List of Miami Vice episodes
The following is an episode list for the 1980s' undercover cop television series Miami Vice. In the United States, the show was aired on NBC. The first episode of the series premiered on September 16, 1984 with the series concluding on May 21, 1989 after five seasons. Though the series concluded on May 21, 1989, NBC aired three more episodes after the series finale, and USA Network aired a fourth post-series finale episode, thus concluding the series on January 25, 1990. There are a total of 112 episodes, spanning five years (1984–1989) of the show's run. The individual seasons are available on DVD in Regions 1, 2 and 4.
Series overview
Season | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
First aired | Last aired | |||
1 | 22 | September 16, 1984 | May 10, 1985 | |
2 | 22 | September 27, 1985 | May 9, 1986 | |
3 | 24 | September 26, 1986 | May 8, 1987 | |
4 | 22 | September 25, 1987 | May 6, 1988 | |
5 | 21 | November 4, 1988 | January 25, 1990 | |
Episodes
Season 1 (1984–85)
Season one of Miami Vice premiered on September 16, 1984 with the two-hour pilot premiere on NBC and concluded on May 10, 1985, after 22 episodes. Regular cast members included Don Johnson, Philip Michael Thomas, Saundra Santiago, Gregory Sierra, Michael Talbott, John Diehl, Olivia Brown, and Edward James Olmos.
The first season was filmed on location in Miami, Florida.[1] The show's crew took up semipermanent residence in the Alexander Hotel.[1] They later worked out of Greenwich Studios.[2]
The film crew on the show, was 95% local to the Miami area.[2] Various filming locations on the show included: Downtown Miami, Old Miamarina (Bayside Market Place), Opa Locka Airport, Biscayne Boulevard, Key Biscayne, Florida, Venetian Causeway, Coconut Grove, South Beach, North Miami Beach, St. Croix, McArthur Causeway, Ocean Drive, and Tamiami Trail.[2]
Episodes were produced at an average cost of $1.3 million, much higher than the typical cop-show episode of $1 million.[1] The show went to unusual lengths to get the right settings and props for each episode.
Music was an integral part of the show. Unlike other television shows at the time, Miami Vice would buy the rights to original versions rather than covers. The show would spend up to $10,000 per episode for original recordings by artists like Todd Rundgren, U2, and Frankie Goes to Hollywood.[1] Jan Hammer, the show's musical composer, would create the rest of the show's musical score. Hammer used the Fairlight CMI IIx, a computer based music workstation consisting of an 8-bit sampler, digital synthesizer, MIDI controller and sequencer. The Fairlight enabled Hammer to score and perform the entire show's music single handedly. Jan would work out of his state-of-the-art studio in his home in Brewster, New York composing the score for each episode.[1]
No. in series | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Production code |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 2 | 1 2 | "Brother's Keeper"[3] | Thomas Carter | Anthony Yerkovich | September 16, 1984 | 83504 |
James "Sonny" Crockett is a Miami Vice Squad detective who has just lost his colleague, Eddie Rivera (Jimmy Smits) in a car bombing. Crockett was investigating Esteban Calderone, a Colombian drug dealer, when he meets a New York City narcotics detective, Rafael Tubbs. Since they're having difficulties approaching Calderone, Crockett and Tubbs are forced to work together. Crockett later confronts "Rafael" and discovers that he is actually Ricardo, Rafael's younger brother and a New York street cop, who is seeking revenge on Calderone, for killing his brother. They decide to work together and Calderone is arrested. He is freed when he pays $2 million bail and escapes. In the end Crockett persuades Tubbs to enter a career in "Southern Law Enforcement". | ||||||
3 | 3 | "Heart of Darkness" | John Llewellyn Moxey | A.J. Edison | September 28, 1984 | 59501 |
Crockett and Tubbs go undercover to infiltrate an illegal pornography ring, as well as rein in an undercover FBI agent (Ed O'Neill) that may have gone over to the other side. | ||||||
4 | 4 | "Cool Runnin'" | Lee H. Katzin | Joel Surnow | October 5, 1984 | 59502 |
The Vice squad is forced to rely on a petty criminal (Charlie Barnett) to help them bust a gang of violent Jamaican thugs that are responsible for a series of deadly drug ripoffs around the city. | ||||||
5 | 5 | "Calderone's Return: The Hit List" (Part 1) | Richard Colla | Joel Surnow | October 19, 1984 | 59504 |
Calderone, Crockett and Tubbs' old nemesis, hires a notorious Argentinian assassin to take out his largest competitors in Miami, and the Vice squad soon learns that Crockett's name is number nine on the list of ten. | ||||||
6 | 6 | "Calderone's Return: Calderone's Demise" (Part 2) | Paul Michael Glaser | Alfonse Ruggiero, Jr. & Joel Surnow | October 26, 1984 | 59507 |
Although Crockett survived the attempt on his life, Lt. Rodriguez (Gregory Sierra) wasn't so lucky. Now Crockett and Tubbs must travel to Bimini to get Calderone and avenge the Lieutenant's death. Along the way, however, Tubbs unknowingly falls for Calderone's daughter, who is unaware father's nefarious dealings. | ||||||
7 | 7 | "One Eyed Jack" | Lee H. Katzin | Alfonse Ruggiero, Jr. | November 2, 1984 | 59503 |
As the Vice squad is taken over by a new Lieutenant, Martin Castillo (Edward James Olmos), Crockett is framed for taking bribes as he tries to help an old flame get out of a debt to infamous loan shark Al Lombard (Dennis Farina). | ||||||
8 | 8 | "No Exit" | David Soul | Story by: Charles R. Leinenweber Teleplay by: Maurice Hurley | November 9, 1984 | 59508 |
