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By Suzanne

Interview with Matt Nix, Jeffrey Donovan and Bruce Campbell of "Burn Notice" on USA Network 9/4/13

This was a wonderful call, but it was also bittersweet because it's the end of the show. I will really miss these guys and the show. I can't believe it's almost over! They are always so nice on the phone and good at entertaining us as well, as you will read in this transcript.

BURN NOTICE SERIES FINALE
Moderator: Emily Spitale
September 4, 2013 2:00 pm CT

Operator: Ladies and gentlemen thank you for standing by. Welcome to the Burn Notice Series Finale conference call.

During the presentation all participants will be in a listen only mode.

Afterwards we will conduct a question and answer session. At that time if you have a question please press the 1 followed by the 4 on your telephone.

If at any time during the conference you need to reach an Operator please press star 0.

As a reminder this conference is being recorded Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

I would now like to turn the conference over to Emily Spitale. Please go ahead.

Emily Spitale: Hi everyone. Thank you for joining today’s call with Burn Notice’s stars Jeffrey Donovan, Bruce Campbell and our Creator and Executive Producer Matt Nix.

Just a reminder that the second to last episode of the series airs this Thursday at 9:00/8:00 Central. It’s entitled Sea Change. And the series finale Reckoning which is directed by Matt Nix will air Thursday, September 12th at 9:00/8:00 Central.

And images are available on our press site as well as nbcunv.com.

We’re going to now open the line to questions.

Operator: Thank you ladies and gentlemen if you’d like to register a question please press the 1 followed by the 4 on your telephone. You will hear a three tone prompt to acknowledge your request. If your question has been answered and you would like to withdraw your registration please press the 1 followed by the 3. If you’re using a speakerphone please lift your handset before entering your request.

One moment please, for the first question.

Matt Nix: This is complicated.

Operator: The first question comes from the line of Hal Boedeker from Orlando Sentinel. Please go ahead.

Hal Boedeker: Thank you for joining this call. We just learned that a major character is going to die in the finale.

And I’m wondering what Jeffrey and Bruce would say to fans to prepare them for this information.

Bruce Campbell: Jeffrey. Don’t eat Chinese food before the episode.

Hal Boedeker: Okay.

Jeffrey Donovan: And my answer would be there’s nothing that can prepare them.

Hal Boedeker: Okay. Well can I ask...?

Bruce Campbell: Yes. And I think - go ahead.

Hal Boedeker: Well I’m just wondering, why do you think that ending works for this series?

Bruce Campbell: You know one of the interesting journeys that Burn Notice has been on is it created a family for the audiences to watch. And I don’t - and though we’ve been humorous throughout the years there’s always been an underbelly of seriousness and tragedy.

And I don’t think we could probably end the series with, you know, a bow tie and smiles on everyone’s faces. I think that the audience knows there has to be some sort of tragedy to show how important their journey was over the years.

Jeffrey Donovan: And I believe it’s called collateral damage. Once you have a group of people who have put their lives on the line every single week it’s hard to maintain that.

And then the specifics of course would be better answered by Mr. Matt Nix.

Matt Nix: Yes. I mean I was not a - you know, I mean it’s a question for you guys.

But I think the - one of the central ideas and conflicts in this series has always been the - between Michael’s work and Michael’s family.

And he started this series as a very isolated guy. And over the years he has, you know, acquired this family and these friends and these relationships that he didn’t have at the beginning.

But we’ve always talked about the idea that there’s a reason that a spy who’s putting himself in, you know, these kinds of situations so consistently doesn’t have a bunch of close relationships.

And I think that, you know, it was important to me to say why have the last seven years mattered? Are those things - are those themes that we’ve addressed over the years, you know, are they real?

And I think the answer to that has to be yes. And so, you know, Michael’s always had to balance those - the two sides of his life and the final two episodes are really about choices and sacrifices.

And it’s not just about being (fat) or killing off the character. It’s also about taking seriously the things that we’ve talked about and the issues that we’ve addressed over the last seven years.

Hal Boedeker: Thank you very much and congratulations.

Matt Nix: Thank you.

Bruce Campbell: Thank you.

Operator: Thank you. The next question comes from the line of Matt Mitovich from TVLine. Please go ahead.

Matt Mitovich: Hey gentlemen, thanks for your time today.

Bruce Campbell: You bet.

Jeffrey Donovan: Thank you.

Matt Mitovich: Matt I was wondering how - the way that you’ve wrapped up the show here this season, how that aligns with your original idea for ending this series whether is it pretty much on the same page or were there pages you used from your original plan in previous season finales?

Matt Nix: Both really. And the kernel of the idea which I would really say is kind of this season and what Michael has been going through this season and dealing with James Kendrick and his organization, that was in my mind from not - maybe not the pilot but, you know, as soon as I - that first year I had a sense that we needed to land in a place that wasn’t just about Michael fighting another bad guy but was really about Michael, you know, wrestling with the demons and himself.

