Vice and Easy

S02 E12: Phil the Shill

November 18th, 2022  |  Season 2  |  53 mins 58 secs

famous guest stars, phil collins, season 2

This week on Miami Vice: Phil Collins steals the show as a con man ruffling the wrong feathers back and London and now in Miami. He encroaches on drug dealer's customers and screws over Zwitek on a rigged game show about Elvis trivia (the audacity!), all the while having one of the most out-there decorated houses in Miami and throwing house parties with crazy attire. He makes a friend in Sarah (Kyra Sedgwick), said drug dealer's gf, and they click and clash throughout the entire episode. Other topics include: the signs of a con and famous con men, cocaine pricing in 1985 vs today (NSFW) and Viced Tea about Phil Collins that was wild gossip in 2020 (ex-wife moving in with new husband and Phil suing to get her out of the house) and what she said in a recent 2022 article.

Viced Tea Special: Don Johnson and Patti D'Arbanville and Barbra Streisand

November 4th, 2022  |  Season 2  |  20 mins 32 secs

season 2, viced tea

This week on Miami Vice: We sip on some classic Viced Tea about two of Don Johnson's former paramours, Patti D'Arbanville and Barbra Streisand.

S02 E11: Back In The World

October 28th, 2022  |  Season 2  |  53 mins 15 secs

famous guest stars, season 2

This week on Miami Vice: In this Don Johnson-helmed episode, one of Crockett's friends from his time in Vietnam coms to Miami with a lead on an explosive story regarding the bad smack that's been circulating around Miami. They get closer to the lead when they realize it leads back to their time in Vietnam when Stone (Balaban) discovered heroin in the bodybags of deceased soldiers. Guest stars galore! Iman! Bob Balaban! Patti D'Arbanville! And while we explore the darker themes of the damage the Vietnam war had on the American generation who were drafted and served and how they were ignored and spat on when they returned, we also get to rock out to a Doors-centric soundtrack and Crockett's impeccable style this episode.

S02 E10: Bought and Paid For

October 14th, 2022  |  Season 2  |  46 mins 31 secs

season 2

This week on Miami Vice: Gina's housekeeper and friend is raped at her apartment by a stereotypical rich Miami playboy with connections, and Gina is determined to get justice despite all the obstacles in her way while the victim deals with his abuse and continued intimidation and her familial obligations in Haiti. A very depressing episode and tough topics are covered so please note a trigger warning of rape for the entire episode. I do find some comic relief in Arroyo's (Joaquim De Almeida) attitude and his love of gold jewelry, a "sweet" drug bust that goes bust and TIL I learned there are different DeBarges, and the one performing in this episode (El DeBarge) is not allegedly the baby father of Janet Jackson's secret child and raised by Rebbie.

S02 E09: Bushido

October 7th, 2022  |  Season 2  |  54 mins 19 secs

castillo, season 2

This week on Miami Vice: An old CIA friend of Castillo's, who was presumed dead, comes to Miami as he and his ex-KGB wife are running from her old agency and Castillo proves his honour and loyalty, adhering to the principles of the Samurai in this EJO-directed episode! Guest star Dean Stockwell stars as the former "Company" man in question in this very Cold War episode and I learn the meaning of Pinko only just now!

S02 E08: Tale of the Goat

September 30th, 2022  |  Season 2  |  41 mins 13 secs

famous guest stars, season 2

This week on Miami Vice: Crockett and Tubbs oversee the arrival and subsequent burial of a notorious criminal Legba (Clarence Williams III) only to realize at the funeral that he may be not as dead as they think! Zombie or Romeo and Juliet-style fakeout? They dig deeper into his history that includes human smuggling, money laundering, corruption and moonlighting as a Voodoo Priest, the latter causing Tubbs to get in way over his head.

S02 E07: Junk Love

September 23rd, 2022  |  Season 2  |  42 mins 54 secs

famous guest stars, season 2

This week on Miami Vice: Crockett and Tubbs work with busted brothel owner (Miles Davis!) to infiltrate the world of a powerful drug dealer named Silva (Jose Lopez) who has a sick obsession with one of his former working girls. Things get darker the deeper they get, not only for them but for the poor girl, Rosella (Ely Pouget) who is dealing with a serious drug problem - her only means of escape.

TW: sexual abuse, assault, trauma, drug abuse.

Please note: This episode is very dark, not recommended if you have kids around while listening!

S02 E06: Buddies

September 16th, 2022  |  Season 2  |  44 mins 3 secs

famous guest stars, season 2

This week on Miami Vice: Crockett reconnects with an old friend with some questionable connections while he and Tubbs try to protect a young mother fleeing not only an abusive husband but a hit when she inadvertently takes some very incriminating documents. Guest stars: James Remar, Nathan Lane and Frankie Valli. Annie returns, bright and colourful as always without her husband Noogie, who is "out of town" as she connects with the young mother (esthr Balint). We discuss bar etiquette, the importance of financial independence and more!

Edit: I had this whole part about Esther Balint that I totally skipped during recording sorry! Her father was the founder of the Squat Theatre Troupe in NYC and was friends and worked with Jean-Michel Basquiat and Jim Jarmusch!

