Episode #44 "Sons & Lovers"

[Matt5]

The only highlights are angelina blown up to smithereens and then the awesome montage at the end with phil collin's "Long long way to go". It's almost poignant in the way that show itself has got a long way to go' date=' but in hindsight..the show had reached his zenith & its now on the way down from this point onwards.[/quote']Great Phil Collins montage I agree

[ViceFanMan]

This is an amazing episode of the series...so captivating, but yet so sad and tragic! :cry: The beginning was amazing and mezmorized you from the start! Then of course the return of Angelina for Tubbs...along with Ricardo, Jr. ;)Then we learn that Esteban Orlando Calderone had a son (half brother to Angelina) named Orlando...who is now the main nemisis of Crockett and Tubbs. I thought the acting jobs were superb in this one...for everyone! PMT did an amazing job and you truly felt for him. This was also one where Crockett offered the support and love of a friend (more like brother) to Tubbs...instead of the other way around.The horrible death of Angelina, and the subsequent funeral for her and Tubbs' son (who is not really dead but they think he was killed in the explosion) are the "downers" and the aspects I don't care for. Except for Phil Collins' Long, Long Way To Go, which was a superb and very fitting song for the funeral scene, it was very sad and depressing. :cry: I'm sorry but I typically don't like sad or depressing ...it's too real and if I want that I'll watch the news. :pThen let's talk about the end...we never get to find out what happened to Tubbs' baby son, Ricardo, Jr?? They leave us hanging, and then new writers were brought in for season 3 on! By the way...why were new writers brought in anyway? The ones prior created some of the best episodes of the series! If the ratings were good...why change? Anyway, these new writers never return to Tubbs' son and what became of him. It's like he never existed after this episode. It just left you going...huh? The baby is out there somewhere--where on the radar do we get to see him? Oh..nowhere? Oh...okay...that's stupid! :evil:Again, in a later episode, "Afternoon Plane", Tubbs finally does get to take care of Orlando...but we still never find out what happened to his baby! :sick:I want to give this a 10...but because of the sad and tragic aspects, and an open-ended storyline that never got closure, I give this a 9.

[Stinger390X]

Well ... another stormy weekend with monsoon rains.Time to go below and fire up the TV with season 2. Watched the whole thing from start to finish and say that I still enjoyed this episode alot.Many have commented about the acting and the music and I also agree with the former posts regarding Daltry and Collins songs. I liked it.Leaving the open end regarding Tubbs son was a good idea at the time I suppose as they may have introduced it again later in some other season, but they never did, so that loose end was never explained.This is my only complaint about the episode. Othe than that...good entertainment value still to this day .................. again.

[ViceFanMan]

Well ... another stormy weekend with monsoon rains.Time to go below and fire up the TV with season 2. Watched the whole thing from start to finish and say that I still enjoyed this episode alot.Many have commented about the acting and the music and I also agree with the former posts regarding Daltry and Collins songs. I liked it.Leaving the open end regarding Tubbs son was a good idea at the time I suppose as they may have introduced it again later in some other season' date=' but they never did, so that loose end was never explained.This is my only complaint about the episode. Othe than that...good entertainment value still to this day .................. again.[/quote']Agreed...the only complaint really is the open-ended storyline they never return to, about Tubbs' baby son. The rest of the episode is awesome! I thought they got new writers for season 3 on...however, with reading other info in the show I think they got new writers for season 4 on. So, why they didn't return to the "baby son" plot in season 3, I do not know? :confused: But, like we said, the rest of the episode is riveting and captivating...although tragic. :cry:

[vicegirl85]

About AngelinaShe won my respect in this episode. It was clear that she was still angry at Rico for killing her father, although as she said she tried to understood and realized that her dad was a criminal (the blinders were finally lifted) but she truthfully admitted ,but he was everything to me. To her big Nasty Calderone Sr. was just her Daddy who indulged wishes sometimes. First she has her people out trying to protect Rico, and then bring Rico to her for his safety, and to meet his Son. She connects with Rico again as they find that they still have the spark for each other. She even offers him money to get away so he won't be killed. All that was interesting,but then when Angelina is Captured and tied to the car, they take away her main reason for staying still. They take her son out, and just make Rico think the baby is still in the car. Angelina is yelling through her gag. Don't do it Rico they're going to kill me anyway. She tries to get Rico's attention by yelling this several different times, but of course Rico can't understand what she's saying, he thinks she's just yelling through her gag, either that or he really thought he could trade himself for Angelina and get out of it somehow. Anglina was right he was planning on killing both Angelina and Rico. He considered his sister a traitor and the cause of their father's death, which was why he was so focused on Tubbs rather than Crockett. "he mentions in the shack that he could kill Tubbs and Angelina from where he was but he wanted to see Rico's face when he did it. So he sends his people to Tubbs to bring Tubbs to him, he had no intention of giving him the detonator switch, but he had no intention of setting the bomb off until he could watch Tubbs' face. Anglina knew that Orlando wanted to kill both her and Tubbs so without the baby in the car to worry about, she decided to take the chance and to get untied and set the bomb in the car off herself so that Tubbs wouldn't get in the van. She deliberately is rocking the car, and when that fails she remembers that her brother had told his guy to wire the bomb to the horn also, so she get untied enough and dliberately honks the horn and sets off the bomb and blows herself and the car up, that way stopping Tubbs from getting in the van and going to his sure death. As soon as the car blows up Sonny pops into action with the shooting, and Tubbs stops in his tracks and looks in horror as the car explodes. He's safe for the moment but he's lost Angelina and his son or so he thinks. I'm not sure Angelina would have done anything that she did if Orlando had left the baby in the car, but since he didn't she was free to act as she did.

