What I’m Watching: Burn Notice

Burn Notice: Season 4, Episode 10 “Hard Time” (B+)

Who would be better qualified to break out a prison, Michael Westen or Michael Scofield? That was the question on my mind all throughout this episode. While logical plotting and sensible storylines aren’t Scofield’s forte, the man does know how to escape from prison. Westen, however, doesn’t let anything get him upset, whereas I have many memories of a hoodless sweatshirt-wearing Scofield breaking out in sweat and expressing dismay when some passageway to the infirmary wasn’t open (and similar situations throughout the next few seasons of “Prison Break”). It’s good that Westen (hereafter referred to again simply as Michael) has these FBI contacts who can easily put him in jail and take him back out the next week without putting up any resistance. Good thing the same fate that befell Sean Archer (also known as John Travolta and later Nicolas Cage in “Face/Off”) didn’t happen to Michael and his operation went pretty much according to plan. There’s something immensely satisfying about the sight of Sam and Jesse, both clad in prison guard uniforms, casually checking into the prison just as the riot is getting underway. These people know how to pull a job. The unveiling of Simon’s treasure trove provides an interesting, unexpected twist: Vaughn was setting Michael up to take over Simon’s job. While that may not be truly surprising considering Management never had Michael’s best interests in mind, it seemed like Simon was the villain and Vaughn was the enemy. Michael is certainly playing both sides, and Jesse may not be the only one to go ballistic once some facts make themselves known.