TV Jots

And Not a Moment Too Soon

USA Network’s deserving hit Burn Notice returns tonight at 10pm EST to resume its second season with seven thrilling episodes. First up on the roster is the midseason premiere “Do No Harm.”

As the medical-inspired title suggests, there’s a whole lot of hurting going on during the episode, mostly on poor Michael Westen’s (Jeffrey Donovan) part. When we last left the ace spurned spy, he was about to have a face-to-face encounter with a bomb placed in his grungy apartment just for him.

It’s no surprise he survives the ensuing blast — he is the star of the show after all — but the near brush with death has an unmistakable impact that gives the plot a much darker tone than viewers have become accustomed to. The effect is not a bad thing, either; in fact, it’s invigorating and makes the episode a true standout.

The central caper revolves around Kenny (David Barry Gray), a suicidal father in despair over his involvement with a drug scam that could worsen his ill son’s situation beyond repair. Now in possession of a whole new outlook on his barely saved life, Michael decides to help the father get back at the crooks who take advantage of parents with children suffering from fatal medical conditions.

While his mother Madeline (Sharon Gless) and his colleague Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar) bond with Kenny’s son, Michael sets out to take care of business and retrieve his latest client’s money in a way viewers have never seen before. It’s a refreshing if somewhat startling approach for the spy, and the resulting tension between him and his trusted sidekick Sam (Bruce Campbell) is definitely unexpected.

Tricia Helfer‘s Carla is back on this episode, as well, and she, too, gets a taste of the new, darker Michael. Whether viewers like him or not, if the transformation stays put, it seems the remainder of Burn Notice‘s sophomore season could be heading in an entirely different direction than fans ever predicted. I’m hoping that’s the case.

RATING: Don’t Miss