And tempted in a way to become this - the very thing that destroyed him in the beginning of the series. You know, like the people that burned him were in an organization operating outside of a established political structure and doing their own thing who felt that they were doing the right thing but, you know, Michael was collateral damage.

And it’s an easy thing to become that if you’re not careful if you’re doing the sorts of things that Michael does.

And so that seed was always there. But at the same time over the course of seven years you discover new things and the - and I’d say that the emphasis on the team and the way the family came together in the show that was a much bigger element than I anticipated at the beginning of the show if that makes sense.

Matt Mitovich: Okay. And as a follow-up for this week’s episode, it kind of left Michael in a real pickle there at the end of the last episode. He had to basically break cover in order to save Sonya’s life.

What can you possibly tease about how he gets out of that? Is he about to launch into a big spiel of fast talking or...?

Matt Nix: Actually I think that people will be surprised. This - the ending of this season, the way that Michael deals with Kendrick and his organization, fast talking is what Michael did in virtually every other episode of Burn Notice. And part of what makes Kendrick a formidable ally and opponent is that he’s not a hypocrite. He’s not - he really believes in what he’s doing.

When he says we don’t leave men behind, they don’t leave men behind. When he says he’s more committed to this organization than to anything else, he believes that.

And so, you know, I don’t think I’m giving anything away by saying Michael does not die at the end of Episode 11. But it’s not...

Jeffrey Donovan: (Boiler).

Matt Nix: ...simply. Yes, it’s not simply weaving another little web of lies. It’s a very different turn for Michael which I think will surprise some fans. And but I think it’s ultimately all about addressing these themes that have emerged over the years, you know, and these elements of Michael’s character.

Matt Mitovich: Thank you very much.

Operator: Thank you. The next question comes from the line of (Kim Haas) with Yahoo TV. Please go ahead.

Kim Haas: Thank you so much everyone for doing this today. Matt and Bruce I wanted to ask you, the season has been very emotional for all of the characters with Michael so separated for most of them.

But one of the fun aspects of that has been that we’ve seen Sam and Jesse become this really great team.

Is there any thought to maybe a spinoff with those two characters?

Jeffrey Donovan: I guess that’s probably a Matt Nix question.

Matt Nix: The thought, there’s certainly a lot of thought on Bruce’s and my part (unintelligible). The - it’s something - I mean, you know, let me put it this way. It’s something that we have kicked around and it’s an idea that we’ve liked.

And, you know, obviously three guys don’t get together and make a television show in their garage. I mean like if the opportunity ever arose...

Jeffrey Donovan: Damn.

Matt Nix: ...do something like that, then that’ll be really fun.

And but, you know, it’s not - there’s nothing specifically in the works other than that we all think it would be fun to do if the opportunity ever arose.

Kim Haas: And Bruce do you agree?

Bruce Campbell: I do. I do. Yes, it’d be a different show.

Matt Nix: Actually on that...

Bruce Campbell: You know it wouldn’t be - it’d be something that I know that I would enjoy. And I enjoy working, you know, with Coby because it would just be a whole different kind of dynamic. It’s been really great working with Donovan.

You know but this is all bologna. You know what I mean? There’s really nothing to talk about right now other than the fact that it’d be fun.

But, you know, you really do have to jump through a lot of hoops to get a show on the air. So right now it’s really just a bunch of random Twitter talk.

Kim Haas: Okay (unintelligible).

((Crosstalk))

Matt Nix: I will say though just in terms of the - and just really quickly, in terms of the actual like what’s gone on this season that one of the really fun things about working with all of the actors is the ways that - like the things that they bring to the role that influence the direction that the series goes.

So when you talk about like this has been a really emotional season that has a lot to do with my conversations with Jeffrey and, you know, him saying I really think that we’re going to a more emotional place. And I want to, you know, address that. And it’s been an opportunity for me to and the other writers to embrace that and run with that.

And that’s really, you know, it’s a team effort. But it’s really a credit to Jeffrey that that was something that he was bringing out.

And in the case of Bruce and Coby, I actually say like, you know, you can just see it in the writers, like you put those two characters together and they’re really funny and the scene just pops.

And inevitably in the next episode somebody is thinking of something to do and they’re like oh, maybe we put Sam and Jesse together. And it’s a credit to both of you guys Bruce, that that just emerged. It wasn’t like anybody sat down and said let’s make Sam and Jesse this fun team. It was really just every time you put them on...

Bruce Campbell: Well I appreciate that because you know.

Matt Nix: ...the screen that happened.

Bruce Campbell: As you know Coby Bell is very difficult. That’s a well-known thing within the industry, his temperament and his - well frankly anger issues.

Matt Nix: But I don’t know how you dealt with it.

Bruce Campbell: We - well we’ve overcome. And no, sometimes you turn tragedy into triumph. And I think that’s what we try to do. The fart jokes.

