Probably one of the more underappreciated shows that came out in the past couple years is the USA Network's Burn Notice. The new season came out last July 10- just after I flew back to Metro Manila from Los Angeles, and I gotta say- the show just keeps getting better and better.

Burn Notice first came out in the summer of 2007. The title refers to a memo of sorts issued by intelligence agencies that pretty much dismisses and discredits agents, operatives or other assets as unreliable, and are therefore, blacklisted from any project thereafter. So spies don't get pink slips, they get burn notices.

Our show follows the misadventures of Michael Westen (played by Jeffrey Donovan), an international covert-ops operative, who got inconveniently burned in the middle of an assignment, and is trying to figure out why he got burned, and who got him blacklisted and flagged on just about every government watchlist to begin with.

Finding his assets frozen, cut off from his network and waking up in a sleazy motel in Miami, Michael sets off to redeem himself. So he takes on just about any job he can get his hands on- small-time stuff, really, for someone of Michael's caliber- but hey, as long as it pays the bills, takes care of the rent, with enough leftover for blueberry yogurt and beer, it's all good.

So what's an ex-spy supposed to do? Get by with a little help from his "friends", that's what.

Michael then reluctantly enlists the aid of a couple of "friends": a trigger-happy ex-girlfriend, (Fiona, played by Gabrielle Anwar) who just so happens to be an IRA-trained demolitions expert and sharpshooter, and a former Navy SEAL and Military Intel Operative (Sam, played by Bruce Campbell) who's seen better days and too many sugar mommas and mojitos.

Then of course, there's Michael's mother, who's just happy to have her son back in town (after not hearing from him in 10+ years), and calls him up 20, 30 times a day, often asking for Michael to attend to some errand or help out with some problem at home.

The show is really a first-person narrative from the viewpoint of Michael, offering some interesting insights and nuggets of wisdom in espionage and covert ops. The show has an entertaining mix of action, suspense and comedy, fun and memorable characters, and ultimately a good storyline.

I just finished a Season 1 marathon, and now I'm watching the Season 2 episodes I've had recorded- and it's great stuff. Check out the Season 2 promo they had airing on the USA Network:

Ladies and Gentlemen, the new shows for the Fall Season are upon us. Yes, your favorite shows- at least most of 'em, anyway- are back to entertain you once again. So get your eyeballs ready- there's lots of great stuff coming out of primetime TV these next few months!

Week of Sept 01 to 07

• Gossip Girl comes back with its second season on The CW, Monday, September 01.
• An all-new Prison Break returns to FOX, with a 2-hour fourth season premiere on Monday, September 01.
• The brand new 90210 premieres on The CW on Tuesday, Sept 02
  

• Yet another cycle of America's Next Top Model- we're on season 11, btw- comes back on The CW on Wednesday, Sept 03
• A brand new HBO original series, True Blood, premieres on Sunday, Sept 07.
• Entourage on HBO returns with season 5; new episodes begin on Sunday, Sept 07.

• Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, returns with all-new episodes on FOX, the second season premieres on Monday, Sept 08
• Fringe, the new J.J. Abrams drama comes out on FOX with a special 2-hour episode on Sept 09

• House, now on its fifth season, comes back on Tuesday, Sept 16.
• Smallville is back with new episodes for season 8 on The CW; Thursday, Sept 18.
• An all-new Supernatural returns to The CW with its fourth season on Thursday, Sept 18.
• Everybody Hates Chris season 4 comes back with all=new episodes starting Friday, Sept 19.

• Heroes on NBC. With a 60-minute clip show preceeding the third season premiere. Sept 22.
• How I Met Your Mother returns with its fourth season on CBS; Monday, Sept 22.
• The new Knight Rider premieres on Wednesday, Sept 24 on NBC.
  

• Season 5 of CSI: New York comes back on CBS on Wednesday, Sept 24.
• The third season of Ugly Betty premieres on ABC on Thursday, Sept 25.
• My Name is Earl is back for its fourth season; new episodes start on Thursday, Sept 25 on NBC.
  

• It's a special 2-hour premiere for season 5 of Grey's Anatomy; comes back on ABC on Sept 25.
• The Office returns with new episodes on Thursday, Sept 25, with a special one-hour episode premiering on NBC.
• The Simpsons is now on its 20th Season- with all new episodes starting Sunday, Sept 28 on FOX.
  

• The Amazing Race is back on CBS for its 13th season; it's another race around the world on Sunday, Sept 28.
• It's the fifth season of Desperate Housewives; brand new episodes on ABC on Sunday, Sept 28.
• Showtime's Dexter is back for season 3; premieres on Sunday, Sept 28.
  

• ABC's Brothers and Sisters is on its third season, returning on ABC on Sunday, Sept 28.
• Little Britain also comes back on HBO, on Sunday, Sept 28.

• The second season of Chuck comes back on NBC on Sept 29.
• Life, also on its second season, comes back on NBC on Sept 29, but moves to Fridays on Oct 10.
• Pushing Daisies is also on its second season on ABC; premieres on Wednesday, Oct 01.
  

• The Grey's Anatomy spinoff, Private Practice, is back for another run. Second season premieres on Wednesday, Oct 01 on ABC.
• A new Sci Fi original series, Sanctuary, premieres on Friday, Oct 03.

• CSI: Las Vegas is back on CBS; season 9 premieres on Thursday, Oct 9.
• NBC's 30 Rock returns with all-new episodes for its third season; airs Thursday, Oct 30.

Hey everybody.

It's actually been quite a while since I've posted anything really substantial on this blog. I've been in Los Angeles for a little over a month- and if you've been reading any of my other blogs, you probably already know that I have plans of moving there definitely within the year.

I've already cut all my corporate ties (i.e. retired early from my radio career in Metro Manila and had gone completely home-based) back in the Philippines, and I'm starting to appreciate my new work-life situation.

What it means, really, is more time for me to do the shit I want, whenever I want. And yes, that means, among other things, more TV.

And there was a lot of great TV in Los Angeles, by the way. The TV viewing experience made even so much better by the wonders of TiVo. Whoever invented DVR's should be given a nobel prize, in my opinion.

So what have I been watching while I was in Los Angeles? Not a lot, really. But I did manage to catch a few shows for the short time I was there:

• A lot of G4TV: Attack of the Show and Ninja Warrior- probably the best game show on TV I've seen in a long while. Also some Code Monkeys and X-Play.
• Whenever I can- The Soup with Joel McHale, and Chelsea Lately on E!
• The last few episodes of Battlestar Galactica on the Sci Fi channel- awesome, wasn't it?
• There was also this marathon of old episodes of The Incredible Hulk, just before the movie opened. Managed to watch a few episodes, until you realize that it became really formulaic after a few.
• Was also able to check out some episodes of Metalocapypse and Robot Chicken on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. Some really funny shit.
  
• Recorded a few episodes of MonsterQuest on the History Channel. We should have that show back at home; I heard another cable operator is actually carrying History Channel. SkyCable sucks- remind me to cut my subscription.
• The premiere of CBS' new drama Swingtown. Great premise, fun soundtrack, but ultimately disappointing.