128-464: This is a list of fictional characters in the television series Burn Notice . The article deals with the series' main and recurring characters. Michael Westen played by Jeffrey Donovan is a burned spy who is forced to work in Miami while figuring out who burned him. He had a relationship with Fiona Glenanne, but proved to be afraid of commitment. Above all else, he fears his neurotic mother who
256-638: A TV show , is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is traditionally broadcast via over-the-air, satellite , or cable . This includes content made by television broadcasters with in-house productions and content made for broadcasting by film production companies. It excludes breaking news , advertisements , or trailers that are typically placed between shows. Television shows are most often scheduled for broadcast well ahead of time and appear on electronic guides or other TV listings , but streaming services often make them available for viewing anytime. The content in
384-604: A precision driver . Fiona first met Michael Westen when she was in Ireland with the IRA when he went undercover as Michael McBride. Despite their clashing personalities, the two eventually developed a romance, but it came to a sudden end when Michael left Fiona literally in the middle of the night, without a word because his cover was blown. Due to Michael not updating his emergency contact in years, Fiona picked up Michael in Miami after he
512-441: A 'lone wolf,' the team quickly comes to appreciate Jesse's support; like Michael, he is extremely well-rounded and competent in intelligence gathering, operating undercover, firearms, and explosives. Because of the circumstances of his burning, his old handler Marv believes he is innocent and has been set up; this connection proves vital later in the season. Jesse makes contact with Marv, and convinces him to provide information about
640-474: A Canadian show's season normally runs to a maximum of 13 episodes rather than 20 or more, although an exceptionally popular series such as Corner Gas or Murdoch Mysteries might receive 20-episode orders in later seasons. Canadian shows do not normally receive "back nine" extensions within the same season, however; even a popular series simply ends for the year when the original production order has finished airing, and an expanded order of more than 13 episodes
768-406: A child in season 1, Fiona becomes especially upset when someone abuses or endangers children. Fiona also has a certain vixen complex, frequently using her sex appeal to acquire information. Series creator Matt Nix has said about the characters' relationship: The thing about the relationship with Fiona is…they are two people who really don't have anybody else that they can be with. Anybody else
896-452: A coin toss. Michael enlisted in the U.S. Army when he was 17 years old, and his mother forged his father's signature so he could enlist because his father was such a bad influence on him. Nate also didn’t need a bad influence from both his brother and his father at the same time. Little is mentioned about his time in the Army but it is known that he was a Ranger and later a Green Beret . It
1024-684: A concluding episode, which sometimes is a big series finale . On rare occasions, a series that has not attracted particularly high ratings and has been canceled can be given a reprieve if home video viewership has been particularly strong. This has happened in the cases of Family Guy in the US and Peep Show in the UK. In the United States, if the show is popular or lucrative, and a minimum number of episodes ( usually 100 ) have been made, it can go into broadcast syndication , where rights to broadcast
1152-529: A confession and attempts to "give her a deal", but Fiona looks very carefully at the evidence Bly presented to her and ultimately rejects his offer of a deal. In the season finale, Bly calls Michael and offers him protection as a witness in the investigation to stop the CIA investigation. Michael refuses the deal, but escalating pressure from Riley - including a cartel hit squad - results in Michael recontacting him with
1280-400: A failed safety-deposit box bank heist that he believes will help find the people he believes burned him; but in the box, they find only a book-cipher bible, which becomes a major story object. In the lead-up to the mid-season finale, Jesse finds proof of Michael's involvement in his burning and confronts Fiona, whom he leaves alive, amid an operation to take down John Barrett, a major player in
1408-412: A file framing him for taking bribes , which he also uses to blackmail him into providing a copy of his classified dossier. In the second-season episode " Bad Breaks ", Bly returns with enough blackmail material on Michael to force him to hand over Bly's file. Then Bly shows up at a bank where Michael is there helping the episode's client, and the two are taken hostage by a team of bank robbers and Bly
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#17327832667141536-463: A friend she doesn't really like, for fear of letting the truth slip out and of how Jesse's reaction if he found out. Madeline is often critical of Michael's methodologies. But in Season 5, when Michael tells her that Anson Fullerton caused the heart attack that killed her husband, she implores Michael to "do whatever it takes" to bring Anson to justice. In season 6, Madeline serves as Fiona's source on
1664-537: A further turn for the worse when Nate is killed during Anson's assassination. As such, Michael, Madeline, Sam, Fiona, and Jesse are all hell-bent on exacting revenge for Nate's murder. Eventually, Michael, with his former mentor Tom Card helping him, tracks Nate's killer, Tyler Gray, to Panama . After Michael successfully captures him, Gray reveals Card was the one who pulled the strings behind Anson's murder, since Card had been working with Anson and Card decided to kill Anson to keep him from talking. The mission to Panama
1792-411: A license fee to the studio for the right to air the show. This license fee does not cover the show's production costs, leading to the deficit. Although the studio does not make its money back in the original airing of the show, it retains ownership of the show. This allows the studio to make its money back and earn a profit through syndication and sales of DVDs and Blu-rays . This system places most of
1920-414: A linear/real time fashion), recorded on home video , a digital video recorder for later viewing, viewed on demand via a set-top box , or streamed over the internet . A television show is also called a television program ( British English : programme ), especially if it lacks a narrative structure . In the United States and Canada , a television series is usually released in episodes that follow
2048-482: A lower profile than those aired during the main season and can also include limited series events. Reality and game shows have also been fixtures of the schedule. In Canada, the commercial networks air most US programming in tandem with the US television season, but their original Canadian shows follow a model closer to British than US television production. Due to the smaller production budgets available in Canada,