Matt Nix: Yes.

Bruce Campbell: The little trumpet singing he does, you know, all of...

Matt Nix: That can sometimes break through the dark miasma that is rolling in his universe.

Bruce Campbell: Yes. I think that thoroughly answers that.

Jeffrey Donovan: Yes. Is that right? We answered way more than the earlier ones.

Kim Haas: Thank you so much and congratulations on a great season.

Bruce Campbell: Thank you.

Operator: Thank you. The next question comes from the line of Doug Hanks with The Miami Herald. Please go ahead.

Doug Hanks: Thank you. So by my count Burn Notice filmed the same number of episodes as Miami Vice did, 111. And obviously it’s been a huge boost to the local production industry.

And I’ve gotten a lot of feedback from people in the industry who blame part of the reason there’s not a season on the loss of the Coconut Grove Convention Center.

And I was hoping Matt, could you talk about that in terms of the prospects for an eighth season and whether any local production issues came into play there?

Matt Nix: Ultimately really no. I mean it’s like that’s a, you know, it would have been a pain in the butt to find a new place. But you don’t - I don’t think you decide to make or not make a series on the basis of whether the stage spaces are available.

So, you know, there were a lot of factors that went into it. You know but and a lot of - but a lot of them were just creative. I mean a lot of it was just, you know, and when you’re making a series you really have a choice. You can either end it on your own terms in which case you will be invariably ending it what feels like a little early. Or you can end it when you get yanked off the air in which case you will invariably be ending it a little bit late.

And so that - so between the two of those, I mean I think that, you know, there are obviously positives and negatives and, you know, but I think that everybody - we were all I think very happy this season, you know, when you know you’re ending. That’s - you think about loss, like they asked for an end date so that they could bring things to a close.

And, you know, once we had a sense that this was going to be the last season we were able to do a new kind of storytelling and the kind of storytelling that I’m really proud of.

So yes, it wasn’t like we were like oh well, fine. You know if you’re taking away the Convention Center we’re taking our football and going home, not at all so.

Doug Hanks: Thank you.

Operator: Thank you. The next question comes from the line of Michelle Alexandria from Eclipse Magazine. Please go ahead.

Michelle Alexandria: Hello everyone. Thank you for taking the time. My question is kind of a simple one which is is there anything that you guys wanted to do on the show that you couldn’t for whatever reason in terms of character stunts or whatever?

Bruce Campbell: That’s a good question. Jeffrey what did you want to do?

Jeffrey Donovan: Well I’m a private pilot. And I fly a (Cirrus) which is an unbelievable plane. And I wanted to actually shoot a scene where you don’t cut so you know it’s me. And I actually fly, you know, me and Bruce or something like that or me and my mom to safety. And the camera is on us. And you see us actually be flying.

I really wanted to do that. But we never got to do that.

Bruce Campbell: I agree. I think Jeffrey and my stunt double would have done just a great, great sequence.

Jeffrey Donovan: But - gee thanks Bruce. Why would (unintelligible)?

Michelle Alexandria: (A new series).

Bruce Campbell: I roller skate like a mother scratcher. And I’ve pressured Matt, you know, what do these people do in their off season, you know, when they’re not working? I can never sell that. I tried it eight different ways, seven different seasons, never got in.

So I’m going to make a YouTube video and I’ll be done with it.

Matt Nix: But you wanted to bowl as well. Are you actually a good bowler?

Bruce Campbell: Well bowling, yes, bowling, that was just one thing.

Jeffrey Donovan: He’s not a good bowler.

Matt Nix: Yes, okay (unintelligible).

Jeffrey Donovan: You would need your stunt double for that Bruce.

Matt Nix: (Unintelligible). Yes, thank you.

Bruce Campbell: Yes, I’d say Jeffrey you also wanted to have an episode where you played a full 18 holes of golf on screen.

Jeffrey Donovan: Exactly.

Bruce Campbell: We were unable to do that. But yes.

Jeffrey Donovan: (Sold my soul) (unintelligible) in four and a half hours. It was an 18-hole match.

Matt Nix: Yes, I mean actually I have - that’s a - for me that’s a hard question to answer just because, you know, I have a book of like the Burn Notice episodes that I was never able to do.

One thing actually though just being in Miami, there are certain things that just seemed totally logical to do. But that you - for various reasons are almost impossible to do.

So like a boat chase, yes, and you need like six boats to actually do a boat chase so that you have boats on cameras and then this boat and that boat and three water safety crews.

And once you actually get into the logistics of doing a real boat chase that’s, you know, that like it seems like the most natural thing in the world to do on Burn Notice but it was something that we - you know we did pieces of boat chases and little stuff. But we never actually were able to do that kind of thing.

And also we always joked that we had a - on Burn Notice just because of our production schedule we were given special versions of the screenwriting software that would not allow us to write the word night because we can almost never shoot anything at night.