S02 E05: The Dutch Oven

September 9th, 2022  |  Season 2  |  42 mins 6 secs

famous guest stars, season 2

This week on Miami Vice: Giancarlo Esposito is back again thanks to loyal Michael Mann casting and we are better for it! He plays Adonis, a seemingly slick drug dealer with possible bigtime connections who meets Trudy through her on-again ex-boyfriend David (Cleavant Derricks) who she reconnects with after some trouble at work. She deals with an Internal Affairs investigation looking into her after she shoots and kills a suspect during an undercover bust with Crockett as she deals with inner conflict between her loyalty to OCB and her personal life.

Viced Tea Special: The Philip Michael Thomas Psychic Network

September 2nd, 2022  |  Season 2  |  24 mins 11 secs

philip michael thomas, viced tea special

This week on Miami Vice: We take a break from recaps and get into some Viced Tea! Our first-ever episode of Viced Tea gets into the story of Philip Michael Thomas' work with the Psychic Friends Network (later Access Resource, later Traffix, Inc.) from 1994 to 1997 and the messiness at the time of his tenure after he was replaced by Miss Cleo! Learn more about who Miss Cleo was, how the "psychic" hotlines got into hot water, the GTA: Vice City connection, what happened after he exited, and Philip Michael Thomas' vegan cookbook!

Like Viced Tea? Feel free to suggest topics about the Miami Vice stars that deserve a standalone episode.

We will be back next Friday for our regular programming and recapping S02 E05: The Dutch Oven

See links for more articles about PMT and Miss Cleo and their commercials from the 90s!

S02 E04: Out Where the Buses Don't Run

August 26th, 2022  |  Season 2  |  48 mins 23 secs

famous guest stars, season 2

This week on Miami Vice: Crockett and Tubbs are investigating a drug dealer who is thought to have disappeared and is helped by an eccentric ex-cop Hank Weldon (Bruce McGill) who isn't all there but, seems to know a lot about the guys they're going after. Bring some tissues as I cry my eyes out and talk about mental health treatment and how it lacked then and now, loyalty to one's partner, more about Joel Surnow (the last episode he appears to be credited on :( and the origins of 24 being planted here (Dennis Hopper almost played Hank Weldon, as much as I love Dennis I think Bruce had the subtlety and heart to take this episode further. Some spicy content about Little Richard in Viced Tea (45:08), be warned!

S02 E03: Whatever Works

August 19th, 2022  |  Season 2  |  37 mins 14 secs

famous guest stars, izzy, season 2

This week on Miami Vice: Crockett and Tubbs dig into the world of Santeria with the help of a Priestess (guest star Eartha Kitt) during their investigation of the mysterious death of two cops outside of their jurisdiction. Crockett has his own problems when his Spyder gets taken back into police custody with plans to take it to auction.

S02 E02: The Prodigal Son: Part Two

August 10th, 2022  |  Season 2  |  51 mins 45 secs

crockett love interest, famous guest stars, new york, pam grier, season 2, tubbs love interest, two-parters, valerie

This week on Miami Vice: Crockett and Tubbs are still in New York trying to get closer to the Revilla brothers by cutting off their supply after their previous plan gets them nowhere, Valerie still isn't returning Tubbs' calls, Crockett's new interest is hiding his gun but, maybe more? Part Two wraps up their trip to NYC with some great guest stars, songs, outfits and some hard truths about the "politics of contraband" as our friend Glenn Frey put it so succinctly.

S02 E01: The Prodigal Son: Part One

August 5th, 2022  |  Season 2  |  46 mins 59 secs

famous guest stars, new york, season 2, two-parters

This week on Miami Vice: Crockett and Tubbs welcome us back into Season Two with another two-parter packed full of hit songs, fashion, guest stars (Penn Gillette, Gene Simmons, Pam Grier) and one-liners! Crockett and Tubbs head to NYC to track down a cartel leader (Luis Guzman) with the help of Jimmy (Penn Gillette) and Tubbs tries to reconnect with Valerie (Pam Grier) whose life has changed a lot since she was last in Miami.

S01 E22: Lombard

July 22nd, 2022  |  Season 1  |  48 mins 22 secs

famous guest stars, lombard, season 1

This week on Miami Vice: We wrap up season one with Dennis Farina returning as Lombard, John Santucci returning after 8 episodes to play a different character (love that Michael Mann loyalty), and Ned Eisenberg as the son of a late Mafioso. Crockett and Tubbs have to protect Lombard, who is very reluctant to testify against the Labrizzi family even as he is backed into a corner with immunity, which means he can't plead the Fifth, but can be held in contempt of Court. We talk about the magic of crushed garlic, not garlic powder, what is Seven Card Stud poker for those of us who grew up watching celebrities play Texas Hold 'Em on TV and the price we all pay for what we feel is morally right.

Programming Note: Season 2 of Vice and Easy will be back in August! Thanks for listening and catch up with old episodes in the catalog and then we are off to meet Sonny and Rico in New York with the Season 2 premiere.

S01 E21: Evan

July 15th, 2022  |  Season 1  |  55 mins 6 secs

atf, famous guest stars, season 1

This week on Miami Vice: Crockett and Tubbs are trying to bust an arms dealer but things get more complaicated when Crockett recognizes one of his henchman, an ATF agent who used to work with him on Vice. Guest starring: William Russ (Cory Matthews' dad) and Al Israel (Scarface) whose paperwork says he's 27?!?!?!?! This is a very emotionally poignant episode and I'm surprised it wasn't the season finale!
Trigger warnings: homophobia, suicide