasy partnership with his Agency handler, Agent Dani Pearce (Lauren Stamile), and finally comes face to face with the shadowy nemesis who burned him all those years ago. Overall, I thought it made for a marked improvement over the previous season for a show that's never less than thoroughly entertaining to begin with.

If a solid season alone weren't enough reason to buy this release, Fox has packed it with lots of exclusive bonus content including an extended episode, deleted scenes, a gag reel and a featurette on the memorable villains of Burn Notice featuring "unique insights from the actors who play them along with a snarky rebuttal on their deeds from [Sam Axe actor] Bruce Campbell!" As fans know already, Campbell long ago staked out his place as one of the most entertaining contributors to DVD features in the business, so any bonus content with his involvement is guaranteed to be worth a watch.

Retail is $49.98, but that price will no doubt drop on Amazon as we near the release date.

Read my exclusive interview with the fifth season's newest cast addition, Lauren Stamile (Agent Pearce), here.

First Photo of Burn Notice's Agent Pearce in Action

Read my interview with Agent Pearce herself, Lauren Stamile, here.

TV.com has unveiled the first photo I've seen of Michael Westen's newest CIA contact, Agent Kim Pearce, played by Lauren Stamile. Pictured here with Bruce Campbell as Sam Axe, Pearce debuts in this season's sixth episode and will likely stick around for some time to come. I'll post an exclusive interview with Stamile in a few weeks. (UPDATE: Now you can read that interview here.)

Burn Notice Comes to Comics!

USA Today (via Comic Book Resources) reports that USA has partnered with DC comics to produce a Burn Notice graphic novel.  However, it can't be bought in comic book stores.  (Damn.)  Rather, it's an online, interactive graphic novel.  The 12-chapter serial, "A New Day," can be read on USA's website and Facebook.  According to the paper, "Issues of the graphic novel will include games, ciphers, 'peelaways' revealing steps of the art process, exclusive video and more."  The network views the comic as "a unique extension of the ongoing Burn Notice mythology," and as such the project is being overseen by show creator Matt Nix. According to CBR, series scribe Ryan Johnson and script coordinator Peter Laylaynis penned the comic, which is drawn by Tony Shasteen. I'm not sure if it will be possible depending on the levels of interactivity, but I hope this ends up in a printed format as well one day.  Burn Notice lends itself so well to comics that I'd love to see DC do a full series. 

Season 5 kicked off last night on USA.

Reminder: Burn Notice Returns Tonight

The new season of Burn Notice kicks off tonight, June 23, at 9:00 on USA. As previously reported, Lauren Stamile joins the cast in the sixth episode as Michael's new CIA contact, Kim Pearce, described as a female Michael Westen.

New Cars 2 Trailer

I still haven't seen Pixar's first Cars movie (even though I vowed to last time I reported on this sequel), but the new one looks pretty darn good.  Judging from this new trailer, it's the classic story of an innocent abroad mistaken for a spy that we've seen in everything from The Man Who Knew Too Much to Gotcha! to If Looks Could Kill... but with cars.  That part still strikes me as kind of odd (they just don't seem to have the relatability of Pixar's toys and monsters and creatures and people), but some of those cars are spy cars loaded with gadgets and, in one case, voiced by Michael Caine!  And that's awesome.  Burn Notice's Bruce Campbell also lends his voice, which is also awesome.  I wish this had come out when I was a kid; I would have gone nuts for it.

Upcoming Spy DVDs: More Info On The Fall of Sam Axe

Fox has officially announced the Burn Notice spin-off TV movie, The Fall of Sam Axe, for release on DVD and Blu-ray on July 26.  If you're experiencing déjà vu, that's because the studio let the cat out of the bag early in a press release last month about series creator Matt Nix signing a new overall deal.  Now they've issued another press release specifically about the Bruce Campbell prequel, which depicts Sam's final mission as a Navy SEAL prior to the events of the TV show.  According to TV Shows On DVD, Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe will be available both on DVD and Blu-ray.  (So far only the second season of the show has been issued in the high-def format.)  Both releases contain an extended cut of the telefilm running 108 minutes and including scenes not seen on the USA television broadcast.  Extras include an audio commentary (participants TBA, but you'd have to assume Bruce Campbell, as he is the King of the Audio Commentary, and hope for director Jeffrey Donovan as well), a featurette called "The Fall of Jeffrey Donovan" (presumably about series star Donovan's move behind the camera), deleted scenes and a gag reel.  July 26?  Hm, that's right after the San Diego Comic Con, where The Fall of Sam Axe was first announced last year.  And if there's anything besides DVD audio commentaries that Bruce Campbell is the king of, it's Comic Con.  (Hail to the King, baby.)  I'd say there's a good bet that this DVD will be heavily promoted at this year's con, and possibly even offered for sale early.  Fox Home Entertainment has a history of offering limited edition DVDs early at Comic Con, including Futurama and Dollhouse.  If I hear anything official along those lines, I'll keep you posted...

