(S02E11) "The one who burned you is closer than you think." -- Fiona

A year ago, the idea of anybody doing anything for a pair of 50-yard line tickets to watch the Miami Dolphins play football would have been a joke. Fortunately for Burn Notice, the Fins won the AFC East and are relevant again. Therefore, Sam's Good Samaritan act -- which got a major boost when Fiona got involved -- had a decent payoff, beyond the idea of them doing something nice for a friend.

Were you thinking Men in Black when you saw Fiona, Sam and Michael in their uniform black suits complete with sunglasses and heavy weaponry? They really do find a way to make the three of them seem like a much more formidable force. Even more than the old Mission: Impossible team, Michael, Fiona and Sam are like the IMF trio deluxe, with each of them more than able to handle adversity. More on that adversity after the jump.

As much as this episode got into the push-pull between the increasingly annoying Carla and Michael, it was really Fiona who showed her true colors in this episode. Her reaction to hearing about the case touched off her sympathetic nerve. There have been other clients who were taken advantage of or conned, but clearly Fiona was more passionate about the brother and sister being bullied by the gang. It made me think that Fiona was once in their shoes, perhaps back in Dublin. Her mentioning Michael's cover from that time, Michael McBride, underscored the point.

You got to love the resourcefulness of these guys. The sequence in which Sam and Michael cleaned and cloned the stolen Maserati was sweet, also later, it was terrific the way they armored the SUV with telephone books and plexiglas. I have no idea if what they did really works or not, but it sure seemed smart, didn't it? And they did put it to the test because they were in the car when it was shot up. Oh, and the initial assault on Felix's red GTO was brilliant, as well as the blitzkrieg with the explosives.

Playing mind games with Tony, outfoxing Felix, and giving their clients freedom from fear that was relative child's play for Michael's team. Digging up the truth about the bomber for Carla is proving more complicated. Fiona should have known better than to investigate the bomber's house on her own; it was a case of her impetuousness getting the better of her, but once she was in the fire trap, I was really glad they didn't leave that as a cliffhanger. Michael's reaction and her reaction to realizing his reaction was emotional the best scene in the show.

Other points of interest

-- Michael Irvin, NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver and ex-ESPN commentator, was more than adequate as the football coach. It wasn't much of a stretch, and since he's a University of Miami grad, he fit in nicely.

-- Did you catch the afternoon snack at Michael's? Pickles! No yogurt.

-- Beanbag rounds from a shotgun -- ouch!