sdiegolo78 Posted April 5, 2021 Report Share Posted April 5, 2021 On 3/18/2021 at 5:33 PM, wolfie1996 said: I particularly like the talk at the end too (OK I'm a sucker for emotional talks!) and the way Crockett hugged him and told him they would all support him. yeah good 'ol Crockett is back! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedDragon86 Posted April 6, 2021 Report Share Posted April 6, 2021 1 hour ago, sdiegolo78 said: A solid S5 episode. Interesting to see Switek in a downward spiral, turning to gambling and alcohol addictions. This feel quite realistic approach to writing his character for the last part of the show. And the drunken fight at the bar, the final shootout was pretty badass. I love the song 'big league' from the intro. Very appropriate to the context. It's what makes Season 5 imo better than the experimental mess of season 4. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfie1996 Posted April 6, 2021 Report Share Posted April 6, 2021 7 hours ago, sdiegolo78 said: yeah good 'ol Crockett is back! That's why we love him! Can't beat a good supportive hug. People who can give them are the best! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViceFanMan Posted August 26, 2021 Report Share Posted August 26, 2021 (edited) I'm sorry but I don’t really like this episode much. The character-arc or idea of Switek struggling with a gambling addiction was okay...but in my opinion it just wasn’t executed very well or interestingly in this. It's nothing but Switek's supposed fall-from-grace, and now with his full fledged gambling problem, he just proceeds to set his friend's son up to lose a game, going psycho towards his girlfriend...the whole thing just kind of pathetic and ridiculous...it annoyed me just as much as first season's "Made For Each Other". I did not really think the acting was very good...it seemed very "forced" and I fail to see the point of this one? It seemed like they were trying to find ways to have Switek supposedly change, as the rest of the cast and the "feel" of the show was changing...but this did not help the character of Stan, and the whole thing just could not seem to pull-it-off. He still tried to throw out his goofy one-liners, then went psycho gambler, then ended up killing a guy under strange circumstances...this was just totally off-the-radar and had me asking: "What the heck is going on?" I’m sure Michael Talbott did everything exactly as he was directed & with what was written...so I’m basically blaming the producers & writers for doing this to the character of Switek, when he deserved way better! The music was okay I guess, and the only really good and watchable scene throughout this whole thing--was the very last scene, between Switek and Crockett! Both did a superb job, and it actually had some depth to it! But the rest of the episode just irritated me. I originally rated this a 4, but lowering it to a 3 would work, too. Edited February 8, 2023 by ViceFanMan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eillio Martin Imbasciati Posted September 27, 2021 Report Share Posted September 27, 2021 I think it's sad to see Switek having such trouble (it's like someone in everyday life who one knows as a decent person, but they're caught up in some fix and aren't acting as their usual selves). Wow, that look that Swi gives when agent Jerome Horowitz lands on that aquarium: so wild-eyed. I enjoy Richard Jenkins (I generally like Richard Jenkins in just about anything) as the very heavy Marvin Goodwin here: quite forceful & firm, and I do like that he's a real competitor. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Gretsky Posted November 20, 2021 Report Share Posted November 20, 2021 I think this is at least the second show of this season where they mention info Izzy has told them, but we don't ever see the mang himself. This is an entertaining melodrama featuring Switek, serious Switek for the most part. It gives a different tinta to MV to see Stan on his own time, with his own circle of friends. A good change of pace. And I guess Crockett is not one to squawk when he sees that Stan is bending the rules! A touching moment at the end when he sobs in Sonny's arms. Good lighting and design for the climactic shoot-out. Both father and son Mulhern annoyed the hell out of me, but I guess they got better by the end. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdiegolo78 Posted February 28, 2022 Report Share Posted February 28, 2022 "Hello, it's the bug!" I think i kind reviewed this in an earlier post. Having just re-watched it a couple of days ago I want to give it a solid 8.5! One of the best intro from S5 with "big league" by Tom Cochrane. And of course Stan going on a rampage with Mike + Mechanics ('Nobody is perfect' music). This time he had a nice girlfriend, unlike the annoying gal from 'made for each other'. The best episode highlight is the final scene with Sonny and Stan. The former is definitely back to his old self after the Burnett antics/memory loss and shows empathy to his friend. Love the climax scene with the gun fights and Switek confronting that sleazeball of Jerome Horowitz who takes a nice jump a few floors down... Has one of the heavies (big guy with mustache) been on different episodes? Was he playing the thug fighting vs C&T in the intro of 'one eyed jack'? I maybe mistaken... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedDragon86 Posted August 13, 2022 Report Share Posted August 13, 2022 I thought I recognized Stan's girlfriends in another episode. The snooty woman at the airport in "Stones War" 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dadrian Posted August 13, 2022 Report Share Posted August 13, 2022 1 hour ago, RedDragon86 said: I thought I recognized Stan's girlfriends in another episode. The snooty woman at the airport in "Stones War" Wow! Nice catch! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedDragon86 Posted August 13, 2022 Report Share Posted August 13, 2022 12 minutes ago, Dadrian said: Wow! Nice catch! Unfortunately for her "Missing Hours" as well It's probably the only decent scene, with Sonny in one of the interview rooms. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt5 Posted August 13, 2022 Report Share Posted August 13, 2022 3 hours ago, RedDragon86 said: I thought I recognized Stan's girlfriends in another episode. The snooty woman at the airport in "Stones War" Amazing find ! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazzaa2 Posted September 18, 2022 Report Share Posted September 18, 2022 (edited) Really good episode. As Robbie said this is more what vice could have been had it focused on character more and made full use of the supporting cast. I guess character arcs, generally, came too soon for 80s network TV though. The other episode where Switek features heavily - and as a serious character - is Down for the Count 2. Are we to assume Switek burnt that book that Sonny gave him? In the finale Castillo mentions he's not spoken to Stan before about his gambling, so we can assume Stan never confessed himself. Also, do you think the early seasons by-the-book Sonny would have thrown Stan to the wolves over the bug without a court order and then basically killing off his gambling debts (similar to Rico's old partner in NY who he dimed on)? Is that more Sonny putting his friends first, his own guilt over Zito's death or his own disillusionment with the law at that point? Different situations but compare to how he flipped out on Scotty (who had his own reasons) to how compassionate he was with Stan. Edited September 18, 2022 by gazzaa2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragon48 Posted February 8, 2023 Report Share Posted February 8, 2023 (edited) Great episode. I gave it an 8. I found it very entertaining, in contrast to some of the real stinkers we were subjected to after season two ended. Finally, a nice spotlight on Switek. The music video segment with Stan losing it to Mike and the Mechanic's "Nobody's Perfect" instantly took me back to the 80s. I got the good vibes right away, even before I fully recognized the song. I really like the ending scene with Sonny holding a crying Stan. It shows the love and caring they've developed over the years. Nice move on Crockett's part keeping Stan out of big trouble by not turning the black gambling debts book over to Castillo. Some minor points of criticism that take away the 2 points for me. The song "Nobody's Perfect" wasn't the best fit. Considering how totally screwed up, and screwed Stan was, something with a harsher title and harsher lyrics aimed at the protagonist would have been more appropriate. Having the mismatch in my mind took a little bit of the buzz off. Also, very lazy and bad directing with the poker scene where Stan loses a hand. They don't show Stan's cards at all! WTF! During the musical montage, it wouldn't have been too time-consuming the have shown all of the players' hands as they developed. I found it hard to believe that Castillo bought Crockett's "He's at the dentist" excuse for Swiatek's second, recent AWOL instance. Most importantly, in spite of Stan's debts and the threats to himself, his girlfriend and his friend, (the quarterback's father) I felt it was still too out of line for him to expect the QB to throw the game - too much of a complete turnaround of character for the detective. I gave the episode a high rating in spite of the flaws because the point is to be entertained and taken away, which is what this episode did for me. I do have a question though, as I can't find credits for the goons. Was the one big goon here the same actor who was part of the pair who killed Zito with a drug overdose designed to look like a suicide in "Down for the Count? Edited February 8, 2023 by dragon48 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbie C. Posted February 8, 2023 Report Share Posted February 8, 2023 On 9/18/2022 at 2:46 PM, gazzaa2 said: Really good episode. As Robbie said this is more what vice could have been had it focused on character more and made full use of the supporting cast. I guess character arcs, generally, came too soon for 80s network TV though. The other episode