The Vice squad joins forces with the FBI in an effort to stop an arms dealer (Bruce Willis) from selling off a cache of stolen FIM-92 Stinger missiles. | ||||||
9 | 9 | "The Great McCarthy" | Georg Stanford Brown | Philip Reed & Joel Surnow | November 16, 1984 | 59509 |
Crockett puts his beloved cigarette speedboat on the line during the Vice squad's attempt to collar a drug smuggler who moves his product using his favorite hobby—speedboat racing—as a cover. | ||||||
10 | 10 | "Glades" | Stan Lathan | Rex Weiner & Allan Weisberger | November 30, 1984 | 59506 |
Crockett and Tubbs must journey into the Everglades to recover a key witness (Keith Szarabajka) who fled from their protection two days before he is scheduled to testify against a Colombian drug importer. | ||||||
11 | 11 | "Give a Little, Take a Little" | Bobby Roth | Chuck Adamson | December 7, 1984 | 59505 |
Crockett's refusal to identify an informant (Lenny Von Dohlen) in court gets him locked up on contempt charges. Meanwhile, Detectives Trudy and Gina encounter difficulties while attempting to infiltrate a prostitution ring. | ||||||
12 | 12 | "Little Prince" | Alan J. Levi | Story by: Wendy Cozen & Joel Surnow Teleplay by: A.J. Edison | December 14, 1984 | 59515 |
After the Vice squad arrests the heroin-addicted son of a wealthy industrialist during a raid, Crockett and Tubbs recruit him to bring down his own father, who is supplementing the family's fortune with cocaine distribution. | ||||||
13 | 13 | "Milk Run" | John Nicolella | Allison Hock | January 4, 1985 | 59512 |
Two naïve college students from New York City run afoul of the Vice squad during their attempt to run a small shipment of cocaine from Colombia to Miami. | ||||||
14 | 14 | "Golden Triangle" (Part 1) | Georg Stanford Brown | Story by: Joseph Gunn Teleplay: Joseph Gunn & Maurice Hurley | January 11, 1985 | 59511 |
While working undercover to bust dirty cops shaking down prostitutes at a high-end hotel, Crockett and Tubbs stumble upon a plan by two thieves to rob the hotel's safe deposit boxes. When the thieves are brutally murdered and mutilated, Lt. Castillo recognizes a connection to a far larger criminal organization, one that has encountered in the past, when he worked as a DEA agent in Thailand. | ||||||
15 | 15 | "Golden Triangle" (Part 2) | David Anspaugh | Maurice Hurley | January 18, 1985 | 59516 |
The Vice squad puts their other cases on hold to help Castillo bring down Lao Li (Keye Luke), a Chinese drug lord who killed Castillo's DEA colleagues 5 years ago, who is now living in Miami with his extended family and holding Castillo's former wife (Joan Chen) hostage to deter Castillo from acting against him. | ||||||
16 | 16 | "Smuggler's Blues" | Paul Michael Glaser | Miguel Piñero | February 1, 1985 | 59514 |
Crockett and Tubbs are recruited by the DEA to pose as drug smugglers and travel to Cartagena in an effort to flush out someone in law enforcement who has been extorting drug dealers by kidnapping their families. | ||||||
17 | 17 | "Rites of Passage" | David Anspaugh | Daniel Pyne | February 8, 1985 | 59519 |
Tubbs' old flame, NYPD Detective Valerie Gordon (Pam Grier), comes to Miami in search of her missing sister, who has become involved with a prostitution ring that the Vice squad is trying to bring down. | ||||||
18 | 18 | "The Maze" | Tim Zinnemann | Michael Eric Stein | February 22, 1985 | 59523 |
Tubbs is taken hostage by gang members in a run-down hotel, along with all of the other squatters, thanks to the would-be heroics of a cop out to avenge his partner's murder. | ||||||
19 | 19 | "Made for Each Other" | Rob Cohen | Story by: Joel Surnow & Allan Weisbecker Teleplay by: Dennis Cooper & Allan Weisbecker | March 8, 1985 | 59527 |
After his house is destroyed in an accidental fire, Zito is forced to move in with Switek and his new girlfriend, who also happens to be Zito's ex. The resulting friction threatens to derail the pair's investigation of a ring of thieves selling stolen goods. | ||||||
20 | 20 | "The Home Invaders" | Abel Ferrara | Chuck Adamson | March 15, 1985 | 59525 |
The Vice squad is brought in to help the Robbery division stop a series of violent home invasions in wealthy neighborhoods. During the investigation, Crockett learns that one of his old mentors may be losing his touch. | ||||||
21 | 21 | "Nobody Lives Forever" | Jim Johnston | Edward DiLorenzo | March 29, 1985 | 59520 |
As the Vice squad races to track down a trio of hoods on a violent, drug-fueled joyride through the city, Crockett's new romance proves to be a major distraction. | ||||||
22 | 22 | "Evan" | Rob Cohen | Paul Diamond | May 3, 1985 | 59518 |
The Vice squad's investigation of an arms dealer (Al Israel) is complicated when Crockett encounters Evan Freed (William Russ), a former Vice cop-turned-ATF agent whose past history with Crockett has left them both with a mutual hatred for each other. | ||||||
23 | 23 | "Lombard" | John Nicolella | Story by: Joel Surnow Teleplay by: David Assael | May 10, 1985 | 59529 |
Crockett and Tubbs are assigned to provide witness protection for an infamous Miami mobster Al Lombard, who is set to testify against a Mafia family as part of a plea bargain to reduce his sentence, but the family won't let him away so easily. |
Season 2 (1985–86)
Season two of Miami Vice premiered on September 27, 1985, with the two hour episode "Prodigal Son". The second season concluded on May 9, 1986, after 22 episodes. Season two regular cast members included Don Johnson, Philip Michael Thomas, Saundra Santiago, Michael Talbott, John Diehl, Olivia Brown and Edward James Olmos.
