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Season 5 – Burn Notice

2011 Crime Drama List
90% Tomatometer 10 Reviews 94% Audience Score 50+ Ratings
Michael Westen is steamed -- or, more precisely, burned. His career as a spy ends when he gets a "burn notice," the covert equivalent of a pink slip. Stuck in his hometown of Miami, he intends to find out who did this to him and why, although that's not easy to do: With the burn notice attached to his name, he is cut off from his usual contacts and has to fly under the radar of the intelligence network lest he tip off his secret enemy. So it's a good thing he can rely on help from Fiona, his ex-girlfriend and IRA spy, and his friend Sam, also a former spy. Then there's Madeline, Michael's mother, a hypochondriac but probably not a spy. Read More Read Less
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Burn Notice — Season 5

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Burn Notice — Season 5

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Despite some partially successful retooling, Burn Notice's fifth season maintains the same ample intensity that fans have come to expect from this captivating escapist drama.

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Critics Reviews

View All (10) Critics Reviews
Christina Kline Wall Street Journal "Burn Notice" went out with a bang in [the] season finale in many ways, but still leaving us with lingering questions on Michael's future with Anson pulling all of the strings. Jan 11, 2019 Full Review Alan Sepinwall HitFix The episode itself has a temporary new status quo. Oct 20, 2017 Full Review Scott Von Doviak AV Club It's not quite a standard-issue Burn Notice episode, in that there's no client or side-case, and there is some added tension between Michael and his Miami pals now that he's presumably back in the fold, but it's close enough for government work. Rated: B Aug 22, 2017 Full Review Michelle Carlbert TV Equals So what can you expect from this premiere? Pretty much exactly what we've all come to love from this show...And really, what more can you ask for than, that? Jan 11, 2019 Full Review Ciara Monya TV Equals What he [Matt Lauria] lacks in intensity however, he makes up for with charm and likability. He is a really likable guy and in the end stepping out of his comfort zone does not become a problem. Jan 11, 2019 Full Review Kevin Carr 7M Pictures I wouldn't say the series is jumping the shark, but there are changes being made to its structure that shouldn't have been made. Rated: 3/5 Dec 7, 2018 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (3) audience reviews
Kevin M Cast have really gelled so well together for another fun packed season Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/04/22 Full Review Audience Member This is the season where Burn Notice "jumps the shark." You feel the heavy hands of the writers in every episode with things going perfect when they need them to, and everything going wrong when they want it to. Nothing feels organic anymore. It all feels manipulated and contrived. Sure, the show was never meant to be realistic or documentary, but the writing is so bad that you can literally feel the writers forcing the action to achieve the results they wanted. The pivotal episode comes when Anson is introduced and suddenly "the organization" has the upper hand because "wha?"... after Mike has been exonerated and now works for the CIA, there's now new blackmail material? As I watched this episode with Larry showing up again, I'm reminded of a scene in Austin Powers where Seth Green tells Dr. Evil - "I'll go up to my room, get my gun and shoot him!" Why is Larry still alive? How are you ever the world's best spy and you allow low lifes like Brennen and Larry to come back into your life and cause havoc. To make matters even less satisfying - when Larry is finally written off, it's not at the hands of Michael. This show doesn't age well - and the episode "Dead to Rights" really shows why: the show's premise can't continue if Michael doesn't remain a burnt spy, so the writers pull every trick in the book to keep the show's formula going. This was a big mistake. It takes the idea of the suspension of disbelief into the requirement for you to turn your brain totally off. It went from smart and entertaining, to dumb and unbelievable. Such a shame. The characters and actors work well together are interesting to watch. But the writing has made this show unwatchable. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review waleed a a step down from previous seasons, with more of a need to suspend disbelief in a lot of episodes. finished very strong with lots of excitement and intense moments in the last couple episodes. before that, i was considering giving is a 2.5 (about 2 viewings) Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Burn Notice — Season 5

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Cast & Crew

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Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Jun 23, 2011 Company Man Armed with a list of people who have burned him, Michael and his new CIA handler, Max, have dismantled the organization that ruined his life. Now only one man remains: John Kessler. Details Episode 2 Aired Jun 30, 2011 Bloodlines While juggling his new CIA job with his regular life in Miami, Michael helps Sam, Fi and Jesse search for a group of missing girls being trafficked into the United States by the Yakuza. Details Episode 3 Aired Jul 7, 2011 Mind Games Nate returns to Miami to seek Michael's help to go after a loan shark who is harassing a widow; The guys soon discover that the loan shark is not all that he seems. Details Episode 4 Aired Jul 14, 2011 No Good Deed Barry's brother is framed for attacking a server, so the gang track down the real hacker to clear his name. Details Episode 5 Aired Jul 21, 2011 Square One Michael takes part in a CIA murder investigation; The team helps a former army sniper who's looking to avenge his sister's injury. Details Episode 6 Aired Jul 28, 2011 Enemy of My Enemy The CIA abandons Sam after he goes undercover with a heroin dealer while trying to recover a weapon; Michael's CIA contact continues searching for Max's killer. Details Episode 7 Aired Aug 4, 2011 Besieged Michael and Sam try to retrieve a boy from an armed compound; Fiona and Jesse babysit a day laborer. Details Episode 8 Aired Aug 11, 2011 Hard Out Michael and Jesse join an extraction mission on a Caribbean island; Fiona does a favor for a powerful ex. Details Episode 9 Aired Aug 18, 2011 Eye for an Eye Michael and Sam continue the hunt for Maxi's killer; Jesse, Fiona and Michael help a scientist recover a revolutionary formula from his greedy and duplicitous former business partner. Details Episode 10 Aired Aug 25, 2011 Army of One Sam and Fiona help a fugitive evade police in return for his help on an investigation; Michael infiltrates a dangerous gang of corporate thieves in order to rescue a group of hostages. Details Episode 11 Aired Sep 1, 2011 Better Halves Michael and Fi go undercover at a couples' resort to extract a traitorous scientist and his wife.; Jesse and Sam finally catch up to Maxi's killer, and Pearce makes a startling discovery. Details Episode 12 Aired Sep 8, 2011 Dead to Rights Michael tries to clear his name of Max's murder by taking drastic action; Larry resurfaces and insists Michael help him with a job. Details Episode 13 Aired Nov 3, 2011 Damned If You Do Michael and Fiona abduct a financial hacker in Puerto Rico; Sam and Jesse train Madeline to retrieve sensitive information. Details Episode 14 Aired Nov 10, 2011 Breaking Point Michael teams up with the brother of a victim of gang violence to entrap the gang in a weapons scheme; Sam goes undercover on a college campus. Details Episode 15 Aired Nov 18, 2011 Necessary Evil Michael runs point on a CIA rescue mission which involves a scientist kidnapped by an African warlord; Sam and Jesse go undercover as microchip specialists, but quickly get in over their heads. Details Episode 16 Aired Dec 1, 2011 Depth Perception Fiona and Jesse run a financial errand for Anson in the Cayman Islands; Sam's old friend Beatriz turns up in Miami with a hit man on her trail. Details Episode 17 Aired Dec 8, 2011 Acceptable Loss Michael's search for information on Anson leads him to a meeting with an old foe; Sam, Jesse and Fi work to bring down a seemingly untouchable diplomat who smuggles blood diamonds. Details Episode 18 Aired Dec 15, 2011 Fail Safe The team reaches a breaking point with Anson; Pearce puts Michael in charge of a big mission; Sam and Fiona run reconnaissance. Details

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Burn Notice — Season 5

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Season Info

Executive Producer
Mikkel Bondesen
Network
USA
Rating
TV-PG
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date
Jun 23, 2011