Lauren Stamile Handed a Burn Notice

Lauren Stamile, who made a memorable impression last summer with her guest appearance on Matt Nix's other show, The Good Guys, will join Nix's Burn Notice this season in a major role.  Stamile is probably best known for her recurring roles on Community (as Joel McHale's love interest, Professor Slater) and Gray's Anatomy (as Rose, the "other woman" who dared to come between the show's heroine and "Doctor McDreamy").  On Burn Notice, TVLine's Michael Ausiello reports that Stamile will play Kim Pearce, "a brilliant, unpredictable and formidable" CIA operative sent by the Agency to investigate the murder of another agent. "She leans on Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan) to help her find the killer, only to learn that Michael himself may be involved." Interestingly, Stamile co-starred (playing Kate Jackson) with another former Burn Notice actress, Tricia Helfer (as Farrah Fawcett), in the 2004 TV movie Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Charlie's Angels. (Now they need only find a role for Christina Chambers to collect all the fake Angels!)

Personally, I have to say, I'm thrilled to report this particular news item, because Lauren is a friend of mine and I think she'll make a wonderful addition to the Burn Notice gang. Stay tuned, because I have a feeling I just might be able to finagle an exclusive interview with her around the time her episodes start to air... [Update: Now you can read that interview here.]

As previously reported, after debuting in the last season's finale, The Tailor of Panama's Dylan Baker will also recur this season on Burn Notice. The new season begins June 23 on USA.

Upcoming Spy DVDs: The Fall of Sam Axe

Judging from a Deadline story about Burn Notice creator Matt Nix signing a new (and very lucrative) overall deal with Fox TV Studios, Fox has announced the DVD of last night's Burn Notice spinoff telefilm amidst a press release about the deal.  According to the trade blog, Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe will hit DVD on July 26. As previously reported, Burn Notice: Season 4 comes out June 7.  Since this is just a mention in another press release, there is no word yet on extras or Blu-ray prospects. But I'm hopeful that, since they're releasing this one on its own as opposed to lumping it in with the eventual Season 5 DVDs, that we'll get a healthy assortment of bonus material.  It would make sense given Bruce Cambell's DVD-hungry fanbase.  (I don't think any title has ever had as many different DVD releases as Campbell's Sam Raimi collaborations The Evil Dead or Army of Darkness!)  Personally, I've got my fingers crossed for a commentary with Campbell and director Jeffrey Donovan at the very least.  I loved the telefilm, by the way, and would love to see more of these prequels about either Sam or Michael prior to their Burn Notice adventures.  If you can't wait until late July, The Fall of Sam Axe is currently available to view on Amazon Instant Video and Instant Video HD.

Sam Axe Trailer

USA has posted a trailer for next week's TV movie Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe starring Bruce Campbell. It's got lots of fantastic Bruce Campbell moments and looks great! Here's the official synopsis:

Before Sam Axe teamed up with Michael and Fiona, he was Commander Axe, U.S. Navy SEAL. The Fall of Sam Axe tells the story of how Sam went from respected Naval Commander to the man of mystery we’ve come to know on Burn Notice. On what will turn out to be Sam’s last military mission, he is sent to the jungles of Colombia to investigate claims of a vicious terrorist organization known only as the “Espada Ariente” (Flaming Sword). His mission: to determine whether U.S. military aid is necessary to deal with the threat. But when he arrives, things are more complicated than he’d imagined. He receives word that the rebels have targeted a small civilian clinic deep in the jungle. Sam must now save the clinic’s doctors and patients from certain death. However, nothing is as it seems and the Espada Ardiente may not be the biggest threat Sam Axe faces.

Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe, directed by series star Jeffrey Donovan, airs next Sunday, April 17 at 9 Eastern. The regular series returns this summer.

Burn Notice Prequel Movie Gets Title, Premiere Date

Whoops, I'm a few weeks behind on this. USA has announced that the Bruce Campbell Burn Notice spin-off telefilm we're all so excited about will be called Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe and will air on April 17 at 9PM on USA. Here's the bulk of the press release, per The Futon Critic:

BURN NOTICE: THE FALL OF SAM AXE, starring Bruce Campbell, will premiere Sunday, April 17 at 9/8c on USA Network. The prequel film to USA's smash hit series takes place in Colombia 2005 when Lieutenant Commander Sam Axe (Campbell) is sent to advise a local military platoon. It's there he discovers deep layers of deception and ultimately realizes he may be allied with the wrong side. Shot on location in Bogota, Columbia, the two hour movie is directed by BURN NOTICE star Jeffrey Donovan.

BURN NOTICE: THE FALL OF SAM AXE also stars RonReaco Lee ("The Good Guys," "Madea Goes to Jail"), Kiele Sanchez ("Lost," "The Glades"), John Diehl ("Miami Vice," "Stargate") and Chandra West ("John From Cincinnati," "The Gates").

The prequel is written and executive produced by BURN NOTICE creator Matt Nix. Donovan and Campbell also serve as executive producers on the Fox Television Studios project alongside BURN NOTICE's Mikkel Bondesen.

