Burn Notice took several turns in “Mind Games” — good and bad. On the good side was the twist that the loan shark was really an FBI agent. On the bad side was Nate’s return and how he was brought back to show Michael’s addiction. Just where did this addiction of Michael’s come from? I didn’t care for that angle at all.
I’ve never been a huge fan of Nate; I’m rather indifferent about him. His role on the show has been primarily as a “victim” that needs Michael’s help getting out of whatever mess he’s gotten himself into. Or, like in this episode, he’s introduced Michael to someone else that needs help. Basically, Nate has become a plot device. If he’s staying in Miami and going to be a larger presence in Michael’s life, that needs to change.
By change, I want to be clear that I don’t mean that Nate should now become the one that helps Michael with his “addiction.” Since the show’s beginning, Michael has searched for the people behind his being burned. He’s been dedicated to that despite Fiona’s doubts and questioning why Michael would want to go back to the CIA. But, never has it been portrayed in a negative way. This annoys me because last week everything was great. Michael was back working with the agency and either unburned or on track to being unburned. But, he was fine.
This week all of a sudden, Michael is unhinged seemingly in his obsession with being burned. I can understand him continuing to look into it and I also can understand Fiona wanting him to get rid of the files. What I can’t accept is that Michael would all of a sudden have what appears to be a crazed obsession beyond the last four years. It makes no sense.
Rant almost over. Before you try to explain the psychology behind the change, I can see where the writers are going with this. I get that his response was triggered by the supposed end of his four year quest for answers. Michael doesn’t know how to act or respond now that he has solved his being burned, so he is convincing himself he missed something. I get that … I just don’t like it. And, I don’t think that Nate of all people should be trying to help him.
In the end, I think that Michael will find that he missed something and there is more behind his being burned than Vaughn and his organization. The question remains what will he find and what will he do with that information?
Other stuff:
Clacked by Carla Day 
on Jul 09, 2011 @ 02:37 EST5EDT
Cool piece. I love how Ms. Day manages to insult the writers by calling out how much she hates the very arc of Michael Westen’s character (his inability to let go of his past and act like a normal human being) with this quote:
“I can understand him continuing to look into it and I also can understand Fiona wanting him to get rid of the files. What I can’t accept is that Michael would all of a sudden have what appears to be a crazed obsession beyond the last four years. It makes no sense… I can see where the writers are going with this. I get that his response was triggered by the supposed end of his four year quest for answers. Michael doesn’t know how to act or respond now that he has solved his being burned, so he is convincing himself he missed something. I get that … I just don’t like it.
…but then, also manages to COMPLETELY contradict herself less than 2 paragraphs later with:
“Other stuff:
* Michael thinking he was being followed was intriguing to watch. I would think situations like that would happen more often to spies than we see on TV.
Basically she HATES the very idea that she was simultaneously specifically intrigued with and wants to see more of on television. A+ journalism!
*POST AUTHOR*
I don’t think I insulted the writers at all. I specifically say that I understood what they were doing, but that doesn’t mean I have to like that specific plot point.
I love the character of Michael Westen and also don’t have an issue with his quest to find out who burned him. What I didn’t like was the end of the episode where Michael is going off the deep end with his obsession when just last week he was working with the CIA and seemingly fine. These are two very different things.
And, I don’t see my “other stuff” as a contradiction. Michael thinking he was being followed was intriguing to see and I’m surprised that situations like that don’t happen more often with spies. I would imagine being a spy is a stressful job especially if you constantly have to watch for a tail. That has nothing to do with whether Michael is obsessed or not.
My brother suggested I might like this blog. He was entirely right. This put up actually made my day. You can not consider simply how so much time I had spent for this info! Thank you!