Burn Notice: Season Seven

The final season of this USA Network original series starring Jeffrey Donovan as “burned” and betrayed CIA operative Michael Westen brings closure to his story, although it comes long after the show's playful approach has lost its freshness. At its best, Burn Notice made Weston the MacGyver of TV spies, a Miami freelancer who helped people in trouble (with the assistance of a loyal team) using awesome DIY skills to turn everyday household objects into the tools of spycraft. But his determination to clear his name with the agency was overshadowed by an obsession to return to a job that ruined his life, killed his brother, and compromised his loved ones. The final sequence sends him on a dangerous undercover mission run by an operative who betrayed him once before—an assignment that puts everyone in harm's way. The narrative twists here are only minimally clever, but on the (barely) bright side, the show does maintain the formula that made it a hit: Michael's girlfriend, Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar), still likes to blow things up; buddy Sam (Bruce Campbell) would rather drink a beer; fellow freelancer Jesse (Coby Bell) provides easygoing backup; and mom Madeline (Sharon Gless) is a chain-smoking curmudgeon. Compiling all 13 episodes from the 2013 seventh season, extras include an audio commentary and a behind-the-scenes featurette. Also available is Burn Notice: The Complete Series (DVD: $149.98), which compiles all seven seasons. Optional. (S. Axmaker)