That's also the first mention I've seen of the supporting cast (though I haven't been following the Twitter feeds). Like all of America, I was kind of cool on Nikki and Paolo on Lost, but the episode that focused on them was kind of awesome, and I did like Kiele Sanchez on what I saw of The Glades, another Florida-set cable show. Miami Vice vet John Diehl (who also played G. Gordon Liddy in Oliver Stone's Nixon) should make a good untrustworthy superior/foil for Campbell as Rear Admiral Lawrence. I can't wait for April 17!

Tradecraft: Jeffrey Donovan To Direct Bruce Campbell In Burn Notice Prequel Movie

Deadline has lots of new details on the Burn Notice spinoff movie focusing on Bruce Campbell's character, Sam Axe, that was first announced last summer at Comic-Con.  Most importantly, the two-hour film (which was announced rather informally during the Burn Notice panel), has an official greenlight.  It begins filming in January, on location in Bogota, Columbia, Burn Notice creator Matt Nix will write the script, and Michael Westen himself, Jeffrey Donovan, will direct.  (Donovan made his directorial debut on this season's "Made Man" episode, which focused on Campbell's character.)  The movie will premiere on USA sometime in the spring, presumably bridging what's likely to be a longer-than-normal gap between seasons, since the second part of Season 4 started earlier than usual, in November instead of January.

The trade blog also reveals that this prequel spinoff is set in late 2005 and focuses on Sam's final mission as a Navy SEAL. "It begins after a faction of Colombian rebels makes trouble for the locally stationed military platoon, with Lieutenant Commander Axe (Campbell) being sent down to investigate. As the mission unfolds, Sam begins to uncover the dark secrets of the area, learning the truth about sacrifice, deception, and ultimately what’s worth fighting for."  I'm kind of surprised that it's just 2005, because I got the idea that Sam was supposed to have been lounging around Miami for more than just a couple of years when Burn Notice began in 2007.  If it's only supposed to be a few years earlier, though, I guess Campbell doesn't have to slim down as much!  He's already been shedding weight for this prequel, though, as proven by Sam's sudden preference for tight T-shirts over baggy Hawaiians in recent episodes of the show. 

Now, I'm a huge Bruce Campbell fan.  When I first heard about Burn Notice, the angle I took in my initial post on the subject was "New Bruce Campbell Spy Series."  Like millions of movie geeks and horror fans, I love him.  But apparently USA executives didn't really realize that until Comic-Con in 2009.  USA's president of original programming Jeff Wachtel told Deadline, "We saw Bruce Campbell as the Bruce Springsteen of Comic Con [at that initial '09 panel]. We saw the spectacular explosive fan reaction and realized that, in Bruce, we had not only a great actor but also a pop culture icon." And that's where the idea came from to do this Bruce-centric spinoff film.  I'm glad they finally caught on!  It's also cool to see the power of fan response at Comic-Con directly affecting programming like that.  Is there a possibility of more Sam movies in the future, or even a whole spinoff series?  "It is a one-off," says Wachtel... for now. "We’ll see how it goes." 

I certainly wouldn't want to see Bruce leave Burn Notice, but a spinoff series after the show ends would be good, as would more movies.  I suppose it would also be cool to see future prequel films about Fiona and Michael, but I'm most into the Sam idea.  It's too bad they're starting off with his last mission, since that would mean that any further prequels would have to take place even further in the past... and Bruce Campbell doesn't age like Benjamin Button. 

For more Bruce Campbell spyishness, check out Jack of All Trades (on which he played a Revolutionary War-era American spy in the Caribbean) and the "Stagecoach" episode of The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (which is one of my favorite TV shows of all time, and what made me a Bruce Campbell fan to begin with).

COMIC-CON: Bruce Campbell To Star In Burn Notice Spin-Off

It was announced during today's Burn Notice panel that fan favorite Bruce Campbell will star in a Burn Notice spin-off movie which will tell the story of his character's final mission and retirement to Miami, events taking place prior to the series. Creator Matt Nix joked that he might even put a chainsaw in the Evil Dead star's hands. Presumably this prequel will be a TV movie, though that wasn't specifically stated.

The Spy's Guide To Comic-Con 2010

Well, it's that time of year again!  If you're a spy fan headed out to San Diego tomorrow for Comic-Con International, here are some panel highlights that caught my eye that might be of particular interest to you, too.  (Please post a comment if I've missed anything crucial.)  The copy is mostly taken directly from the Comic-Con website, which allows you to create your own schedule this year.  (Not that you'll actually get into all the things you plan to do.  Remember to allow plenty of time for waiting in lines!)  I'll be checking out as many as I can, and hopefully blogging about them, depending on my internet access...

Thursday, July 22

Right from the start, there are tough choices to make (as usual).  Spy fans must choose between Burn Notice and Salt on the first day!

