Episode #21 "Evan"

[Matt5]

14 hours ago, jpm1 said:

William Russ is unforgettable in the broken man consumed by the regret. i was sad to learn that the intro big hangar had been scrapped up

He plays it well - from his first scene in this 1985 episode he is just so tortured - you just know it’s not gonna end well.

[Bren10]

Russ was always great.  He was in many shows I liked.  He should be more well known.  His Wiseguy story arc is what many people think of first.  If you like him I recommend watching that.

[Rattlehead]

This episode is a classic. I've watched this enough times to memorize most of the dialogue. I showed a non-fan this episode and they enjoyed it, particularly when Crockett opens up about his history with Evan. I'm surprised to see I'm not the only one who got the vibes of him being in the closet and resentful about it. This episode got me to look into Peter Gabriel's earlier work, absolutely genius he is.

[RedDragon86]

On 3/24/2013 at 5:50 AM, ViceFanMan said:

I still agree with my original post on this episode! Although it's not the best of first season or the series itself...it's definitely one of the best of first season and the show. :thumbsup:This was also one of the few times I ever saw Crockett (when he was not playing a dork to fool hookers or something like in "Golden Triangle" Pt. 1 ) with completely slicked back hair...as in the scene where Even comes to visit him on his boat. To me it just looked kind of weird...and too much like the dork from Wichita that fooled Candy. :pBut, overall I loved both Crockett and Tubbs' fashion in this one, and the colors, clothes, music, and action were awesome!

I know it was a few years since you mentioned this, but Sonny had obviously just came out of the shower.

[Dadrian]

38 minutes ago, RedDragon86 said:

I know it was a few years since you mentioned this, but Sonny had obviously just came out of the shower.

That’s always been my assessment, since it was early in the morning. 

[RedDragon86]

2 minutes ago, Dadrian said:

That’s always been my assessment, since it was early in the morning. 

And he was getting ready as well, naturally the first time I saw the scene I thought straight away he has had a shower. 

[Robbie C.]

That was always my assumption as well.

[ViceFanMan]

On 1/15/2019 at 4:46 PM, RedDragon86 said:

I know it was a few years since you mentioned this, but Sonny had obviously just came out of the shower.

Maybe so?? I didn’t remember it was that early in the morning, or indications he’ been taking a shower...but that could have been what it was. I don’t know why older posts sometimes don’t show the emoticons anymore that originally were there?? It makes the posts look weird and they’re harder to understand. 

[Dadrian]

6 hours ago, ViceFanMan said:

Maybe so?? I didn’t remember it was that early in the morning, or indications he’ been taking a shower...but that could have been what it was.

If we can assume that nothing happened since the preceding scene, Evan had just left Gusman’s house, where he was having “ice cubes” for breakfast, and gotten specific orders to “set up the deal”. 

[Robbie C.]

Besides, we're talking about Sonny. He might have been...er..."relaxing" the night before. Plus Florida's humid. Or it could be something more symbolic. Showers and baths are supposed to represent cleansing. Maybe he was cleansing himself of memories before Evan crashes in again to bring them back full-force.

[alleycat]

  I watched the episode Evan tonight . It’s such a good one the music the visuals and the number one acting . I was in the mood to see it again . Fantastic 

[RedDragon86]

21 hours ago, Robbie C. said:

Besides, we're talking about Sonny. He might have been...er..."relaxing" the night before. Plus Florida's humid. Or it could be something more symbolic. Showers and baths are supposed to represent cleansing. Maybe he was cleansing himself of memories before Evan crashes in again to bring them back full-force.

Brilliant insight.

[Robbie C.]

3 hours ago, RedDragon86 said:

Brilliant insight.

Glad you liked my ramblings. MM was always into the symbolic when he did things, and so many elements of Evan contain symbolism it's hard to list them all. Redemption does play large in Evan on a number of levels.

[mjcmmv]

On 9/22/2018 at 10:16 AM, Bren10 said:

Russ was always great.  He was in many shows I liked.  He should be more well known.  His Wiseguy story arc is what many people think of first.  If you like him I recommend watching that.

Where can I find Wiseguy? I'd love to see it. 

[Bren10]

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dmovies-tv&field-keywords=wiseguy+dvd

 

There's some options here.  I guess it's out of print.  I'd check ebay too.  I don't know if it's streaming someplace.  The Mel Prfitt arc is where Russ first shows up.  He comes back briefly at the end of season 3.

