Favorite ep. of all time.

[Robbie C.]

36 minutes ago, RedDragon86 said:

Bit harsh Robbie !

Naw...everyone's got their own preferences. I tend to prefer the shadings you see in season three on, and not so much some of the stuff in seasons one and two.

No Exit just always jarred on me. And I always found it interesting that people who strongly dislike Made for Each Other often really like Phil the Shill, which is about the most transparent "star" episode Vice ever did. I tend to see them as being more or less on the same level, but I never felt Phil added much to the series in terms of plot or development, while Made for Each Other had huge potential to do so...it was just never really explored. Although one could content that Phil was in some aspects an extension of Made for Each Other.

[ViceFanMan]

6 hours ago, Mr. Vigilante said:

"No Exit" is a great episode, performances and all.  I have a hard time watching some of it though...mainly the domestic violence scenes.  That stuff tends to get to me.

Agreed...No Exit is amazing!  I also agree that the domestic violence bothers me, too. My job is trying to help people, and those scenes are difficult for me to view. This episode is the very first thing I ever saw Bruce Willis in—before Moonlighting and the Die Hard movies. So it took me a while to be able to watch him in other things & like him...every time I’d see him I’d see the psychotic, wife-abusing weapons dealer Tony Amato, lol! I’m sure Bruce would love that. 

[RedDragon86]

Strange because the heart and soul of the show belongs in 1&2.

[summer84]

I fully respect that everyone has their own preferences/taste. Some might not like episodes I like. But to me S3 didn't have that same vibe and atmosphere, that the first two seasons established. I mean there were moments/scenes here and there. But I missed that...

Edited April 18, 2020 by summer84

[Robbie C.]

41 minutes ago, RedDragon86 said:

Strange because the heart and soul of the show belongs in 1&2.

Not necessarily...the visuals and glitz belongs in seasons 1 and 2. Vice was still finding its way in season 1, split in some ways between two different visions. Season 2 went heavy on visuals, skewing in that direction. At least to me. I get that you love the first two seasons...nothing wrong with that. But I don't view it that way.

[RedDragon86]

The way I see is 1&2 had the greatest stories and the best style. More motivated and energetic. 

Season 3 although a strong season was flat and too PC, 4 was inconsistent and 5 had some good episodes but it felt burnt out and no Jan Hammer. 

Edited April 18, 2020 by RedDragon86

[Robbie C.]

35 minutes ago, RedDragon86 said:

The way I see is 1&2 had the greatest stories and the best style. More motivated and energetic. 

Season 3 although a strong season was flat and too PC, 4 was inconsistent and 5 had some good episodes but it felt burnt out and no Jan Hammer. 

I found quite a few of the stories in seasons 1 & 2 rather flat, honestly. More formula than some of the later ones, but the focus in those seasons was also on visual and audio and not so much other stuff. By the time Vice hit its stride its own internal issues started catching up with it, at least in my view. We look for different things, so the odds of us agreeing on seasons are low. Nothing wrong with that, of course. But it also means we're going to have different lists of best episodes and the like.

[ViceFanMan]

1 hour ago, summer84 said:

I fully respect that everyone has their own preferences/taste. Some might not like episodes I like. But to me S3 didn't have that same vibe and atmosphere, that the first two seasons established. I mean there were moments/scenes here and there. But I missed that...

 

1 hour ago, RedDragon86 said:

The way I see is 1&2 had the greatest stories and the best style. More motivated and energetic. 

Season 3 although a strong season was flat and too PC, 4 was inconsistent and 5 had some good episodes but it felt burnt out and no Jan Hammer. 

I fully agree...the storylines and plots in Seasons 1-2 were the best, along with the style & visual aspects...but the combination of the two is what MV was truly about! When you start doing away with those, it’s not going to go as well. There are awesome episodes in every season...but Seasons 1&2 are the best...overall 2 being superb! Season 3 was still okay, but they had different writers and the MV style was suddenly done away with...and you could tell. I agree, RedDragon86—it was somewhat “flat” compared to the previous seasons. Seasons 4-5 subsequently then seemed to flounder, desperately trying to figure out how to get back ratings & viewers, but sadly never achieving that. There are episodes I love in every season...but I think overall Season 2 was ultimate MV! 