1:00-2:00 Salt -- Opening in theaters everywhere tomorrow, Columbia Pictures brings an exclusive and surprising look at Salt to Comic-Con today, featuring some very special guests. [Yes, Angelina Jolie is scheduled to attend!] As a CIA officer, Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie) swore an oath to duty, honor and country. Her loyalty will be tested when a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy. Salt goes on the run, using all her skills and years of experience as a covert operative to elude capture, but her efforts to prove her innocence only serve to cast doubt on her motives as the hunt to uncover the truth behind her identity continues and the question remains: "Who is Salt?" Hall H

1:00-2:00 Bruce Campbell (Sam Axe), Matt Nix (creator and executive producer), and Alfredo Barrios, Jr. (executive producer) host a panel discussion and answer questions about the creative process of evolving an embryonic idea into a finished episode of cable's #1 show. Fans will gain an intimate look inside the world of Burn Notice, complete with war stories from the writer's room and filming on location in Miami. Exclusive video content will include tips on how to survive Comic-Con from your favorite burned spy, Michael Westen (played by Jeffrey Donovan), highlights from all four seasons and an exclusive sneak peek at upcoming episodes. Ballroom 20

2:15-3:15 Summit Entertainment: RED— Summit Entertainment presents a sneak peek of exclusive footage from RED. They used to be the CIA's top agents -- but the secrets they know just made them the Agency's top targets. Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, and Helen Mirren star in RED, an explosive action-comedy based on the cult DC Comics graphic novel by Warren Ellis. Join him, director Robert Schwentke, and the film's stars as they share footage from the film and debut the final trailer before it's ever in theaters. Hall H

3:30-4:30 Entertainment Weekly: The Visionaries— A discussion with geek gods J. J. Abrams (Alias, Mission: Impossible III) and Joss Whedon (Dollhouse) on the future of pop culture. EW presents an in-depth conversation with these two creative geniuses about how technology, gaming, and global culture are reshaping how we tell and consume stories on television, film and the web. Plus: Is the superhero movie waning, or is it on the cusp of reinvention? And what do they think the pop culture universe will look like a decade from now? Moderated by Jeff "Doc" Jensen. Hall H

Friday, July 23

6:00-7:00 Archer— Creator and executive producer Adam Reed (Sealab 2021, Frisky Dingo) screens selected scenes from the FX animated series Archer, which recently won a NowNewNext Award for "Best Television Show You're Not Watching" from cable's Logo network. He will take questions from the audience along with Aisha Tyler, who provides the voice of Agent Lana Kane, the strong, voluptuous, and often exasperated secret agent. Adam and Aisha will discuss the evolution of the series as well as the voice-over process. Room 7AB

Saturday, July 24
 
10:00-10:45 Chuck Screening and Q&A— Chuck executive producers and co-creators Josh Schwartz (Gossip Girl) and Chris Fedak appear along with series stars Zachary Levi (Alvin and the Chipmunks), Yvonne Strahovski (upcoming The Killer Elite), Joshua Gomez (Without a Trace), Ryan McPartlin, Mark Christopher Lawrence (The Pursuit of Happyness), Vik Sahay (Good Will Hunting), Scott Krinsky (The O.C.), Sarah Lancaster (upcoming The Good Doctor) and Adam Baldwin (Serenity) for their usual hijinks -- a Q&A to discuss the upcoming season four (made possible by the devoted fanbase) and a special video presentation. Produced by Fake Empire, Wonderland Sound and Vision in association with Warner Bros. Television, Chuck airs Mondays at 8pm ET/PT on NBC, and Chuck: The Complete Third Season will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 7. Ballroom 20
 
11:00-12:00 Hollywood and Ghost Recon Join Forces— Little Minx, a company of Ridley Scott and Associates (RSA), presents Oscar-winning director François Alaux (Logorama), associate producer and technical advisor to all RSA films Harry Humphries, and a feature actor from the short film, who will be joined by Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Solider video game studio associate producer Adrian Lacey in a panel discussing the upcoming short film, as well as connections between the film and the game. Attendees will be treated to the world premiere debut of the film trailer, as well as a live demo of the upcoming video game. Room 25ABC

11:00-12:00 Leverage— Join the stars of the TNT hit series Leverage -- Academy Award winner Timothy Hutton, Aldis Hodge, Christian Kane, and Beth Riesgraf -- along with the show's executive producers, John Rogers (Transformers, Cosby) and Chris Downey (King of Queens), for a panel and Q&A session. Don't miss a special sneak peek of an upcoming episode too! Moderated by Anthony Ferrante. Indigo Ballroom, San Diego Hilton Bayfront
 
12:00-1:00 The Venture Bros.— Creators Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer host a laissez-faire chat about -- what else? -- The Venture Bros. They'll be joined by Patrick Warburton (voice of Brock Samson) and James Urbaniak (voice of Dr. Venture) as they screen sneak preview clips from the upcoming season, shamelessly plug their new DVD and line of action figures, and take questions from the audience. Indigo Ballroom, San Diego Hilton Bayfront