No. in series | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Production code |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
24 | 1 | "Prodigal Son" | Paul Michael Glaser | Daniel Pyne | September 27, 1985 | 60013 |
Crockett and Tubbs go to New York City to assist the DEA in hunting down a gang of Colombian drug dealers responsible for killing several undercover agents who were posing as dealers in Miami. Meanwhile, Tubbs reunites with his old flame Valerie (Pam Grier). | ||||||
25 | 2 | "Whatever Works" | John Nicolella | Maurice Hurley | October 4, 1985 | 60025 |
Crockett, Tubbs and Castillo seek guidance from a Santería priestess (Eartha Kitt) while investigating the ritualistic murders of police officers and drug dealers. Meanwhile, Izzy helps Crockett get back his Ferrari Daytona after it is repossessed by a city accountant. | ||||||
26 | 3 | "Out Where the Buses Don't Run"[4] | Jim Johnston | Story by: Douglas Lloyd MacIntosh & Joel Surnow Teleplay by: Douglas Lloyd MacIntosh & John Mankiewicz | October 18, 1985 | 60006 |
A retired Vice detective (Bruce McGill) offers to assist Crockett and Tubbs with their latest case. The only problem? The man the former detective claims is running the drug ring they are investigating supposedly died years ago. In 1997, TV Guide ranked this episode #90 on its list of the 100 Greatest Episodes.[5] | ||||||
27 | 4 | "The Dutch Oven" | Abel Ferrara | Maurice Hurley | October 25, 1985 | 60003 |
Trudy is torn between duty and romance when she learns that her boyfriend (Cleavant Derricks) is best friends with a drug dealer (Giancarlo Esposito) who has connections to a big-time supplier the Vice Squad is trying to bring down. | ||||||
28 | 5 | "Buddies" | Harry Mastrogeorge | Frank Military | November 1, 1985 | 60020 |
A nightclub waitress goes on the run from Mafia hitmen after accidentally taking evidence of their illegal gambling ring from her workplace. As the Vice Squad tries to track her down, Crockett learns that the club's manager, his old friend Robbie Cann (James Remar) may be involved with the girl's disappearance. | ||||||
29 | 6 | "Junk Love" | Michael O'Herlihy | Julia Cameron | November 8, 1985 | 60017 |
Crockett and Tubbs attempt to use an elusive heroin trafficker's girlfriend, a drug-addicted prostitute, to get closer to him. But they soon learn that her connection to the man is far deeper, and more disturbing, than they could have imagined. | ||||||
30 | 7 | "Tale of the Goat" | Michael O'Herlihy | Jim Trombetta | November 15, 1985 | 60036 |
Tubbs crosses paths with a Haitian voodoo priest (Clarence Williams III), who has apparently returned from the dead to kill a business associate (Mykelti Williamson) who double-crossed him years ago. | ||||||
31 | 8 | "Bushido" | Edward James Olmos | John Leekley | November 22, 1985 | 60042 |
Castillo's old friend Jack Gretsky (Dean Stockwell), a retired CIA agent, reveals that he is dying of lung cancer, and asks Castillo to protect his wife, a Soviet defector, and their son from the KGB assassins that are pursuing them. | ||||||
32 | 9 | "Bought and Paid For" | John Nicolella | Marvin Kupfer | November 29, 1985 | 60024 |
Gina's friend Odette (Lynn Whitfield), a Haitian immigrant, is raped by the son (Joaquim de Almeida) of an exiled Bolivian general living in Miami. The Vice Squad's subsequent investigation soon becomes complicated by Odette's sudden recantation of her story. | ||||||
33 | 10 | "Back in the World" | Don Johnson | Terry McDonnell | December 6, 1985 | 60023 |
Ira Stone (Bob Balaban), Crockett's journalist friend from the Vietnam War, arrives in Miami looking for help to break a story connecting a CIA operative (G. Gordon Liddy) to a drug ring that smuggled heroin into the United States in the body bags of dead soldiers. | ||||||
34 | 11 | "Phil the Shill" | John Nicolella | Paul Diamond | December 13, 1985 | 60037 |
Switek is forced to put his vendetta against a sleazy con artist (Phil Collins) who swindled him on hold when the Vice Squad learns they may be able to use the grifter to bring down a big-time cocaine dealer. | ||||||
35 | 12 | "Definitely Miami" | Rob Cohen | Michael Ahnemann & Daniel Pyne | January 10, 1986 | 60012 |
Crockett falls hard for an attractive, mysterious woman (Arielle Dombasle) and attempts to help break away from her violent, drug-dealing boyfriend (Ted Nugent). Meanwhile, an elusive cocaine trafficker offers to turn himself in to the Vice Squad in exchange for a face-to-face meeting with his sister, a protected witness who is planning to testify against him. | ||||||
36 | 13 | "Yankee Dollar" | Aaron Lipstadt | John Mankiewicz & Daniel Pyne | January 17, 1986 | 60047 |
Crockett's stewardess girlfriend dies suddenly, and her autopsy reveals ruptured balloons of cocaine in her stomach. As the Vice Squad investigates, they learn she was muling the drugs for a sleazy corporate raider (Ned Eisenberg) who is setting himself up as the middleman for a major impending deal. | ||||||
37 | 14 | "One Way Ticket" | Craig Bolotin | Craig Bolotin & John Mankiewicz | January 24, 1986 | 60040 |
The Vice squad's efforts to bring down a French-Canadian drug lord who ordered the murder of an ADA is stymied by a defense attorney (John Heard) with whom Crockett has an adversarial history. | ||||||
38 | 15 | "Little Miss Dangerous" | Leon Ichaso | Frank Military | January 31, 1986 | 60038 |
As the police scour the city searching for the "Crayon Killer", a serial killer who leaves childlike drawings next to their victim's bodies, Tubbs tries to help a teenage prostitute (Fiona) turn her life around, unaware that he may be closer to the Crayon Killer than he realizes. | ||||||
39 | 16 | "Florence Italy" | John Nicolella | Wilton Crawley | February 14, 1986 | 60011 |
Crockett and Tubbs investigate the murder of a teenage prostitute, and a big-time Grand Prix racer (Danny Sullivan) ends up at the top of their suspect list. But is the driver really responsible, or is it someone close to him? | ||||||
