Broken Rules

Episode 7: Broken Rules
Production Number: BN106
Director: Tim Matheson
Writer: Mere Smith


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Full Summary
Personal Commentary
Writer's Blog

Quick Summary:

Michael infiltrates a crime gang, posing as a thief, who are terrorising a merchant. Meanwhile, Michael blackmails an agent to reveal information about his burn notice.


Full Summary:

Michael, now armed with the name of the CSS Agent, Jason Bly, decides to announce his secret name to a group of customers at a resturant. However, Bly is ready with a comeback. He knows Fiona is running some guns in a stolen car, and tips off the police. Michael and Fiona are forced to run, but are able to ditch the car in a parking garage and get away.

Back at the apartment, Fiona and Michael managed to avoid the cops, however...

Michael: "If I'm going to go to war with Bly, I'm going to need some money."

Ernie Paso is the client. He's been paying protection money along with the entire street. He's willing to pay Michael 20 grand for the job. Michael's hesitant to get involved with organized crime, but Ernie pushes his soft side. Michael accepts.

Bly is still working his magic. He made Sam's girlfriend, Veronica, believe that Sam was cheating on her. Sam and Fiona talk about the best way to smooth over Sam's girlfriend.

The ring leader of the criminal organization is Conha Rameriaz, and she also has an assistant, Diego Cruz. Michael wants to scare off Rameriaz, so he dresses in biker clothes, grabs a bat, and acts like a lunatic in Ernie's shop to make it appear that a new force is in town. He next finds two of Rameriaz's henchmen, Oscar & Luis, and beats them up to spread the word.

Michael looks up Barry, the Launderer, and asks him to set up some fake bank accounts for his good friend, Agent Bly.

In order to continue to sell his crazy persona, Michael uses a dumpster to trap a car full of Rameriaz henchmen, disables it, then pours paint thinner in it. Once that's done he's able to use a simple lighter to threaten the henchmen into giving him their money. However, when Michael leaves the alley way, Diego Cruz pops out with a gun and takes him to see Rameriaz.

After Rameriaz has Michael punched around a bit, she tells Michael about her plan. She's not interested in the nickle & dime extortion money, she wants the real-estate. It won't be as easy for Michael to work her out now. Michael becomes the newest enforcer for Rameriaz.

Back at Michael's apartment, Agent Bly has arrived in a nice new car and let himself in. He gives Michael another threat. Unless he accepts a slower paced life as a security guard, he'll throw Nate (his brother) in jail, and tell a few of Fiona's enemies her exact whereabouts. Michael is forced to concede, and Bly is happy. They'll meet later to finalize the paper work.

Diego Cruz takes Michael on a routine collection, however, Michael wants to make a good first impression. So, he goes to Fiona's car where she was doing survalence, and "steals" her purse (after Fiona gets in a few punches. Diego is infuriated, but Rameriaz sees no problem. She talks to Michael privately and tells him that she wants Ernie and his whole family killed with a fire bomb.

Michael warns Ernie, who runs and closes shop. When Diego and Michael arrive at Ernie's shop and find it closed, Michael improvises and tells Diego that he was instructed by Rameriaz to kill him, Michael pulls a gun on Diego. Diego laughs and tells him that Rameriaz instructed him to kill Michael. When Michael tells Diego to get on his knees, he regrets not stopping Rameriaz sooner. Michael sees his opportunity, and lets Diego up so he can "finish it". Diego plants the firebomb in Rameriaz's office, and she is killed. Diego walks away from organized crime, and the streets are now safe.

Later, Michael and Ernie meet in a church. Ernie thanks Michael and tries to give him his fee, however, Michael refuses and even returns most of Ernie's money. Michael just needed enough cash to do some trick with a bank account in Agent Bly's name. Ernie wants to tell the world about what Michael did, but Michael makes him swear secrecy.

Michael and Agent Bly meet up to finalize Michael's new life, however, Michael refuses. He then pulls out a folder and explains to Bly how he set up multiple suspicious bank accounts in both their names, and the new car Bly is driving around was actually bought by Michael. Agent Bly's career is ruined if any of this gets out, as it appears he's being bribed by Michael. Michael requests his burn notice, and Bly is left to think about it. Michael leaves Bly... in the car Bly drove up in.

Back at Michael's apartment, Fiona wants to talk to Michael about their relationship, but Michael doesn't know what to say. Fiona isn't satisfied, so she begins to fight him. After a series of punches and kicks are exchanged, Fiona and Michael end up in Michael's bed.

They wake to the knocking of Agent Bly on Michael's door, he hands over Michael's burn notice and leaves.


Personal Commentary

The writers are not shying away at all from the main burn notice plot. Frankly, it's a good thing. Though the "job-of-the-week" plots are enjoyable, this show wouldn't be nearly as good without the over-arching plot and the character development.

Speaking of character development, everyone got their turn.
Fiona seems to be impressed that Sam is actually more romantic than she thought, not to mention that she seems to be more concerned with her relationship with Michael than usual.
Sam, of course, was revealed to have a soft side. Michael is quickly becoming the unwilling saviour of the common man.
Poor Agent Bly, when he first showed up I thought he was going to be a real thorn in Michael's side for a long time. Instead, the moment his chips are down Agent Bly buckles.