4:45-5:45 Universal: Cowboys & Aliens -- Director Jon Favreau (Iron Man series) discusses what's happening behind the scenes of Universal Pictures and DreamWorks' action-thriller Cowboys & Aliens, based on Platinum Studios' graphic novel. Currently shooting in New Mexico, Cowboys & Aliens stars Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford and takes audiences into the Old West, where a lone cowboy leads an uprising against a terror from beyond our world. Q&A session to follow. [Will Daniel Craig actually be there?  I'm guessing not, but you never know, so Bond fans might not want to miss this one...] Hall H
 
5:15-6:15 Nikita Pilot Screening and Q&A— Comic-Con has gone rogue! International action star Maggie Q (Mission: Impossible III) stars in this sexy and suspenseful series as an agent who has escaped from the ultrasecretive and corrupt government agency that trained her to be an assassin...and then betrayed her. Catch a sneak peek screening of this action-packed thriller, and join Maggie, series stars Shane West (ER) and Lyndsy Fonseca (Kick-Ass), and executive producer Craig Silverstein (Bones) for an inside look at one of the most anticipated new shows of the fall season. From Wonderland Sound and Vision in association with Warner Bros. Television, Nikita will air Thursdays at 9pm ET/PT on The CW. Room 6BCF

6:00-7:00 Marvel Studios: Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger— Producer Kevin Feige and special guests give you an inside look at the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe. Hall H

6:15-7:00 Human Target Screening and Q&A— Based on the DC Comics title, Human Target is an action-packed thrill ride about a mysterious private contractor who will stop at nothing to keep his clients alive -- even if it means literally becoming a "human target." The series moves to a new night this fall -- Fridays at 8pm ET/PT on FOX -- and executive producer Matthew Miller (Chuck) joins series stars Mark Valley (Fringe), Chi McBride (Pushing Daisies), and Jackie Earle Haley (A Nightmare on Elm Street) for a Q&A with fans and to screen a special video presentation. Human Target is from Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Wonderland Sound and Vision, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Television. Human Target: The Complete First Season will be released on Blu-ray and DVD September 21. Room 6BCF

Besides all that, of course, there will be plenty of other spy personalities both in non spy-related panels (like Michael Giacchino) and on the floor, signing autographs.  And speaking of the floor... well, I'm already salivating at the thought of all that movie memorabilia and old comic books waiting to deplete my wallet!  Have a great time at the Con.

New Spy DVDs Out This Week

Wow, it's another busy week for spy DVD releases! 

First up, Burn Notice: Season 3 is available today from Fox Home Video–just in time for this week's debut of the fourth season!  While Season 2 was available on both DVD and Blu-Ray, Season 3 is only coming out (so far, anyway) on DVD.  When the disc was first announced, TV Shows On DVD speculated that that might be due to the negative reaction in the fan and critical communities to the Blu-ray transfer of Season 2.  Since the show is shot on 16mm, it doesn't really benefit from a high-definitition transfer, and therefore we may not ever see Season 3 on Blu.  Personally, I haven't seen the Blu-ray of Season 2, but judging by the user reviews on Amazon that might not be a bad thing!  Anyway, I've certainly got no gripes about the transfers on either of the two previous DVD releases.  And, of course, we are talking about the best spy show currently airing, so it's worth getting no matter what!  That said, I did think that Season 3 showed a bit of a drop in quality after the excellent Season 2 (just a bit), possibly owing to series creator Matt Nix's split focus between Burn Notice and his new Fox cop show The Good Guys (whose recently-aired first episode I liked a lot) but I'll still take Burn Notice over most other shows on TV!  Special features on Burn Notice: Season 3 include last year's San Diego Comic-Con panel (a must-see for Bruce Campbell fans, as he stole the show) and the featurette "Smash, Crash, Boom: Inside the Burn Notice Stunt Unit."

From Acorn, we have Foyle's War: Set 6. Even though the series seemed to wrap up with the conclusion of WWII (as seen in the epic box set Foyle's War: From Dunkirk to VE Day), Christopher Foyle is back again for another go in an immediate post-war setting. One could be forgiven for thinking that this British wartime mystery series (masterminded by Alex Rider creator Anthony Horowitz) was just that--a police procedural.  And it is that, but it's also so much more... including a spy show!  I suppose the very nature of police work in wartime dictates that DCI Foyle (played sublimely by the screen's best Bill Tanner, Michael Kitchen) routinely encounters foreign agents and saboteurs–and just as routinely crosses paths with (or steps on the toes of) MI-5, the SOE and other British spy agencies. And now that the war is over, there are also Soviet spies to contend with, including James Bond's real-life arch enemy SMERSH in this set's first episode, "The Russian House."  Another thing that Foyle's War is beyond a period procedural is an engrossing, character-driven drama.  This is a remarkable series, where the mysteries play second fiddle to the fabulous characters and the rich period setting.  Television doesn't get much better than Foyle's War.

