Burn Notice: Can Michael Get Back Into the Spy Biz?

Show runner Matt Nix tells us that returning to the major leagues won't be as easy as Jeffrey Donovan's burned operative would like

Could Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan) be leaving Miami for his old job of government intelligence operative?

That's the big question of Burn Notice season three, and we just chatted up show runner Matt Nix to find out what Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar) thinks about her boyfriend's plans, if it's even possible to get back in the spy business after being bumped out, and what kind of complications this new lady cop is causing for Michael.

Read on for all that scoop and more—plus, find out what episode you Michael-Fiona fans simply must tune in for...

Spy Games: Is Michael really trying to get back with an intelligence agency this season? Says Nix, "The answer is yes, that's his agenda, but it's a very, very hard thing to do. A burn notice essentially destroys someone's reputation, and as we all know, it is much easier to spread rumors [that] destroy someone's reputation than it is to take all that back."

Lucky (or not) for Michael, he's getting some much-needed help. As Nix tells it, "The second big recurring character we explore this season is a guy who might actually be able to help Michael do the things that are necessary to get back [into professional espionage]. We see what that entails, and there's a lot to it. It's not a straightforward process."

We'll Call You: The man who might be able to help Michael, Tom Strickler, is played by Ben Shenkman, whom Nix calls "brilliant" in the role: "Tom's like an agent. Not a [covert] agent—more like a Hollywood agent. He [feels] that Michael is...talented, and there are plenty of people who would be interested in his services. Strickler comes to Michael and basically says, 'I'll help you if you help me.' "

But Michael's new friend Tom might not be what he expects. When asked what one thing we fans should keep in mind while watching Michael navigate Miami this season, Nix says to always remember: "Beware of strangers bearing gifts."

She Likes to Shoot People: Helping Michael get back into the intelligence community, however, definitely puts Strickler (and Michael) at odds with Michael's girlfriend and ad hoc tactical officer, Fiona Glennanne.

Matt says that Michael and Fiona are definitely in conflict this season about Michael's stated goal of returning to his pre-burn notice life: "Fiona's like, 'They're leaving you alone, how about we live our lives?' And Michael's thing is, 'They're leaving me alone, how about I get back in?' "

Obviously, this leads to some major conflict over Michael's, um, work-life balance. As Nix puts it, "Michael and Fiona kinda go at it this year." And how would you define 'go at it,' Matt Nix? "There's actually a very specific bit in the sixth episode that I'll give away: You see what happens when Michael and Fiona are having big disagreements and doing their practice sparring with each other." (Squee.)

Rock, Meet Hard Place: Speaking of sparring, things are going to stay tough between Michael and Moon Bloodgood's character, Det. Michelle Paxson. Nix describes their conflict as fundamental and inflexible, "When we talked to Jeffrey and Moon about it, [we said] in another life, she could have been the spy, and he could have been the cop. But because spies are people who essentially break laws for a good cause, it's not really a divide they can get over. Michael can't really tell her the truth about what he's doing, and even if he could, she can't really say, 'Oh well, then, fine.' They're two people who under other circumstances might have been friends, but under these circumstances it's an immovable object meets an unstoppable force."

And that means that Paxson won't have an "aha moment" where she suddenly realizes Michael Westen is an awesome good guy and she should just leave him alone. Rather, says Nix, "Michael needs to make his point with her in a very emphatic way. There are no gradual realizations—gradual realizations aren't really something we do on the show. It might be most accurate to say that at some point Michael has to force the issue in a big way with her." (More squee!)