The burnt-out car in 'Florence Italy'

[Touch of Class]

A scene I found puzzling in this episode (and I'm sure many have felt the same) is when Danny Tepper, visiting his wife in the hospital, receives a present containing a wrecked toy car. 

 

From where the package originates, however, remains unclear. Initially I had some vague idea that it may have from been his father, but, upon second thought, there seems to be no motive for it. 

 

What, do you think, should we assume with this package?

Edited March 29, 2015 by Touch of Class

[Detective_Crockett]

That scene was also confusing to me, I reckon it might have been a hint that one of these days he will crash and burn as a racer, something to upset him.

[airtommy]

I always found this ep confusing.  I wonder if an important scene was eliminated in final editing?  Or maybe it was just poorly written.

 

Maybe Danny Tepper knew that Frank had committed the murder, that Frank had a track record of beating up women, and Frank knew that Danny knew.  They just didn't convey this to the audience very well.   The gift would be Frank was sending Danny a message to be quiet about the murder.

[Touch of Class]

Maybe Danny Tepper knew that Frank had committed the murder, that Frank had a track record of beating up women, and Frank knew that Danny knew.  They just didn't convey this to the audience very well. 

 

Very interesting, although his wife states that the package arrived 'just before' Danny showed up at the hospital. If I'm not mistaken, Danny had been racing his bike against his father immediately before visiting his wife, so it would seem unlikely that his father could get the package delivered before his son gets to the hospital.

 

Edit: And it also seems unusual that a hospital would be accepting (and delivering) packages that time of the night.

Edited March 29, 2015 by Touch of Class

[Detective_Crockett]

The scene that bugged me the most of Florence Italy was the ending, I mean we can only assume he crashed his car so bad into the wall that he wanted to kill himself or didn't want to go to jail, but I feel like there could have been more.

[CharlieGlide]

I am not certain of the timing, but I would put money on it that this was a very hastily put together episode since Danny Sullivan was an example of 'stunt casting.'

 

Also, Paul Diamond did not want his name as the credited writer on the finished episode, right?  So, my guess is that the episode either got re-written by the show runner and/or got chopped up pretty bad in editing which led to the episode being hard to follow in parts (like with the burnt race car).

 

One thing that I do like is that there is still a Miami Grand Prix, I believe.  I want to go some day and live a true Vice moment!

[James]

I am not certain of the timing, but I would put money on it that this was a very hastily put together episode since Danny Sullivan was an example of 'stunt casting.'

 

Also, Paul Diamond did not want his name as the credited writer on the finished episode, right?  So, my guess is that the episode either got re-written by the show runner and/or got chopped up pretty bad in editing which led to the episode being hard to follow in parts (like with the burnt race car).

 

One thing that I do like is that there is still a Miami Grand Prix, I believe.  I want to go some day and live a true Vice moment!

The IMSA Miami Grand Prix from the 80s doesn't happen anymore, they stopped it in the 90s,  I think they got Indy Car in 2002-2003, but now the Miami Grand Prix is back with Formula E which happened a few weeks ago.

[Touch of Class]

I suppose the prosaic answer would be that this little event was a writing oversight (I mean the episode was penned for Season 1). 

 

Or it was some crazed fan the character has.

 

Or Danny's wife is trolling him.

[Matt5]

Great posts!

[James]

Probably from one of the other drivers, to mess with his mind before the race. "You're going to crash and burn", or something. 

[COOPER&BURNETT]

I wonder if a copy of the script would clear this up?

[Sonny-Burnett]

A scene I found puzzling in this episode (and I'm sure many have felt the same) is when Danny Tepper, visiting his wife in the hospital, receives a present containing a wrecked toy car. 

 

From where the package originates, however, remains unclear. Initially I had some vague idea that it may have from been his father, but, upon second thought, there seems to be no motive for it. 

 

What, do you think, should we assume with this package?

 

It was a strange event. Always assumed it was from his father, symbolic of how out of control his life had become (literally a car wreck) as apparently he was a serial abuser of women, as well as a murderer of at least one. And the father was constantly taunting Danny about beating him, so in his twisted psychotic mindset this could be just another form of taunting, perhaps with the realization that his son would soon overtake him on the race track.  So he may also have been trying to intimidate Danny in the upcoming race.

Or the simple explanation may be that the psychotic father was signaling his intent to kill himself, which he did in the end.

Edited March 31, 2015 by Sonny-Burnett

[C Glide]

I always thought it was likely the father but then I read the script and found it was Tommy, she was a pro mechanic and did not like the whores so she sent it to the wife. Frank found out before the race and beat her so bad that he thought he had killed her. That scene was deleted which made his suicide less understandable a few minutes later. Just kidding, the script said from an unknown source.

[timm525]

I wonder if a copy of the script would clear this up?

Anyone have a copy of the script they can post?

I always assumed it was his father myself.