Another classic wartime spy saga, Where Eagles Dare, makes its Blu-ray debut this week as part of a Warner double feature with another Clint Eastwood men-on-a-mission war film from the same era, Kelly's Heroes.  Written by thriller novelist Alistair Maclean, Where Eagles Dare tracks a covert commando unit including Eastwood and Richard Burton on a secret mission deep behind enemy lines in the fantastic setting of the Bavarian Alps.  It's a benchmark for the war/espionage hybrid genre. I understand that Kelly's Heroes, co-starring Telly Savalas and Donald Sutherland, also has some espionage aspects... but I've never actually seen it, so I can't comment further. 

Apparently Universal is reissuing the classic 80s teen spy movie Gotcha!, starring a young Anthony Edwards, today as well.  I can't find much information about this reissue, though.  It appears to just be the same as the old DVD with a slightly altered cover.  I don't think there are any new special features, and there is no Blu-ray.  It seems like an odd time to revisit this particular title, but I remember it being a really fun take on the teen spy genre.  It was certainly a favorite of mine back in the actual Eighties.  I've got  the old disc and don't see any reason to upgrade, but this does remind me that I've been meaning to re-watch Gotcha! lately anyway...
Finally, though this isn't actually a DVD, there is an essential new release from the UK's Network this week as well: The Saint: Original Soundtrack.  This fabulous 4-disc set contains a wide selection of Edwin Astley's score music from the classic Sixties Roger Moore ITC series.  Read all about it in my full review here.

COMIC-CON: Burn Notice Panel

According to The Hollywood Reporter, last Thursday’s original episode of Burn Notice on USA not only easily topped the cable ratings; it also bested most of the networks' offerings in the key demographic of adults ages 18-49. This popularity was certainly reflected by the line for its panel at Comic-Con a week ago, which snaked out of the convention center, looped through a mercifully tent-covered maze outside and finally doubled back into the cavernous Ballroom 20, which accomodated the first 4000 fans in that line. The panelists on hand were series creator Matt Nix and co-executive producer Alfredo Barrios, Jr., co-star Bruce Campbell (Sam Axe) and recurring guest stars Jay Karnes (Brennen), Seth Peterson (Nate), Ben Shenkman (Stickler) and Michael Shanks (Victor), who moderated. It should come as no surprise to anyone who’s ever been to Comic-Con (or anyone who’s ever listened to an audio commentary on one of the Evil Dead movies) that Bruce Campbell dominated this panel. As he should. He’s the King of Comic-Con. (Though Kevin Smith is probably the Pope of Comic-Con, who might wield more power...) When someone shouted out that they loved him, Campbell demanded to know who had said that and then stood up and proceeded to pay the person cash from his wallet. If he didn’t already have the crowd eating out of his hands, he certainly did at that point. Despite claiming he was broke after each occasion, Campbell kept hilariously paying people throughout the panel, including one audience member who suggested that Sam should have more fight scenes on the show.

Of course, despite appearances (one young fan asked Nix is Campbell was the person who helped him come up with "all the funny stuff," much to the writers’–and actors’ amusement–though it was revealed that a lot of Bruce’s final lines in scenes are ad-libs), Matt Nix is the man responsible for Burn Notice’s success and the direction it goes. The first question he fielded dealt with Michael Westen’s (Jeffrey Donovan) absent and (presumably) long-dead father. To the implication that his mysterious dad might play a role in future events, Nix declared, "Michael’s father is not the one who burned him." He never intended for people to think that, but realized that when you have a show with a central, driving mystery and a conspicuously absent character, people are bound to make connections. Nix pointed out that there had already been a spy show with various family members (often long-estranged or believed dead) who all turned out to be spies and shadowy figures pulling the strings of the hero(ine): Alias. The only reason he included Michael’s family life to begin with (in the person of his widowed and long-suffering mother, Madeline, played by Sharon Gless) was because he wanted to explore what sort of background led people to become covert operatives. Broken homes, apparently, are common history for many spies.

When asked what resources they used to come up with Michael’s MacGyverish spy advice, the writers credited their consultant, Michael Wilson (no, not that Michael Wilson)... before revealing that most of it comes from "the Internet." The trick is to give just enough information to sound plausible, but it’s okay to fudge the details like how long it actually takes to do some of that stuff. Nix was quick to assure people that they never provide enough information that someone could kill themself trying Michael Westen’s techniques. "They’d have to go do their own Internet research for that!" quipped Barrios. He also added that writing the voice-overs was the hardest part for all the writers besides Nix, because they sound exactly like Nix does when he talks!

Bruce Campbell wanted audiences to know that Nix won’t have any digital explosions on his show. Nix chimed in and said that they always looked fake. He likes blowing things up for real. He likes the little details, like a rearview mirror flying off a car and breaking its window, things he says the digital artists never get. I suppose this policy explains why wealthy art thieves sometimes end up driving ‘88 Jags: it’s pretty expensive to destroy late model Mercedes for real every week! There was one explosion this season that ended up being pretty costly, though. When Fiona wired the house of returning bad guy Brennen (Karnes) to blow up a few weeks ago, the practical stunt was supposed to blow out all the windows, giving the impression that the whole house blew up. But the technicians misjudged, and they ended up exploding the whole house for real! Well, it looked good.