[TylerDurden389]

As I've been rewatching the show, it's harder for me to say which episodes I like most. I really do honestly feel like each one is great. The episode with Switek and Zito had me rolling. I love those guys. It's a real shame in the later seasons we didn't get nearly enough of the Dade crew as we did in the first 2 seasons. People who only remember MV without really watching it seem to think it's all about Don in his white suits. The show was definitely much more than that. At least, it was at first. That being said, I just finished rewatching "Little Miss Dangerous" and it's another solid 10/10 from me.

[ViceFanMan]

15 minutes ago, TylerDurden389 said:

As I've been rewatching the show, it's harder for me to say which episodes I like most. I really do honestly feel like each one is great. The episode with Switek and Zito had me rolling. I love those guys. It's a real shame in the later seasons we didn't get nearly enough of the Dade crew as we did in the first 2 seasons. People who only remember MV without really watching it seem to think it's all about Don in his white suits. The show was definitely much more than that. At least, it was at first. That being said, I just finished rewatching "Little Miss Dangerous" and it's another solid 10/10 from me.

Exactly...there are many, many episodes that are awesome...it’s hard to pick just one or two—and Little Miss Dangerous was definitely one of the best!!  I also agree, that the show was much more than just Don or Philip & the fashion...it truly took all the characters to make it work. However, personally I couldn’t stand the episode that was solely about Switek & Zito...it was “too” ridiculous & slap-stick, even for them, lol.  I liked the idea of including them more, but I was hoping for an episode a little more serious or “followable”. But, to each his or her own...MV was one of the best and most iconic shows in TV history!  

[SwissTubbs]

Its hard to pick 5 Episodes out of so many great ones.

Here is my try in no particular order (sometimes it changes over time of course)

- Brothers Keeper
For me still the best Pilot of the classic TV Era i know. No Pilot of any other show from that time match the excitement of this one.
Its insane how much of the ingredients we love are still there in the pilot and so well done already. Not as balanced as later but still overall very good with some perfect sequences. Normally you write about pilots "Yeah it was ok but later on it got so much better". With the MV Pilot its like "It was great and later it was even better"
And it doesnt happen that often that a pilot has one of the most iconic sequences of television history (In the air tonight)

- Calderones Return (both parts together)
A great follow up to the pilot. Those two (Pilot and Calderones Return) watched back to back are such a great viewing experience. And i like the whole vibe/music/setting of the calderone two parter.

- Smugglers Blues
Another one from Season 1. It has all the things i love about Vice and Glenn Frey was fantastic. Feels like a 45 Min. cinema movie and not like 80s TV.

- Prodigal Son
Its not the deepest Story of the show. I get that. But its so well done and so iconic. It feels like an 80ies theatrical movie and not like TV and has such a cool vibe with excellent music, performances and visuals.

- Out where the buses dont run
I love McGills Performance between crazy and tragic and also the atmosphere of the episode. The Ending is legendary with again perfect music choice. The whole "Brothers in arms" Sequence is done so damn well and one for the MV history books.

Yeah that are some of the episodes that are legendary for me. But there are so many more. Little Miss Dangerous, Forgive us our debts, El Vejo and and and and......
Its impossible to reduce it to five. That list would also change from time to time depending on daily mood i guess.
But the ones i mentioned are the ones i probably watched the most and some of them were my first contact with vice. So they hold a special place.

As for the things about Season 3 discussed here:
Its honestly for me the biggest mistery in the vice fandom why season 3 gets so much negativity. Feels Flat? Visuals reduced?
I must see a different Season then. Yes Season three changed the whole style but they not lost it. They established a new color scheme but they worked with the same confidence level as in late Season 1 and Season 2. It was just a different visual style. But it was still all very style and glitz. Just different.
It was a breath of fresh air for me. Yeah you could have continued at least for one Season with the Season 1/2 style and it would have been fine. But i actually like that they took a risk with it. And cause it was done with so much confidence i never felt that style was gone. It was just not the same.
And for me production values were on an all time high until later Season 3 Episodes.
It was the peak of the show in my opinion.
Of course it helps that i also like the overall darker and more political storylines. Vice was never only lighthearted. Of course not. So dont get me wrong.
But the even grittier tone together with the new visuals worked so good in Season 3. It still felt natural to me and not forced. And i still had the feeling of excitement and visual extravaganza.