2176-410: A mysterious book code contained within an out-of-print family bible: power-broker and billionaire CEO of Drake Technologies John Barrett . Michael offered to trade him the stolen bible in exchange for shedding some light on who he's up against and what the bible (as a book code) decrypts – the true identities of the organization that burned Michael. Management– the people who burned him– are hidden within
2304-468: A narrative and are usually divided into seasons . In the UK, a television series is a yearly or semiannual set of new episodes. In effect, a "series" in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia is the same as a "season" in the United States and Canada. A small or one-off collection of episodes may also be called a limited series , TV special , or miniseries . A television film , or telefilm ,
2432-518: A new plan; proving Riley is selling out to the cartel and providing witness testimony. Michael can produce evidence by staking out a meeting between Riley and a cartel kingpin, but a marina guard (working for the cartel) throws a grenade into Bly's car, killing him and incinerating the evidence. Phillip Cowan ( Richard Schiff ) is an operative of both the National Security Agency and the shadow organization run by "Management." Cowan
2560-454: A person or company decides to create new content for television broadcast, they develop the show's elements, consisting of the concept , the characters , the crew , and the cast. Then they often "pitch" it to the various networks in an attempt to find one interested enough to order a prototype for the first episode of the series, known as a pilot . Eric Coleman , an animation executive at Disney , told an interviewer, "One misconception
2688-502: A private security firm, where his position enables him to give Michael, Sam, and Fiona extra work. Central Security Service Agent Jason Bly ( Alex Carter ) is assigned to Michael's case after Michael gained access to his burn notice and his FBI surveillance team is pulled. In the first season, Bly attempts to coerce Michael into giving up his attempts to return to the intelligence fold by harassing him and threatening his friends and family. Michael finally gets Bly to lay off by creating
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#17327832667142816-440: A script is approved. A director is chosen to plan the episode's final look. Pre-production tasks include storyboarding; construction of sets, props, and costumes; casting guest stars; budgeting; acquiring resources like lighting, special effects, stunts, etc. Once the show is planned, it must then be scheduled: scenes are often filmed out of sequence, and guest actors or even regulars may only be available at certain times. Sometimes
2944-473: A secret. The deal included a first-class airline ticket to the destination of his choice (he selected Miami ), a change of clothing, and an ice-cold beer. In Miami, Axe helps Michael Westen with freelance work , having known him since at least 1992, and a job they did together in Poland. Sam's value to Westen often involves his seemingly infinite list of contacts. With a low amount of cash to his name, Sam has
3072-419: A small explosive to kill Larry. The building explodes from the bottom, killing two security guards inside. It turns out that Anson planted the bomb and framed Fi. He is the co-founder of the organization that burned Michael and threatened to have the CIA and MI6 after Fi if Michael does not do his dirty work. It is revealed that later in his life, Michael's father met Anson and admitted his sorrow that he never got
3200-469: A small, close-knit production team. These are "pitched" in the traditional way, but since the creators handle all the writing requirements, there is a run of six or seven episodes per series once approval has been given. Many of the most popular British comedies have been made this way, including Monty Python's Flying Circus (albeit with an exclusive team of six writer-performers), Fawlty Towers , Blackadder and The Office . The production company
3328-480: A string of "sugar mommas" with whom he connects in exchange for shelter and spending money. Sam is Michael's best friend. Sam frequently uses the cover name "Chuck Finley" after the California Angels pitcher , whom he frequently and successfully wagered upon ; coincidentally it is also the name of a coworker of Bruce Campbell's father, who also was, according to The Press Democrat , once friends with
3456-493: A struggle, and tries to convince Michael that they can do "great things" and has always been proud of him. However, Michael, unable to forgive Card for what he did and knowing what he's capable of, shoots Card through the head, killing him in cold blood. With the help of his friends, they barely escape as Olivia Riley, a ruthless agent for the CIA who "wrote the book on counterintelligence" goes after them and swears she will not stop until they are all dead. Knowing they can't stay in
3584-512: A television show is produced by one of two production methodologies : live taped shows such as variety and news magazine shows shot on an in-house television studio stage or sporting events (all considered linear productions.) The other production model includes animation and a variety of film productions ranging from movies to series. Shows not produced on a television studio stage are usually contracted or licensed to be made by appropriate production companies. Television shows can be viewed live (in
3712-485: A variety of terms. In the United Kingdom and other countries, these sets of episodes are referred to as a "series". In Australia, the broadcasting may be different from North American usage. The terms series and season are both used and are the same. For example, Battlestar Galactica has an original series as well as a remake, both are considered a different series, each with their own number of individual seasons. Australian television does not follow "seasons" in
3840-421: A victim's aid. Additionally, Porter initially clashes with Sam, who is much more team-oriented due to his SEAL training and experience, frequently putting the two at odds over the best way to accomplish a mission. Porter quickly comes to respect Madeline, whose natural interest, rapport-building, and persistence he finds comparable to any counter-intelligence operative he's worked with. Despite his tendency to act as
3968-480: Is a feature film created for broadcasting on television. The first television shows were experimental, sporadic broadcasts viewable only within a very short range from the broadcast tower starting in the 1930s. Televised events such as the 1936 Summer Olympics in Germany, the 1937 coronation of King George VI in the United Kingdom, and David Sarnoff's famous introduction at the 1939 New York World's Fair in
List of Burn Notice characters - Misplaced Pages Continue
4096-423: Is also characterized by the haircut she receives. While she's still not "officially" told about Michael's position as a spy, she has actively helped out on occasions, such as assisting with surveillance in the season 3 episode "Friends Like These", or even successfully interrogating a captive about Michael's whereabouts in "The Hunter", while Fiona and Sam were still arguing about the best approach. She does not like
