Miami Vice episode 102
MV 102 - Heart of Darkness
Not so long-winded as my Pilot commentary!
Summary
Sonny and Rico undercover in the porn business - with a possibly mad and/or crooked FBI agent.
Death toll
6 dead (of which 2 off-screen)
Fragmented observations:
- The porno scene they are shooting in the beginning -- that girl just isn't sexy, which is weird. The guy is kind of hot, which is opposite to every real het porn flick I have ever seen.
- Rico's golden ear-ring still with us, but now the diamond pin has disappeared.
- Larry Zito knows that "Around the World in 80 Ways" won 1983 Tallahassee Art Film Festival's Gold Stallion award.
- The scene where Rico and Sonny are prettying themselves up for the big meeting is a bit feminine, perhaps intentionally.
- Again a nice Ferrari scene - Sonny driving, Rico watching him drive.
- Sonny and Rico did a short stint in jail, only a few hours.
- Lt Rodriguez volunteered Switek and Zito undercover as "seedy-looking guys" for the robbery division.
- Rico is not happy about his living conditions. Apparently there's some Cuban bikers in the next room. Lieutenant Rodriguez is not sympathetic to his plight, remarking snidely that improving the quality of his life was not the main reason for Rico to move to Miami -- NYPD was ready to fry him for misconduct.
Sonny's mental health
On a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 is sane and 5 insane -- 3: He's all too worked up about the FBI guy Artie, who's too deep undercover. And he draws his gun on Elvis, after the reptile destroyed his Buddy Holly collection. He actually threatens to destroy the alligator's favourite blanket. Sonny only stops when Rico laughs at him, "Take a look at yourself."
Burnett/undercover issues
Sonny's undercover role is not Burnett in this ep. His undercover alias's family name is never mentioned. Crockett's and Tubbs's sleazy covers are referred only as Sonny and Richard, and they are supposed to be from Jersey and to own porno theaters around the area. The undercover craziness in this episode is about the FBI agent with whom Sonny identifies.
Sonny: "You know those mirrors at amusement parks? The ones that warp everything out of whack? I feel like I've been staring at myself in one for the past three days."
Rico: "It's not a reflection of you. It's the job. I don't see how you've been doing it as long as you've been doing it."
Sonny: "Neither do I. You gotta be a little nuts."
Sonny's distorted mirror image is Artie Rollins alias Federal agent Arthur Lawson, who's talented at undercover work. Artie has been eight months under investigating the porno king Sam Kovics. During that time Artie has achieved a position as a number two man in Kovics's organisation. He must have gotten more or less mad, also, as he disappeared from the sight of the FBI six weeks ago and was only found accidentally as Miami Vice investigated the same case. Apparently he has been living the life of the porno sleaze, roughing up the (in debt), calling his wife from some club sounding "different", dating a porn star, planning to resettle in Mexico.
When the police department voices some doubts if they can count on that kind of a guy, Sonny defends Artie -- whom he doesn't even know.
Sonny: When you're under, Lou, it's whatever it takes.
Lt Rodriguez: The man is on the edge, and that makes it dangerous as hell.
Sonny: Maybe he had to go that far to make it happen.
Rico: Or maybe he decided he likes it out there. What are you defending this guy for, Sonny?
Sonny: What is this? You, too?
Rico: Hey, man. I'm just asking.
Sonny: Because I know how it is when you're living the role month in and month out. Because I've been where he is, in deep.
But even Sonny can't say at this point that Artie hasn't gone over to the other side, so Rico and him go to see Artie's wife who says Artie is very dedicated and working all the time. Artie may have been asking to be brought in (or did he only say so to his wife?) but the case always was too important for giving up. Sonny seems to get it. When he meets with Artie again - and everyone knows each other's covers and real identities - Artie says he has just been collecting enough evidence that Kovics can't get away. Sonny sympathizes.
