Well, I can’t tell you how excited I am to finally get to this very important episode!!! whooo hoooo!!! Before 
we get into it – a Huge Thank You to Raffie for transcribing this episode as part of Operation Sandstorm!!!! You rock Raffie!
The episode opens with Rumpled Lee taking cover behind a dumpster..
Francine pulls up and Lee is all attitude- complaining.. Francine says she is following orders and Billy thought Lee could use some back up.. (Lee can always use some back up if you ask me!!)
Lee complains with a really bad attitude: what he doesn’t think I can take care of it myself?!!!
Ouchy Lee has his cranky pants on!!
Lee is expecting a courier to drop something in the alley, Francine covers Lee who circles around the other end of the alley to nab the guy.. but he drops a glass in a very weird way and the courier takes flight.. I swear what is Francine wearing? Those clothes are pretty drab and way too baggy on her..(she really can frump it up!!) Maybe it’s an Issae Miyake – it seems very geometric..
Oh my!! Did you hear the music when Francine turns at the sound of someone in the building?? funky!!! I had to check and make sure I wasn’t watching starsky and hutch there! whooo yeah!!! The funky music continues till Francine surprises Lee around the corner.. What no clown music this week?! drat.. I guess this is Lee is bumbling music! 
hilarious! close your eyes and listen to it! 
Do any of you remember watching this for the first time? Did you believe Lee was for real?? I think I heard about the plot before I saw it –through the fandom.. as it was ages before I finally got my hands on this episode to watch it – what was it like to watch without knowing this is all an act of Lee’s? Do tell!
So Lee screws up twice in this opening sequence..has a bad attitude and is looking all scruffy and unkept.. Still sexy as anything though.. so all is ok.. no no wait!! Concentrate!!!
I think it would have been very dangerous for Lee to screw up on the job as part of his cover – it must be hard to act incompetent while protecting yourself and others.. at some point- you risk the cover becoming a reality.. because the bumbling behaviour which is being performed is real- even if Lee isn’t really burned out.
Back to IFF. We join Billy and Francine walking down the hallway toward the bullpen.
Billy: Again? Now that’s the third operation in a row that he’s messed up.
Francine: The man is in a definite slump.
Billy: That’s putting in mildly. Siegler and Dunne have requested not to work with him anymore. [who cares! we don’t know who they are anyway… country music stars?]
Billy: Now level with me, Francine. Level with me.
Francine regretfully: All right.
Billy: Is Lee losing it?
Francine doesn’t want to answer. Can’t blame her that’s a big call to make and it’s not her call – and it seems ridiculous that Billy isn’t sending Lee to Dr Pfaff for a psych assessment!
Billy: Francine, I know how you feel, but there are lives at stake here. Not only Lee’s, but other agents’ as well. No
w, I want to know, is the man burned out?
Francine: I honestly don’t know. But it might not hurt to … bring him in from the field for a while. 
Touching to see that Francine doesn’t just feed Lee to the sharks here – she IMHO is moderate with Lee’s boss..
Err why doesn’t Billy ask Lee’ s partner.. you know umm Amanda! Wouldn’t she know?? Hmm.. I’ll come back to this..
Lee comes in looking like a teenager (I swear!!). He swaggers down the hallway and into the bullpen.. hands in pockets, shoulders slumped, looking down at the ground..
Billy barks at Lee to go into his office and Lee shoots Francine a filthy look..
Francine avoids looking at Lee.. Call me crazy but Lee just looks too darn gorgeous here! I am completely distracted by this rumpled Lee.
LOL! He even opens the door with Attitude!! haaaaa.. I think Billy and Lee enjoy this role play of theirs!
Hey the lighting in this scene is interesting.. with all the shadows from the blinds- New and very atmospheric!! I like it!! Kinda film noir..with Lee all dishevelled and yummy..
Billy yells at Lee.. that he has messed up three times in a row..
Lee: Aw, come on man. Nobody bats a thousand.