 

Nancy, I agree with your excellent summary here.  For me, the Tubbs-Angelina romance was kind of unbelievable--she was another of those ladies Tubbs fell instantly in love with, without getting to know her first or see if they had any common interests to build a life around.  But when she showed him the baby and told him it was his son (and I believe it was), he instantly decides to do whatever it takes to be with her and the baby.  Instead of listening to his partner Sonny, though, he decides to leave Angelina and the child alone while he tries to find Orlando.  He doesn't want to go to the safe house but is determined to "carry his weight" on the street.  Even Sonny listened to Lou Rodriguez and went to the safe house with his wife and son when he was ordered to do it, but not Rico.  I really found his behavior a bit childish and stupid (although his reaction was understandable in the context of the series, and typically macho).

 

Angelina was prettier with the longer hair.  I don't think she was really ugly anyway, but she definitely was another of those not-conventionally-beautiful women the producers/ casting people for MV were so fond of!  Most of the women Crockett or Tubbs fell for were not what I'd call attractive.  She certainly won my admiration with her willingness to die rather than allow her brother to kill Tubbs by exploding the car when he approached her.

 

If only there had been a bit more of a relationship developed for Tubbs and Angelina, I would give the episode a higher rating.  Even in Calderone's Return the relationship wasn't developed.  It was just another instant attraction that resulted in a one-night-stand and an unplanned pregnancy.  Except for that, the story was good, it had an exciting opening segment with the laser-sight sniper, it picked up a previously introduced character and storyline, and it had good music.  After the Fire and Long Long Way to Go were fantastic choices.  Also, the recurring theme of crooked cops whose actions cause pain to their "'brothers" was well-played.  

[Maria]

Too cruel episode:( Very cruel to Tubbs to take off a child.  Taking into consideration PMT in this episode already was the father od 3 kids, it could be good  continuation of child`s theme, sure, he`d act smth nice:) But writers made it sad and and hopeless...

[Sea-light]

What the hell they didn`t return Rico`s baby? I wonder it till now. Give 7 because of this.

[OCBman]

Love this episode. I wish they would've worked Rico's son into the ending of the series somehow. Otherwise great storyline. Enjoyed the montages and songs. 

I always find it interesting how similar certain scenes from the show find their way into Michael Mann's films. The final shoot out in 'Sons and Lovers' immediately reminds me of the drive in theater shoot out in Mann's Heat (1995).

Rico avenging the death of his family:

For Cherrito, the action is the juice:

 

 Rico isn't letting him get away:

Neither is Cherrito:

[Matt5]

Yes no escape for that criminal who turned Rico's baby in 

[Remington]

The end of an era.

I like the opening as well as the final ten minutes showing Tubbs revenge and the funeral. I also like John Leguizamo's introduction.

However, the rest I don't care for. This along with Buddies I consider the most overrated episode of the series. 

As usual, couldn't stand Angelina. The scene of Tubbs looking through stills made me cringe.

At least the music was solid throughout. Wasn't expecting Iacoca.

Meh.

5/10

[Detective_Crockett]

Fantastic episode, one of my favourites and also bought back my favourite Jan Hammer cue from The Home Invaders...  Sonny is a badass in this episode and it semi wraps up the Calderone Saga nicely, feel so terrible for Rico in this episode, he lost the love of his life and believes his baby is dead.. And  it also brings out the biggest plot points of the whole series which was never answered, what the heck  happened to Rico Jr??? Your guess is as good as mine..

Why is Calderone Jr trying to kill Tubbs when Crockett is the one who shot Calderone Sr to death?  

But all in all a solid episode 8/10 

Brownie points for The Who and Phil Collins!

Edited July 22, 2018 by Detective_Crockett

[Campion]

So, I've now watched the first two seasons from Brother's Keeper to Sons and Lovers in order. I have to give the second season props: it started with a television event w/Prodigal Sun, and ends with a dramatic finale. Perfect bookends to a season that was pretty darned good, despite some ugly lows. Certainly Season 2 goes down as the season that is the iconic Vice season. 