Sonny: Listen, man, I know what you're into. I've spent the last ten years doing it. Living, eating, breathing. Getting in so deep that you don't even know which end is up. It takes its toll.
Rico however doesn't think Sonny's right about Artie and the case.
Rico: You're getting as squirrelly about this dude as this dude is getting squirrelly about what he's doing.
Sonny: What are you talking about?
Rico: I'm talking about Artie. Artie doesn't know what he's doing from one second to the next. You can't see that right now. You know why? Because you don't see Artie. You see yourself.
Against his better judgement Rico backs up Sonny's trust in Artie when their boss asks about it. Sonny is grateful. And then Artie disappears again, doesn't call Sonny and Rico in time, the deal goes wrong and Kovics orders Artie to kill Sonny and Rico. It's still unclear what exactly Artie planned to do and how mad or bad he was, but he doesn't kill his fellow cops. Instead he slaughters the bad guys in a slightly psychotic way. Even Sonny looks at him warily after that.
Afterwards, Artie explains to Sonny and Rico that although he did "some marginal stuff" (read - crimes), he didn't do murders. The poor guy can't find words to explain what happened. He has been on adrenalin high, fascinated by women and money in the business. In the end he decides he can't return to his life and to his wife - Lou Rodriguez tells Sonny and Rico that Artie hung himself in the men's room during a break at debriefing. Sonny's expression at news is wide-eyed. He has just told Rico how he see Artie as a warped mirror image of himself, and now the partners just - stare each other. Nice ending for the episode!
Fic ideas, speculation
- Illegal porno business would be a naturally useful prop for Vice fan fiction. It could be interesting to put Sonny and Rico to where Artie was. How would they cope? Being undercover in the illegal porn business would be dirty and in the very different way than on their usual drug scene. Exploitation even more obvious, crimes more personal, moral dilemmas a bit different.
- Elvis has scared tourists, vandalized Panamanian Vice Consul's boat, defiled the Harbormasters boat (Elmo II) - Burnett must be famous at the marina...
Not so long-winded as my Pilot commentary!
Summary
Sonny and Rico undercover in the porn business - with a possibly mad and/or crooked FBI agent.
Death toll
6 dead (of which 2 off-screen)
Fragmented observations:
- The porno scene they are shooting in the beginning -- that girl just isn't sexy, which is weird. The guy is kind of hot, which is opposite to every real het porn flick I have ever seen.
- Rico's golden ear-ring still with us, but now the diamond pin has disappeared.
- Larry Zito knows that "Around the World in 80 Ways" won 1983 Tallahassee Art Film Festival's Gold Stallion award.
- The scene where Rico and Sonny are prettying themselves up for the big meeting is a bit feminine, perhaps intentionally.
- Again a nice Ferrari scene - Sonny driving, Rico watching him drive.
- Sonny and Rico did a short stint in jail, only a few hours.
- Lt Rodriguez volunteered Switek and Zito undercover as "seedy-looking guys" for the robbery division.
- Rico is not happy about his living conditions. Apparently there's some Cuban bikers in the next room. Lieutenant Rodriguez is not sympathetic to his plight, remarking snidely that improving the quality of his life was not the main reason for Rico to move to Miami -- NYPD was ready to fry him for misconduct.
Sonny's mental health
On a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 is sane and 5 insane -- 3: He's all too worked up about the FBI guy Artie, who's too deep undercover. And he draws his gun on Elvis, after the reptile destroyed his Buddy Holly collection. He actually threatens to destroy the alligator's favourite blanket. Sonny only stops when Rico laughs at him, "Take a look at yourself."
Burnett/undercover issues
Sonny's undercover role is not Burnett in this ep. His undercover alias's family name is never mentioned. Crockett's and Tubbs's sleazy covers are referred only as Sonny and Richard, and they are supposed to be from Jersey and to own porno theaters around the area. The undercover craziness in this episode is about the FBI agent with whom Sonny identifies.
Sonny: "You know those mirrors at amusement parks? The ones that warp everything out of whack? I feel like I've been staring at myself in one for the past three days."
Rico: "It's not a reflection of you. It's the job. I don't see how you've been doing it as long as you've been doing it."
Sonny: "Neither do I. You gotta be a little nuts."
Sonny's distorted mirror image is Artie Rollins alias Federal agent Arthur Lawson, who's talented at undercover work. Artie has been eight months under investigating the porno king Sam Kovics. During that time Artie has achieved a position as a number two man in Kovics's organisation. He must have gotten more or less mad, also, as he disappeared from the sight of the FBI six weeks ago and was only found accidentally as Miami Vice investigated the same case. Apparently he has been living the life of the porno sleaze, roughing up the (in debt), calling his wife from some club sounding "different", dating a porn star, planning to resettle in Mexico.
When the police department voices some doubts if they can count on that kind of a guy, Sonny defends Artie -- whom he doesn't even know.
Sonny: When you're under, Lou, it's whatever it takes.
Lt Rodriguez: The man is on the edge, and that makes it dangerous as hell.
Sonny: Maybe he had to go that far to make it happen.
Rico: Or maybe he decided he likes it out there. What are you defending this guy for, Sonny?
Sonny: What is this? You, too?
Rico: Hey, man. I'm just asking.
Sonny: Because I know how it is when you're living the role month in and month out. Because I've been where he is, in deep.
But even Sonny can't say at this point that Artie hasn't gone over to the other side, so Rico and him go to see Artie's wife who says Artie is very dedicated and working all the time. Artie may have been asking to be brought in (or did he only say so to his wife?) but the case always was too important for giving up. Sonny seems to get it. When he meets with Artie again - and everyone knows each other's covers and real identities - Artie says he has just been collecting enough evidence that Kovics can't get away. Sonny sympathizes.
Sonny: Listen, man, I know what you're into. I've spent the last ten years doing it. Living, eating, breathing. Getting in so deep that you don't even know which end is up. It takes its toll.
Rico however doesn't think Sonny's right about Artie and the case.
Rico: You're getting as squirrelly about this dude as this dude is getting squirrelly about what he's doing.
Sonny: What are you talking about?
Rico: I'm talking about Artie. Artie doesn't know what he's doing from one second to the next. You can't see that right now. You know why? Because you don't see Artie. You see yourself.
Against his better judgement Rico backs up Sonny's trust in Artie when their boss asks about it. Sonny is grateful. And then Artie disappears again, doesn't call Sonny and Rico in time, the deal goes wrong and Kovics orders Artie to kill Sonny and Rico. It's still unclear what exactly Artie planned to do and how mad or bad he was, but he doesn't kill his fellow cops. Instead he slaughters the bad guys in a slightly psychotic way. Even Sonny looks at him warily after that.
Afterwards, Artie explains to Sonny and Rico that although he did "some marginal stuff" (read - crimes), he didn't do murders. The poor guy can't find words to explain what happened. He has been on adrenalin high, fascinated by women and money in the business. In the end he decides he can't return to his life and to his wife - Lou Rodriguez tells Sonny and Rico that Artie hung himself in the men's room during a break at debriefing. Sonny's expression at news is wide-eyed. He has just told Rico how he see Artie as a warped mirror image of himself, and now the partners just - stare each other. Nice ending for the episode!
Fic ideas, speculation
- Illegal porno business would be a naturally useful prop for Vice fan fiction. It could be interesting to put Sonny and Rico to where Artie was. How would they cope? Being undercover in the illegal porn business would be dirty and in the very different way than on their usual drug scene. Exploitation even more obvious, crimes more personal, moral dilemmas a bit different.
- Elvis has scared tourists, vandalized Panamanian Vice Consul's boat, defiled the Harbormasters boat (Elmo II) - Burnett must be famous at the marina...