Billy: That’s beside the point. What’s got into you anyway? Look at you. Your suit’s not pressed, your shoes aren’t shined….
Love this response of Lee’s: Looking good…
…doesn’t nail the bad guys.
Excuse me.. but.. ummm.. Lee still looks good! ha haaaaa… better than good!!! Okay… shiny shoes don’t nail the bad guys maybe
Billy: Forget looking good. I’m talking about your 
attitude. You’re not your old self, man. And I
want to know why. What’s bugging you? I mean is it personal problems or what?
Lee: You wanna know what’s bugging me? You really want to know? Everybody else in this 
office keeps telling me that I don’t know how to do my job, including you!
Billy: Don’t push it, Scarecrow.
Lee: Don’t push what?
Billy: I’m running out of patience. Now… You blow one more operation and…
Lee: And what?
Billy: If you don’t shape up, you’re going to find yourself pushing paper.
Lee: You do that, you’re going to have one less agent 
to push around.
Billy: You’re off there, starting now.
Uh oh.. Lee gets really angry when Billy threatens to put him on desk duty.. Oh looky.. everybody in the bullpen can hear what they are saying in Billy’s office? the door isn’t open.. err I thought Billy had his own office for you know- secret stuff! oh dear.. maybe someone should mention it to Billy sometime 😉
haaa Francine’s computer isn’t on! she’s just faking her work while she watches the dramas!
Lee: Now you just listen to me. I’m one of the best agents you ever had in this joint. If you stick me behind a desk, I swear it will be the last thing you ever-
Lee stops himself..
Billy, tightly controlled: I’m going to do you a big 
favour, Stetson. I’m going to pretend this never happened.
Billy: Now I think you better get out there to your desk.
Lee: Don’t do this to me, Billy. (Lee looks desperate now.)
Billy: Your desk now, Scarecrow! Now!
Lee: Like hell I will!
Lee storms out of Billy’s office.
Billy: Scarecrow, come back here! Scarecrow!
Lee passes Amanda on his way out, not acknowledging her. Uh oh!!!
I’ll leave it here for the moment.. I think this episode is BB’s chance to try a different character on for size.. his own version of a doppelganger episode! I love this episode for what it means for Lee and Amanda’s relationship, but .. the set up for me is a stretch.. then again – what smk episode isn’t ? and the plot gives us the opportunity to explore the characters in extraordinary circumstances.. Back with more soon byeeeee
"Just walk with me.." 
There’s so little to add about these thoughts about this episode. One of the best! And also most emotional roller-coaster eps. This is the episode that when my husband watched it said, “I really like her.” (Referring to Amanda – I’m sure I’ll go more into that when we get to that scene – it might not be the one you think.)
I thought the exact same thing about Lee looking like a teenager also. (A gorgeous one, I might add.) Also, KJ’s hair is starting to grow out a little, and it looks lovely. Amanda is amazing in this episode. It’s so interesting to compare and contrast this one to Savior. Where she is professionally from then I think really makes a huge difference, and also where Lee is personally. (And I never really could tell for sure whether more than just Billy and Lee were in on his cover in Savior, because note the difference in Francine’s reactions in Savior at the beginning when she talks to Amanda – doesn’t she say something like “these things happen”, almost indifferently, but here when we genuinely know she doesn’t know, she is way more guarded and thoughtful about her words about Lee’s performance.) This is a little deeper of a cover to me for Lee than Savior.
I think part of agent training has to include some acting training because sometimes they really have to be convincing to pull off these cover roles!
