This Week In Miami Vice History...

[mvnyc]

May 20th - 26th:Series Finale (With Additional Information)"Freefall", the 17th episode of the 5th season, premiered on NBC on Sunday, May 21st, 1989 at 9PM EDT. Some notes on this episode (from Miami Vice Wiki):* The series finale, like the pilot, aired on a Sunday night. * When aired in syndication, "Freefall" is aired as two parts instead of a single two-hour episode.* The story for the episode is loosely based on the goings-on of Manuel Noriega, the military leader of Panama, who was ousted by the US military amidst charges of drug dealing and corruption. * Three versions of the final confrontation between Baker and Crockett & Tubbs were filmed: the broadcast version, where both of them quit the force, one where both Crockett & Tubbs are killed and one where only Tubbs was killed. The decision to have both characters survive was allegedly made in anticipation of the spinoff about the Young Criminals Unit (from "Leap Of Faith"), which Crockett and/or Tubbs would have made occasional appearances in, had it been picked up. * Baker's ultimate threat to Crockett & Tubbs following the final shootout ("I'm gonna have your badges for this...!") seems perhaps a little restrained, as the two police officers had just gunned down several government agents. This is a crime that, regardless of the corrupt nature of the case, would have undoubtedly resulted in both men going to jail, if not worse. * Some of the riot scenes from Costa Morada look like they came from stock news footage of similar events in Central America.* Crockett tries the coin toss on Tubbs, but Tubbs catches the coin and decides what to do himself (but still ends up "losing" as he is captured by Montoya). * We see the sign outside the doors of OCB and what it says: Organized Crime Bureau, Strategic Intelligence, Tactical Intelligence, Vice/Narcotics. * Don Johnson is wearing a University of Kansas shirt under his sportcoat in the final scene of this episode. Johnson attended the school in his younger days. * Castillo gives his final "staredown" to Crockett & Tubbs for quitting the force. * We see Crockett use a shotgun (the Armsel Striker he carries in the final firefight), for the first time. We also see him use a conventional rifle (a Remington 700), when rescuing Tubbs from Montoya. And we also see that Crockett loads his Smith & Wesson Model 4506 with FEDERAL 230 grain Jacketed Hollow Points. * It is interesting to note that none of the photos in Crockett's locker are of Caitlin; all of them are of Caroline and Billy.* It is also interesting to note that, considering this is the final episode of the series, Gina and Trudy have only a couple of scenes each and do nothing of any real importance. Castillo fares little better with just two scenes (including the climactic standoff with Baker), while even Switek, who gets a good portion of screen time and has an active role in the plot, is left hanging at the end of the pisode. His ultimate fate (after being indefinitely suspended and subsequently killing Montoya's men), is never revealed. * The scene involving Switek placing a bet from a payphone was not originally part of this episode; it was to be included in the episode "Too Much, Too Late." However, as NBC never broadcast that episode due to its controversial content, the scene was moved to the series finale to help explain why Montoya is able to exert influence over Switek. Consequently, the scene is used in both episodes, creating something of a continuity error.* Tubbs is shown loading up his Ithaca Stakeout and his Smith & Wesson Model 38 prior to the final confrontation with Borbon, but uses neither one in the subsequent shootout, opting instead for two SIG Sauer P226's he brings back from Costa Morada. * While shooting at Borbon's plane, Tubbs' gun locks empty, but in the next shot he is firing again without having reloaded. * In the final drive in the Testarossa to the confrontation with Baker, Crockett's shoes are different than the ones he was shown wearing moments earlier while arming himself in the OCB locker room. * The closing credits are in an orange font instead of the usual white, are much longer, playing the Terry Kath song "Tell Me" instead of the "Miami Vice Theme" and show clips of the past five years of Miami Vice instead of the usual Miami stock landmark footage. * Tubbs has the last line in both the first and the last episode of "Miami Vice." * In June, 1989, NBC moved the series to Wednesdays at 10:00pm to air three "lost" episodes and reruns of the series, with the last NBC broadcast of a "Miami Vice" episode airing on July 26, 1989. The fourth "lost" episode, "Too Much, Too Late", would not be aired until January of 1990 on USA Network, on a Thursday night.* "No Way Out" was composed by Tim Truman, Don Johnson came in late at night to the studio and performed the singing on the track. Although it was discovered shortly before airing that Don Johnson was not entitled (by his record company) to record for someone else, they (Universal) received clearance for the song. Subsequently, Don Johnson was not allowed to include it on his 1989 album, "Let It Roll."* As co-writer of this episode, a "Frank Holman" is listed. This name is a pseudonym for Michael Mann, as he used the character in his TV series "Crime Story."* The "official" reason given for the series cancellation was "due to high budget exceedings and lowered ratings." It was Michael Mann's decision to cancel the series, with NBC following suit. Don Johnson stated that it was "time to move on" and that "all good VICE stories had already been told."* The cast and crew attended a farewell party at "Woody's On The Beach" (a club owned by The Rolling Stone's Ron Wood), shortly after this episode was shot in April, 1989.* There was an additional episode planned for "Miami Vice" which was to be shot in the Florida Keys following the episode "Over The Line" and would have (ultimately) changed the outcome of season 5 had the series been renewed. It was titled "The Edge" and was scrapped once the final announcement for non-renewal of the series was made by NBC.