40 | 17 | "French Twist" | David Jackson | Story by: Michael Hoggan & Jason Summers Teleplay by: Jason Summers | February 21, 1986 | 60049 |
Crockett strikes up a romance with a French Interpol agent (Lisa Eichhorn) who is in Miami pursuing a drug-dealing assassin, but Tubbs suspects she might not be who she says she is. | ||||||
41 | 18 | "The Fix" | Dick Miller | Chuck Adamson | March 7, 1986 | 60008 |
After a respected judge (Bill Russell) sets a ridiculously low bail for a drug dealer, Crockett and Tubbs investigate the man and learn that he owes a large gambling debt to a violent loan shark (Michael Richards), who wants the judge to convince his son (Bernard King), a college basketball star, to throw his next game. | ||||||
42 | 19 | "Payback" | Aaron Lipstadt | Robert Crais | March 14, 1986 | 60048 |
Crockett learns that a prominent drug trafficker (Frank Zappa) believes Crockett's undercover alias, Sonny Burnett, has stolen $3 million from him, and must find out who set him up before the trafficker's hitmen get to him. | ||||||
43 | 20 | "Free Verse" | John Nicolella | Story by: Jim Trombetta & Shel Williams Teleplay by: Jim Trombetta | April 4, 1986 | 60005 |
The Vice Squad is assigned to protect a Latin American poet who has been targeted for assassination by both his home country's secret police, who want him silenced, and the anti-government guerrillas, who want to make him a martyr. | ||||||
44 | 21 | "Trust Fund Pirates" | Jim Johnston | Daniel Pyne | May 2, 1986 | 60027 |
Crockett and Tubbs recruit a semi-retired smuggler (Gary Cole) in their efforts to take down a gang of rich kids who are killing off drug runners and stealing their cargo to resell it. | ||||||
45 | 22 | "Sons and Lovers" | John Nicolella | Dennis Cooper | May 9, 1986 | 60008 |
Angelina, Esteban Calderone's daughter, returns and reveals to Tubbs that he fathered her child. However, she also informs him that her half-brother, Orlando Calderone (John Leguizamo), is in Miami and looking to avenge his father's death. |
Season 3 (1986–87)
Season three of Miami Vice premiered on September 26, 1986, with the episode "When Irish Eyes Are Crying". The third season concluded on May 8, 1987, after 24 episodes. Season three regular cast members included Don Johnson, Philip Michael Thomas, Saundra Santiago, Michael Talbott, John Diehl, Olivia Brown and Edward James Olmos. Changes in season three included Dick Wolf joining the crew as executive producer working with Michael Mann, different style and fashion looks, the introduction of the Ferrari Testarossa, Sonny Crockett's new car and the death of Larry Zito (Diehl).
No. in series | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Production code |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
46 | 1 | "When Irish Eyes Are Crying" | Mario Di Leo | Story by: John Leekley Teleplay by: John Leekley & Dick Wolf | September 26, 1986 | 62004 |
Gina begins a romance with a reformed Irish revolutionary (Liam Neeson), but the rest of the Vice Squad soon learns that his charitable crusade may be a cover for a planned IRA operation against British MI5 agents currently working in Miami. | ||||||
47 | 2 | "Stone's War" | David Jackson | David Jackson | October 3, 1986 | 62012 |
Ira Stone (Bob Balaban) returns, asking for Crockett's help in breaking the story of a Miami drug ring funneling money to American mercenaries operating illegally in Nicaragua, which will give the Vice Squad a second chance to bring down Maynard (G. Gordon Liddy), the crooked CIA agent who managed to escape them once before. | ||||||
48 | 3 | "Killshot" | Leon Ichaso | Story by: Manuael Arce & Leon Ichaso & Marvin Kupfer Teleplay by: Marvin Kupfer | October 10, 1986 | 62018 |
A U.S. Customs agent asks for Crockett and Tubbs' help clearing the name of his brother, a talented Jai alai player (Fernando Allende) with a cocaine problem whose dealer is framing him for a prostitute's murder. | ||||||
49 | 4 | "Walk Alone" | David Jackson | W.K. Scott Meyer | October 17, 1986 | 62014 |
Tubbs risks his life when he goes undercover as a prison inmate in order to expose a drug ring being run by two corrupt corrections officers (Laurence Fishburne and Kevin Conway). | ||||||
50 | 5 | "The Good Collar" | Mario Di Leo | Dennis Cooper | October 24, 1986 | 62001 |
After Crockett catches a promising high school football player (Keith Diamond) delivering heroin to a known dealer, he tries to convince the young man to save his athletic career by helping the Vice Squad bring down a teenage drug lord. | ||||||
51 | 6 | "Shadow in the Dark" | Christopher Crowe | Chuck Adamson | October 31, 1986 | 62003 |
Crockett tries to get inside the head of a mentally unstable home invader in order to catch him before his crimes turn violent, despite the fact that the last cop who tried that approach ended up in a psychiatric hospital. | ||||||
52 | 7 | "El Viejo" | Aaron Lipstadt | Alan Moskowitz | November 7, 1986 | 62009 |
Crockett's investigation of a drug ring is complicated by the interference of a Texas Ranger (Willie Nelson) who has mistaken Crockett's undercover identity as a drug dealer for the real thing. | ||||||
53 | 8 | "Better Living Through Chemistry" | Leon Ichaso | Story by: Ken Edwards & Harold Rosenthal Teleplay by: Michael Duggan & Dick Wolf | November 14, 1986 | 62007 |
Tubbs' former partner from New York is out for revenge, believing that Tubbs is responsible for getting him kicked off the force, and threatens to derail the Vice Squad's latest investigation when he kidnaps a drug dealer's chemist. | ||||||
54 | 9 | "Baby Blues" | Daniel Attias | Story by: Michael Duggan & Dick Wolf Teleplay by: Michael Duggan | November 21, 1986 | 62017 |
The Vice Squad begins investigating an illegal adoption and human trafficking ring after an interdicted Colombian airplane thought to be full of drugs turns out to contain live human infants. | ||||||
55 | 10 | "Streetwise" | Fred Walton | Dennis Cooper | December 5, 1986 | 62002 |