So if you watch Burn Notice, like whenever it’s night they’re almost always inside because, you know, so that was...

Man: Thank you.

((Crosstalk))

Michelle Alexandria: Okay (unintelligible).

Man: Who?

WoMan: (Unintelligible).

Michelle Alexandria: Hello?

WoMan: (Good).

Michelle Alexandria: Hello?

Man: Hello?

Man: Hello?

Michelle Alexandria: I think lost you for a second there.

Man: So whoever’s not here (unintelligible).

Michelle Alexandria: Hello?

Operator: Ladies - yes. Ms. Alexandria your line is still open.

And as a reminder ladies and gentlemen to register for a question please press the 1 followed by the 4.

Michelle Alexandria: Okay. And then I have one more follow-up question which is for a show like this or any show that features a hero is it possible for the hero to have a happy ending?

Jeffrey Donovan: Yes, thank you. I would say that if you’re telling a story that has - if you’re telling a real story, I mean and you think about any classical story it’s like the ending will have both triumph and tragedy in it. You know what I mean? Like I think if you’re just telling a story that just has a sad ending, then well that’s a bummer. Like people don’t - that’s usually not why we go see - go turn on the TV or go to movies or whatever or read books.

At the same time if it is just happy then it really feels like the story doesn’t have any weight or consequence. And so I think that it’s always got to be a mixture of those two.

Michelle Alexandria: Okay, well thank you.

Operator: Thank you.

Man: Thank you.

Operator: The next question - thank you. The next question is a follow-up from the line of Hal Boedeker. Please go ahead.

Hal Boedeker: Oh I’d like to go back to Jeffrey and Bruce. And just to sort of ask what has the show meant to you?

Bruce Campbell: Go ahead Jeffrey.

Jeffrey Donovan: I’m not - it’s kind of a general and vague question. Can you be more specific?

Hal Boedeker: Well what does it mean to you and your career? What has it done for you?

What stands out from you over all the seasons?

Jeffrey Donovan: I don’t know. Bruce, why don’t you take that one?

Bruce Campbell: It was a great gig is what it was. You know actors - there’s so many levels to being an actor. One is trying to get in your local community theater play. Sometimes that doesn’t even work.

Sometimes you get in a local commercial and you’re happy because you nailed that.

Sometimes it’s you’re great just because you’re happy to get an agent. And then once you get the agent can they get you better jobs? Then if they get you better jobs can you actually get those jobs?

Burn Notice was a case where it was not just something that got picked up or ran one or two seasons. It got picked up and was successful right from the go get. And pretty much we had seven strong seasons.

So it’s the equivalent of a grand slam homerun. So Jeffrey and I, I know can basically - we can each put that on our resume. Same with Matt Nix and anybody else who worked on the show that they worked on one team that won the World Series.

And we’ll always have that on our resume. And you can’t take that away from us. And frankly it makes up for a lot of the stinkers that we’ve all had in our career.

Hal Boedeker: Jeffrey, anything you want to add?

Jeffrey Donovan: I agree with that.

Hal Boedeker: Thank you.

Bruce Campbell: I will add one little thing though. And I know you can still at least hear me I think, is that when you work on a show for seven years you really get to meet a - you meet a lot of great actors, a lot of great writers, a lot of great directors and producers.

So it’s really given us all a database in our heads of people that would be kind of fun to work with in the future. And normally you wouldn’t get that if you weren’t spending a long time on a show.

Operator: Thank you. The next question comes from the line of Jamie Steinberg with Starry Constellation Magazine. Please go ahead.

Jamie Steinberg: Hi. It’s such a pleasure to speak to - with you guys and hello from South Florida. We’ll miss seeing you film here.

Man: We will miss you too and hello.

Man: We will miss you. Yes.

Jamie Steinberg: I was wondering was there any memorabilia that each of you all took that was special to you at the end of the finale.

Jeffrey Donovan: I took one (unintelligible).

((Crosstalk))

Bruce Campbell: Is anyone from Fox listening? Yes, that’s...

Man: Yes, (anything) that you took?

Bruce Campbell: I know that I paid for some things so.

Man: What did you buy?

Man: Yes, I mean what did you buy? I mean you...

((Crosstalk))

Man: Buy (from us).

Man: Didn’t you get some shirts?

Bruce Campbell: I bought the best of the best of the shirts that had the best patterns, that I liked the best. I bought my jewelry which I found out was the most expensive part of purchasing that because they actually wound up making them gold after about the third or fourth season so I was like wow, those are expensive. They’re like, yes we thought we had gold instead of a cheesy, you know, plating.

But the most important thing I wanted was it’s a Sam Axe notebook. It’s a spiral notebook. Sam is a little more old school where he does jot down actual notes when he’s listening to people talk on the phone.

So I have a spiral notebook that throughout the last five years of the show that I used that I put dates. Every time I did a little notepad, I put the dates on it.