The show became more problematic with season 4. They no longer had a stylish identity. Season 4 was a bit of a mix of styles. It was not done with confidence anymore. They tried to gain viewers back because season 3 tanked a bit in ratings. For me the main problem was the new Time spot and not season 3s changes.
But they tried to bring back viewers with giving them more of the old look but it felt forced an not natural anymore. Also the attempts of bringing more fun back were sometimes poorly done and made (together with other not good storys) for an uneven season. The most uneven Season for vice. And then of course the whole wedding thing to push ratings. I dont hate the sheena easton plot but it could have done so much better. And it was just forced.
Of course there were still some amazing episoded like "Death and the lady". That is even one of the best episodes of the whole show. But it just lost something in season 4 for me.
Season 5 is not as bad as some write but you could feel the budget cuts and it felt burnt out. And that burnt out feel was not all intended. I think most of it was about the budget cuts. Not as uneven as Season 4 but way more "ok" episodes rather than good and very good. And also some clunkers like miracle men. Still the season has some great ones like Fruit of the poison tree or Line of Fire.
But here it really felt flat and sometimes lifeless.

So i get the comments for Season 4 and 5.
But i dont get at all why season 3 is viewed with so much critic from so many fans.
If its script-wise not in your alley thats fine. But it was still working on full power for me. Until the last couple of Episodes it feels like that for me. And then the big quality break came with season 4 for me.

 

[ViceFanMan]

1 hour ago, SwissTubbs said:

Its hard to pick 5 Episodes out of so many great ones.

Here is my try in no particular order (sometimes it changes over time of course)

- Brothers Keeper
For me still the best Pilot of the classic TV Era i know. No Pilot of any other show from that time match the excitement of this one.
Its insane how much of the ingredients we love are still there in the pilot and so well done already. Not as balanced as later but still overall very good with some perfect sequences. Normally you write about pilots "Yeah it was ok but later on it got so much better". With the MV Pilot its like "It was great and later it was even better"
And it doesnt happen that often that a pilot has one of the most iconic sequences of television history (In the air tonight)

- Calderones Return (both parts together)
A great follow up to the pilot. Those two (Pilot and Calderones Return) watched back to back are such a great viewing experience. And i like the whole vibe/music/setting of the calderone two parter.

- Smugglers Blues
Another one from Season 1. It has all the things i love about Vice and Glenn Frey was fantastic. Feels like a 45 Min. cinema movie and not like 80s TV.

- Prodigal Son
Its not the deepest Story of the show. I get that. But its so well done and so iconic. It feels like an 80ies theatrical movie and not like TV and has such a cool vibe with excellent music, performances and visuals.

- Out where the buses dont run
I love McGills Performance between crazy and tragic and also the atmosphere of the episode. The Ending is legendary with again perfect music choice. The whole "Brothers in arms" Sequence is done so damn well and one for the MV history books.

Yeah that are some of the episodes that are legendary for me. But there are so many more. Little Miss Dangerous, Forgive us our debts, El Vejo and and and and......
Its impossible to reduce it to five. That list would also change from time to time depending on daily mood i guess.
But the ones i mentioned are the ones i probably watched the most and some of them were my first contact with vice. So they hold a special place.

As for the things about Season 3 discussed here:
Its honestly for me the biggest mistery in the vice fandom why season 3 gets so much negativity. Feels Flat? Visuals reduced?
I must see a different Season then. Yes Season three changed the whole style but they not lost it. They established a new color scheme but they worked with the same confidence level as in late Season 1 and Season 2. It was just a different visual style. But it was still all very style and glitz. Just different.
It was a breath of fresh air for me. Yeah you could have continued at least for one Season with the Season 1/2 style and it would have been fine. But i actually like that they took a risk with it. And cause it was done with so much confidence i never felt that style was gone. It was just not the same.
And for me production values were on an all time high until later Season 3 Episodes.
It was the peak of the show in my opinion.
Of course it helps that i also like the overall darker and more political storylines. Vice was never only lighthearted. Of course not. So dont get me wrong.
But the even grittier tone together with the new visuals worked so good in Season 3. It still felt natural to me and not forced. And i still had the feeling of excitement and visual extravaganza.

