Below are images from Season One of the USA Network series, "BURN NOTICE". Created by Matt Nix, the series starred Jeffrey Donovan: TOP FIVE FAVORITE "BURN NOTICE" SEASON ONE (2007) Episodes
1. (1.10) "False Flag" - Burned C.I.A. agent Michael Weston helps an abused wife find her son, whom she claims had been kidnapped by her estranged husband, in order to raise funds to purchase a fake ID for a trip to Washington D.C. Lucy Lawless guest-starred.
2. (1.12) "Loose Ends" - Michael and ex-girlfriend Fiona Glenname plan an operation to rescue his old buddy, Sam Axe, from ex-Special Forces drug dealers whose blackmail operation they had disrupted in the previous episode. Meanwhile, Michael is contacted by a mysterious woman about his burn notice.
3. (1.06) "Unpaid Debts" - Sam asks Michael to help a former Navy SEAL teammate of his - a repo man who is having trouble reclaiming a boat for his own clients (a group of dirty cops) from Jamaican gangsters. Meanwhile, a CSS agent named Jason Bly arrives in Miami to keep an eye on Michael and dissuade him from investigating his burn notice.
4. (1.11) "Dead Drop" - While Michael continues to struggle to make an appointment with the man who might be responsible for burning him at the C.I.A., he, Sam, and Fiona help a couple who are blackmailed by former Special Forces veterans into participating in a heroin smuggling operation.
5. (1.05) "Family Business" - Michael helps an airport security guard whose family is being threatened by a family of arms dealers with connections to the Mossad. Meanwhile, he and his brother Nate clash over the possession of their father's Dodge Charger.
"THE THREE MUSKETEERS" (1993) Review
Alexandre Dumas' classic 1844 novel, "The Three Musketeers" must have been one of the most adapted stories in film and television history. I do not know exactly how many adaptations have been filmed. But I have seen at least four of them - including Disney Studios' version, released in 1993.
Directed by Stephen Herek, "THE THREE MUSKETEERS" is not a faithful adaptation of Dumas' novel. David Loughery's script utilized some elements of the novel, including most of the characters and d'Artagnan's first meeting with his three friends and fellow musketeers. But in the end, he created his own story. In "THE THREE MUSKETEERS", a young Gascon named d'Artagnan hopes to follow in the footsteps of his late father and join the King of France's Musketeers in 1625 France. Unfortunately for d'Artagnan, several factors stand in his way. One, he makes an enemy out of a local aristocrat named Gerard and his brothers, who believe he has defiled the honor of their sister, and is pursued by them all the way to Paris. Two, upon his arrival in Paris, he discovers that the Musketeers have been disbanded by King Louis XIII's chief minister, the power-hungry Cardinal Richelieu. And three, his encounters with Musketeers Athos, Aramis and Porthos results in him accepting a duel from each man.
Fortunately, d'Artagnan's hostility toward the trio is short-lived and he ends up helping them battle Richelieu's guards, who arrive to arrest Athos, Aramis and Porthos. But after they leave him, d'Artagnan is arrested by more guards and Richelieu's lackey, Captain Rochefort. While in prison, he meets the Cardinal and overhears a conversation between the latter and spy Milady de Winter. She is ordered to deliver a signed treaty to France's primary enemy, the Duke of Buckingham of England. Cardinal Richelieu plans to undermine the King's authority, before assassinating him, taking the throne and Queen Anne as consort. When Athos, Aramis and Porthos rescue d'Artagnan from execution, the four men set out to expose Richelieu as a traitor of France and save King Louis XIII from death.
Fans of Dumas' novel will probably be unhappy with this adaptation, considering that it failed to be a faithful one. I must admit that when I first saw "THE THREE MUSKETEERS", I was surprised and a little disappointed myself. And there were a few aspects of the movie that I disliked. The addition of Gerard and his brothers into the story really annoyed me in the end. Mind you, I found the aristocrat's determination to confront d'Artagnan at the beginning of the movie tolerable. But once d'Artagnan reached Paris, with Gerard still in hot pursuit, the subplot became an annoying running joke that refused to die. And it did not. I like Paul McGann as an actor . . . but not that much.
Even worse, McGann's Gerard seemed to have more screen time than any of the major female characters. Although I never viewed Queen Anne as a "major character", I felt otherwise about Milady de Winter and d'Artagnan's lady love, Constance Bonacieux. I did not mind when Loughery's script transformed Julie Delpy's Constance from the Queen's dressmaker to maid/companion. But I did mind that her role was reduced to a few cameo appearances. The same almost happened to Rebecca De Mornay's portrayal of Milady de Winter. I personally found the reduction of the latter role rather criminal. Milady has always been one of the best villains in literary history. And nearly every actress who has portrayed her, did justice to the role. I can say the same about De Mornay, who was excellent as Milady. Unfortunately, Loughery's script gave her very few opportunities to strut her stuff.