And so to me it’s a little Smithsonian piece that I’m going to keep that nobody else. It means absolutely nothing to anyone. And that’s why I like it.

Man: That’s really cool.

Jamie Steinberg: Jeffrey.

Jeffrey Donovan: I - no. I wanted a chair for my lawn.

Bruce Campbell: You didn’t get that?

Jeffrey Donovan: It was a little green chair that had kind of a silver railing to it, you know, arm rail to it.

Bruce Campbell: Yes, it’s club chair. It was a...

Jeffrey Donovan: And when I - and it was a really great chair. And I mean I must have sat on it for seven years. And when I went to the head dresser and I said yes, I’d like to buy that chair. Where is it? They - I was informed that it was never Burn Notice’s. It was actually a set decorator’s chair. He leant it to the show. And when the show’s over he took it back.

Bruce Campbell: Oh wow.

Jeffrey Donovan: So I didn’t know that our - my living room on one of the most successful TV shows in USA Cable’s history was a loaner of.

So I - you know that was the only thing I wanted. But what - actually no one knows is that I actually own and possess the one of the most iconic things that was actually on the show. But I owned it from the get go and that was my original Oliver Peoples aviators. When we shot...

Bruce Campbell: Oh those were yours?

Jeffrey Donovan: ...the pilot those were my sunglasses. And when (unintelligible).

((Crosstalk))

Bruce Campbell: See I didn’t know that.

Jeffrey Donovan: ...offered, you know, a choice that was cleared, I didn’t like any of the glasses. So I said I’d like to use my own and Matt said, yes, that’s fine with me.

And so we shot the pilot with my own. Then when the series was picked up they got a replica of it and changed the lenses so that they would be less reflective.

But the original Michael Westen sunglasses are in my possession. And I don’t - obviously I don’t wear them anymore because they’re too iconic and I’d get bothered everywhere I went. But so I’ll always hold onto those forever.

WoMan: (Unintelligible).

((Crosstalk))

Bruce Campbell: I also say call sheets.

Jeffrey Donovan: What’s that?

Bruce Campbell: I said call sheets. Those are the little daily worksheets that has a list of who worked that day and what scenes you’re doing and where you are. So I save them like once a week so I know - I have a good document of all the actors that kind of came and went. It’s just a fun little record.

Matt Nix: Well that’s a good idea.

Jamie Steinberg: Well that’s a good secret. I’ll keep that between you and me.

Bruce Campbell: Oh okay.

Matt Nix: I can creep you out actually with what I have Jeffrey. I actually did not realize this until the last episode.

But Jeffrey and I are the same suit size and shoe size. So I was hanging around with one of our (costume) (unintelligible), you know, and he kept bringing like I needed shirts for something. They were doing interviews or something.

And he kept bringing me shirts. And I realized at a certain point, wait these are all Jeffrey shirts, like I’m wearing Jeffrey’s wardrobe, right. And he’s like, yes, it doesn’t really matter because, you know, he’s done with that scene and he doesn’t need this shirt anymore.

And he kept bringing them. And I was like wait a second, what size suit is he?

And he was like oh he’s 40 Regular. I was like and what waist size, inseam?

And they’re - I’ve got to get them taken in a little bit but I got four of the - I got the tan suit. Like I got four of the iconic (unintelligible).

Group: Wow.

Jeffrey Donovan: You got the official Michael suits.

Matt Nix: Yes because...

Man: That’s a good one.

Matt Nix: ...I was like well they’re good suits. And I - there’s no sense not taking them. And a bunch of shoes so I guess I’m going to have to like wear suits around all the time now.

But I was like yes, the tan suit, you know, that’s a good thing to have. I’ll take it.

Man: There’s a good one. That’s a good one.

Jamie Steinberg: Now you have your own Halloween costume. You have like a Halloween costume for the next few years.

Matt Nix: Yes exactly, totally.

Jamie Steinberg: And what’s next for you and Bruce, Jeffrey. What’s next for you?

Jeffrey Donovan: I’m resting. I’m resting. Bruce?

Bruce Campbell: You know, we’re actors that we’re fortunate enough to work before Burn Notice. Hopefully we’ll be fortunate enough to work after.

So there’s a bunch of stuff floating around but anything I mention today would all be bologna because it can’t be confirmed.

Jamie Steinberg: Great. Thank you guys so much for all the memories.

Bruce Campbell: Thank you.

Man: Thank you.

Operator: Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen as a reminder to register for a question please press the 1 followed by the 4.

The next question comes from the line of Joshua Maloney with Niagara Frontier Publications. Please go ahead.

Joshua Maloney: Hi guys. Thanks for your time, appreciate it.

So Jeffrey my question is for you. When we spoke before and you speculated about whether there would be a seventh season you sort of imagined that Michael was going to have to go a dark place.

Now that you’ve actually done that I’m wondering what that process was like for you as an actor.

Jeffrey Donovan: I was right about something? Holy shit.

