This Week In Miami Vice History

[mvnyc]

March 10th - 17th:

"The Home Invaders", the 19th episode of the 1st season, premiered on NBC on Friday, March 15th, 1985 at 10PM EST. Some notes on this episode (from Miami Vice Wiki):
* Philip Michael Thomas was injured doing a stunt in the previous episode ("Made For Each Other") and doesn't appear in this episode. His absence is explained by him going up to New York for a few days with Valerie Gordon. This would be the only episode Thomas missed during the entire series run.
* Crockett's "primitive but effective" groin grab was edited so as to not show the actual action (the implication is that Crockett grabbed the bouncer, Angel, in a sensitive area and threw him in a closet).
* The diner where the Vice team and Mrs. Goldman celebrate the end of the Home Invader case is still open, now called "Smoke-It BBQ Express."
* The house where Crockett and Castillo shoot down the invaders was used again in the 3rd season episode "Shadow In The Dark", as one of the houses the "Shadow" hits.
* In a slow-motion shot of Crockett driving, there is clearly a stand-in, or in this case a sit-in driving his car.

"Payback", the 19th episode of the 2nd season, premiered on NBC on Friday, March 14th, 1986 at 10PM EST. Some notes on this episode (from Miami Vice Wiki):
* This episode marks one of many times Crockett was investigated for wrong-doing.
* In this episode, we see Crockett picking up a woman from a bar, but (once again) having to take a rain check with her due to the disarray of the St. Vitus.
* Despite the fact Cates warns Crockett that Fuente still believes he has the money and will hunt him down, Fuente never returns in the series and the plot is never followed up. This is possibly because Frank Zappa retired from acting shortly after this episode due to his poor health.
* What looks like a small, wireless microphone can be seen in the folds of Crockett's jacket when he and Tubbs discuss Cates at the bar.
* When Crockett and Cates are fighting on the boat, there is a shot of the money flying out of the bag; the money is obviously fake (it's made of plain paper and printed on only one side).

"Red Tape", the 19th episode of the 3rd season, premiered on NBC on Friday, March 13th, 1987 at 9PM EST. Some notes on this episode (from Miami Vice Wiki):
* This is the second time Tubbs has lost a coin flip to Crockett (the first time being in the episode "Milk Run").
* The scene where Switek discusses his feelings after Zito's death is one of the only times Zito is mentioned after he left the show.
* Cell triangulation technology is much more sophisticated now than it was in 1987, since the number of cell phones was far fewer back then and the technology to track them had not yet been invented.
* This is one of a number of episodes in which a guest character commits suicide right in front of Crockett.
* This is one of a very few episodes which does not end in a "freeze-frame."

"Hell Hath No Fury", the 17th episode of the 4th season, premiered on NBC on Friday, March 11th, 1988 at 9PM EST. Some notes on this episode (from Miami Vice Wiki):
* The title refers to the saying: "Hell hath no fury, like a woman scorned."
* Normally, a rape victim's name is never released to the press.
* This is another fourth season episode that seems to suggest that the "Vice" unit is the only functioning police unit in the area. There should (at least) have been uniformed officers at the scene at Ellen's house, since it is clearly trespassing, disturbance of the peace and a potential mob scene.
* Beaks' casual entry into the school and the lack of consequences for his trespassing would likely not happen in today's world, reflecting a time when schools were wide-open areas without security.
* The supernaturally-tinged ending with the phone call from the dead lifts the episode from its otherwise realistic basis, putting it in line with another 4th season episode, "Missing Hours."

"The Lost Madonna", the 14th episode of the 5th season, premiered on NBC on Friday, March 17th, 1989 at 10PM EST. Some notes on this episode (from Miami Vice Wiki):
* The Colonnade Hotel (where Crockett and Tubbs meet with the Scianti's), still exists in Coral Gables, now owned by the Starwood Hotel Chain under the "Westin" brand.
* An instrumental 'extension' of the Eric Clapton song "She's Waiting" can be heard near the end of the episode, apparently composed by Tim Truman and played by studio musicians. It has never been released commercially.
* Shortly after this episode was filmed, NBC announced the cancellation of "Miami Vice."

