Rites of Passage

One of the many things that separates Miami Vice from other 80's genre television is that there are rarely easy answers and even victories come at a cost, and both of those things are certainly true here.

With "Rites of Passage" we have a somewhat rare Tubbs-focused episode, and Philip Michael Thomas proves that he is more than up to the challenge. Teamed with the lovely Pam Grier, he displays an easy charm and a cool likability that is often overshadowed by Don Johnson's brooding Sonny Crockett.

There is, of course, the requisite layer of sleaze w/our baddies here, but the stakes are very personal and there's a strong pathos that helps it all to hit home in a pretty substantial way.

'Rites of Passage' doesn't hold many surprised for a show like this. Young runaway falls for the high-end glamour of a pimp and gets trapped into prostitution; your usual gritty cop show stuff. Except here big sister is a New York homicide cop . . . played by Pam Grier(!). And you know she's going to end up kicking some ass because her sister's fate is a foregone conclusion. That's what kind of episode this really is; a top-notch guest stars outing (man, does John Turturro play a good sleaze).

Even so, Grier and Philip Michael Thomas have electric chemistry here and the show puts Foreigner's 'I Want to Know What Love Is' to sad use. Grier's playing just the kind of strong character she was meant to. It's solid casting.

7/10

Now in its sixteenth episode, "Miami Vice" bravely has an opening sequence devoid of any regular characters, showing us instead a gorgeous young woman (played by Tery Ferman) being sucked into the world of "modelling" by the story's bad guys.

A far better episode than previous "innocent corrupted" tales, "Rites of Passage" is effective because the viewer actually cares about the young lady and we see the strain on her sister, Valerie, played by Pam Grier. Grier is sexy and stunning as always, even though she is sporting the largest '80s hair I've ever seen on screen. She makes the episode really come alive and is an important element of the plot.

Crockett hardly has a look-in as Tubbs rekindles his relationship with Valerie, although he does manage to bring some comic relief to a party scene where he is constantly being approached by eager call-girls.

Foreigner's "I Wanna Know What Love Is" is used to chilling effect in this episode.

10 out of 10. Very, very good television. They really don't make them like this anymore.

The legend that is Pam Grier plays beautiful and hard bitten NYPD homicide cop Valerie Gordon.

Valerie has come to Miami to look for her runaway sister Diane who the viewer sees in the opening episode walking straight into the clutches of some pimp.

Soon Diane ends up being a high class hooker who is hooked on drugs and rented out to rich sleazeballs. Some of them have diplomatic immunity. She is controlled David Traynor (John Turturro) under the cover of a modelling agency.

This is an episode that centers on Tubbs. Valerie is an old flame so finding Diane is personal for him.

A dark episode with the only light relief coming Zito and Switek who bug some partygoers.

Despite the dark theme it is a shallow episode. Heralding the kind of storytelling that Miami Vice brought to 1980s television. There is nothing much deep going on as to why Diane ran away or rebelled against her cop sister.

There is good montage set to a Foreigner song and a short sharp vigilante ending from Valerie.