Jace Alexander Movies

The semi-serious action series Burn Notice starred Jeffrey Donovan as Michael Westen, a highly trained American secret agent who, smack in the middle of a tough assignment in Nigeria, was fired -- or "burned" -- by his superiors. Not only that: Michael was cut off without a penny or with any other resources and flagged as a bad risk for any other government job; indeed, he was figuratively wiped off the face of the earth, with no official acknowledgment of his existence. Stranded in Miami, Michael resigned himself to picking up sporadic work as a troubleshooter-for-hire, using his Special Ops know-how to help ordinary people in distress -- all the while keeping several steps ahead of certain old enemies who were out for revenge. And, as Michael's slightly sardonic voice-over narration made clear, he also was determined to find out who had blacklisted him, and why. Providing both moral and physical support for our hero was his ex-lover Fiona Glenanne (Gabrielle Anwar), an explosives/reconnaissance/surveillance expert formerly with the Irish Republican Army; and hedonistic semi-retired spy Sam Axe (Bruce Campbell), who had accumulated a warehouse of "mementos" of his espionage career which he freely shared with Michael whenever the need arose. Also in the cast was Sharon Gless as Michael's overbearing, hypochondriac mom, Madeline, who was less upset over her son's abrupt dismissal than she was over the loss of her meal ticket. Adroitly combining fast, sometimes brutal action with deadpan humor, Burn Notice joined the USA Network lineup on June 28, 2007, with a special 90-minute episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Originally developed for the WB network, the hour-long drama series Six Degrees ultimately made its debut courtesy of ABC. In the tradition of the Oscar-winning theatrical feature Crash, the series offered a sextet of diverse Manhattanites whose lives intersected in strange and mysterious ways. The title was, of course, derived from the familiar conceit that everyone on the face of the earth is divided by only six degrees of separation (and no, Kevin Bacon did not appear on the show). Filmed on location in New York, the series' multigenerational ensemble cast included Laura (Hope Davis), a single mother grieving over the death of her war-correspondent husband; Steven (Campbell Scott), a washed-up, formerly successful photographer; Whitney (Bridget Moynahan), a publicist who gives Steven a major professional break and also befriends Laura; Carlos (Jay Hernandez), an idealistic public defender; Damian (Dorian Missick), a limo driver and chronic gambler; and "mystery woman" Mae (Erika Christensen), who while on the run from an unknown pursuer was defended by Carlos on a charge of public indecency, and who, while donning one of her many disguises and adopting one of her aliases, was hired by Laura as a nanny -- and who, inevitably, was somehow connected to the troubled Damian. Six Degrees first aired on September 21, 2006. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A young Russian model dies while shoplifting at a trendy clothing store, apparently the victim of an overdose of prescription drugs. During their investigation, the detectives cross the path of a controversial and extremely abrasive "Dr. Feelgood" named Ellis Heinz (Jonathan Hogan). But as much as the DA's office would like to send Heinz to prison for his unorthodox drug ministrations, it is just possible that the dead model was the victim of something other than a reckless misdiagnosis. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A cab driver is murdered, sending Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Green (Jesse L. Martin) on another clue-gathering expedition. The trail leads to a lost book, a brace of authors, and a onetime child prodigy. The story takes a bizarre twist when the suspect demands to be sentenced to death. And, oh, yes, also figuring in the proceedings is the former law school professor and mentor of ADA Serena Southerlyn (Elisabeth Rohm). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The murder at the center of this episode is that of an insurance executive. The killer may well be the father of a nine-year-old leukemia victim, to whom the victim denied funding for special treatment. In their efforts to prosecute the case, A.D.A.'s McCoy (Sam Waterston) and Southerlyn (Elisabeth Rohm) find themselves figuratively handling a double-edged sword. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A ruthless young stockbroker is murdered in his Wall Street office. No sooner have the detectives made an arrest than the suspect is also killed. Acting upon the likelihood that both victims were rubbed out by a professional assassin, the DA's office bears down upon the Mob -- and in so doing uncover a stock swindle of 21st century dimensions. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The real-life legal case that inspired the 1990 film Guilty by Suspicion would seem to be the source material for this episode. The detectives investigate the reasons behind a wealthy woman's comatose condition. Key players in this sordid drama include the woman's husband David Moore (David Dukes), her daughter Debbie (Marin Hinkle), and an "unrelated" third party. "Stiff" originally aired in tandem with another episode, "Vaya Con Dios," on May 24, 2000, bringing the tenth season of Law & Order to a close. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A prisoner is murdered while still behind bars. At first, it seems to be an open-and-shut case, with detectives Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Green (Jesse L. Martin) almost immediately collaring the likeliest suspect. But did the perpetrator act on his own volition, or was he merely following orders -- orders that may have been issued from outside prison walls? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Detectives Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Curtis (Benjamin Bratt) learn that a murdered coed was in a relationship with college professor Miguel Clemente (Miguel Sandoval). Of equal interest to the D.A.'s office are two other suspects, a pair of male students with seemingly airtight alibis. The original print ads for this episode were right on the money when they promised "Shocking evidence will uncover the truth." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Why would a purse-snatcher shoot and kill his latest victim? While investigating the case, detectives Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Green (Jesse L. Martin) find themselves squabbling over issues that have special significance to them both. On a more serious note, Briscoe realizes that Green is developing a truly bad habit -- while the D.A.'s office haggles with the attorney of the accused over the admissibility of a whispered confession. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A "black widow killer" is at the center of this episode. First, detectives Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Curtis (Benjamin Bratt). Next, A.D.A.'s McCoy (Sam Waterston) and Carmichael (Angie Harmon) shed the spotlight of suspicion on Dennis Pollock (Matt Keeslar), a young man who is romantically involved with two considerably older women. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide