(S03E12) Does Michael Weston work and play well with others? Umm, not really. He prefers being at the controls and calling the shots. Have you noticed that with Fiona and Sam, Michael is usually the de facto lead? And remember how he disliked working for Carla? Hence this relationship with Gilroy is problematic to say the least. This week was an example of just how difficult it's likely to be.

Gilroy played matchmaker by forcing Michael to team up with Claude, supposedly the best thief in the Western hemisphere. Michael assessed the situation and determined the best way to work with Claude was to sabotage him. Gilroy managed to trump Michael's ace, however. When Claude fell down on the job -- literally -- Gilroy eliminated him. Or he said he did. Oops. Michael hadn't anticipated that reaction. Gilroy is a deadly adversary.

The case of the week had Michael reluctantly helping out Sugar, the drug dealer he crippled a year ago to get him out of the building. Had Sugar's cousin not been an innocent dupe being used by a nasty SOB named Lynch in some nefarious scheme, Michael probably would have let Sugar walk away.

But Sugar's desire to "Go 'Mission: Impossible' on his ass," showed that he was the worst kind of client. He was all gung ho but stupid, stupid, stupid. That's how he got shot four times and nearly killed in the first act of the show. After saving the jerk, Michael was too invested to let Dougie be collateral damage.

There was something a wee bit formulaic about how one-note Lynch was. He was killing people right and left. Considering the fact that he was supposed to be a thief, it felt like the character should have had some restraint. It was overkill to make him a cold-blooded killer with a crew following his lead.

Nevertheless, it was sweet to watch Fiona, Sam and Michael figure out what Lynch's crew was doing -- even last minute -- and thwarting their plan with a bomb, a shoot out and knocking out the gas man. In the midst of all the action, slow Dougie quickly assessed that Chuck Finley -- one of Sam's favorite personas -- was more of a friend than Mr. Lynch had been.

Michael's plan to blow off Mom's invite to the "Take A Bite Out of Crime" award ceremony didn't work out once Raymond, aka Sugar, reminded him that family is family. It's just that simple. But Maddie really didn't give a damn about the award; she just wanted Michael to be there for her. His showing up was better than the crummy plaque.

Other points of interest

-- Planting a bug in a TV remote. Clever. Better yet was how Fiona managed to move the remote into the room where the guys were talking about the caper. She looked great in that dress, too.

-- The microwave bomb was similar to a bit done in the Steven Seagal movie 'Under Siege.' Michael made his a little more lethal with the flying silverware.

-- The placebo effect was a smarter way to get Bolo to cooperate than actually drugging the man.

-- How cool that Michael had no idea that Madeline has a hidden compartment in the closet! Like mother, like son.

-- Did Maddie actually think Michael would like that clip-on tie? What is he, 12 years old?

[Watch clips from 'Burn Notice' on SlashControl.]