[Matt5]

12 hours ago, mvnyc said:

March 10th - 17th:

"The Home Invaders", the 19th episode of the 1st season, premiered on NBC on Friday, March 15th, 1985 at 10PM EST. Some notes on this episode (from Miami Vice Wiki):
* Philip Michael Thomas was injured doing a stunt in the previous episode ("Made For Each Other") and doesn't appear in this episode. His absence is explained by him going up to New York for a few days with Valerie Gordon. This would be the only episode Thomas missed during the entire series run.
* Crockett's "primitive but effective" groin grab was edited so as to not show the actual action (the implication is that Crockett grabbed the bouncer, Angel, in a sensitive area and threw him in a closet).
* The diner where the Vice team and Mrs. Goldman celebrate the end of the Home Invader case is still open, now called "Smoke-It BBQ Express."
* The house where Crockett and Castillo shoot down the invaders was used again in the 3rd season episode "Shadow In The Dark", as one of the houses the "Shadow" hits.
* In a slow-motion shot of Crockett driving, there is clearly a stand-in, or in this case a sit-in driving his car.

"Payback", the 19th episode of the 2nd season, premiered on NBC on Friday, March 14th, 1986 at 10PM EST. Some notes on this episode (from Miami Vice Wiki):
* This episode marks one of many times Crockett was investigated for wrong-doing.
* In this episode, we see Crockett picking up a woman from a bar, but (once again) having to take a rain check with her due to the disarray of the St. Vitus.
* Despite the fact Cates warns Crockett that Fuente still believes he has the money and will hunt him down, Fuente never returns in the series and the plot is never followed up. This is possibly because Frank Zappa retired from acting shortly after this episode due to his poor health.
* What looks like a small, wireless microphone can be seen in the folds of Crockett's jacket when he and Tubbs discuss Cates at the bar.
* When Crockett and Cates are fighting on the boat, there is a shot of the money flying out of the bag; the money is obviously fake (it's made of plain paper and printed on only one side).

"Red Tape", the 19th episode of the 3rd season, premiered on NBC on Friday, March 13th, 1987 at 9PM EST. Some notes on this episode (from Miami Vice Wiki):
* This is the second time Tubbs has lost a coin flip to Crockett (the first time being in the episode "Milk Run").
* The scene where Switek discusses his feelings after Zito's death is one of the only times Zito is mentioned after he left the show.
* Cell triangulation technology is much more sophisticated now than it was in 1987, since the number of cell phones was far fewer back then and the technology to track them had not yet been invented.
* This is one of a number of episodes in which a guest character commits suicide right in front of Crockett.
* This is one of a very few episodes which does not end in a "freeze-frame."

"Hell Hath No Fury", the 17th episode of the 4th season, premiered on NBC on Friday, March 11th, 1988 at 9PM EST. Some notes on this episode (from Miami Vice Wiki):
* The title refers to the saying: "Hell hath no fury, like a woman scorned."
* Normally, a rape victim's name is never released to the press.
* This is another fourth season episode that seems to suggest that the "Vice" unit is the only functioning police unit in the area. There should (at least) have been uniformed officers at the scene at Ellen's house, since it is clearly trespassing, disturbance of the peace and a potential mob scene.
* Beaks' casual entry into the school and the lack of consequences for his trespassing would likely not happen in today's world, reflecting a time when schools were wide-open areas without security.
* The supernaturally-tinged ending with the phone call from the dead lifts the episode from its otherwise realistic basis, putting it in line with another 4th season episode, "Missing Hours."

"The Lost Madonna", the 14th episode of the 5th season, premiered on NBC on Friday, March 17th, 1989 at 10PM EST. Some notes on this episode (from Miami Vice Wiki):
* The Colonnade Hotel (where Crockett and Tubbs meet with the Scianti's), still exists in Coral Gables, now owned by the Starwood Hotel Chain under the "Westin" brand.
* An instrumental 'extension' of the Eric Clapton song "She's Waiting" can be heard near the end of the episode, apparently composed by Tim Truman and played by studio musicians. It has never been released commercially.
* Shortly after this episode was filmed, NBC announced the cancellation of "Miami Vice."

Great post ! Thankyou for the information - great episodes ! 

[Susanna Girl]

March 10th - 17th was a good week most years!    

Thanks for the info mvnyc.  

[DeepCover333]

Great post! Thanks for sharing this

[mvnyc]

Thanks Matt5, Susanna Girl and Deep Cover333, I really liked "The Home Invaders" and "Payback", can't say the same for the other 3.

Edited March 11, 2017 by mvnyc

[Matt5]

On 10/03/2017 at 3:17 PM, Susanna Girl said:

March 10th - 17th was a good week most years!    

Thanks for the info mvnyc.  

It really was !