The show became more problematic with season 4. They no longer had a stylish identity. Season 4 was a bit of a mix of styles. It was not done with confidence anymore. They tried to gain viewers back because season 3 tanked a bit in ratings. For me the main problem was the new Time spot and not season 3s changes.
But they tried to bring back viewers with giving them more of the old look but it felt forced an not natural anymore. Also the attempts of bringing more fun back were sometimes poorly done and made (together with other not good storys) for an uneven season. The most uneven Season for vice. And then of course the whole wedding thing to push ratings. I dont hate the sheena easton plot but it could have done so much better. And it was just forced.
Of course there were still some amazing episoded like "Death and the lady". That is even one of the best episodes of the whole show. But it just lost something in season 4 for me.
Season 5 is not as bad as some write but you could feel the budget cuts and it felt burnt out. And that burnt out feel was not all intended. I think most of it was about the budget cuts. Not as uneven as Season 4 but way more "ok" episodes rather than good and very good. And also some clunkers like miracle men. Still the season has some great ones like Fruit of the poison tree or Line of Fire.
But here it really felt flat and sometimes lifeless.

So i get the comments for Season 4 and 5.
But i dont get at all why season 3 is viewed with so much critic from so many fans.
If its script-wise not in your alley thats fine. But it was still working on full power for me. Until the last couple of Episodes it feels like that for me. And then the big quality break came with season 4 for me.

 

Most of your picks are some of mine as well! Ironically, I love the 2-part Hit List & Calderone’s Demise (aka Calderone’s Return Pts 1&2 in syndication) best, but you have to have the Pilot to fully understand them, lol. 

Don’t get me wrong...I still do like Season 3 okay, by all means I don’t hate it.  I just don’t feel it had the same impact and awesome plots Seasons 1-2 had. With different writers and sudden changes in the style, it didn’t go over as well as producers had most likely hoped it would. But, there are still some awesome episodes in 3! 

Edited April 21, 2020 by ViceFanMan

[Matt5]

On 4/18/2020 at 1:39 AM, Robbie C. said:

Naw...everyone's got their own preferences. I tend to prefer the shadings you see in season three on, and not so much some of the stuff in seasons one and two.

No Exit just always jarred on me. And I always found it interesting that people who strongly dislike Made for Each Other often really like Phil the Shill, which is about the most transparent "star" episode Vice ever did. I tend to see them as being more or less on the same level, but I never felt Phil added much to the series in terms of plot or development, while Made for Each Other had huge potential to do so...it was just never really explored. Although one could content that Phil was in some aspects an extension of Made for Each Other.

Good points Robbie.

[ViceFanMan]

On 5/27/2017 at 3:10 AM, ViceFanMan said:

Favorite episode of all-time? Well, for me hands down the 2-part Hit List & Calderone's Demise (later called Calderone's Return Pts 1&2 in syndication) are the ultimate MV episodes! 

They have everything and sizzled with: non-stop action, music, color, wild plot twists, and the whole thing mesmerizes you! 

Other superb favorites include: Pilot--Brothers Keeper, The Great McCarthy, Smuggler's Blues, Evan, Out Where the Buses Don't Run, Definitely Miami, Tale of the Goat, One Way Ticket, Little Miss Dangerous, Payback, When Irish Eyes Are Crying, Shadow In the Dark, El Viejo, By Hooker By Crook, Heroes of the Revolution, Death and the Lady, Child's Play, God's Work, Love At First Sight, etc...

These are just a few of ones I love and consider some of the best! 

This was a list of ones I consider some of my favorite episodes, from a few years ago—still pretty much stand by it (except I’m pretty sure I forgot to include No Exit)! 

[mjcmmv]

On 4/17/2020 at 2:39 AM, ViceFanMan said:

 

Smugglers Blues definitely has to be included! So is the 2-part Hit List & Calderone’s Demise (later titled Calderone’s Return Pts. 1&2 in syndication), as well as No Exit and Death and the Lady! There’s so many, though! 