4224-412: Is applied to the next season's renewal order rather than an extension of the current season. Only the public CBC Television normally schedules Canadian-produced programming throughout the year; the commercial networks typically now avoid scheduling Canadian productions to air in the fall, as such shows commonly get lost amid the publicity onslaught of the US fall season. Instead, Canadian-produced shows on
4352-462: Is complete, producers coordinate tasks to begin the video editing . Visual and digital video effects are added to the film; this is often outsourced to companies specializing in these areas. Often music is performed with the conductor using the film as a time reference (other musical elements may be previously recorded). An editor cuts the various pieces of film together, adds the musical score and effects, determines scene transitions, and assembles
4480-464: Is done to increase profits, as seen with shows such as The Witcher . Since at least the 2000s, new broadcast television series are often ordered (funded) for just the first 10 to 13 episodes, to gauge audience interest. If a series is popular, the network places a "back nine order" and the season is completed to the regular 20 to 26 episodes. An established series that is already popular, however, will typically receive an immediate full-season order at
4608-424: Is entirely focused on Michael. He keeps up a good, friendly relationship with Sam Axe. While searching for answers about his burn notice, Michael becomes an unlicensed freelance private investigator/troubleshooter to help those who have unique problems, which can't involve the authorities. Michael Alan Westen was born on January 7, 1967, and raised in Miami, the first of two sons to Frank and Madeline Westen. His father
4736-462: Is freed, but she anguishes at the disappearance of her son. In season 4, after former counterintelligence agent Jesse Porter joins the team, he moves in with Madeline. She begins to form a true friendship with Jesse and forms a mother-son-like bond with him. Knowing that her son accidentally burned Jesse, Madeline, like Fiona, expresses her dislike for all the lies that Michael continues to tell Jesse. At one point, she decides to go to Tampa to stay with
4864-567: Is going to be afraid of what Michael does, and it sort of turns her on, and anybody else for Fiona is going to be uninteresting. He is attracted to her, but part of what we explore over the first season is that they really are attracted with each other, and yet there is a reason they broke up. She is an incredibly chaotic person who just thrives on disorder. Violence is foreplay for her. In the pilot episode , she spoke with an Irish accent ; starting with " Identity ", she has consistently spoken with an American accent as part of her effort to fit in with
4992-405: Is never admitted it is believed her main reason for dating him was to drive Michael crazy that she was no longer available. However the relationship ended when Campbell confronted Fiona about her lingering feelings for Michael, and she couldn't deny them. In season 3, episode 8, Fiona has had enough of Michael and walks out. Refusing to appear at a monitoring job, she doesn't turn up for Michael for
5120-466: Is no air conditioning. He obtained the loft in the pilot episode when he assisted his Russian landlord and club owner by ridding a drug dealer (Raymond, nicknamed "Sugar") who also lived on the premises. He also spends time at hotels in Miami, as well as at his mother's house. Though annoyed by his mother at times, Michael has shown love for her. Michael even cries when his mother risks her own life to save him and his nephew. Upon returning to Miami, Michael
5248-628: Is often separate from the broadcaster. The executive producer , often the show's creator, is in charge of running the show. They pick the crew and help cast the actors, approve and sometimes write series plots—some even write or direct major episodes—while various other producers help to ensure that the show runs smoothly. Very occasionally, the executive producer will cast themselves in the show. As with filmmaking or other electronic media production, producing of an individual episode can be divided into three parts: pre-production , principal photography , and post-production . Pre-production begins when
List of Burn Notice characters - Misplaced Pages Continue
5376-473: Is presumably responsible for Michael's burn notice because of false evidence he has gone "rogue." After Michael learns Cowan's identity, he gets his attention by persuading a Libyan spy ( Marshall Manesh ) to arrange for the Chief of Libya's secret police to send Cowan a fruit basket . He responds by sending a bureaucrat ( Arye Gross ) to meet with Michael about the possibility of rescinding his burn notice, but
5504-412: Is shot. After Michael treats his wound and foils the robbers, the two develop mutual respect. They exchange respective blackmail files and part ways on good terms. In the sixth season, Bly returns as the lead interrogator handling Fiona's case. He also tries to convince Fiona that Michael did not survive an explosion and is "presumably deceased" during his interrogation. Bly also tries to get Fiona to sign
5632-404: Is that it's very difficult to get in and pitch your show, when the truth is that development executives at networks want very much to hear ideas. They want very much to get the word out on what types of shows they're looking for." To create the pilot, the structure and team of the whole series must be put together. If audiences respond well to the pilot, the network will pick up the show to air it
5760-553: The BBC . Half-hour programs are around 22 minutes on commercial channels and around 28 minutes on the BBC. The longer duration on the BBC is due to the lack of advertising breaks. In France, most television shows (whether dramas, game shows or documentaries) have a duration of 52 minutes. This is the same on nearly all French networks (TF1, France 2, France 5, M6, Canal+, etc.). Diego Garza Too Many Requests If you report this error to
5888-461: The FBI until midway through the first season, and Fiona to help him perform such tasks while arguing with his mother, and trying to find out who burned him and why. Michael lives in a decrepit loft situated over a nightclub, with a bed, workbench, some barbells, a punching bag, an oven, a few chairs, a mid-1990s-era computer, and a refrigerator filled with yogurt and beer. Despite the Miami climate, there
6016-494: The Florida Keys . Anson outwits Michael by rigging the building to explode and attaching the detonator to a dead-man switch. Michael again vows to go after Anson and bring him in dead or alive, despite the support of Agent Pierce and the CIA. By working with Rebecca, Anson's partner, who was also blackmailed by Anson, he tracks Anson down to Atlantic City and goes after him with Jessie, Pearce, and Nate. Michael's life takes
6144-497: The 100th episode of the series, it is shown how Michael and Fiona first met as spies in Ireland . Michael is struggling to ensure his friends and family remain free of the agency's grasp on what is his final mission to clear his name. Slowly but surely Michael begins to lose himself and a firm grip on his morals, succumbing to the mission. He proves this by sleeping with Sonya and killing an old friend of his. When Michael discovers that
