The superspy has been kidnapped by Management, the mysterious group that had him framed and banished from the CIA. Now, impressed by his recapture of the psycho ex-operative Simon, they want Michael’s considerable talents on their side. He ends up partnering with his captor, the dapper Vaughn (The Wire’s Robert Wisdom). “Vaughn is a more friendly collaborator than the other coercive faces of Management, but he’s no less dangerous,” warns exec producer Matt Nix.

On the home front, Jesse Garcia (Coby Bell), another falsely accused ex-federal agent, will join Michael’s evil-fighting team. “He’s a cool guy who has an interesting relationship with both Mike’s mom, Madeline [Sharon Gless], and his sometime lover Fiona [Gabrielle Anwar],” Nix reveals.

In a later episode, Burt Reynolds guests as a formerly hotshot operative-turned-bartender. “There’s still fun to be had,” Nix promises, “but we’re exploring Michael’s inner life—where he’s got some very dark stuff.”The ongoing story arc in “Burn Notice”may be on firmer footing this year, as Michael (Jeffrey Donovan) gets closer than he’s ever been to the people who got him fired from his gig as an intelligence operative. In the season opener, Robert Wisdom (“The Wire”) tempts Michael with an offer from the mysterious “Management,” which needs his particular skills, and the ultimate outcome of Michael’s decision is intriguing.