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Oh, oh, wait for me!! I’m trying once again to catch up. I love, love, love Burn Out, and yep, one more big vote for scruffy Lee! Simply gorgeous. I think I’ve alluded to this before, but when I see how BB plays petulant Lee, and yes, Iwsod, sort of looking like a teenager, I feel sympathy for teenage BB’s mom. He looks like he could have been able to give out a real handful of attitude in those lovely adolescent years 🙂 Or maybe it’s just the brilliant actor in him, but as he said at the reunion when I asked him how he evoked some of the deep emotion that we see in Burn Out, he replied, “It’s in there somewhere.” Don’t put too heavy of a spin on that … I think he meant the talent to act the scene is in there somewhere, not that it was actually a projection of his inner self, but still when I see the bad mood Lee, I can easily imagine little BB himself.
I really get a smile from the music in Burn Out. It starts with that over the top suspense music, and of course Amanda will have her own twangy theme music later on. I think they relied on the music to keep the episode from getting too heavy. I also think that the music from the introduction was meant to add some energy to a scene that might otherwise have gotten a little dull. People going in and and out of hallways, doorways, or alleyways can get old fast … I’m picturing the labyrinth scene from Bromfield Hall. The music is a pleasant and entertaining complement.
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Raffffiiiieeeee!!! You are a legend!! thanks so much for transcribing this episode!
Great to see you stop by! 🙂 Good point about the music.. I agree it saves the show many a time! changes the tone.. keeps it interesting.. no wonder it won an emmy! 🙂
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Yes! I think the music for this show is absolutely brilliant! I’ve never encountered another show like it musically. My kids and I often discuss how many variations they are able to make on the theme song and what each one communicates. We love figuring out what they changed, what instruments they used, etc. Total music nerds here!
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Oooo! I just rewatched this episode and noticed a little lip curl/ smirk I’d never seen before. Right before Lee exits Billy’s office in the close-up shot. Nice! 🙂
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So maybe we should just say that scruffy is the new sexy!! At least for this episode…
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Ooooh, so excited that we are finally to this episode!!!!
I agree with everyone scruffy Lee is sexy 🙂
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Yay! We’re finally at Burn Out!!! Say it with me everyone, “Looove this episode!” Or most parts of it anyway. 😉
Although I was 14, I definitely remember watching this episode for the first time. At first I remember thinking what the heck is wrong with Lee? He’s not doing so hot…I also assumed he’d been drinking and dropped his bottle of liquor in the street after he took a big swig. All that chasing the bad guy made him thirsty. I remember thinking Lee’s an alcoholic? Nooo! I can’t love him if he’s a drunk! And neither can Amanda! But at least I know why he’s screwing this up. I remember nodding my head at Lee’s baseball analogy, but it finally started to really dawn on me that something was up when he grabbed Billy by the jacket. I thought there was no way even a drunk Scarecrow would do that! (I’ll continue with my memories with the next post.)
I love me some rough lookin’ Scarecrow too, iwsod…just not the parts when he’s snarling or acting like he’s drunk. Those parts are a bit unattractive – in anyone, even Lee, IMHO.
Issae who? LOL – had to look that one up. At first I thought, it’s Isaac Mizrahi, silly! She must be making a joke I’m not getting. Then I thought, wait, I bet there really is an Issae Miyake. Silly me! I like his geometrical concepts. Although here it looks like to me Francine is wearing one big open oven mitt. Scruffy Lee is too hot to handle! And that funky music is so disco – or makes me think of disco – although I’m too young to remember that era. It also makes me think of the show Quincy, M.E. Now I wish that show was available for digital streaming. Another favorite of mine and Martha Smith even played a stiff on it!
Okay, Warrena Davenport…Lee’s looking yummy? Delicious too? LOL – just messin’ with ya 😉 I agree, Lee is just plain yummy, except Homeless Lee – that’s a little less yummy. Oh my, am I in a silly mood or what?
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I had the same experience — I thought it might be for real — not burnout, exactly, but some kind of personal problem really preying on his mind — until he grabs Billy. “No way even a drunk Scarecrow would do that!” Hit the nail right on the head, BJo! I don’t really feel like the set up is a stretch of the imagination or anything, but maybe that’s because I just love what’s going on so much! Some of the best moments of the series have to be in this episode! There are a few places, later, where I can see some plot holes (there are plot holes in the sweater! But I’ll get to that when we arrive there!) but I can so easily ignore them. I think the relationship takes a very decided turn in this episode, and Amanda’s growth in her job as well.