6272-474: The CIA and form a plan to abduct him, but he fights against Sam and warns them to stay out of his way. Fearing he's lost his integrity, Fiona tracks Michael to the site for James' "capture". Sonya tells Michael that if Fi doesn't leave, Sonya will have her killed. Michael hesitates but shoots Sonya before she can kill Fiona. James witnesses this from a helicopter and orders his men to kill Michael and Fiona. Sam and Jesse help Michael and Fiona escape, and they go on
6400-404: The CIA put Simon in charge of the capture team, he begins to question their beliefs. Michael kills Simon just as the capture team's backup arrives, and decides to protect James. He admits his deception to James, who is angry, but has the plan to continue his organization by putting Michael and Sonya in charge, and allowing Michael to "capture" him. Michael's friends refuse to believe he's given up on
6528-476: The CIA. Michael was also approached and later threatened by Tom Strickler , an "agent to the spies" with powerful connections. Tom had tried to remove Fiona from Michael's life, and Michael subsequently killed him. With Tom dead, the incident sparked a chain of events that led Diego to be murdered by Mason Gilroy , a former MI6 spy and freelance black ops psychopath. Michael ended up working with Gilroy to find out his plan. Michael eventually found out that Gilroy
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#17327832667146656-463: The DVD and Blu-ray releases. In the UK and Ireland, most programs are referred to as 'series' while 'season' is starting to be used for some US and international releases. The 1980s and 1990s was the golden age of television miniseries attracting millions of Egyptians. For example, The Family of Mr Shalash miniseries, starring Salah Zulfikar and Laila Taher , was the highest rated at the time. In
6784-589: The Miami scene. Sam Axe played by Bruce Campbell served over 20 years as a U.S. Navy SEAL . Following the events revealed in Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe , he was given a retirement with full benefits at the rank of Commander in February 2005. The retirement agreement was part of a graymail deal which kept the true events of potentially embarrassing Operation PROVIDE SUPPORT in Colombia
6912-547: The UK. In Australia, many locally produced shows are termed differently on home video releases. For example, a set of the television drama series Packed to the Rafters or Wentworth is referred to as "season" ("The Complete First Season", etc.), whereas drama series such as Tangle are known as a "series" ("Series 1", etc.). British-produced shows such as Mrs. Brown's Boys are referred to as "season" in Australia for
7040-460: The US occurred on January 1, 1954. During the following ten years, most network broadcasts, and nearly all local programming, continued to be in black-and-white. The color transition was announced for the fall of 1965, during which over half of all network prime-time programming would be broadcast in color. The first all-color prime-time season came just one year later. In 1972, the last holdout among daytime network shows converted to color, resulting in
7168-413: The United States government, private-military corporations, and various other powerful organizations. Barrett planned on recruiting Michael to help him eliminate them. During the exchange of the case, Michael was shot by Jesse during a confrontation with Vaughn's and Barrett's teams. Michael, bleeding, was taken by Barrett. Michael then caused the car he was in to crash, leaving Barrett dead. Michael survives
7296-407: The United States spurred growth in the medium, but World War II put a halt to development until after the war. The 1947 World Series inspired many Americans to buy their first television set, and then in 1948, the popular radio show Texaco Star Theater made the move and became the first weekly televised variety show , earning host Milton Berle the name "Mr. Television", and demonstrating that
7424-553: The United States, dramas produced for hour-long time slots typically are 37–42 minutes in length (excluding advertisements), while sitcoms produced for 30-minute time slots typically are 18–21 minutes long. There are exceptions: subscription-based TV channels, such as HBO , Starz, Cinemax, and Showtime, have episodes that are 45–48 minutes long, similar to the UK. Audience opinions of length have varied due to factors such as content overload . In Britain, dramas typically run from 46–48 minutes on commercial channels, and 57–59 minutes on
7552-416: The accident and manages to crawl out of the wreckage. With Michael bleeding out and unconscious, someone steals the case. Michael eventually recovered from his injuries. With the help of Fiona, Sam, and Jesse, Michael was able to recover the information on Management. Michael and Jessie turned over the flash drive to Jesse's old CIA handler Marv in exchange for Michael testifying to everything he knows about
7680-408: The authorities, Michael is taken into Management's custody by use of their high-level government contacts. A member of the organization named Vaughn convinces Michael about a group of people in the world who are plotting assassinations, political coups, funding terrorist organizations, and genocide, and are using the terrible effects of such actions to greatly profit. Michael agrees to help him to stop
7808-449: The bookie look corrupt by using his ledger to get him to leave Madeline alone. James also pays her an unannounced visit, causing Madeline to converse while holding him at gunpoint as James assures her that he only wishes to protect her and her grandson. In the series finale, Madeline is forced to burn her house to the ground and go on the run with Fiona from James' men. After Michael, Sam and Fiona enter James' communication/relay center with
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#17327832667147936-458: The case of many documentaries and fictional series). They could be primarily instructional , educational , or entertaining, as is the case in situation comedy and game shows . A drama program usually features a set of actors playing characters in a historical or contemporary setting. The program follows their lives and adventures. Before the 1980s, shows (except for soap opera -type serials ) typically remained static without story arcs , and
8064-465: The chance to apologize to his son. Anson used him to gain information on Michael, and when Frank became suspicious, Anson arranged for his death. Eventually, Fiona grows tired of Michael working for Anson and turns herself in to the FBI when Anson tries to get Michael to burn a CIA operations team for him. Michael arrives just as Fiona surrenders. Michael becomes enraged and chases Anson to a chemical plant in
8192-465: The commercial networks typically air either in the winter as mid-season replacements for canceled US shows or in the summer (which may also improve their chances of being picked up by a US network for a summer run). While network orders for 13- or 22-episode seasons are still pervasive in the television industry, several shows have deviated from this traditional trend. Written to be closed-ended and of shorter length than other shows, they are marketed with