While Crockett tries to convince an undercover cop (Bill Paxton) with a wife and child at home to break off his affair with a prostitute (Deborah Adair), Tubbs goes undercover to bring down a violent, drug-dealing pimp (Wesley Snipes) responsible for stealing pharmaceutical-grade cocaine from a hospital. | ||||||
56 | 11 | "Forgive Us Our Debts" | Jan Eliasberg | Gustave Reininger | December 12, 1986 | 62013 |
Crockett does all he can to stop the execution of Frank Hackman (Guy Boyd), the man convicted of killing his former partner, after new evidence is uncovered that seems to prove his innocence and being framed by someone else. | ||||||
57 | 12 | "Down For The Count" (Part 1) | Richard Compton | Story by: Dick Wolf Teleplay by: John Schulian & Dick Wolf | January 9, 1987 | 62020 |
Zito goes undercover as trainer for a young boxer (Mark Breland) to expose a ruthless drug lord with a passion for the sport, but the investigation takes a tragic turn when Zito's cover is blown and he is then killed by the drug lord's hitmen. | ||||||
58 | 13 | "Down For The Count" (Part 2) | Richard Compton | Story by: Dick Wolf Teleplay by: John Schulian & Dick Wolf | January 16, 1987 | 62023 |
Switek is upset when Internal Affairs begins investigating Zito on suspicion of corruption, and sets out to clear his dead partner's name. Meanwhile, the Vice Squad attempts to salvage its floundering investigation of the drug lord that killed their comrade. | ||||||
59 | 14 | "Cuba Libre" | Virgil W. Vogel | Michael Berlin & Eric Estrin | January 23, 1987 | 62015 |
While investigating a group of drug-dealing anti-Castro guerrillas and mercenaries who currently reside in Miami, the Vice Squad uncovers their plot to assassinate a visiting Cuban diplomat. | ||||||
60 | 15 | "Duty and Honor" "The Savage" | John Nicolella | Marvin Kupfer | February 6, 1987 | 62019 |
A series of recent prostitute murders closely resemble similar deaths Castillo investigated while in Vietnam, and his suspicion that the killer is the same one from before are confirmed when the Vietnamese detective (Haing S. Ngor) he worked with on the previous case arrives in Miami looking for his help bringing the killer to justice. | ||||||
61 | 16 | "Theresa" | Virgil W. Vogel | Pamela Norris | February 13, 1987 | 62024 |
Crockett's budding newfound romance with a heroin-addicted doctor (Helena Bonham Carter) ends up jeopardizing his case against a drug dealer(Brad Dourif), from whom the doctor gets the drugs. | ||||||
62 | 17 | "The Afternoon Plane" | David Jackson | David Jackson | February 20, 1987 | 62022 |
Tubbs' vacation on a small Caribbean island with his girlfriend soon turns into a nightmare when his nemesis Orlando Calderone (John Leguizamo) arrives with a full-armed and trained hit squad intent on avenging his father and finally killing him. | ||||||
63 | 18 | "Lend Me an Ear" | James Quinn | Story by: Dick Wolf Teleplay by: Michael Duggan | February 27, 1987 | 62027 |
Steve Duddy (John Glover), a former police surveillance expert who now works as a private security consultant, agrees to help Crockett and Tubbs by supplying them with equipment to nab drug dealers, while simultaneously selling similar equipment to the same dealers the Vice squad is trying to nail. | ||||||
64 | 19 | "Red Tape" | Gabrielle Beaumont | Story by: Dennis Cooper Teleplay by: Jonathan Polansky | March 13, 1987 | 62029 |
After an undercover rookie Vice cop Eddie Trumbull (Viggo Mortensen) is killed by a booby trap while working a case, Internal Affairs begin investigating Tubbs on suspicion of selling information to drug dealers. Tubbs almost turns in his badge in anger, but is eventually convinced that the only way to clear his name is to pretend to be the dirty cop everyone thinks he is in order to expose the real source of the leak. Meanwhile, Eddie's partner Bobby Diaz (Lou Diamond Phillips) sets out for revenge. | ||||||
65 | 20 | "By Hooker By Crook" | Don Johnson | Story by: Dick Wolf Teleplay by: John Schulian | March 20, 1987 | 62026 |
Crockett's latest romance with a respected businesswoman (Melanie Griffith) turns sour when it is revealed that the woman is actually a high-class madam and leader of a local prostitution ring, with connections to a notorious money launderer (George Takei). | ||||||
66 | 21 | "Knock Knock...Who's There?" | Tony Wharmby | Story by: Dick Wolf Teleplay by: John Schulian | March 27, 1987 | 62028 |
Crockett and Tubbs investigate a gang of stickup men who have been derailing Vice Squad drug busts by posing as Federal agents and making off with the drugs and the buy money. | ||||||
67 | 22 | "Viking Bikers From Hell" | James Quinn | Story by: Walter Kurtz Teleplay by: Michael Duggan & Dick Wolf | April 3, 1987 | 62032 |
When the leader (Reb Brown) of a gang of violent, drug-dealing bikers is released from prison, he sets out on a bloody mission of revenge against those he feels were responsible for the death of one of his comrades while he was locked up, a list that includes Crockett. | ||||||
68 | 23 | "Everybody's In Showbiz..." | Richard Compton | Story by: David Cooper & Reinaldo Povod Teleplay by: David Burke | May 1, 1987 | 62031 |
A talented local stage actor attempts to save a struggling community theater by stealing the crack-filled briefcase of a drug dealer (Paul Calderón) and selling the product himself, but this puts his own life in jeopardy. | ||||||
69 | 24 | "Heroes of the Revolution" | Gabrielle Beaumont | Story by: Dick Wolf Teleplay by: John Schulian | May 8, 1987 | 62033 |
An East German spy (Jeroen Krabbé) from Gina's mother's past returns to avenge her death at the hands of a drug-running former Cuban army officer the Vice Squad is investigating. |
Season 4 (1987–88)
Season four of Miami Vice premiered on September 25, 1987, with the episode Contempt of Court". The fourth season concluded on May 6, 1988, after 22 episodes. Season four regular cast members included Don Johnson, Philip Michael Thomas, Saundra Santiago, Michael Talbott, Olivia Brown and Edward James Olmos.