Yes. I think that the reality of the season was a lot harder than I imagined. And I give Matt and his team of writers a lot of credit for taking not only the audience but me the actor down a path that was incredibly difficult.

You know one of the things that Matt and I have always talked about was what’s underneath, you know, what’s the - when you peel away these layers of the onion, you know, what’s at the core of Michael, and that journey was in the seventh season.

And what we find is a, you know, no, I’m not being - trying to be funny but it’s a frightened little boy.

And I’m not sure if I even knew that when I started the pilot with Matt. But no, with anything the seven year marriage with Matt and writers, it was a world of discovery that was really just an incredible joy to pursue.

And a lot harder I think to pull it off in the end. It certainly tested my abilities. And I think that Matt might even feel like it tested his ability but I think when you come - when you push yourself to create something that you’ve never done before it’s - if you do it right I think it can - you can pull something off pretty magical.

And I feel - that’s what I feel like we pulled off something magical for our final season.

Joshua Maloney: All right. And Bruce let me ask you. What do you think about the fact that Sam has sort of become the responsible one in that group? Does that sort of surprise you?

Bruce Campbell: I like it. Because, you know, reporters, the first couple seasons were like so you’re the guy that rats on Mike, you know. I’m like shut up with that already. He’s done with that. You know characters grow. Sam was worried about his pension. You would be too.

So yes. Nice to have him - any character grow from the, you know, fun loving guy to the guy who actually really is concerned for everybody.

And everybody has their own moral strength. I’m glad to see that Sam had a pretty good moral core. You know he knew when something was really bad and that it’s a gut feeling. And everybody has it.

So I think each character at one point or another was there to help, you know, it takes a village to raise a spy so I think that’s kind of theory.

Joshua Maloney: All right, thanks guys, appreciate it. And thanks for a great series too, really appreciate that.

Bruce Campbell: Thank you.

Operator: Thank you. The next question comes from the line of Suzanne Lanoue with the TV MegaSite. Please go ahead.

Suzanne Lanoue: Hi. Thanks for speaking with us and thank you for all the many years that you’ve spoken with us. I really appreciate it.

Man: Of course.

Suzanne Lanoue: And I’m really going to miss the show. And but you guys have done an outstanding job this season.

And I really think you’re all very underrated for the job that you do.

What do you miss most about...?

Man: Wait, say that again. Could you say that one more time?

Suzanne Lanoue: You’re underrated. Underrated actors and...

Man: Thank you. I appreciate that.

Suzanne Lanoue: ...writers.

Man: I just wanted to hear that.

Suzanne Lanoue: Very much.

Man: I just wanted to hear - you say that one more time.

Suzanne Lanoue: You want me to say it...

Man: I actually heard you clearly the first time.

Suzanne Lanoue: Very much. What will each of you miss the most about working on the show and what will you miss the least?

Man: Gentlemen.

Matt Nix: Well, you know, for me I think the thing that I’ll miss the most is just there’s this opportunity like, you know, you get - as a writer, you know, you get struck by some idea or something you want to do or whatever.

And, you know, when you’re running a show like Burn Notice we’re really able to do a new kind of thing each week. You know we could do - and there’s always like, there was always going to be action in it. There was always going to - you know it’s the same characters.

But, you know, like one episode could be on an island and, you know, dealing with a bunch of guys, you know, bunch of mercenaries and the next thing could be in the middle of the, you know, the center of a city and very intimate. And could do something where they’re all locked in one building or, you know, all sorts of things.

And the opportunity to just come up with an idea and then make it happen, you know, it’s - even if I were to do another show it’s hard to picture having another show with that kind of narrative freedom.

And also just, you know, the opportunity to write these characters that I’ve come to know so well. So I’ll miss that enormously.

I think the thing that I’ll, you know, miss the least is the - and this probably true for everybody, just the schedule of banging out an episode of Burn Notice every week is, you know, is pretty punishing and for everybody.

And, you know, our episodes were always so overstuffed. And I think that’s kind of like one of the things that made us successful but it was also something that made it very hard on the actors and on the writers because, you know, every - can be told every single week. Ah yes, we can’t do this episode.

And then, I mean by people who were doing their jobs, you know, and then realize okay, we got to cut this. We got to figure this out. We got to do that. It was a tough process. So, you know, it’s kind of two sides of the same coin really.

Mr. Donovan?

Jeffrey Donovan: I’m going to miss the most my salary.

Man: For once an honest answer.

Suzanne Lanoue: Yes.

Jeffrey Donovan: How, you know, how much it just gave me pleasure. How it just (unintelligible).

((Crosstalk))

Man: You receive money.

Jeffrey Donovan: And a ton of it every week on the seventh and on a hit show that is global.

Man: Nice.

Jeffrey Donovan: The thing I’ll miss the least, you know, there’s - every actor has his own or his or her own idiosyncrasies and mine was to be quite frank, I - we all knew how hard the show was since the beginning. And we knew how difficult it was to pull off like Matt said weekly.