8320-448: The completed show. Most television networks throughout the world are 'commercial', dependent on selling advertising time or acquiring sponsors . Broadcasting executives' main concern over their programming is audience size. In the past, the number of 'free to air' stations was restricted by the availability of channel frequencies, but cable TV (outside the United States, satellite television ) technology has allowed an expansion in
8448-404: The conditions of Michael's burn notice, his assets are frozen, his line of credit is destroyed, and he has no career history with which to seek employment. He is free to travel within Miami, but any attempts to leave the city will result in immediate arrest. Michael now has to find work that suits his unusual skillset and knowledge. He counts on longtime friends like Sam Axe, who informed on him to
8576-415: The countless enemies he made as a CIA operative, choosing to be free from the organization's hold. It is later discovered that the organization was also protecting him from the rest of the world who were hunting the name Michael Westen. Michael continued to work toward removing his burn notice and being reinstated in the CIA. Michael then approached CIA Agent Diego Garza , who became his point of contact for
8704-459: The country anymore, Michael and the others (including Madeline) all attempt to leave the country with the help of Calvin Schmidt, a smuggler, but Riley tracks them down. When Riley resorts to using drug cartels to take down Michael after several failed attempts, Michael asks an old friend, CSS Agent Jason Bly , to assist him in proving Riley's betrayal, only for Bly to die in the process, along with
8832-407: The emotional pain their rift has caused the team, comparing it to ripping a family apart. With no way of making amends, and both Michael and Jesse appreciating the other's position, they reconcile and find common ground in helping Michael's 'clients'. By the fifth season, Jesse has been reinstated into an official agency but finds the bureaucracy and red tape unbearable. He quits and begins working at
8960-452: The episode. Director, actors, and crew gather at a television studio or on location for filming or videoing a scene. A scene is further divided into shots, which should be planned during pre-production. Depending on scheduling, a scene may be shot in non-sequential order of the story. Conversations may be filmed twice from different camera angles , often using stand-ins, so one actor might perform all their lines in one set of shots, and then
9088-402: The era and subject covered, these trucks were normally crewed by up to 15 skilled operators and production personnel. In the UK for most of the 20th century, the BBC was the preeminent provider of outside broadcast coverage. BBC crews worked on almost every major event, including Royal weddings and funerals, major political and sporting events, and even drama programs. Once principal photography
9216-653: The evidence from leading to his doorstep. It clues back to him and Pearce takes him in. After he discovers the killer is a Romanian named Tavian Korzha the CIA lets Michael talk to him and he throws himself off a 5-story unfinished parking structure. Larry comes back and kidnaps a psychiatrist named Anson Fullerton , holding his wife hostage, forcing Michael to help him break into the British consulate, frame several British government personnel, and gain two million dollars. Larry reveals that he plans on killing Michael after Fi and Sam find Anson's wife had been blown up. Fiona plants
9344-577: The evidence. Not wanting Bly to die for nothing, Michael plays a dangerous game of chicken with Riley and the Coast Guard , after which Riley backs down and surrenders her complicity to the CIA deputy chief. After several months, Michael's friends are released, but Michael had to make a deal to do so; going on a deep cover job to take down the leader of a terrorist organization, prompting Fi to be disgusted, stating Michael did what he wanted to and backs away, heart-broken, leaving Michael distraught. During
9472-450: The explosion. Unknown to the CIA, Michael and Fiona survived. Believed dead, they fled the United States with Charlie and settled down to raise him in peace and obscurity in Ireland. Fiona Glenanne played by Gabrielle Anwar works with Michael Westen, Sam Axe and, starting in season 4, Jesse Porter, doing odd jobs, as well as working as an unlicensed bounty hunter and arms dealer . She is shown to be an explosives expert, marksman , and
9600-414: The fact that her husband, and the father of her children, regularly abused them. Madeline believes that Michael aggravated his father and that this was the reason for Michael's father's beatings. She later allowed Michael to join the military at 17 by forging his father's signature on his enlistment forms. Michael didn’t know this until she told him why she did it for many reasons. The first being that Michael
9728-554: The financial risk on the studios; however, a hit show in the syndication and home video markets can more than make up for the misses. Although deficit financing places minimal financial risk on the networks, they lose out on the future profits of big hits since they are only licensing the shows. Costs are recouped mainly by advertising revenues for broadcast networks and some cable channels, while other cable channels depend on subscriptions. In general, advertisers, and consequently networks that depend on advertising, are more interested in
9856-434: The first completely all-color network season. Television shows are more varied than most other forms of media due to the wide variety of formats and genres that can be presented. A show may be fictional (as in comedies and dramas ), or non-fictional (as in documentary , news , and reality television ). It may be topical (as in the case of a local newscast and some made-for-television films), or historical (as in
9984-556: The first time in the series. The reason was over Michael's choice to get back into the spy trade. In the season 3 summer finale, it is revealed that Fiona has five brothers, including an older one named Sean, and a younger sister named Claire, who was killed in The Troubles . Fiona tends to shoot (or blow up) first and ask questions later. Her preferred method is going in with guns blazing or IEDs exploding, and Michael frequently has to hold her back. After spending time taking care of
10112-559: The intent of gathering evidence to use against him, James sends his men to where Madeline, Jesse, and Charlie are hiding. Knowing that they don't stand a chance against James' men, and are only armed with a single C-4 charge (without a remote detonator), Madeline decides to sacrifice her life for Charlie's safety as well as Michael's. As Jesse and Charlie take cover, Madeline manually detonates the C-4, killing her and James' men instantly as they enter. Her last words are, "This one's for my boys." In
10240-452: The last half of the episodes are sometimes referred to with the letter B as in "The last nine episodes (of The Sopranos ) will be part of what is being called either 'Season 6, Part 2' or 'Season 6B ' ", or " Futurama is splitting its seasons similar to how South Park does, doing half a season at a time, so this is season 6B for them." Since the 1990s, these shorter seasons also have been referred to as "split" or "half" seasons, which
