Burn Notice
Hard Bargain
TV Flash files “Hard Bargain” as hour 9 of 111 in the TV Flash guide — Burn Notice (2007–2013) on USA, season 1, episode 9, aired 2007-08-23, 60 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S01E09: listed hour 9 of 111 in the Burn Notice guide, hour 9 of 12 in season 1. It aired 2007-08-23 (60 min). The listed hour before it is “Wanted Man” (S01E08). Next is “False Flag” (S01E10).
Catalog log
Broadcast listing — not a TV Flash recap.
A house-sitter's fiancée is kidnapped and held for ransom. Nick, the house-sitter, hires Michael to rescue her, since the kidnappers mistakenly believe Nick can afford to pay a $5 million ransom.
Viewer FAQ
Where does Hard Bargain sit in the Burn Notice guide?
S01E09 is listed hour 9 of 111 — hour 9 of 12 in season 1, season 1 episode 9.
When did Burn Notice S01E09 air?
Hard Bargain aired 2007-08-23 and is listed at 60 minutes.
Is Burn Notice just mission-of-the-week?
Standalone jobs are the weekly candy; the serialized wound is who burned Michael. Voiceover tradecraft around a grudge that does not close in one hour.
In the series
Why this series still plays
A burned spy narrates tradecraft from a Miami loft, taking odd jobs while hunting who erased his career. Burn Notice is blue-sky USA action with a grudge underneath — Jeffrey Donovan's deadpan, Bruce Campbell's Sam Axe, and weekly how-to candy around a serialized wound.
USA put a burned spy in a Miami loft and windowed tradecraft as weekly how-to candy. Burn Notice (2007–2013) is Matt Nix's blue-sky action brand: Jeffrey Donovan as Michael Westen, Gabrielle Anwar's Fiona, Bruce Campbell's Sam Axe as a cable favorite, Sharon Gless, later Coby Bell. Odd jobs as the A-plot. A serialized burn mystery in the drawer. Voiceover from the loft like a tutorial that happens to have a grudge. Seven seasons, 111 episodes. Rex can keep the living-room spy with a theme song. This one shipped…
Filed against
- Jeffrey Donovan as Michael Westen
Jeffrey Donovan’s Michael Westen narrated tradecraft from a Miami loft on Burn Notice — burned spy, odd jobs, a hunt for who erased the career. Blue-sky USA action with a grudge underneath, Bruce Campbell’s Sam Axe, weekly how-to candy…
- Gabrielle Anwar as Fiona Glenanne
Gabrielle Anwar detonated as Fiona Glenanne on Burn Notice — blue-sky USA action, a burned spy's Miami loft, weekly how-to candy around a serialized wound. Jeffrey Donovan's deadpan, Bruce Campbell's Sam Axe, and Anwar as the ex who made…
- Bruce Campbell as Sam Axe
Bruce Campbell’s Autolycus stole Hercules: The Legendary Journeys like a syndicated comic — 1990s catalog King of Thieves, camp with a chin, then Burn Notice recasting the grin as Sam Axe’s Miami how-to. TV Flash files him as the thief…
- Sharon Gless as Madelaine Westen
Sharon Gless’s Christine Cagney made Cagney & Lacey a once-in-a-generation partnership — two women detectives, badge culture that had to make room, Emmys after a near-cancellation letter campaign — then played Burn Notice’s Miami grudge…
- Coby Bell as Jesse Porter
Coby Bell played Jesse Porter on Burn Notice — a burned spy narrating tradecraft from a Miami loft, odd jobs while hunting who erased his career. Blue-sky USA action with a grudge underneath: Jeffrey Donovan's deadpan, Bruce Campbell's…