With his entire life in ruins and his former employers refusing to answer the phone to him, Michael begins the hunt for the man who signed the order to burn him, with his biggest source of trouble and information being the government agents assigned to monitor him.

Michael returns the favor by making Bly's life miserable, such as breaking into his hotel room and concealing a magnet near his government laptop to destroy the memory core.

The character of Sam Axe, an ex-Navy SEAL, was given to long-time action star Bruce Campbell, while Sharon Gless was given the part of Michael's hypochondriac mother, Madeline Westen.

Characters that would return in later episodes, the drug-dealing Sugar, client Virgil Watkins, and heroin dealer Carmelo, were played by Arturo Fernandez, Chris Ellis, and Todd Stashwick, respectively.

Other prominent guests included Steven Bauer, Arye Gross, Lucy Lawless, Esai Morales, Mark Pellegrino, Dedee Pfeiffer, and Ray Wise.

There, he also reconnects with significant people from his past: his gun-happy ex-girlfriend Fiona; his beer-loving, womanizing best friend, ex-Navy SEAL Sam Axe; even his very lonely, chain-smoking mother Madeline.

In order to make ends meet and track down leads on who burned him and why, Michael uses his skills helping people in significant trouble, beginning with an estate caretaker (David Zayas) who has been framed by his boss (Ray Wise) for a high-priced art theft.