Sons and Lovers has a clever opening and a heart breaking end. Tubbs gets the spotlight. I think PMT does his best when his character is angry and frustrated. He conveys those emotions well. Zito is in on the action a little more than usual, which is nice. A cameo by Lee Iacocca is perfect for Season 2--the season with far too many non-actors appearing on the show. This was a time when Vice hit its peek in popularity and everyone wanted to make an appearance. 

In any case, Sons and Lovers is the best season finale of the series. Season 2, IMO, started strong with Prodigal Son/Out where the buses don't run, then took a big step back for a few episodes before an outstanding mid-season run (Bushido through Little Miss Dangerous). I feel the season ended with a lot of disappointing episodes but Payback and this one sort of save the day. 

 

[mjcmmv]

On 8/28/2009 at 11:27 AM, Tony D. said:

Nancy, you've got to write a book which explains the MV Episodes!! No one, except Michael Mann, knows the inner workings of the character's minds like you. When I read your posts, I want to watch the episode again with 'new eyes'! I understand Phanie Napoli ( Anglina ) was at the Miami Vice 2004 Convention & is really a very nice person & was an asset to the convention.

Yes, she was very sweet to all of us and answered all our questions. It was great to meet her!

[Matt5]

On 3/24/2019 at 1:25 PM, mjcmmv said:

Yes, she was very sweet to all of us and answered all our questions. It was great to meet her!

Very sweet indeed.

[Matt5]

This is such a fine episode where Tubbs steals it - of course it is a Tubbs episode but so well done. Had a history of the show to it too. 10/10

[Mr. Calderon]

One of the coolests vice camera shots: Tubbs astonished after angelina´s car exploded  while crockett shots the machine gun behind him, almost out of the camera frame.

Edited October 12, 2019 by Mr. Calderon

[Dadrian]

2 hours ago, Mr. Calderon said:

One of the coolests vice camera shots: Tubbs astonished after angelina´s car exploded died while crockett shots the machine gun behind him, almost out of the camera frame.

Yes! And no audio except for JH’s Flashback. 
 

I’ve said it before, but this scene and Tubbs rushing to catch (but just missing) Burnett at the Pink House in the last scene of S4 are the most emotional moments of the series for me. Ironically, a version of Flashback is playing in that scene, too.  

[Mr. Calderon]

51 minutes ago, Dadrian said:

Yes! And no audio except for JH’s Flashback. 
 

I’ve said it before, but this scene and Tubbs rushing to catch (but just missing) Burnett at the Pink House in the last scene of S4 are the most emotional moments of the series for me. Ironically, a version of Flashback is playing in that scene, too.  

Or phil collin´s Long Long way to go in the end of the episode in flashback...

[Sebax]

John Leguizamo debut, and Lee Iacocca on screen!

It was not a bad episode, but it wasn't great either. It felt a little too long.

Both PMT and DJ were awesome.

 

7/10 for me

[RedDragon86]

Another brilliant season finale.

5 stars!

 

Edited December 6, 2019 by RedDragon86

[wolfie1996]

An appropriate title, no doubt the writer  was a DH Lawrence aficionado  Haven't watched it until now as I was under the impression it was a purely Tubbs centred episode and was pleasantly surprised to see more of Crockett than expected! Although we had the what seems obligatory  "Tubbs rolling about the bed with some  woman" scene- art imitating life do you think? Overall it wasn't bad, though I could have done without the Angelina reminders as Tubbs thought back about their previous liaison. The beginning was excellent, with a surprise to it too. And it had some unpredictability  about it. That's what appeals about MV. In 99 out of 100 other crime series, especially more lightweight ones, Angelina would have been rescued at the last minute but MV certainly grasps the nettle and has her killed (albeit while saving Tubbs.) Crockett as we would expect, offers understanding and  support. As I've often commented, people like Tubbs are the ones he has his closest relationships with in reality. Not a bad finale, I thought. I'd give it an 8/10 if we're still scoring.

[Tom]

vor 28 Minuten schrieb wolfie1996:

An appropriate title, no doubt the writer  was a DH Lawrence aficionado  Haven't watched it until now as I was under the impression it was a purely Tubbs centred episode and was pleasantly surprised to see more of Crockett than expected! Although we had the what seems obligatory  "Tubbs rolling about the bed with some  woman" scene- art imitating life do you think? Overall it wasn't bad, though I could have done without the Angelina reminders as Tubbs thought back about their previous liaison. The beginning was excellent, with a surprise to it too. And it had some unpredictability  about it. That's what appeals about MV. In 99 out of 100 other crime series, especially more lightweight ones, Angelina would have been rescued at the last minute but MV certainly grasps the nettle and has her killed (albeit while saving Tubbs.) Crockett as we would expect, offers understanding and  support. As I've often commented, people like Tubbs are the ones he has his closest relationships with in reality. Not a bad finale, I thought. I'd give it an 8/10 if we're still scoring.