No. in series | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Production code |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
70 | 1 | "Contempt of Court" | Jan Eliasberg | Peter McCabe | September 25, 1987 | 63504 |
Frank Mosca (Stanley Tucci), a big-time mobster, has one of Crockett's old friends killed to prevent him from testifying in court. As Mosca's trial approaches, Crockett has to try to stop his friend's son from taking revenge on Mosca. | ||||||
71 | 2 | "Amen... Send Money" | James J. Quinn | John Schulian | October 2, 1987 | 63502 |
When a drug ring investigation turns up a connection to two feuding televangelists Rev. Billy Bob Proverb (Brian Dennehy) and Mason Mather (James Tolkan), one of them attempts to derail the police probe by framing Tubbs for raping one of their parishioners. "Fast" Eddie Felcher (Ben Stiller) a former con-artist helps Crockett and Tubbs get information from on the feud between Proverb and Mather. | ||||||
72 | 3 | "Death and the Lady" | Colin Bucksey | David Black | October 16, 1987 | 63501 |
When an actress in a newly released independent film turns up dead, Crockett and Tubbs suspect that the film's shady director (Paul Guilfoyle) killed her and is now attempting to pass off a snuff film as art-house fare. | ||||||
73 | 4 | "The Big Thaw" | Richard Compton | Joseph DeBlasi | October 23, 1987 | 63507 |
An investigation takes a turn for the weird when the Vice Squad find themselves embroiled in a dispute over the cryogenically frozen corpse of a famous reggae musician who disappeared years ago. | ||||||
74 | 5 | "Child's Play" | Vern Gillum | Story by: Priscilla Turner Teleplay by: Michael Piller | October 30, 1987 | 63508 |
The Vice Squad's attempted arrest of a drug dealer (Ving Rhames) goes badly, resulting in Crockett accidentally shooting a young boy who points a Belgian Browning Hi-Power pistol at him during the raid which puts Crockett's entire career in jeopardy. | ||||||
75 | 6 | "God's Work" | Jan Eliasberg | Edward Tivnan | November 6, 1987 | 63503 |
The Vice Squad sets its sights on a drug kingpin's son (Esai Morales), who has returned to Miami after a long absence in Europe to help run the family business back again. | ||||||
76 | 7 | "Missing Hours" | Ate de Jong | Thomas M. Disch | November 13, 1987 | 63515 |
While the Vice Squad investigates a UFO cult leader (James Brown) with suspected ties to the drug trade, Trudy has a bizarre encounter with something she cannot possibly explain. | ||||||
77 | 8 | "Like a Hurricane" | Colin Bucksey | Robert Palm | November 20, 1987 | 63511 |
While working a protection detail for Caitlin Davies (Sheena Easton), a recording artist whose life has been threatened by a drug ring, Crockett finds himself falling in love with his charge. | ||||||
78 | 9 | "The Rising Sun of Death" | Leon Ichaso | Peter Lance | December 4, 1987 | 63506 |
The Vice Squad's investigation of murder connected to a suspected Yakuza prostitution ring is complicated by the arrival of a former Japanese detective (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa) who is out for revenge against the gang's leader. | ||||||
79 | 10 | "Love at First Sight" | Don Johnson | Peter McCabe | January 15, 1988 | 63517 |
Caitlin becomes concerned for Crockett's own life when he reluctantly agrees to go undercover in a popular video dating service to catch a sadistic serial killer who is on the loose. | ||||||
80 | 11 | "Rock and a Hard Place" | Colin Bucksey | Story by: Dick Wolf Teleplay by: Robert Palm | January 22, 1988 | 63512 |
Two ruthless music executives are out to ruin Caitlin's comeback by exposing her secret marriage to Crockett's drug-dealing cover identity, Sonny Burnett. | ||||||
81 | 12 | "The Cows of October" | Vern Gillum | Ed Zuckerman | February 5, 1988 | 63510 |
The Vice Squad becomes involved in a bidding war between an American beef company and a Latin-American drug cartel over a supply of rare, high-quality cattle sperm. | ||||||
82 | 13 | "Vote of Confidence" | Randy Roberts | John Schulian | February 12, 1988 | 63520 |
A respected, but secretly corrupted gubernatorial candidate (Larry Pine) is caught in a prostitution ring bust. Fearing for his precious reputation, he is ready to do anything to silence the Vice Squad from revealing his true nature. | ||||||
83 | 14 | "Baseballs of Death" | Bill Duke | Peter Lance | February 19, 1988 | 63522 |
A ruthless General of Pinochet's Chilean National Police (Tony Plana) will stop at nothing to acquire high-quality explosives from top Miami gun smugglers. | ||||||
84 | 15 | "Indian Wars" | Leon Ichaso | Story by: Frank Coffey & Carl Waldman Teleplay by: Frank Coffey & Michael Duggan & Peter Lance & Robert Palm & Carl Waldman | February 26, 1988 | 63514 |
Tubbs goes undercover at a Florida Indian reservation to uncover the connection between a Native rights group and a drug trafficker (Joe Turkel). | ||||||
85 | 16 | "Honor Among Thieves?" | Jim Johnston | Jack Richardson | March 4, 1988 | 63519 |
A delusional serial killer with an affinity for glass dolls is killing young girls, and also happens to run a resort popular with drug dealers that Crockett and Tubbs are staying at while undercover. | ||||||
