Parents' Guide to

Burn Notice

By Sierra Filucci, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Snide spy cracks jokes and shoots kneecaps.

TV Syndicated, USA Drama 2007
Burn Notice Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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age 12+

Based on 13 parent reviews

Topics
Topics Adult
December 28, 2020
age 7+

Burn Notice

If violence is off limits for you, you should stay away from most action series. Some swearing is occasional, but strong swearing isn’t common throw out the episodes. There are a few romantic scenes. Miami is well depicted, with beach scenarios and bikinis. Torture is shown in the form of drug use, although alcohol is consumed by the oldest male character almost every ep. Positive messages and great role models

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
MiLu3.14
MiLu3.14 Parent
January 24, 2018
age 17+

Not worth your time

There's got to be something better on TV.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 13 parent reviews

What's the Story?

When spy Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan) is inexplicably fired, he decides to find out why. But first he has to use his tactical training to raise enough money to fund his investigation. BURN NOTICE (the term for "pink slip" in spy language) follows Michael through the bikini-speckled world of Miami as he takes on odd spying jobs, collaborates with friends and an ex-girlfriend (Gabrielle Anwar) -- all of whom may not be reliable -- and avoids his hypochondriac mother (Sharon Gless).

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (13):
Kids say (23):

Burn Notice is a lighthearted spy drama that combines thrills with laughs -- Michael's snide sense of humor takes the edge off the occasional bullet to the knee. Part nerd, part soldier, Michael definitely has a soft side, and despite his skill at breaking elbows, he prefers cleverness to brute strength ("Guns are stupid. Better to fight your wars with duct tape. Duct tape makes you smart."). That softer side plays a key part in how Michael approaches the cases he takes on. For example, in one episode he reluctantly takes a low-paying gig because he's desperate for the cash, but once he solves the case -- a rich bad guy is framing a working single dad -- he gives the job all he's got, even teaching the man's 8-year-old son how to battle the bullies harassing him at school.

Overall, Burn Notice is a lot of fun. It's got action, a unique lead character, and fun, MacGyver-esque techno-tricks. Despite some of the adult elements, teens should be able to handle most of the material. And even though Westen is capable of doing violent things, his heart is in the right place.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the media's portrayal of spies and private investigators. What kinds of laws do these characters break in TV shows and movies? Do you think it's OK to break the law if you're fighting for the good guys? Who determines who the "good guys" are, anyway? How can you usually tell who's good and who's bad in shows and movies? Is that very realistic?

TV Details

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