In dominating the panel, Campbell found the majority of the audience’s questions aimed at him, including some unrelated to Burn Notice. (The funniest moment of the hour came when he acted hurt over not being cast in Sam Raimi’s latest horror movie, Drag Me To Hell, and he assured the crowd that Raimi would "pay" for that.) Even questions that made more sense going to other people were directed at Campbell. Although Seth Peterson, who plays Michael’s brother Nate, was sitting right there at the other end of the table, one fan asked Bruce if Nate would have a bigger role this season! "You’re asking me?" Campbell gaped. Peterson did get a chance to speak himself when another fan asked him what had changed most for his character. "The biggest thing that’s changed for me is Nate’s facial hair," he quipped, going on to explain that fans hated the character when he sported his scruffy goatee, but had really come around on him since he shaved it off.

From Bruce Campbell’s constant jokes to Matt Nix’s thoughtful answers, the Burn Notice panel was one of the highlights of this year’s Comic-Con, even without series stars Jeffrey Donovan and Gabrielle Anwar present. (One suspects Campbell would have still dominated even if Donovan had been present.) Hopefully the event was filmed and will be included on the DVD of Season 3. Everyone who attended was rewarded with a ticket to collect a cool Burn Notice T-shirt.

The Spy's Guide To Comic-Con 2009

The website for the San Diego Comic-Con (which I'm sure most readers are aware actually caters to far more pop culture media than just comic books) has finally been updated with the 2009 schedule of events, and there are quite a lot worth braving the lines and crowds for spy fans. Here are the ones I caught in a quick perusal, pasted in from the Con guide, but if you see some I missed, please feel free to post in the comments section!

Thursday, July 23

2:30-3:30 USA Network's Burn Notice— Bruce Campbell (Sam Axe), Matt Nix (creator and executive producer) and Alfredo Barrios, Jr. (co-executive producer) host a panel discussion and answer questions about the creative process of evolving an embryonic idea into a finished episode of cable's #1 hit show. Fans will gain an intimate look inside the world of Burn Notice, complete with war stories from the writer's room and filming on location in Miami. Exclusive video content will include tips on how to survive Comic-Con from your favorite burned spy, Michael Westen (played by Jeffrey Donovan), highlights from the previous two seasons, and an exclusive sneak peek at future season 3 episodes, including the half-season finale and beyond. Ballroom 20

Friday, July 24

10:00-12:30 Warner Bros.— Join WB for a look at their much anticipated slate of upcoming genre films, including Where The Wild Things Are, The Book of Eli, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Box, Jonah Hex, and Sherlock Holmes. Hall H

11:30-12:30 AMC: The Prisoner— Jim Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ), Jamie Campbell-Bower (Sweeney Todd, The Twilight Saga: New Moon), Lennie James (Jericho), writer Bill Gallagher, and Vlad Wolynetz (VP, production, series & movies for AMC) discuss the making of AMC's miniseries The Prisoner, a re-imagining of the 1960s cult classic by the late Patrick McGoohan, premiering in November on AMC. Join Jim, Jamie, Lennie, Bill and Vlad for a one-on-one Q&A session and an official sneak preview of the six-part mini-series The Prisoner. Room 6BCF

2:15-3:00 24— The Fox series 24 is coming off its most critically acclaimed season in years. Stars Kiefer Sutherland, Mary Lynn Rajskub and new cast members Anil Kapoor and Katee Sackhoff join showrunnner Howard Gordon and the producers of the Emmy-winning series for a special sneak peek at the heart-stopping premiere episode of Season 8 Ballroom 20

4:00-5:15 Dollhouse— Join Dollhouse creator Joss Whedon and star/producer Eliza Dushku for a no-holds-barred Q & A about what they have planned for season 2, after they unveil a special screening of the never-before-seen "Epitaph One" episode of the Fox hit, which releases on DVD just four days later. Ballroom 20

Saturday, July 25

10:00-11:00 Chuck Screening and Q&A— Chuck returns to Comic-Con! executive producers and co-creators Josh Schwartz (Gossip Girl) and Chris Fedak are joined by series stars Zachary Levi (upcoming Alvin and the Chipmunks ), Yvonne Strahovski (upcoming I Love You Too), Joshua Gomez (Without a Trace), Ryan McPartlin (Super Capers), Mark Christopher Lawrence (The Pursuit of Happyness), Vik Sahay (This Is Wonderland) , Scott Krinsky (The O.C.), Sarah Lancaster (Everwood), and Adam Baldwin (Serenity) for a Q&A to discuss season three and screen an exclusive retrospective highlight reel. Plus, don't miss a special surprise from some of your favorite characters! Produced by College Hill Pictures, Wonderland Sound and Vision in association with Warner Bros. Television, Chuck airs Mondays at 8:00 PM ET/PT on NBC. Ballroom 20