[Matt5]

May 20th - 26th:Series Finale (With Additional Information)"Freefall"' date=' the 17th episode of the 5th season, premiered on NBC on Sunday, May 21st, 1989 at 9PM EDT. Some notes on this episode (from Miami Vice Wiki):* The series finale, like the pilot, aired on a Sunday night. * When aired in syndication, "Freefall" is aired as two parts instead of a single two-hour episode.* The story for the episode is loosely based on the goings-on of Manuel Noriega, the military leader of Panama, who was ousted by the US military amidst charges of drug dealing and corruption. * Three versions of the final confrontation between Baker and Crockett & Tubbs were filmed: the broadcast version, where both of them quit the force, one where both Crockett & Tubbs are killed and one where only Tubbs was killed. The decision to have both characters survive was allegedly made in anticipation of the spinoff about the Young Criminals Unit (from "Leap Of Faith"), which Crockett and/or Tubbs would have made occasional appearances in, had it been picked up. * Baker's ultimate threat to Crockett & Tubbs following the final shootout ("I'm gonna have your badges for this...!") seems perhaps a little restrained, as the two police officers had just gunned down several government agents. This is a crime that, regardless of the corrupt nature of the case, would have undoubtedly resulted in both men going to jail, if not worse. * Some of the riot scenes from Costa Morada look like they came from stock news footage of similar events in Central America.* Crockett tries the coin toss on Tubbs, but Tubbs catches the coin and decides what to do himself (but still ends up "losing" as he is captured by Montoya). * We see the sign outside the doors of OCB and what it says: Organized Crime Bureau, Strategic Intelligence, Tactical Intelligence, Vice/Narcotics. * Don Johnson is wearing a University of Kansas shirt under his sportcoat in the final scene of this episode. Johnson attended the school in his younger days. * Castillo gives his final "staredown" to Crockett & Tubbs for quitting the force. * We see Crockett use a shotgun (the Armsel Striker he carries in the final firefight), for the first time. We also see him use a conventional rifle (a Remington 700), when rescuing Tubbs from Montoya. And we also see that Crockett loads his Smith & Wesson Model 4506 with FEDERAL 230 grain Jacketed Hollow Points. * It is interesting to note that none of the photos in Crockett's locker are of Caitlin; all of them are of Caroline and Billy.* It is also interesting to note that, considering this is the final episode of the series, Gina and Trudy have only a couple of scenes each and do nothing of any real importance. Castillo fares little better with just two scenes (including the climactic standoff with Baker), while even Switek, who gets a good portion of screen time and has an active role in the plot, is left hanging at the end of the pisode. His ultimate fate (after being indefinitely suspended and subsequently killing Montoya's men), is never revealed. * The scene involving Switek placing a bet from a payphone was not originally part of this episode; it was to be included in the episode "Too Much, Too Late." However, as NBC never broadcast that episode due to its controversial content, the scene was moved to the series finale to help explain why Montoya is able to exert influence over Switek. Consequently, the scene is used in both episodes, creating something of a continuity error.* Tubbs is shown loading up his Ithaca Stakeout and his Smith & Wesson Model 38 prior to the final confrontation with Borbon, but uses neither one in the subsequent shootout, opting instead for two SIG Sauer P226's he brings back from Costa Morada. * While shooting at Borbon's plane, Tubbs' gun locks empty, but in the next shot he is firing again without having reloaded. * In the final drive in the Testarossa to the confrontation with Baker, Crockett's shoes are different than the ones he was shown wearing moments earlier while arming himself in the OCB locker room. * The closing credits are in an orange font instead of the usual white, are much longer, playing the Terry Kath song "Tell Me" instead of the "Miami Vice Theme" and show clips of the past five years of Miami Vice instead of the usual Miami stock landmark footage. * Tubbs has the last line in both the first and the last episode of "Miami Vice." * In June, 1989, NBC moved the series to Wednesdays at 10:00pm to air three "lost" episodes and reruns of the series, with the last NBC broadcast of a "Miami Vice" episode airing on July 26, 1989. The fourth "lost" episode, "Too Much, Too Late", would not be aired until January of 1990 on USA Network, on a Thursday night.* "No Way Out" was composed by Tim Truman, Don Johnson came in late at night to the studio and performed the singing on the track. Although it was discovered shortly before airing that Don Johnson was not entitled (by his record company) to record for someone else, they (Universal) received clearance for the song. Subsequently, Don Johnson was not allowed to include it on his 1989 album, "Let It Roll."* As co-writer of this episode, a "Frank Holman" is listed. This name is a pseudonym for Michael Mann, as he used the character in his TV series "Crime Story."* The "official" reason given for the series cancellation was "due to high budget exceedings and lowered ratings." It was Michael Mann's decision to cancel the series, with NBC following suit. Don Johnson stated that it was "time to move on" and that "all good VICE stories had already been told."* The cast and crew attended a farewell party at "Woody's On The Beach" (a club owned by The Rolling Stone's Ron Wood), shortly after this episode was shot in April, 1989.* There was an additional episode planned for "Miami Vice" which was to be shot in the Florida Keys following the episode "Over The Line" and would have (ultimately) changed the outcome of season 5 had the series been renewed. It was titled "The Edge" and was scrapped once the final announcement for non-renewal of the series was made by NBC.[/quote']Would have loved to seen "The Edge" episode shot in the Florida Keys perhaps Directed by Don Johnson . Shame it was scrapped.

