Burn Notice: Series Finale

Spoiler for Burn Notice Series Finale

I was a little worried going into the Burn Notice series finale, I was a little worried go into an abbreviated final season.  But my fears were put to rest tonight.  The series finale beautifully wrapped everything up and brought back the Michael Weston we all have come to know and love and gave the gang significant problems they couldn't "Michael Weston" their way out of.  The finale also had a lot of homages to the first season that series fans (or people who pay attention to the opening credits) could enjoy, as well as finally gave Fi and Mike the happy ending that Fi always wanted for them.  I loved the voice over going into that final scene with Fi, Mike, and horrible-child-actor-old-what's-his-face, the voice over explained why Mike had to stay dead, because if you're a spy, as long as you're alive and can be useful to someone you'll always be a spy.  The final season had Michael's character go from being devoted to the CIA, like he had been throughout the series, to a traitor who was ready to lead James' terrorist organization, to realizing that both groups are flawed and that he needs to distance himself from the CIA if he's ever going to have any semblance of a life.  The final season also gave Mike moments where he couldn't super-spy his way out of a problem, he had to get his hands dirty, someone had to be a casualty.  I almost thought his brain was going to explode in the beginning of the finale episode.  If he was a cartoon, I think that would be when we would see smoke coming out of his ears and his eyes going all whirligig on us.  The episode also challenged other main characters and put them in new territory, Madeline, after losing a son and her home, sacrificed her life for her remaining son and her grandson.  The episode brought real emotions and fear out in all the four main characters, reinforced their relationship as friends, lovers (in Fi and Mike's case), and more importantly, as family.  The last scene with Sam and Jesse, with Sam as the new season one Mike and Jesse as the season one Sam was a nice touch and...dare I hope...left the door open for a future movie or spin-off series!  Probably not, but one can hope can't they?

The only downsides to the episode and the final season were:

1) The child actor who played Charlie, horrible horrible horrible acting.  I understand the child was probably only two, but he was horrible.  His grandmother was saying her final goodbye and he had no reaction whatsoever.  Couldn't they find a Drew Berrymore or Dakota Fanning type of child actor???

2) We still don't know what was sooooooo horrible about James' terrorist network.  What god awful things did they??  Would have been nice to be told exactly what.  Also, they never mention his old army buddy again after that one episode he was in...where he said he'd help if he could help take James down too and pay him back fro having him committed to a mental hospital and ruining his life.

3) Did Agent Strong really think that Mike and Fi were dead??  I mean, we're talking about Michael Weston here!  It would have been nice to have him know that Mike and Fi made it but that the report states they're dead and dead is how'll keep it.

4) And, the biggest downside to the final season, it's the final season.  No more Burn Notice :(