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Be still my beating heart. Having a hard time keeping these thoughts PG rated when scruffy Lee is on screen. Woo hoo making unkempt the new black LOL
Sorry is there a plot here? I can’t seem to concentrate for very long 😉
Joking aside I reckon Mel Stewart and BB must have had fun with these roles in this episode.
You can just imagine the office gossip when they see Lee grabbing Billy! manhandling the “boss” isn’t good for career progression.
Kudos to Francine for not wanting to completely betray Lee to Billy.
I can’t remember what I first thought with this episode. I am probably really gullible so imagine my first thought was Lee was going off the rails lol
After the last episode I am gonna enjoy this walk sooooooo much.
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I do remember seeing this the first time it was on and thinking “What in the world is going on with Lee? Is this some undercover thing? I certainly hope so.” I think what threw me off was that Francine would certainly be aware if it was undercover, wouldn’t she? I think the glass dropping was probably a bottle of liquor. All part of the pretense. Yes, I too love this episode, lots of angst and goodness. I like how Billy and Lee made sure to be as close to that office window as possible for all the bullpen to see. It’s interesting how Francine doesn’t really want to throw Lee under the bus, but she is certainly not going to stick her neck out to help or support him in any way, at least not while he’s on the skids.
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Oh boy oh boy oh boy, Burn Out! *cackling like a maniac while jumping for joy*! I remember seeing this for the first time and being confused as to what was going on, but hoping it was just a cover. And oh, doesn’t scruffy Lee look scrumptious?! Yep, I am so far down the rabbit hole I can’t see daylight!
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I remember thinking Lee must be undercover. I do sooo enjoy this episode. So much goodness in one episode. Can’t wait to discuss more about this episode with everyone and hear their thoughts.
I did right a short fanfiction from Francine’s point of view which would be the day before this episode starts. If anyone is interested, it’s called “Here Comes Trouble” on fanfiction.net. (I use deelynn as my name there.)
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Not “right,” but “write.” Guess I’ve been doing so much of it lately, I can’t. :p
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Debilyn, you were the first fan fiction author I ever read and marked as favorite. Like Oliver Twist says, more please 🙂
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Wow, thanks, Jule. I’m humbled and flattered. I hope to write one over Christmas break.
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Just went over to ff.net & checked out your story for this episode- I really liked it! It was a nice addition to the episode. Its easy to look at Francine & think she’s such a jerk, so its makes her seem like a fuller character to read stories like yours.
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I remember being relieved when Billy brought Lee into the office and closed the blinds, I think I must have been concerned that this was burn out was a real possibility for him.
I wonder if Lee ever thought that burn out could have been possible for him if Amanda hadn’t come into his life? The beginning of this episode is very reminiscent of the beginning of The First Time.
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First time I saw this, I figured Lee was undercover — maybe because this had some similarities to Savior.
And I agree, rumpled Lee is still very sexy. 🙂
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Ah the episode that caused my creative juices flowing enough to start writing fanfiction. And this was not an easy episode to create a fanfiction off of.
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Talk about taking the bull by the horns! Do you have a link to your story?
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Grey Fool, you wrote the best Amandaramble ever with “A Life Revealed”! I giggled so much when I first read it, my husband came in to see what was so funny. When I told him, he looked at me as if to say, yep, that’s your modus operandi and I have just learned to go with it. Poor hubby.
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Amanda rambles are so much fun to write. To be able to go off in so many different directions and to be able to lead into one idea is fun. 😉
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Grey Fool, I’ve added your links on the Nedlinger’s blog. Hope that’s okay. I know others may want to read it.
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That’s okay with me. You just beat me to the punch. 😉 I’ve been baking cookies all day for christmas so I couldn’t get to my computer to post it.
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