[JoeyStockwell]

Evan wasn't in the closet. He was angry because he felt directly responsible for Mike's death. Mike trusted Evan and Sonny enough to confide in them. Evan betrayed that trust by outing him to everybody which leads to his eventual suicide. Sonny played a more indirect role by not sticking up for Mike and distancing himself because of his own views on homosexuality. Evan bears a stronger guilt because he was more directly responsible for Mike's death while Sonny bears a lesser guilt while still feeling responsible.

Two Florida police officers in the late 1970's suddenly becoming accepting of homosexuality is simply farfetched. They probably held the same views on it before and after Mike's death. But they regret having let those feelings destroy their friendship with Mike and with each other.

Sonny doesn't really forgive Evan in the end. It's a very cold and realistic view on the situation. Despite the topic of forgiveness, redemption, Evan's sacrifice, etc. Sonny is still going to harbor these feelings. He cannot force himself to accept homosexuality just like he cannot force himself to forgive Evan (or himself) for the way they treated Mike. He can just state the cold and simple fact that in the end all three had made their own decisions and would have to live (or die) with them.

Edited September 5, 2019 by JoeyStockwell

[Bren10]

I find it more accurate to say that Evan holds himself largely responsible for Mike's death, though he is not in fact actually so. He didn't shoot Mike or throw him in front of the shotgun blast. The issue of accountability is a big one in this episode. And it is often overlooked that Mike Orgel has his own to answer for as much as anybody else. This is basically Evan's own guilt problem, which is understandable, but he has gone too far with it.

Edited September 5, 2019 by Bren10

[Robbie C.]

Evan was seeking redemption the only way he knew how. But this episode is so jarringly out of line with everything we know about Crockett both before and after it I have a hard time taking it seriously when it comes to his character. It's very much a standalone 'message' episode in many ways, which doesn't detract from its power in that regard but does limit its impact on what we see after it.

[Tom]

vor 1 Stunde schrieb Robbie C.:

Evan was seeking redemption the only way he knew how. But this episode is so jarringly out of line with everything we know about Crockett both before and after it I have a hard time taking it seriously when it comes to his character. It's very much a standalone 'message' episode in many ways, which doesn't detract from its power in that regard but does limit its impact on what we see after it.

I have a different opinion. Crockett was always shown as a cop that easily feels guilty and responsible, feeling rather „too much“ (even for the price that he gets unable to perform his job properly) before and after Evan, eg in Death and the lady, Forgive us our debts, Deliver us from evil, Child’s Play, Hell hath no fury, Give a little take a little, Blood and roses and so on. So why is Evan out of line with the Crockett character?

[Glades]

I always find it amazing how different the different folks see Miami Vive and his characters. And yet it's consistent for everyone!

[RedDragon86]

I agree with Tom, guilt is part of Sonny's make-up. He is certainly a man in touch with his feelings. 

He gives off the impression with a man with a heavy past that's filled with pain. I am convinced of this.

He's not just a simple cop, a very complex character. 

 

Edited September 5, 2019 by RedDragon86

[Matt5]

Such a good episode.

[Robbie C.]

7 hours ago, Tom said:

I have a different opinion. Crockett was always shown as a cop that easily feels guilty and responsible, feeling rather „too much“ (even for the price that he gets unable to perform his job properly) before and after Evan, eg in Death and the lady, Forgive us our debts, Deliver us from evil, Child’s Play, Hell hath no fury, Give a little take a little, Blood and roses and so on. So why is Evan out of line with the Crockett character?

The background setting for it is totally out of place. I’ve mentioned this before. And I can name an equal number of episodes where Sonny pretty much blows off responsibility for something, starting with the pilot and Eddie. So while Evan is a good stand alone episode the background behind it just doesn’t hold up IMO. 

[Tom]

vor 8 Minuten schrieb Robbie C.:

The background setting for it is totally out of place. 

In what way exactly? 

Crockett is angry at himself (rather than on Evan) as he did not help or was not able to help his friend Mike Orgel against Evan‘s attacks. Same happened in many other eps like in Death and the lady and contradicts your statement completely.

The pilot example cited is not convincing for me either. Crockett did not dump or deny responsibility on Eddie’s death. Otherwise he would not have shown up at Maria’s place to bring the bad news in person! 

But everybody is entitled to his own opinion...

 

[Robbie C.]

The basic assumptions are flawed. Crockett wasn’t just some kid out of college going to the academy. He was a Marine Corps veteran with two tours in Vietnam under his belt.