Burn Notice finished out its summer run in a way that fans could appreciate: By finally putting the relationship between Michael and Fiona front and center and in danger. (What follows: Spoiler Alert.) While I found it hard to believe that we were actually supposed to buy the idea that Fiona was going to move back to Ireland forever and thereby leave the series, she was placed in just enough danger (she was, after all, this week’s designated “Client”), that the hour increased her importance in Michael’s life and as an agent for action in a series that has occasionally ignored Fiona. (Do you suspect that Gabrielle Anwar is pretty glad that Moon Bloodgood and Tricia Helfer have been taken out of the running for Michael’s attention when it comes to strong female characters? I know I am.)

Having Fiona’s brother show up to warn her that someone’s coming to kill her, when she already had one sandal-clad foot out the door, was a smart way to get the action revved up. (And avoid a “mere” does-Michael-love-Fiona-enough plotline; Burn Notice thrives on keeping  things moving, not getting bogged down in dialogue, and expressing emotion through behavior and action.)

But equally good was the conclusion of the Strickler storyline. I think Ben Shenkman has been extremely good in this role, but that his arc ended just as it should have: this guy could not have stayed in Michael’s life.

There’s also been a notable increase in action for Sam; he’s not just a wisecracking layabout this season. Seeing him do a lot of shooting and engaging in the action scenes made me remember how good Bruce Campbell is even when he’s not being funny.

All in all, a pretty satisfying ending to Burn Notice’s summer run, wouldn’t you say? Or do you disagree?

How nice that Big Brother just keeps getting loonier, sillier, and more no-loyalty cut-throat. All that, plus the spectacle of Lydia on the chopping-block wearing a black mascara-mask of Zorro topped off by Kate Gosselin’s swirly-twist hairdo. (Note: from this point on, SPOILER ALERT.)

I figured Jeff, who’s established himself as a nice guy, would get America’s vote for the “coup d’etat” power, but I couldn’t have predicted he’d pronounce his new prize as a “coop-de-TAH.” Ah, the exposure of illiteracy is one of BB’s ongoing fascinations.

It was deeply satisfying to see the 4-3 vote to evict Ronnie, and may I congratulate Jordan for hammering in that final nail-in-coffin. The young woman may play (or, who knows with this show, be) a goofball, but whether by chance, fear, loyalty, or dumb luck, she’s been making all the right moves. (Though I’m not sure cuddling with Mr. Coop De Tah is going to work in her favor in the long run. Women who hook up with guys in BB, sexist historical theory or not, tend not to win this hot-house competition at the end.)

I wasn’t even rooting for Ronnie to remain in the game because he was a “good villain.” For all his (and the show’s) hype of Ronnie as a great student of BB strategy, he turned out to be lame-o as a manipulator, a mingy doofus without any gift for gab or original insult.

I’ll keep it short. Two other things:

Hey, Julie Chen, thanks for the shout-out for your fine EW.com blog. It’s among the best host-blogs we’ve ever had.

And make sure to read Kate Ward on our BB-best TV Watch.

By far the most engaging new TV-series creator at the Televisions Critics Association press tour thus far is Liz Tigelaar. Her CW show, Life Unexpected, won’t reach the air til midseason, but it’s bound to capture the hearts and minds of any of you that liked the CW’s Privileged and, before that, Gilmore Girls.

Tigelaar was one of the few producers at the press tour who seemed genuinely overjoyed at getting her creation onto the air — she radiated both intelligence and enthusiasm for her show. It’s about about a teenager, Lux (Britt Robertson), who was abandoned at birth and reconnects with her birth parents, played by Roswell’s Shiri Appleby and Mad Men’s Kristoffer Polaha, who are no longer a couple but agree to assume parenting responsibilities when Lux reenters their lives.

Tigelaar was disarmingly frank about how pleased she was to be at the CW, even if it means competing for attention on a schedule with hipper, glammier shows like the new Melrose Place and The Beautiful Life, and having to shoot her Oregon-set series in Vancouver. “If it wasn’t for this show, I’d be home in bed eating Doritos, so I’m glad to be shooting anywhere,” Tigelaar told reporters.

As a writer and producer, Tigelaar has worked on Brothers & Sisters, American Dreams, and the great Once & Again. Let’s hope her concept of Life Unexpected reaches the screen the way she envisions it (the pilot episode is completely charming), and that its life is unexpectedly long.

Why is it that Entourage is now better whenever there are more guest stars around to distract you from the four main characters? This week, David Schwimmer did an excellent job of acting like an a-hole who wanted his ego stroked at Ari’s agency and to bed Lizzie, the junior agent who’s been having an affair with Gary Cole’s Andrew Klein. Between Schwimmer’s ego-free self-parody and Cole’s meticulously stressed-out performance, this week’s episode was actually pretty entertaining.

As for the core characters, well, spoiler alert: Vince having sex with a willing waitress fulfills a fantasy of some of Entourage’s young male audience, I suppose. Him trying to line up a new conquest while the waitress was still putting her clothes back on seemed creepy to me, but…

Turtle going clothes-shopping for school with Jamie Lynn-Sigler? Z-z-z-z-z, even if it set up the conclusion of another subplot: Johnny Drama’s search for a truly hot chick for a romantic scene in his TV series Five Towns. This storyline didn’t quite track. Johnny claims to be upset because all the models he auditions don’t “give me wood.” (Congrats to another guest star, Tim Busfield, for managing to keep a poker face throughout this.) So he asks Turtle to ask Sigler to take the role. So, wait, wait: Johnny asks a favor of his friend, who’s reluctant but relents, then he gives Sigler a brother-sisterly hug when she agrees?? Do either Turtle or Sigler really want to contribute to helping Johnny get aroused by Turtle’s girlfriend? The plot suddenly turned into a matter of Johnny wanting a big star, rather than a cheap stiffy.

Well, whatever. Even this was better than the Eric subplot: He’s bored, he has Ashley come over to his office, they have sex, he decides to close down his office because he realizes for the umpteenth time that Vince is his only true money-maker. Plus, I really hate the way the character of Ashley is written. This little twerp saunters into E’s office and gratuitously insults E’s middle-aged receptionist as a “fossil” and suggests he get rid of her. Sheesh, what a lousy character.

As I said up top, thank goodness for Cole (who’s making the most of his cheating-husband storyline) and Schwimmer (who has been credited in some quarters as Doug Ellin’s original inspiration in creating Entourage). And nice work in every scene, from office to home, by Jeremy Piven. We should never take his excellence as Ari for granted.

Did you watch? Is Entourage doing it for you this season?