Episode #79 "Rock And A Hard Place"

[Eillio Martin Imbasciati]

This is one episode I remember from my childhood (I wasn't able to watch the show much since it was my bedtime by then:-), since I got out of bed to go to the bathroom and there was Catlin about to leave via limo (after this, weeks later I asked my mom, "What happened to Sheena Easton?". She said, "She was shot in the back while singing at a concert". Yep!). So whenever I see Catlin's back to Crockett, ready to leave that Crowded House, I'm transported back to that time as a kid. I remember that scene and Eddie getting blown up in the pilot (also the soundtrack, of course!).

In general, I'm okay with the Catlin plot arc, I'm just glad that Vice didn't make a habit of this, mostly because I like seeing as much of the team from OCB as possible. I also like a few Sheena Easton songs, such as "Telefone (Long Distance Love Affair)", "For Your Eyes Only", "Morning Train", and "Strut".

Isn't this the episode where Catlin tells Crockett about Fremont & Wiggins (not knowing that they're waist deep in crime) and Crockett says something to the effect of "I thought I knew everyone on the joint chiefs". Typical Crockett humor, I love it.

I feel Don Henley's "Dirty Laundry" was used well there, as was the scenery in the montage (another appearance from Sex World).

Yeah, I thought that shootout at the phony shoot (featuring blanks!) was pretty intense & awesome.

Let's face it though: if Crockett's undercover guise were threatened before ('Yankee Dollar'), his career deployed as an officer in that fashion would be over after this episode with Fremont, Wiggins, and those meddling tabloids (unlike the Nick Charles from "The Thin Man", they got to Crockett's Tabloids).

[apocalypse]

 Rock and a Hard place is almost embarrassing and one of the worst episodes in Miami Vice. Not because of Caitlin (who I never really liked) - but the plot was naive and stupid. "Let's deal drugs with Caitlin's husband and murder Caitlin to boost her record sales." I mean... come on... that was utterly stupid.

And yes the red haired English chubby guy really looked like Benny Hill and his assistant was outrageously bad actor. Worst bad guys ever.

PS: Funny detail: These bad guys drove a very expensive classic Mercedes-Benz SL. But when they come to witness Caitlin's murder in the photography session (which was utterly ridiculous plot again) the car (which later was set on fire) had been changed to a cheap Dodge/Chrysler (or whatever it was). Haha. Pretty funny way to cut the costs.

Edited July 20, 2021 by apocalypse

[RedDragon86]

Along with what other problems these Caitlin episodes might have, for Miami Vice standards they are boring drama's. 

Like Mick says in Rocky 2 "what's with this domestic stuff?"

From 1 to 3 you would have never imagined that it would have got like this, Sonny getting married and all that.

 

 

Edited August 19, 2021 by RedDragon86

[Dadrian]

7 minutes ago, RedDragon86 said:

Like Mick says in Rocky 2 "what's with this domestic stuff?"

“WOMEN WEAKEN LAIGGS!” 

Tell em, Mick!  

[Jack Gretsky]

More adventures in the land of Caitlin with Wiggins & Fremont and co.  I'm afraid that the whole Sonny married to the famous pop star arc just doesn't cut it. (Does all the publicity help or hinder Crockett's undercover work? Do we have to see valuable time taken up with Sonny and Caitlin's moo-moo-goo-goo love talk?)  Still, it's a watchable episode on its own terms.  It's just too conventional for Vice.  

"Dirty Laundry" is an appropriate choice for Jerry Lee's digging around in the underworld; the problem is that song from 1982 was already a golden oldie by 1988.  But it's such a great, classic track that that doesn't really matter!  Crowded House's "Don't Dream It's Over" is another superb track.