So the thing that was the most difficult was always some new guy that just showed up. You know and said I love your show. I can’t wait to work on it.

And then they showed up. And we said hey it’s going to be a lot harder than you think. And on the first day they underestimated how difficult.

And, you know, by the end of the day you’re, you know, you’re puffing them full of fluids. And you’re putting ice packs on the back of their neck because they’re literally dying from exhaustion.

So, you know, a hardest thing to always watch was anyone who ever thought that this show was easy to do because you watched it. And then seeing them just, you know, fail miserably on their first day but then they - then on the second day we all picked them up and they - and we gave them a slap on the back and said, you can get back in there.

And they always kind of fulfilled the commitment but that was always just kind of the hardest thing was initiating the uninitiated.

Bruce Campbell: I guess from my - I would say I miss most the unique nature of the show because I swore on a deck of bibles that I would not do a doctor show, a lawyer show or a cop show because they drive me insane. And I would hang myself in my trailer season two if I did those types of shows.

It’s just the way I’m wired. I like Burn Notice because it wasn’t any of those shows. We’re cops but we’re cooler than cops where we help people. We save lives but we’re not boring like doctors are boring.

And the most boring of all is a lawyer who deals with legal stuff all the time. We deal with legal stuff every single day. We break laws every single day on Burn Notice but we never do anything wrong.

And so I just - there’s very few shows that were like it. I’m referring to it in the past tense now.

So I will mostly miss that because it’s going to take a while to find another gig that is as interesting and complex and not boring.

I won’t miss the heat.

Suzanne Lanoue: I thought you guys were going to say yogurt would be the thing you’d miss the least.

Jeffrey Donovan: Oh no. It’s like a commercial. You know you take a bite and spit in a bucket.

Suzanne Lanoue: Okay. Well thank you very much.

Operator: Thank you. The next question comes from the line of Jamie Ruby with scifivision.com. Please go ahead.

Jamie Ruby: Hi guys. Thanks so much for talking to us today.

Not knowing obviously if I’m guessing when the main character is going to die, not knowing about that or what happens, I’m curious, do you guys think that Michael can ever kind of walk away from the life he has even if he has the choice and he can be with seeing all that? Is that in him or is it kind of engrained in him to be the way he is and be helping everybody and doing this kind of job?

Jeffrey Donovan: Have you seen the last two episodes?

Jamie Ruby: No I have not.

Jeffrey Donovan: I mean I think Matt appreciates how difficult of a question that is. I think that what is displayed in the last episode is who (Michael is).

And the kind of ambiguous nature of a spy is always going to lend itself to the question of is he honest about choices he makes or is it for God and country or whatever, you know, the statement might be.

But I think that, you know, you can take Michael out of Miami and out of the CIA but I don’t think you can ever take the hero out of Michael. And I know that sounds corny but I think that when Michael is put in a situation where he has to save someone, he’ll never walk away from that situation.

But if he had a choice professionally as far as career I think he could walk away from his job with the government.

Matt?

Matt Nix: Yes. I agree. I mean I think that a big (unintelligible) particularly in the last (unintelligible) what he does. Like what is the nature of that compulsion.

And the - you know and as you go back to the origins of the series, it was always (unintelligible) you know (unintelligible).

And our (take) from that got more and more as we (unintelligible) well it’s not that he’s a nice guy. Like something’s going on with this guy that he’s like constantly putting himself in (you know) danger for all sorts of reasons he doesn’t (unintelligible).

Where does that (unintelligible)?

Jeffrey Donovan: Hey Matt, I don’t know if you know this but you’re breaking up. I think you might be on a (cell phone).

((Crosstalk))

Matt Nix: Oh sorry. Can you hear me now?

Jeffrey Donovan: I only heard about every fourth word.

Suzanne Lanoue: Yes, me too.

Matt Nix: Oh okay. (It’s what Jeffrey said).

Jeffrey Donovan: No. You still broke up Matt.

Emily Spitale: I think you said what Jeffrey said.

Matt Nix: Yes. I agree with what Jeffrey said in that case if you can’t hear me.

Jeffrey Donovan: Just put quotes around my quote and then attribute it to Matt.

Matt Nix: Yes, exactly. Yes, perfect.

Suzanne Lanoue: Okay. And then secondly, what do you both or sorry, all three of you think that you’ve learned most about yourself since starting the show?

Jeffrey Donovan: Have you learned anything Bruce?

Bruce Campbell: Oh boy. No. Things that I suspected just came true.

Suzanne Lanoue: Okay.

Jeffrey Donovan: That I’m an amazing actor.

Bruce Campbell: Yes. Yes, that all that surprised me. Yes, of course. You learn something basically every day, some way to spin something, some way to end a scene, some way to put a little button on something.