86 | 17 | "Hell Hath No Fury" | Virgil W. Vogel | Story by: David Black Teleplay by: Michael Duggan | March 11, 1988 | 63521 |
A serial rapist is released from prison, and while trying to start fresh and anew, Trudy fears that the victim will avenge her distraught situation by killing the man. | ||||||
87 | 18 | "Badge of Dishonor" | Richard Compton | Story by: Dick Wolf Teleplay by: Michael Duggan & Peter Lance | March 18, 1988 | 63524 |
Tubbs begins to develop a romantic connection with a female undercover officer from the squad, both of whom are investigating a series of prostitute murders by the Miami docks. | ||||||
88 | 19 | "Blood & Roses" | George Mendeluk | Story by: Dick Wolf Teleplay by: Robert Palm | April 1, 1988 | 63523 |
Frank Mosca returns to Miami, and Crockett is eager to avenge his friend's murder by bringing him down. Gina goes undercover to get close to Mosca, but the assignment becomes complicated when the mobster ends up falling for her. | ||||||
89 | 20 | "A Bullet for Crockett" | Donald L. Gold | Story by: Dick Wolf Teleplay by: Michael Duggan & Peter Lance | April 15, 1988 | 63525 |
Crockett clings to life in the hospital after being shot and put in a coma by the girlfriend (Lisa Vidal) of a drug dealer he killed in self-defense. While Crockett is in surgery, Tubbs and the other members of the Vice squad reminisce about their memories with Crockett. | ||||||
90 | 21 | "Deliver Us From Evil" (Part 1) | George Mendeluk | Story by: Dick Wolf Teleplay by: David Black, Michael Duggan & Robert Palm | April 29, 1988 | 63528 |
Frank Hackman returns and kills Caitlin during her returning concert after Crockett accidentally kills Hackman's girlfriend during a drug bust. Crockett, setting for revenge, goes to hunt him down. | ||||||
91 | 22 | "Mirror Image" (Part 2) | Richard Compton | Story by: Daniel Sackheim & Nelson Oramas Teleplay by: Robert Palm & Daniel Sackheim | May 6, 1988 | 63526 |
Crockett gets amnesia while boarding a drug dealer's boat. He is rescued by a shady drug dealer (Antonio Fargas), and Crockett is left believing that he is his undercover drug dealer alter-ego Burnett. |
Season 5 (1988–89)
Season five of Miami Vice is the final season of the series. The season premiered on November 4, 1988, with the episode "Hostile Takeover (Part 3)". The series concluded on May 21, 1989, with "Freefall", after 17 episodes, but later NBC aired three new episodes after the series finale. They were "World of Trouble" (June 14, 1989), "Miracle Man" (June 21, 1989), and "Leap of Faith" (June 28, 1989). Additionally, USA Network aired "Too Much, Too Late" on January 25, 1990, since NBC would not show that episode due to its strong topic of child molestation (NBC and USA are now owned by the same company). Season five regular cast members included Don Johnson, Philip Michael Thomas, Saundra Santiago, Michael Talbott, Olivia Brown, and Edward James Olmos.
No. in series | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Production code |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
92 | 1 | "Hostile Takeover" (Part 3) | Don Johnson | Ken Solarz | November 4, 1988 | 63905 |
Sonny still assumes the identity of Burnett, unaware of his past as a police officer. Burnett has now gained full control of a powerful drug empire and exposes Tubbs' identity as a cop. Will Tubbs finally manage to get Crockett to his past self? | ||||||
93 | 2 | "Redemption in Blood" (Part 4) | Paul Krasny | Story by: Robert Ward Teleplay by: Scott Shepherd & Ken Solarz | November 11, 1988 | 63906 |
Crockett's memory begins to come back, just as Tubbs begins a plan to take him down on orders, since his immoral actions begin to have a catastrophic effect on Miami. | ||||||
94 | 3 | "Heart of Night" | Paul Krasny | James Becket | November 18, 1988 | 63904 |
Castillo must protect his ex-wife Mai Ying (Rosalind Chao) from a drug lord. Also, Mai Ying's current husband Ma Sek (James Saito) may have connections to the drug lord. | ||||||
95 | 4 | "Bad Timing" | Virgil W. Vogel | Scott Shepherd | December 2, 1988 | 63907 |
Crockett takes a much needed vacation by traveling to Jacksonville, only to finds himself then kidnapped by three homicidal prison escapees, who would rather die than get arrested again. | ||||||
96 | 5 | "Borrasca" | Vern Gillum | Elvis Cole & Vladislavo Stepankutza | December 9, 1988 | 63901 |
The Vice squad are asked not to be involved in a drug deal involving government agents, but this proves to be easier said then done. | ||||||
97 | 6 | "Line of Fire" | Richard Compton | Raymond Hartung | December 16, 1988 | 63908 |
Crockett and Tubbs must protect a young man (Justin Lazard) who is a key witness in a local drug lord's incoming trial. | ||||||
98 | 7 | "Asian Cut" | James Contner | Story by: Robert Ward Teleplay by: Peter McCabe | January 13, 1989 | 63909 |
Trudy goes undercover as a call girl to lure out a sadistic serial killer who leaves his victims with distinctive knife marks, but as she becomes his next victim, she must hunt him down before he does. | ||||||
99 | 8 | "Hard Knocks" | Vern Gillum | Story by: Scott Shepherd & Ken Solarz & Robert Ward Teleplay by: Ken Solarz | January 20, 1989 | 63910 |
Switek tries to convince a major college quarterback to throw a game, to break even with a local hustler with whom he lost a bet. | ||||||