4:00-5:00 Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment: Iron Man 2— Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment present the sequel to the blockbuster film based on the legendary Marvel superhero Iron Man. Directed by Jon Favreau, Iron Man 2 stars Robert Downey Jr. Joining Downey in the cast are Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Jon Favreau, Clark Gregg, John Slattery, Mickey Rourke, and Samuel L. Jackson. Hall H

4:45-5:55 Human Target Pilot Screening and Q&A— Join Human Target stars Mark Valley (Fringe), Chi McBride (Pushing Daisies) and Jackie Earle Haley (Watchmen), the show's executive producers Jon Steinberg (Jericho), Brad Kern (Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman) and Peter Johnson (Supernatural: Origins Comic Book Series), and co-creator of the original Human Target comic, Len Wein (Swamp Thing), for an exclusive Q&A and a screening of the highly anticipated pilot based on the popular DC Comics title about a mysterious agent for hire who assumes different identities, literally becoming a human target on behalf of his clients. From Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Wonderland Sound and Vision, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Television, Human Target will air Wednesdays at 9:00 pm ET/PT beginning in January 2010 on FOX. Room 6BCF

6:30-7:30 Black Dynamite— He's super cool and he knows kung-fu! When "The Man" murders his brother and floods the ghetto with adulterated malt liquor, Black Dynamite is the one hero willing to fight all the way from the blood-soaked city streets to the hallowed halls of the Honky House. Michael Jai White (The Dark Knight) stars as Black Dynamite, a gun toting, nunchuck-wielding ladies' man and soul brother with a license to kill. Director and writer Scott Sanders (Think as Thieves) is joined by cast members including Arsenio Hall, Tommy Davidson (In Living Color), Byron Minns (Undisputed), Salli Richardson-Whitfield (I am Legend), moderator Elvis Mitchell, and more! Room 5AB

8:50–10:15 Diabolikal Super-Kriminal film screening— The US premiere of a new documentary about the skeleton suited costumed adventurer/super-criminal known in Italy as Kriminal (read my movie review here) and in Turkey as Kilink, among other international names. The DIABOLIKAL SUPER-KRIMINAL will excite acolytes of the King of Crime... and make new fans! Italian director SS-Sunda does the almost impossible by rounding up interviews with the cast and crew of the original photo novels! Hard-core fans of Sadistik and Euro-Trash films of the 1960s and 70s will drool over conversations with such legendary actors as Rico Boido, Erna Scheurer, Gabriella Giorgelli, the son of director Rosario Borelli and many others! Room 26AB

Of course, as always with an event of this nature, everything is subject to change. I'll try to be at as many of those as possible, although as usual Comic-Con presents frustrating choices with overlapping panels. (Especially when one factors in line waiting time.) For example, I may have to miss The Prisoner because I'd really like to see Mike Mignola's live art demonstration. A number of other panels feature various spy luminaries from comics and television like Greg Rucka, Jim Steranko, Doug Moench, Bill Sienkiewicz, Matt Fraction, Chip Mosher, Burn Notice novel author Tod Goldberg, Kim Possible creators Mark McCorkle and Bob Schooley and many others discussing other projects, but if you want to talk spy you're probably better off tracking them down on the floor when they're at various booths. Speaking of booths, that's where I'll be when I'm not in these panels or stalking the vendor floor looking for old James Bond toys or rare Gold Key Mission: Impossible comics: at the Studio 407 booth promoting my own comic, Night & Fog–out in trade paperback this fall and available now for pre-order on Amazon! How's that for working in a plug? Please swing by the booth and say hi!

Burn Notice Season Premiere

So Michael Weston is back! And how’s his return? Well, the season premiere cheats a little on last year’s cliffhanger. It looked like he was on his way well out of Miami and headed for some serious answers as to the burning question of who burned him, but now we discover that that elaborate setup merely led to another case–and more questions. While that’s a little bit frustrating, the truth of the matter is that audiences don’t really want a radical change in the series, so the writers are certainly better off in devising a way for him to stay in Miami. And the new premise (which finds Michael reluctantly working for the unknown forces who have been pulling the strings all along) should at least alleviate last season’s over-reliance on friends of his mother who get into trouble and then need help. But Matt Nix & Co. are going to have to give us some answers eventually as to the whole “burn” issue, and then find a way to make those answers mesh with keeping Michael in Miami!

Besides the cheat, the Season Two opener is a great episode. Solid writing, good action and an expanded role for Bruce Campbell. What more could you ask for? Michael executes another exciting, Mission: Impossible-style break-in, and an equally exciting–if unplanned–breakout. There are some wonderful comic moments, such as Sam (Campbell) teaching the client to play cards rather loudly and distractingly as Michael tries to plan his heist, and Fiona’s priceless expression as she shows off her expert marksmanship by missing Michael by mere inches.

I found Michael’s British accent to be a little dodgy, but maybe that’s a throwback to Fiona’s disappearing Irish accent in last year’s pilot? If so, does that mean next year it’s Bruce’s turn for an accent? (Maybe Scottish?) Hope so! Anyway, if the pilot’s anything to judge by, it looks like we can expect the same high quality and exceptional entertainment value out of the second season as we got from the first.