This Week In Miami Vice History...

[mvnyc]

March 11th - 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 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."

[Lar]

A couple of my all-time favorites in this installment:"The Home Invaders" is such a fantastic episode, an extremely solid example of a season that just kept reaching new heights as it went along. The only fault in the entire ep is the absence of Tubbs. I didn't realize this was the only ep PMT wasn't in for the entire series. Still, Crockett teamed with Castillo is terrific.I love "The Lost Madonna"; one that's IMO regularly underrated. The whole "She's Waiting" sequence is very, very cool, and the brief reprise at the end is great. Tanita Tikaram's "Twist In My Sobriety", also heard in the episode, is just icing on the cake. Just going by plot description, I can see how someone could think this sounds like a terrible episode ("Vice gets involved with Art? Really?"), but man, they pulled it off. S5 gets a bad rap by many, but I've always found it to be overwhelmingly strong, a real return to form after the good-but-somewhat-uneven S3 and the underwhelming S4 (all IMO, of course).Aside from those two: S3 isn't my favorite season, but "Red Tape" is, to me, a definite standout. I love the whole one-take intro, and there's a lot of great music in this one. Also, it's always nice to see PMT get the spotlight.The only dud here, for me, is "Hell Hath No Fury". Just not a favorite. It's been forever since I've seen it, so I'm going by memory, but wasn't the ending supposed to indicate mental instability on the part of the rape victim? Also, IIRC isn't this one of only a very few episodes to not include any licensed songs? Of course, I could be wrong on both counts.As always, thank you for these terrific posts!

[Matt5]

Great information as per usual - thankyou again

[mvnyc]

only fault in the entire ep is the absence of Tubbs. I didn't realize this was the only ep PMT wasn't in for the entire series. Still, Crockett teamed with Castillo is terrific.I love "The Lost Madonna"; one that's IMO regularly underrated. The whole "She's Waiting" sequence is very, very cool, and the brief reprise at the end is great. Tanita Tikaram's "Twist In My Sobriety", also heard in the episode, is just icing on the cake. Just going by plot description, I can see how someone could think this sounds like a terrible episode ("Vice gets involved with Art? Really?"), but man, they pulled it off. S5 gets a bad rap by many, but I've always found it to be overwhelmingly strong, a real return to form after the good-but-somewhat-uneven S3 and the underwhelming S4 (all IMO, of course).Aside from those two: S3 isn't my favorite season, but "Red Tape" is, to me, a definite standout. I love the whole one-take intro, and there's a lot of great music in this one. Also, it's always nice to see PMT get the spotlight.The only dud here, for me, is "Hell Hath No Fury". Just not a favorite. It's been forever since I've seen it, so I'm going by memory, but wasn't the ending supposed to indicate mental instability on the part of the rape victim? Also, IIRC isn't this one of only a very few episodes to not include any licensed songs? Of course, I could be wrong on both counts.As always, thank you for these terrific posts!

Thanks...I was just watching "The Home Invaders", I wonder how they would've written that one if PMT was available for it. I guess Castillo would've been lesser involved with actually taking down the home invaders...

[mvnyc]

Great information as per usual - thankyou again

Thanks Matt5.

[Kavinsky]

with the fake money thing with payback, the reason for that is its actually illegal to print money that uses both sides of the paper for moviemaking.something that the to live and die in L.A crew ran into problems with either the treasury department or the FBI after the making of that film as they showed one of the baddies creating counterfeits that used both sides of the paper in the film.

although they fully cooperated with them and they dropped the investigation after it became obvious it was just supposed to be a movie prop and that they unknowingly made that mistake and nothing more.also I have that movie on dvd, part of the reason why I remembered that when I found out about that.

[Lar]

Thanks...I was just watching "The Home Invaders"' date=' I wonder how they would've written that one if PMT was available for it. I guess Castillo would've been lesser involved with actually taking down the home invaders...[/quote']That's a good question. I wonder if PMT had been there if they'd have still been able to work in the whole "Castillo causes friction with Sonny's old superior" angle? I would guess probably, if all three were there during the briefing, investigation, etc. I think you're right, Castillo just would have been less involved with the actual takedown. Even without Tubbs, this is, IMO, a real powerhouse episode. One of my top favorites of S1 (and I love the whole season).