This Week In Miami Vice History

[mvnyc]

October 21^st - October 27^th: "Calderone's Return (Part II)/Calderone's Demise”, the 5^th episode of the 1^st season, premiered on NBC on Friday, October 26^th, 1984 at 10PM EDT. Some notes on this episode (from Miami Vice Wiki):

* This episode was called "Calderone's Demise" when it originally aired, but the name was changed to "Calderone's Return (Part II)" when it went into syndication, presumably to better link it with the preceding episode, which begins the story. This second title is now its official one, and has been used on the show's VHS, DVD, Blu-Ray and online releases.

* Crockett and Tubbs are the only Vice regulars in this episode. Gina, Trudy, Switek and Zito do not appear at all and Castillo is not introduced until the following episode.

* This episode is one of three that does not feature the Miami Vice Theme playing during the closing credits ("Phil The Shill” and the series finale “Freefall” are the others).

* This episode does not end on a freeze frame.

* Although Crockett is the one who shoots down Esteban Calderone, it is Tubbs that Esteban's son Orlando blames for his father's death and targets for his revenge.

* When Parts I and II were shown as a "movie", Calderone's death scene was slightly extended, though this added footage has not been seen on any subsequent broadcast or on the DVD or Blu-Ray collection. Some of the cut footage is shown in the montage at the end of the episode. The scene (as it is now), has clearly been shortened, as Calderone goes from standing and aiming his gun at Tubbs, to sitting and tumbling backward into the pool, with only a split-second cut to Crockett shooting in between.

* Crockett's Chris Craft Stinger makes a notable appearance twice in this episode, first on the way to St. Andrews and then on the return trip.

* From this episode on, the Miami Vice Theme is mixed correctly in the opening credits.

* This episode features one of the longest pre-credits sequences (the interrogation of Mendez and the boat ride to the Caribbean, interspersed with flashbacks from previous encounters with the Calderone family) of the entire series.

* Calderone is made-up to look much older in this episode than he was in “Brother's Keeper”, with a beard and slightly grey hair, as this is presumably to make it believable that he had adult children.

* This episode features the first of Crockett's rare trips out of state on Miami Vice.

* Calderone's first name in "Brother's Keeper" was said to be Orlando, yet it has now changed to Esteban.

* When Tubbs first sees Calderone on his yacht through the binoculars, he hands the binoculars to Crockett, who takes a look himself and somehow gets a far closer view, despite the fact he is stood right besides Tubbs and looking through the same pair of binoculars.

* As the camera fades in on Angelina reading to her students, the movement of her lips obviously does not match what she is saying.

* Just before Crockett "parks" the rental car in the harbor, the beige sedan full of henchmen rams it from the side. The impact damages the front of the villains' car, buckling the grille and hood, yet in the next shot of it plowing into the market stall, this damage is gone.

 

“The Dutch Oven”, the 4^th episode of the 2^nd Season, premiered on NBC on Friday, October 25^th, 1985 at 10PM EDT. Some notes on this episode (from Miami Vice Wiki):

* The Imperial Hotel, where Crockett and Max are playing gin rummy, was renovated and still exists today.

* For the first time on Miami Vice, two live performances of pop songs by two different artists are shown (Cleavant Derricks and David Johansen).

* This episode was filmed shortly after the first season finale, “Lombard”, but held back until the second season for reasons unknown. Because of that, Tubbs' police shield is silver instead of its usual (as of Season 2) sergeant's gold.

 

“The Good Collar”, the 5^th episode of the 3^rd season, premiered on NBC on Friday, October 24^th, 1986 at 9PM EDT. Some notes on this episode (from Miami Vice Wiki):

* John Diehl does not appear in this episode.

* Count Walker plays the system well, knowing those under 18 won't likely go to adult jails, a situation that still exists today, though adult prosecution of juvenile crimes has increased.

* Castillo gives his classic stare-down to Pepin for going backside on his deal with Crockett and putting Ellis' life in danger on a long shot.

* This episode ends in a very violent and nihlistic way, with a major character in the episode getting killed.

* The ice cream truck driver loses his hat when he is set on fire, but it is back on his head when Crockett tries to smother the flames.

* Right before Ramirez's car is blown up, cables can be seen pulling the vehicle.

 

“The Big Thaw”, the 4^th episode of the 4^th season, premiered on NBC on Friday, October 23^rd, 1987 at 9PM EDT. Some notes on this episode (from Miami Vice Wiki):

* This is one of two episodes where Miami Vice borders on science fiction (“Missing Hours” is the other). In 1987, no such cryogenic technology existed. Currently it does, but only in experimental form.

* Originally, the electronics whiz Steve Duddy was to be the one involved in Nevin's "thawing", but the part was changed to Izzy when John Glover was unavailable.

* This episode is written by Michael Duggan under his pseudonym "Joseph DeBlasi."

* A recurring fourth season theme is the OCB handling cases outside their normal jurisdiction.

* Before appearing on television, Izzy says: "I can hear those fighter planes, I can hear those fighter planes." This is a lyric from U2's song "Bullet the Blue Sky."

* The building where the cryogenics lab was (The Fountain of Youth Nursing Home), was actually the site of the old South Beach Elementary School, which closed due to the general deterioration of the area. A new school (South Pointe Elementary) now sits on this site.

* This is one of several episodes that does not end in a freeze frame.

* When the cryogenic capsule slips off of the dock it quickly sinks, but it is later seen floating out at sea.

 

***There was no Season 5 premiere episode this week due to the writer's strike of 1988**　

Edited October 21, 2016 by mvnyc