Despite the change in Dumas' story and the reduction in the females' roles, I cannot deny that "THE THREE MUSKETEERS" proved to be a first-rate and entertaining movie. It had romance - well, a little of it. The best romance in the film proved to be the long simmering one between Athos and Milady, whose marriage had earlier ended in failure. And I found the one between d'Artagnan and Constance rather charming, if brief. The movie featured some great action, including a marvelous chase scene in which the Musketeers are being pursued by Rochefort and the Cardinal's men; d'Artagnan's first sword fight, in which he allied himself with the Musketeers; Milady de Winter's capture at Calais; and especially the final fight sequence in which the Musketeers prevent Richelieu's plans for the King's assassination.
Tim Curry made an entertaining, yet splashy Cardinal Richelieu. He came close to being all over the map, yet he still managed to keep his performance controlled. And Michael Wincott's sinister portrayal of Captain Rochefort was superb. Rebecca De Mornay was superb as Milady de Winter, despite the role being reduced. And her Milady has always struck me as the most complex in all of the adaptations. Julie Delpy and Gabrielle Anwar were charming as Constance and Queen Anne. I wish I could say the same about Hugh O'Connor as King Louis XIII, but I must admit that I was not that impressed. He was eighteen years old at the time and probably a little too young and stiff to be portraying the 24 year-old monarch.
But the highlight of "THE THREE MUSKETEERS" proved to be the four actors who portrayed d'Artagnan and his three friends - Athos, Aramis, and Porthos. They were perfect. Chris O'Donnell captured every aspect of d'Artagnan's youthful personality - the earnestness, cockiness, and immaturity. Watching the movie made me realize that he has come a long way in the past nineteen years. And he had great chemistry with the three actors who portrayed the Musketeers. Kiefer Sutherland was perfect as the commanding, yet cynical and disillusioned Athos, who regretted ending his marriage to Milady. The producers of this film certainly picked the right man to portray the smooth-talking ladies' man, Aramis. And whatever one might say about Charlie Sheen, he did a superb job in the role. Oliver Platt was a delight as the brash and extroverted Porthos. Quite frankly, he made a better figure for comic relief than McGann's Gerard. However, the best thing about the four actors' performances was that they all perfectly clicked as a screen team. All for one and one for all.
Yes, "THE THREE MUSKETEERS" was not perfect. What movie is? And it is certainly not the best adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' novel. But I cannot deny that it was entertaining. And I have no regrets in purchasing a DVD copy of this film. If one can keep an open mind over the fact that it was not a close adaptation of the 1844 novel, I think it is possible to find it very enjoyable.
Below is a list of my top ten (10) favorite episodes of the USA Network series, "BURN NOTICE" (2007-2013). Created by Matt Nix, the series starred Jeffrey Donovan:
TOP TEN FAVORITE "BURN NOTICE" (2007-2013) EPISODES
1. (4.18) "Last Stand" - Michael Western and his friends are trapped inside an abandoned hotel and held under siege by a group of killers led by Vaughn Anderson, a high-ranking member of the black ops mercenary agency called "Management".
2. (1.10) "False Flag" - Before he leaves Miami to deal with his burn notice, Michael is hired to find a woman's missing son. Only, he learns that she is a professional assassin, targeting the boy's father. Lucy Lawless guest starred.
3. (2.16) "Lesser Evil" - Michael captures the rogue agent responsible for trying to bomb him, but he decides to form an alliance with the latter and together, go after "Management" agent Carla Baxter and her boss.
4. (3.08) "Friends Like These" - While Michael takes a job from mercenary Tom Strickler, despite former girlfriend Fiona Glenanne's reservations, Barry the money launderer cashes in his favors and asks Michael to help retrieve a stolen ledger with his clients' information.
5. (7.13) "Reckoning" - In the series finale, Michael must win back the trust of everyone he had betrayed as anti-government mercenary James Kendrick becomes obsessed with ending his life.
6. (4.12) "Guilty As Charged" - Michael's mother, Madeline Westen and Fiona tries to convince burned C.I.A. agent Jesse Porter not to go after Michael for burning him. Meanwhile, Michael prepares to meet with corporate CEO John Barrett, who has ties to "Management".
7. (6.06) "Shock Wave" - Michael's friend, Sam Axe and Barry are pinned down by an assassin, as Michael gets a lead on the founder and leader of "Management", Anson Fullerton. An MI-6 agent tries to prevent Fiona's release from prison.
8. (2.08) "Double Booked" - Michael tries to foil a hit that he was hired for by "Crazy" Larry Sizemore, an old spy colleague he thought was dead. The situation becomes more complicated when he discovers that there is more than on contract out on the target. Tim Matheson directed and guest starred.
9. (5.18) "Fail Safe" - When Anson demands that Michael burn the C.I.A. team he's working with, Fiona decides she has had enough and takes a drastic step to settle Michael's debt to Anson once and for all. Dean Cain and Kristanna Loken guest starred.
10. (2.10) "Bad Breaks" - Michael and former F.B.I. handler Jason Bly are trapped together in a bank robbery and must work together in order to get out alive.
