I'll say up front that I've been a fan of this series since
season one. The concept of a spy who is tossed aside mid-assignment by some
unseen person who then tries to redeem himself and find out who burned him was
an original concept. The lengths that the series has gone to stay fresh and
change up the bad guys from season to season has made it remain constantly
interesting and suspenseful as well as providing a mystery that is solved one
small piece at a time.
Along for the ride are the same cast of characters that have
been there from day one. Gabrielle Anwar as Fiona Glenanne or Fi, Michael's
love interest from the past is a woman with a past and a love of heavy armor.
Sam Axe (Bruce Campbell) is the old friend and ex-Navy SEAL who has been around
Michael longer than anyone. With the exception of Michael's mother Madeline
(Sharon Gless) who continues to discover more about her son than she would
like. And coming along for the ride from season four is Jesse Porter (Coby
Bell), the ex-CIA agent Michael burned but who he helped regain his standing.
This cast of characters and actors is a dream team always delivering the goods
and never failing. It is this core group that helps make the show so wonderful
to watch.
But a perfect cast without a decent plot won't get you
anywhere. The writing on this show is amazing. The quips tossed out by Michael
and Sam are funny but my favorite part is the descriptions used to tag various
characters such as "Julio, not a nice guy". Okay that's a bad example
but once you get into the series you'll know what I'm talking about.
Season five kicks off with Michael somewhat back in the good
graces of the CIA. Not completely taken off the burn list, Michael is assigned
a handler to keep him involved and out of trouble named Max. Unfortunately for
Max, someone kills him and set up the evidence to point straight at Michael as
the assassin.
Agent Pearce is assigned to find out who it was that killed
Max. Unable to turn to her for help, Michael and his group are trying to
discover the same thing. At the same time a man who helped Michael get out of
jail takes up much of Michael's time as well. Certain that this man is behind
it all or at least a part of the organization that did him wrong, Michael plays
out his options hoping to get enough evidence to take them down.
The season ends with the actual man behind it all, the one
pulling all the strings, meeting with Michael and forcing his hand. He wants
Michael to take out the CIA team he's working with and to come work for him.
But Fi has plans of her own when it comes to helping Michael.
The twists and turns of this main plotline are interwoven
with Michael and his group helping other people in need as well. It's not
always just about the CIA or the covert organization beneath it all, its often
about helping some poor shmuck out of a jam as well. Sometimes these are
friends or acquaintances and other times its someone Michael isn't quite fond
of. But a case never seems to get turned down and the group always comes
through in the end.
This series looks great, is acted great, written great and
best of all entertains from start to finish. Season five takes Michael into a
whole new world of good guys and bad guys and as has happened before who he thinks
is at the core of it all turns out to be just another pawn manipulated by some
higher power. As season six has begun on TV we find out more layers beneath
these layers as well. I know the series will end one day. Let's just hope that
the conclusion is as suspense filled as the series has been for 5 seasons.
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