10368-650: The later series Babylon 5 further exemplifies such structure in that it had a predetermined story running over its intended five-season run. In 2012, it was reported that television was growing into a larger component of major media companies' revenues than film. Some also noted the increase in quality of some television programs. In 2012, Academy Award-winning film director Steven Soderbergh , commenting on ambiguity and complexity of character and narrative, stated: "I think those qualities are now being seen on television, and that people who want to see stories that have those kinds of qualities are watching television." When
10496-474: The main characters and premise changed little. If some change happened to the characters' lives during the episode , it was usually undone by the end. Due to this, the episodes could be broadcast in any order. Since the 1980s, many series feature progressive change in the plot, the characters, or both. For instance, Hill Street Blues and St. Elsewhere were two of the first US prime time drama television series to have this kind of dramatic structure, while
10624-435: The man proves to be an assassin, instead. Once Michael foils the assassination attempt, Cowan agrees to meet with him at last. At the meeting, on a rooftop, Cowan reveals that he did burn Michael, but only on the orders of superiors, who act for "...something much, much bigger than us". Before he can explain further, he himself is assassinated by a sniper. Television program A television show , TV program , or simply
10752-645: The medium was a stable, modern form of entertainment that could attract advertisers . The first national live television broadcast in the US took place on September 4, 1951, when President Harry Truman 's speech at the Japanese Peace Treaty Conference in San Francisco was transmitted over AT&T 's transcontinental cable and microwave radio relay system to broadcast stations in local markets. The first national color broadcast (the 1954 Tournament of Roses Parade ) in
10880-417: The networks; it could originate from an independent production company (sometimes a product of both). For instance, the BBC 's long-running soap opera EastEnders is wholly a BBC production, whereas its popular drama Life on Mars was developed by Kudos in association with the broadcaster. There are still a significant number of programs (usually sitcoms ) that are built by just one or two writers and
11008-421: The next quarter to induce consumers to renew at least one more quarter. A standard television season in the United States runs predominantly during autumn . During the summer months of June through roughly mid-September, network schedules typically feature reruns of their flagship programs, first-run series with lower rating expectations, and other specials. First-run scripted series are typically shorter and of
11136-445: The next season. Sometimes they save it for mid-season or request rewrites and additional review. Other times, they pass entirely, forcing the show's creator to "shop it around" to other networks. Many shows never make it past the pilot stage. The method of "team writing" is employed on some longer dramatic series (usually running up to a maximum of around 13 episodes). The idea for such a program may be generated "in-house" by one of
11264-503: The number of channels available to viewers (sometimes at premium rates) in a much more competitive environment. In the United States, the average broadcast network drama costs $ 3 million an episode to produce, while cable dramas cost $ 2 million on average. The pilot episode may be more expensive than a regular episode. In 2004, Lost 's two-hour pilot cost $ 10 to $ 14 million, in 2008, Fringe 's two-hour pilot cost $ 10 million, and in 2010, Boardwalk Empire
11392-427: The number of episodes would decrease. Australian situation comedy series' seasons are approximately 13 episodes long and premiere any time between February and November. British shows have tended toward shorter series in recent years. For example, the first series of long-running science fiction show Doctor Who in 1963 featured forty-two 25‑minute episodes, and continued with a similar number each year until it
11520-533: The number of viewers within the 18–49 age range than in the total number of viewers. Advertisers are willing to pay more to advertise on shows successful with young adults because they watch less television and are harder to reach. According to Advertising Age , during the 2007–08 season, Grey's Anatomy was able to charge $ 419,000 per commercial, compared to only $ 248,000 for a commercial during CSI , despite CSI having almost five million more viewers on average. Due to its strength with younger viewers, Friends
11648-428: The offensive, tracking down a data center used by James' organization and stealing data that they could then use to unravel the entire organization. James arrives to confront them, threatening to have Madeline killed; however, Madeline sacrifices herself to kill James' hit squad and protect Jesse and Charlie. In the shootout, James is killed, but charges in the building detonate and Michael and Fiona were considered dead in
11776-403: The organization in an attempt to get Michael un-burned. After Michael has successfully eliminated every member, another spy he had been working with, his handler, Max, is murdered and Michael is framed for the murder. Agent Pearce , who's been sent by the CIA to investigate Max's murder, serves as Michael's new agency contact. Michael must do what he can to aid the CIA's investigation while keeping
11904-561: The organization that he was hunting. While Fiona, Sam, and Madeline are unsuccessful in convincing Jesse to forgive or work with Michael, he nonetheless appears at the meet and saves Michael from Barrett's men. The meeting ends with the bible cipher missing, and Barrett dead. Jesse later agrees to work with Michael and recover the book cipher for them. Surprisingly, Madeline brokers peace between Michael and Jesse, calling both 'my boys' and stating that they have to get past their mistakes; she appeals to their sense of family and forces both to look at
12032-429: The organization. Seconds after the handoff Marv is killed by men posing as Homeland Security agents and the flash drive is stolen by Tyler Brennen , an enemy Michael made during the second season, who dislikes him even more after their next encounter in season three, and is one of the most intelligent villains he has encountered. Brennen, threatening to expose Michael's betrayal to Vaughn, blackmailed Michael into killing
12160-533: The other side of the conversation is filmed from the opposite perspective. To complete a production on time, a second unit may be filming a different scene on another set or location at the same time, using a different set of actors, an assistant director, and a second unit crew. A director of photography supervises the lighting of each shot to ensure consistency. Live events are usually covered by Outside Broadcast crews using mobile television studios, known as scanners or OB trucks. Although varying greatly depending on
12288-456: The others. Eventually, after getting answers over Nate's death from Card (who was really behind Nate's death), Madeline seems to have finally gotten over her strife towards Michael, stating that she needs to forgive him lest she regrets it in the future should she lose him, as she did with Nate. In Season 7, Madeline gains custody of her grandson Charlie and begins to take care of him. She is targeted by Nate's former bookie but forces Fiona to make
