Jeffrey Donovan could have researched the life of a spy for his new series, “Burn Notice,” (premiering tonight at 10 on USA Network). But then he might have been burned.

In the series, Donovan’s agent Michael Westen discovers in the middle of a dangerous operation that he has been fired. His bank accounts are frozen. No one will take his calls. It’s as if he doesn’t exist.

“You can’t shadow a real-life Michael Westen because I would be dead right now,” Donovan said in a recent conference call with reporters. “But I was able to get in touch with a government official with no name. And I could have some e-mails with him, and he’s been very helpful.”

?When Michael Weston gets “burned” by the CIA, he doesn’t know what’s in store for him. Neither does actor Jeffrey Donovan playing Michael on USA Networks’ new spy series Burn Notice.

Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar Talk Burn Notice?

“They’re keeping me in the dark and that’s good,” said Donovan. Join the club with the cast of Lost, Heroes, etc. But trying to establish a new show, Donovan needs to know something, right??

“I just play it scene by scene and episode by episode. I understand there’s an arc and it’s going to reveal later on towards the end of the season what possibly I was burned for. The burn notice is a CIA term that actually exists. You are notified that every part of you, your Social Security, your name, your history has been burned. So no one can help you. Your assets are frozen. So you’re not only a fish out of water, you’re broke and out of luck. So to find his way through the series is really finding his way, hopefully, back to the CIA and what was the original burn notice and who issued it.”