100 | 9 | "Fruit of the Poison Tree" | Michelle Manning | Rob Bragin | February 3, 1989 | 63912 |
Crockett and Tubbs investigate a shady and very corrupted state lawyer who defends drug dealers, then steals and resells their drugs. | ||||||
101 | 10 | "To Have and to Hold" | Eugene Corr | William Conway | February 10, 1989 | 63913 |
While undercover, Tubbs falls for the widow of a slain drug kingpin. Meanwhile, Crockett leaves to be with his son who is not happy about his mother, Crockett's ex-wife (Belinda Montgomery) having another child. | ||||||
102 | 11 | "Miami Squeeze" | Michelle Manning | Story by: Ted Mann & Peter McCabe & Robert Ward Teleplay by: Ted Mann & Peter McCabe | February 17, 1989 | 63917 |
An anti-drug Congresswoman's (Rita Moreno) campaign is jeopardized when her son steals a shipment of drugs from a big-time kingpin to earn some quick money. | ||||||
103 | 12 | "Jack of All Trades" | Vern Gillum | Story by: Robert Ward Teleplay by: Ken Solarz | March 3, 1989 | 63911 |
Crockett's scheming cousin Jack (David Andrews) unintentionally gets involved with a dangerous druglord while trying to con him into easy money. | ||||||
104 | 13 | "The Cell Within" | Michael B. Hoggan | Jack Richardson | March 10, 1989 | 63902 |
Jack Manning (John P. Ryan), a former criminal that Tubbs had imprisoned in New York City, is now in Miami invites Tubbs to dinner. At Manning's house, Tubbs sees that he has imprisoned other people for petty crimes. Manning then imprisons Tubbs for not agreeing to follow his plan to "rid the world of evil". | ||||||
105 | 14 | "The Lost Madonna" | Chip Chalmers | Robert Goethals | March 17, 1989 | 63914 |
Crockett and Tubbs agree to help an artsy NYPD detective (Michael Chiklis) retrieve a 15th century statue of the Madonna, which has been stolen from the local museum and is suspected to be in Miami. | ||||||
106 | 15 | "Over the Line" | Russ Mayberry | Story by: Scott Shepherd & Robert Ward Teleplay by: Terry McDonell | April 28, 1989 | 63918 |
Crockett and Tubbs go deep undercover by joining an infamous group of vigilante-dillusioned cops, who serve their own justice against local criminals. | ||||||
107 | 16 | "Victims of Circumstance" | Colin Bucksey | Richard Lourie | May 5, 1989 | 63918 |
The Vice squad learn that witnesses of The Holocaust are being murdered one by one, forcing Crockett and Switek to go undercover in a White supremacist Neo-Nazi group. | ||||||
108 | 17 | "Freefall" | Russ Mayberry | Story by: Frank Holman & Scott Shepherd & Ken Solarz Teleplay by: William Conway & Ken Solarz | May 21, 1989 | 63924 |
In the two-hour series finale, Crockett and Tubbs are recruited to protect Gen. Manuel Borbon (Ian McShane), a dictator of a ravaged Latin American country, who wants to hunt him down and kill him for treason. | ||||||
109 | 18 | "World of Trouble"[†] | Alan Myerson | Raymond Hartung | June 14, 1989 | 63922 |
Former mob boss Al Lombard (Dennis Farina), who was believed to be dead, returns with a different perspective on his life, to try to convince his beloved son to stay out of the Mafia family business. | ||||||
110 | 19 | "Miracle Man"[†] | Alan Myerson | Story by: Gillian Horvath & Robert Ward Teleplay by: Rob Bragin | June 21, 1989 | 63921 |
A delusional vigilante named "Miracle Man" donning a blanket as a cape, frequently gets involved with Tubbs and Switek's investigations by murdering the suspects. | ||||||
111 | 20 | "Leap of Faith"[†][†2] | Robert Iscove | Robert Ward | June 28, 1989 | 63923 |
A Youth Crime Unit goes undercover as college students to investigate a shady professor (Keith Gordon) who is giving his students a dangerous drug. | ||||||
112 | 21 | "Too Much, Too Late"[†][‡] | Richard Compton | Story by: John A. Connor Teleplay by: Jack Richardson | January 25, 1990 | 63903 |
Tubbs' old flame, Valerie (Pam Grier), returns to Miami to help her drug-addicted friend Yvonne (C.C.H Pounder) who is a slave to her drug dealer's demands. As payment for her addiction, she uses her daughter, Lynette (Malinda Williams) to have sex with the dealer. |
- ^ † These episodes aired on NBC after the series finale, on May 21, 1989, and the fourth one aired on the USA Network.
- ^ †2 The episode "Leap of Faith" was a backdoor pilot for a potential series that did not come to fruition.
- ^ ‡ The episode "Too Much, Too Late" was never shown on NBC due to its graphic content and a plot vividly involving child molestation, which at the time was considered unsuitable even for nighttime television.
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 Zoglin, Richard (1985-09-16). "Cool Cops, Hot Show". Time Magazine. Time Inc. Retrieved 2007-11-23.
- 1 2 3 "Miami Vice: Seasons 1 & 2". Bravo Production. www.rbravo.com. 2000. Retrieved 2007-11-22.
- ↑ In 1996, TV Guide included this episode as part of its "100 Most Memorable Moments in TV History", ranking it #99.
- ↑ In 1997, TV Guide ranked this episode number 90 on its '100 Greatest Episodes of All Time' list.TV Guide Book of Lists. Running Press. 2007. p. 187. ISBN 0-7624-3007-9.
- ↑ "Special Collector's Issue: 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time". TV Guide (June 28-July 4). 1997.