12416-454: The outset of the season. A midseason replacement is a less-expensive short-run show of generally 10 to 13 episodes designed to take the place of an original series that failed to garner an audience and has not been picked up. A "series finale" is the last show of the series before the show is no longer produced. (In the UK, it means the end of a season, what is known in the United States as a " season finale".) Streaming services time finales to
12544-422: The outside when she needs assistance in getting things to help get her out of prison. Madeline then becomes greatly distraught and heartbroken after learning of her youngest son Nate Weston's death from Michael. Since then, she has come to blame Michael for his death, stating how Nate always idolized Michael and how Michael always held contempt for him. She felt Nate had no right to be out in the open with Michael and
12672-530: The people on the list who burned him. Brennen is murdered by Larry Sizemore who was recruited by Brennan to be Michael's partner for the killings. Michael was able to defeat Larry, but Vaughn learned of Michael's betrayal. Vaughn and his team go after Michael and those around him but are arrested. Michael was then taken by two mysterious men to Washington, D.C. , and was met by an unknown acquaintance. The unknown acquaintance turns out to be Raines, Michael's former recruiter, who helps Michael hunt down every member of
12800-412: The people that broke Simon out of prison. During the process of investigating, Michael accidentally burns a spy named Jesse Porter. Despite the objection from Fiona and his mother, Michael kept a secret from Jesse about his role in destroying his life. Later, Jesse discovered Michael's deception and vowed revenge. Just before Jessie found out, Michael found a close link to the organization behind Simon and
12928-420: The principal photography of different episodes must be done at the same time, complicating the schedule (a guest star might shoot scenes from two episodes on the same afternoon). Complex scenes are translated from storyboard to animatics to further clarify the action. Scripts are adjusted to meet altering requirements. Some shows have a small stable of directors, but also usually rely on outside directors. Given
13056-409: The program are then resold for cash or put into a barter exchange (offered to an outlet for free in exchange for airing additional commercials elsewhere in the station's broadcast day). The terminology used to define a set of episodes produced by a television series varies from country to country. In North American television, a series is a connected set of television program episodes that run under
13184-558: The real-life baseball player. Madeline Westen played by Sharon Gless is Michael Westen's mother. It is unclear how much Madeline knows about her son's life as a spy. All she seems to know is that he tends to be in a different city, in a different country, or generally in a different place and that he can not disclose where he is. Madeline is thrilled when Michael is back in Miami and hopes that he will stay. She occasionally asks him for help with her friends' problems. Madeline's relationship with Michael has been tumultuous, and complicated by
13312-492: The same number of episodes per year as a drama. This is a reduction from the 1950s, in which many US shows (e.g. Gunsmoke ) had between 29 and 39 episodes per season. Actual storytelling time within a commercial television hour has also gradually reduced over the years, from 50 minutes out of every 60 to the current 44 (and even less on some networks), beginning in the early 21st century. The usage of "season" and "series" differ for DVD and Blu-ray releases in both Australia and
13440-413: The same title, possibly spanning many seasons. During the 1950s, it was common for television seasons to consist of more than 30 episodes—however, the average length has been declining since. Until the 1980s, most new programs for the US broadcast networks debuted in the "fall season", which ran from September through March and nominally contained 24 to 26 episodes. These episodes were rebroadcast during
13568-467: The schedule. In recent years, a new season would begin in early February, and the season finale would broadcast in early December. Since Home and Away ' s inception, it normally receives 230 episodes per season. Some seasons have seen between 205 and 235 episodes commissioned. During the Olympics , Home and Away would often go on hiatus, which was referred to as an "Olympic cliffhanger". Therefore,
13696-422: The series pilot, the actress wears a wig, but throughout the rest of the series, her real hair is featured. Jesse Porter played by Coby Bell is a former Counterintelligence Field Activity / Defense Intelligence Agency agent introduced in the season four premiere. He had initially been stationed in the field, but his risky and impulsive tactical maneuvers led to his demotion to desk duty. Because Jesse researched
13824-411: The series, Madeline has often been drawn into events in one way or another, which has made her more aware of what Michael and his friends are doing. In the pilot episode , Madeline is depicted as an unstable hypochondriac woman. This characterization was discarded in future episodes to be replaced by the more no-nonsense, self-supportive woman that she would remain for the rest of the series. This change
13952-466: The series, his father died. After persistent persuasion by his mother, Michael finally visited his father's grave. Michael's younger brother, Nate , is a compulsive gambler who has a history of stealing from Michael to fund his addiction. However, after helping Michael and almost dying, he has turned his life around, which Michael seems to have difficulty believing. After a brief quarrel with his brother, Michael wins his father's black 1973 Dodge Charger by
14080-534: The specified broadcast programming time slot. If the Nielsen ratings are good, the show is kept alive as long as possible. If not, the show is usually canceled . The show's creators are then left to shop around for remaining episodes, and the possibility of future episodes, on other networks. On especially successful series, the producers sometimes call a halt to a series on their own like Seinfeld , The Cosby Show , Corner Gas , and M*A*S*H and end it with
14208-514: The spring (or summer) season, from April through August. Because of cable television and the Nielsen sweeps , the "fall" season now normally extends to May. Thus, a "full season" on a broadcast network now usually runs from September through May for at least 22 episodes. A full season is sometimes split into two separate units with a hiatus around the end of the calendar year, such as the first season of Jericho on CBS. When this split occurs,
14336-418: The time constraints of broadcasting, a single show might have two or three episodes in pre-production, one or two episodes in principal photography, and a few more in various stages of post-production. The task of directing is complex enough that a single director can usually not work on more than one episode or show at a time, hence the need for multiple directors. Principal photography is the actual filming of