[mvnyc]

Would have loved to seen "The Edge" episode shot in the Florida Keys perhaps Directed by Don Johnson . Shame it was scrapped.

I know...it would've been interesting to see where the series would've went had their been a 6th Season...Crockett and Tubbs go to Europe (that was the plan), Switek probably in Gambler's anonymous, etc.

[Matt5]

I know...it would've been interesting to see where the series would've went had their been a 6th Season...Crockett and Tubbs go to Europe (that was the plan)' date=' Switek probably in Gambler's anonymous, etc.[/quote']C&T going to Europe a plan? A Season 6 was never going to happen.There was a plan to do a feature length episode for the Season 3 premiere ( "When Irish " ) in Ireland but that didnt come off with budget and DJ busily recording Heartbeat .

[Lar]

C&T going to Europe a plan? A Season 6 was never going to happen.There was a plan to do a feature length episode for the Season 3 premiere ( "When Irish " ) in Ireland but that didnt come off with budget and DJ busily recording Heartbeat .

Yeah' date=' if they scrapped the Ireland-trip episode at the peak of MV's popularity, there was no way they'd do a Europe ep when the ratings had dropped so considerably by that point.I always wished they had done the Ireland episode to open up S3. It would have felt more like an event, like "The Prodigal Son" opening up S2. Instead, we got "Irish..." or alternately, "El Viejo" (which was the intended season opener). Both good episodes, but they felt more like regular eps and not epic like "The Prodigal Son" or even the Pilot were. Changing up the style for S3 was one thing, but facing off with [i']Dallas AND treating MV like just another show IMO is what really hurt the series. S2 was so popular that MV was poised to continue the ratings success into S3, but nope.All that said, "The Edge" sounds very interesting, I wonder how it wuld have changed the outcome of the show.I'm still looking for promos to any of those post-"Freefall" Wednesday episodes, be they the three unaired "new" shows or reruns. In my experience, MV received less promotion during the 5th season (or maybe I just haven't found the right tapes yet, I don't know).

[mvnyc]

I'm still looking for promos to any of those post-"Freefall" Wednesday episodes' date=' be they the three unaired "new" shows or reruns. In my experience, MV received less promotion during the 5th season (or maybe I just haven't found the right tapes yet, I don't know).[/quote']Funny you mention this, I just recently came across the promo for the USA Networks premiere of "Too Much, Too Late" , it starts off with "you've never seen this before..." when I get a chance, I'll upload it, it's very short.

[Lar]

Funny you mention this' date=' I just recently came across the promo for the USA Networks premiere of "Too Much, Too Late" , it starts off with "you've never seen this before..." when I get a chance, I'll upload it, it's very short.[/quote']Yes, please do! I've got several USA airings, and a short generic promo for the series on the channel, but their promo for "Too Much..." is one I've been wanting to see for the longest time (and as of yet have been unable to locate myself).