Good summary. In fact it was a very good finale for this season. The only annoyance is the story gap they created here with Tubbs´ baby son. Calderone jr. gets the baby out of the cabin before it explodes-that´s what we get to see. Then there is a small coffin at the funeral. Tubbs thinks his son is dead. So far so good. for now.  But the baby´s fate is never explained later in the series. In The afternoon plane Tubbs still thinks his son was killed when he kills Calderone junior at the end. This is a nonsense story gap that should not have happened. 

[ViceFanMan]

This is an amazing episode of the series...so captivating, but yet so sad and tragic!  The beginning was action-packed, suspenseful, amazing and mesmerized you from the start!

Then of course the return of Angelina for Tubbs...along with Ricardo, Jr.  Then we learn that Esteban Orlando Calderone had a son (half brother to Angelina) named Orlando...who is now the main nemisis of Crockett and Tubbs. I thought the acting jobs were superb in this one...for everyone!

PMT did an amazing job and you truly felt for him. This was also one where Crockett offered the support and love of a friend (more like brother) to Tubbs...instead of the other way around. The horrible death of Angelina, and the subsequent funeral for her and Tubbs' son (who is not really dead but they think he was killed in the explosion) are the "downers" and the aspects I don't care for.  

Except for Phil Collins' Long, Long Way To Go, which was a superb and very fitting song for the funeral scene, it was very sad and depressing. I'm sorry but I typically don't like sad or depressing ...it's too real and if I want that I'll watch the news. Then let's talk about the end...we never get to find out what happened to Tubbs' baby son, Ricardo, Jr??  They leave us hanging!

Anyway, these new writers never return to Tubbs' son and what became of him. It's like he never existed after this episode. It just left you going...huh? The baby is out there somewhere--where on the radar do we get to see him? Oh..nowhere? Oh...okay...that's stupid!  Again, in a later episode, "Afternoon Plane", Tubbs finally does get to take care of Orlando...but we still never find out what happened to his baby! I want to give this a 10...but because of the sad and tragic aspects, and an open-ended storyline that never got closure, I give this a 9. Still an amazing, unforgettable season finale!   (Original NBC commercial-bumper for this episode below)

[Jack Gretsky]

Scarface vibes in the teaser scene.  Small h/motel room, a view from the window, a double-cross, our protagonists in big trouble... I was half-expecting a chainsaw to make an appearance.  

The end of the Calderone saga.  Good entry, but I'm glad there were no more. (Has anyone counted how many time we've seen that iconic shot of Calderone's window rolling up?) John Leguizamo, the future Benny Blanco from the... damn, which NY borough was it again?,  is cool as Orlando. And an only-in-the-1980s guest spot from Lee Iacocca. 

(EDIT: I forgot that the Calderone saga isn't quite over.  Orlando returns later on.)

Hammer's cue "Flashback" is appropriately heard here.  I always like that two-chord "da-dun."  

I'm sorry to be at the end of the Seasons 1 & 2 era with its shiny, pin-sharp lighting for both bright sunny days and neon-splashed nights.  

Edited September 10, 2021 by Jack Gretsky

[ViceFanMan]

10 hours ago, Jack Gretsky said:

Scarface vibes in the teaser scene.  Small h/motel room, a view from the window, a double-cross, our protagonists in big trouble... I was half-expecting a chainsaw to make an appearance.  

The end of the Calderone saga.  Good entry, but I'm glad there were no more. (Has anyone counted how many time we've seen that iconic shot of Calderone's window rolling up?) John Leguizamo, the future Benny Blanco from the... damn, which NY borough was it again?,  is cool as Orlando. And an only-in-the-1980s guest spot from Lee Iacocca. 

(EDIT: I forgot that the Calderone saga isn't quite over.  Orlando returns later on.)

Hammer's cue "Flashback" is appropriately heard here.  I always like that two-chord "da-dun."  

I'm sorry to be at the end of the Seasons 1 & 2 era with its shiny, pin-sharp lighting for both bright sunny days and neon-splashed nights.  

Tragic, but mesmerizing finale! Yeah, the Calderone-saga doesn’t end until “Afternoon Plane” next season. But, it was a poor closure to that storyline. New writers & producers completely ignored important parts/aspects of that story-arch & it was strange & all but left all of us hanging...as Tubbs never learns his baby son was still alive. 

Season 2 was pure superb MV...but again new writers & producers made changes in Season 3 (slight as they might have been) that weren’t quite as well received by fans as they were hoping.