where Switek features heavily - and as a serious character - is Down for the Count 2. Are we to assume Switek burnt that book that Sonny gave him? In the finale Castillo mentions he's not spoken to Stan before about his gambling, so we can assume Stan never confessed himself. Also, do you think the early seasons by-the-book Sonny would have thrown Stan to the wolves over the bug without a court order and then basically killing off his gambling debts (similar to Rico's old partner in NY who he dimed on)? Is that more Sonny putting his friends first, his own guilt over Zito's death or his own disillusionment with the law at that point? Different situations but compare to how he flipped out on Scotty (who had his own reasons) to how compassionate he was with Stan. I tend to think a lot of it is guilt over Zito, mixed in with his disillusionment. Sorry I'm a bit late on this one, but I missed your original comment. Down for the Count 1 and 2 were both badly-handled (thank you Dick Wolf), but given how Sonny basically threw Zito away in his quest to bust Guzman it makes sense to me that he would have felt he owed Stan at least that much. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedDragon86 Posted February 8, 2023 Report Share Posted February 8, 2023 (edited) 14 hours ago, dragon48 said: Great episode. I gave it an 8. I found it very entertaining, in contrast to some of the real stinkers we were subjected to after season two ended. Finally, a nice spotlight on Switek. The music video segment with Stan losing it to Mike and the Mechanic's "Nobody's Perfect" instantly took me back to the 80s. I got the good vibes right away, even before I fully recognized the song. I really like the ending scene with Sonny holding a crying Stan. It shows the love and caring they've developed over the years. Nice move on Crockett's part keeping Stan out of big trouble by not turning the black gambling debts book over to Castillo. Some minor points of criticism that take away the 2 points for me. The song "Nobody's Perfect" wasn't the best fit. Considering how totally screwed up, and screwed Stan was, something with a harsher title and harsher lyrics aimed at the protagonist would have been more appropriate. Having the mismatch in my mind took a little bit of the buzz off. Also, very lazy and bad directing with the poker scene where Stan loses a hand. They don't show Stan's cards at all! WTF! During the musical montage, it wouldn't have been too time-consuming the have shown all of the players' hands as they developed. I found it hard to believe that Castillo bought Crockett's "He's at the dentist" excuse for Swiatek's second, recent AWOL instance. Most importantly, in spite of Stan's debts and the threats to himself, his girlfriend and his friend, (the quarterback's father) I felt it was still too out of line for him to expect the QB to throw the game - too much of a complete turnaround of character for the detective. I gave the episode a high rating in spite of the flaws because the point is to be entertained and taken away, which is what this episode did for me. I do have a question though, as I can't find credits for the goons. Was the one big goon here the same actor who was part of the pair who killed Zito with a drug overdose designed to look like a suicide in "Down for the Count? His name is Joe Hess. https://www.usadojo.com/joe-hess/ Yeah that big goon was the one that kicked Moon in the face more than once in his trailer. He is also in numerous episodes - "Trust Fund Pirates" I think he is one of the goons in that kitchen scene in Golden Triangle p2? Edited February 8, 2023 by RedDragon86 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragon48 Posted February 8, 2023 Report Share Posted February 8, 2023 (edited) 2 hours ago, RedDragon86 said: His name is Joe Hess. https://www.usadojo.com/joe-hess/ Yeah that big goon was the one that kicked Moon in the face more than once in his trailer. He is also in numerous episodes - "Trust Fund Pirates" I think he is one of the goons in that kitchen scene in Golden Triangle p2? Ty - Googled up "Joe Hess Miami Vice" and came across this page: https://miamivice.fandom.com/wiki/Joe_Hess It gives Joe credit with the below, which fails to mention "Hard Knocks" and "Trust Fund Pirates." Somebody needs to edit the WIKI for the additional credits. Does anybody here have rights to do so? Joe Hess made his first TV appearance as Javier Escobar, one of Oswaldo Guzman's goons in the episodes "Down for the Count (Part I)" and Part II of the show Miami Vice He also had uncredited roles as various bearded goons in the episodes "Golden Triangle (Part II)", "Nobody Lives Forever", and "Walk-Alone". Edited February 8, 2023 by dragon48 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddy Love Posted April 29, 2023 Report Share Posted April 29, 2023 Loved this episode. Good to see Stan in more depth. Many different ways you could have directed it but still. I’d like to visit a bar with Stan! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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