14464-496: The trail, lest he discovers Michael's role in it. Left with nothing, Jesse then moves into Madeline's newly converted garage apartment and thereafter becomes a member of Michael's team. Jesse becomes fast friends with Fiona, with whom he shares a similar temperament and attitude toward their extra-legal activities; they are both firearm and explosives enthusiasts and have difficulty putting missions before people, being much more willing than Michael and Sam to drop everything and rush to
14592-411: The truth about Michael's life, and her fears are brought to light when she is forced to defend him in an FBI interrogation, in the third-season finale; the bureau questions her concerning the activities that got him burned, along with many other actions in his spy career. While she can deter Michael from returning, she is ultimately detained. However, when Michael disables Simon, both disappear and Madeline
14720-413: The war-profiteering organization that Management was hunting, Michael was forced to unknowingly steal files using duplicates of Jesse's ID, unintentionally burning him. In the use of dramatic irony , the show's writers send Jesse to Michael for help to find out who has burned him. Michael accepts Jesse as a client, but Jesse's adamant search for the people who burned him leads the team to cover their part of
14848-502: The way that US television does; for example, there is no " fall season" or "fall schedule". For many years, popular night-time dramas in Australia would run for much of the year, and would only go into recess during the summer period (December to February, as Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere), when ratings are not taken. Therefore, popular dramas would usually run from February through November each year. This schedule
14976-404: Was $ 18 million for the first episode. In 2011, Game of Thrones was $ 5 to $ 10 million, Pan Am cost an estimated $ 10 million, while Terra Nova 's two-hour pilot was between $ 10 and $ 20 million. Many scripted network television shows in the United States are financed through deficit financing: a studio finances the production cost of a show and a network pays
15104-412: Was a violent man, who would physically and emotionally abuse his sons as an obedience measure, and his mother did little to prevent it. His father would also take advantage of him, for example, he forced Michael to fake a seizure inside a Mr. Goodwrench store so his father could steal spark plugs . The last words his father said to him were "I'll see you in hell, boy." Eight years before the beginning of
15232-495: Was able to charge almost three times as much for a commercial as Murder, She Wrote , even though the two series had similar total viewer numbers at that time. Glee and The Office drew fewer total viewers than NCIS during the 2009–10 season, but earned an average of $ 272,694 and $ 213,617 respectively, compared to $ 150,708 for NCIS. After production, the show is handed over to the television network , which sends it out to its affiliate stations , which broadcast it in
15360-546: Was cancelled. The revival of Doctor Who from 2005 has comprised thirteen 45‑minute installments. There are some series in the UK that have a larger number of episodes, for example Waterloo Road started with 8 to 12 episodes, but from series three onward it increased to twenty episodes and series seven will contain 30 episodes. Recently, US non-cable networks have also begun to experiment with shorter series for some programs, particularly reality shows, such as Survivor . They often air two series per year, resulting in roughly
15488-704: Was implied in an episode that he served in San Pedro, Laguna before he was recruited to work as a spy. He served for 15 years, working in Europe and the OPEC nations as a covert operative who did freelance work for the CIA. While on a mission in Nigeria , he received a burn notice from CIA superiors. After managing to embark on an airplane in Nigeria, Michael is deserted in Miami, with Fiona Glenanne, his ex-girlfriend. Per
15616-438: Was on the verge of going to jail, and the second being that his father would never allow it. Madeline has been angry at Michael for years for an assortment of reasons, such as not attending his father's funeral. Upon his arrival in Miami, she asked Michael to visit his grave in exchange for his father's vintage Dodge Charger . Madeline keeps up with her son Michael's actions through his friend and ally Fiona Glenanne. Throughout
15744-399: Was reduced to twenty-five for 1970 to accommodate changes in production and significantly reducing the actors' workload) and continued to 1984. For 1985 fewer but longer episodes were shown, but even after a return to shorter episodes in 1986, lack of support within the BBC meant fewer episodes were commissioned leading to only fourteen 25‑minute episodes up to those in 1989 after which it
15872-424: Was stranded there when he was burned because she was the only emergency contact, and she has since helped him numerous times in his various jobs. Now that she has encountered Michael again, Fiona makes efforts to pressure Michael into a more substantial relationship. Fiona also keeps in touch with Michael's mother, Madeline. In the early part of season 2, Fiona starts dating a paramedic named Campbell, and whilst it
16000-507: Was supposed to be a suicide mission for Michael and his friends. After barely escaping Card's air strike, Michael and the others attempt to get back to Miami, all the while learning that Gray had been lied to by Card about what he was told about Michael. After realizing Michael wasn't the person he was told, Gray agrees to help him take down Card. Returning to Miami, Gray assists Michael in gathering intel on Card, but when Card discovers Gray's betrayal, Card fatally shoots Gray, makes it look like
16128-459: Was used in the 1970s for popular dramas, including Number 96 . Many drama series, such as McLeod's Daughters , have received between 22 and 32 episodes per season. Typically, soap operas , which have always run in season format in Australia, such as Home and Away , would usually begin a new season in late January, while the season finale would air in late November, as the show is off air for two months, or sometimes longer, depending on
16256-407: Was watched by the FBI. It was revealed that he was burned to be recruited by a mysterious organization and is contacted by a woman named Carla . After Carla was fatally shot by Fiona, Michael received an offer to replace her from a man referred to as the organization's " Management ." He refused to take the job and lost the security detail and personal restrictions he had been under to protect him from
16384-455: Was working on securing the release of a high-risk fugitive named Simon Escher . Gilroy succeeded in freeing him but is later killed by Simon. In another revelation, Simon was the one responsible for the actions that got blamed on Michael when he was burned as Simon's profile was transferred to Michael. Simon forced Michael to bring Management to Miami but ends up being recaptured again when Michael overtook him. After initially being taken away by
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