Absolutely. Good choices.

Sometimes, it depends on my mood. Maybe it's the plot that attracts me, or the cinematography. Many times, it's the music. But most of all, it's the acting that brings me back time and time again.

Forgive Us Our Debts comes to mind. That ending with Crockett's shocked face, always puts a lump in my throat. And Milk Run with Jan Hammer's "Rain", also has an ending that grips me every time I see it. 

Edited May 6, 2020 by mjcmmv

[ViceFanMan]

16 hours ago, mjcmmv said:

Absolutely. Good choices.

Sometimes, it depends on my mood. Maybe it's the plot that attracts me, or the cinematography. Many times, it's the music. But most of all, it's the acting that brings me back time and time again.

Forgive Us Our Debts comes to mind. That ending with Crockett's shocked face, always puts a lump in my throat. And Milk Run with Jan Hammer's "Rain", also has an ending that grips me every time I see it. 

Exactly! I think that’s why MV made such an impact at the time...it included all aspects into the show: plot, acting, cinematography, music, fashion, even architectural design, etc...! There really hadn’t been a TV show that had done that before, as most had only focused on one or two aspects to make them known for.

I love most crime/mystery or prime time drama shows from all decades for various reasons...but MV was one of the first to really incorporate many different facets into making each episode almost like a mini-movie. It was innovative, fascinating, and even “pioneering” in the television world of the time. A lot of shows since have been very popular using the same “formula”...but we must remember where it all began—MV!  

Edited May 7, 2020 by ViceFanMan

[Glades]

23 minutes ago, ViceFanMan said:

Exactly! I think that’s why MV made such an impact at the time...it included all aspects into the show: plot, acting, cinematography, music, fashion, even architectural design, etc...! There really hadn’t been a TV show that had done that before, as most had only focused on one or two aspects to make them known for.

So true! That´s again and again astonishing me.

[Dadrian]

The “official” Miami Vice YouTube channel posted their top 10 episodes today. Some good ones for sure! 

 

[pahonu]

Their #1 is my favorite too!

[Dadrian]

25 minutes ago, pahonu said:

Their #1 is my favorite too!

Your J50, huh? 

[wolfie1996]

On 6/6/2009 at 11:49 PM, Shill said:

sounds good. we gotta have the "Evan" breakdown scene where Evan falls into Sonny's arms - the best scene in the whole series

Couldn't agree more. At first I thought, come on Sonny, say what he wants to hear. You can forgive someone  showing true remorse.....but later I thought what if the wrong or "sin" was of such a nature that you personally couldn't forgive anyone it under any circumstances? I'm sure different people will have a different "wrong" that whatever happened, you couldn't say "I forgive you". I can think of  several personal ones. So there's the conflict. True and even anguished remorse doesn't necessarily mean forgiveness will ensue. And this was never resolved and we get the impression wouldn't have been  even if Evan had lived. A very powerful scene, and well played.

(I'm late to the party here, I can see, but what an interesting topic.)

[wolfie1996]

On 5/25/2017 at 5:49 PM, Dadrian said:

I think it's just you on that one.  

Sure is, Dadrian! You know I'm a big Evan fan  then following that in no particular order, Milk Run, Smugglers Blues, Redemption in Blood, and Prodigal Son.

[apocalypse]

Forgive Us Our Debts without a doubt. 

The storyline was pure genius. And the ending absolutely priceless.

[Kalci]

"The Fix" S2E18 for me

Propaganda P:Machinery and Madonna's Gambler are perfectly added to the storyline and there are moral discussions about the characters that I really enjoyed. Also the jugde drives an R107 SL which I do like a lot and there are some Daytona shots also with music while Crockett & Tubbs rushing to the Basketball Match.

There are other very remarkable episodes as well that are really close to my heart and my senses. I believe at least 15 ep. but might "The Fix" is on top of this list for me.

[apocalypse]

Death And the Lady / Forgive Us Our Debts / Out where the buses don't run.

I simply can't say which one is the best. Those three are my absolute all time favorites.