So, you know, you’re always thinking. And we’re grateful to Matt and the writers for being, you know, fluid with our inabilities in certain cases and poor memory and stuff like that.

So, you know, we learned how to survive. We learned - no, here’s what it is. We learned how to do this show in seven days and that’s a lot to learn. That’s a big learning curve.

And I want to find the idiot who did the first episode in seven days because I’m going to kill him.

Jeffrey Donovan: I think that would be Matt.

Bruce Campbell: No. No, somebody...

Matt Nix: Yes.

Bruce Campbell: ...broke that precedent. All the other shows I did were eight days to do the same amount.

Matt Nix: Eight days, yes.

Bruce Campbell: And some genius came in and said I can do it in seven so I want to find that person.

Matt Nix: I’d say for me, can you hear me okay now?

Jeffrey Donovan: Yes.

Suzanne Lanoue: Yes.

Matt Nix: Okay. I’d say for me that what I really learned was that sort of how far or what I sort of had creatively when I was pressed. You know what I mean like the - because the way the show was done and it wasn’t just the schedule though that had a lot to do with it but it was, you know, having Jeffrey call up and say, you know, I don’t think this scene is working. I think we should do this a different way. Or I want this out because (do this) or having Bruce.

And it just feel like, you know, you’re like being challenged by the actors and finding that even when I really didn’t feel like I could do it, like I didn’t feel like I had the answer, that if you just sort of trust yourself and, you know, reach inside yourself or, you know, at least my experience was, you know, just kind of trusting the process and going like, okay, well this is going to work out. It’s going to be challenging and I’m going to have to figure something out.

And if I dig deep and I really - and I’m willing to take a risk and, you know, then we’re going to find something fun. And at the beginning of the series there was always this panic. Like it was going to like everything was going to fall apart.

And by the end, you know, I felt like I sort of learned how to do that. You know and just trust that we could make something cool if we all kind of knuckled down and worked together and breathed deeply through the panic.

Suzanne Lanoue: Okay, great.

Operator: Thank you.

Suzanne Lanoue: Jeffrey, anything?

Emily Spitale: And we’re going to take our last question now.

Operator: Certainly. The last question for today comes from the line of Michelle Alexandria with Eclipse Magazine. Please go ahead.

Michelle Alexandria: Oh no. Going to ask Burn Notice question ever. A lot of pressure.

My last question for you guys is you have amazing series of cast members over the years. Can you guys talk a little bit about who your favorites were and why?

Man: Gentlemen.

Matt Nix: For me I’d say like my favorite - I have tons of favorites over the years. And there were a lot of really like (unintelligible) actors. The people that I tend to think about the most in terms of guest cast were the big foils to Michael. Because those were always, you know, like for a one episode fill-in might be or guest actor of any kind might be interesting. But you’re not generally exploring a character over time, that kind of thing.

And we were lucky to get Garret Dillahunt to play Simon was a really fun one. Jay Karnes who played Brennen came back a number of times. Tim Matheson who played Larry.

You know the opportunity sort of to explore villainy like less as a dramatic conceit and really more in terms of character like who are these guys. What motivates them. Tricia Helfer who played Carla in the second season was magnificent.

I’m leaving a bunch of people out. But those - actually JP who plays James in this season is also, you know, has done a great job.

So really exploring those motivations and going on that journey with an actor. And we’ve been blessed to have a lot of great ones.

What about you guys?

Jeffrey Donovan: Yes, Jay Karnes...

Man: And Bruce.

Jeffrey Donovan: ...only because it was the first time Matt had ever written a character that was smarter than Michael. And that was always the kind of precedent that no one in the room was ever smarter than Michael Westen.

And Matt did a cool - wrote a character that was smarter than Michael. But his ego kind of got in his way which was his downfall.

But, you know, I love Jay Karnes. But as far as craziest villains, Garret Dillahunt. His Simon, the tweets that I read about how - what a great thing to bring him back and then what a clever thing that Matt and the writers did about ending, you know, spoiler alert, his life.

And showing kind of what Michael can be as a monster was just a great flag in the history of Burn Notice.

Bruce Campbell: The great Jack Coleman as well. You know playing the conflicted CIA guy. I just enjoyed Jack so much mostly as a person but his character was a lot of fun to watch because things were happening left and right around him and he was always, get Langley on the phone. He was always mad, you know.

So we’d show up on set and go hey are we going to hell at each other today? He’s like yes, I think we are. Like let’s do it.

And John C. McGinley was very good. And you’re right, Tim Matheson was definitely one of the best. You know Larry was a great recurring, just really troublesome bad guy.

And I think, you know, for actors bad guys are sometimes - those are the best parts to play because you can really chew it up. And Tim Matheson certainly did.

Emily Spitale: Great. It’s Emily. I’m going to say - I’m going to just interrupt here and say thank you to Matt and Jeffrey and Bruce. And sorry to cut this but we have to let these guys go.

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