Miami Vice

 Episode 52

Better Living Through Chemistry

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Original air date: 11/14/1986

Filming for this episode took place from 09/16/1986 through 09/24/1986.

The original working title was: Long Time, No See.

The episode starts out in a nightclub with Crockett and Tubbs on different ends of a drug deal for synthetic cocaine. This was filmed at Club Pizazz. 3208 North Federal Highway in Ft. Lauderdale. The club was on the second floor of the small to medium sized shopping mall which now is anchored by Target. The Coral Ridge Mall.

Special thanks to Tom at miamiviceonline.com who has the call sheets from this episode and provided me with valuable information to share on this page.

Tubbs’ old partner in New York, Clarence, now a down on his luck D.J. outs Tubbs as a cop before the deal can go forward. This ends the teaser.

They actually filmed a scene that was to be shown as a flashback that would have explained Clarence’s downfall but for some unknown reason they decided to cut it from the final product. That scene was filmed at the Gusman Center, 174 East Flagler Street, Miami.

Then we see the opening montage. We return to the 8th version that we first saw used in Killshot.

Act 1 opens with an exterior establishing shot of Gold Coast Shipping, the O.C.B. This is however not the first time we have seen this exact same footage. We first saw this film in episode 3, Cool Runnin’. Then we saw it reused in Give a Little, Take a Little. Followed by  Tale of The Goat, Stone’s War, and now here we see it used yet again.

Then we go inside, a set at Greenwich Studios, Stage A.

This leads Crockett and Tubbs to pay Izzy a visit at his new pad. We see the Testarossa turn from northbound on North Bayshore Drive to westbound in the eastbound lanes of NE 18th Street where it then turns again, southbound on NE 4th Avenue where it pulls over and stops at Izzy’s new place. Las Cuevas Del Sacromonte Restaurant, 1794 NE 4th Avenue Miami. We see this same location used in Burn Notice episode 21, Good Soldier. We see the same section of NE 18th Street and NE 4th Avenue used in Good Soldier.

Now a vacant lot.

Crockett and Tubbs go inside. The interior is very realistic. The look one would expect of a restaurant called, Las Cuevas Del Sacromonte. The caves of the Sacromonte. Sacromonte is a hill next to Albaicin, the old Arabic section of Granada, Spain famous for it’s flamenco dancing. The people there live in caves dug out of the clay ground that look just like the inside of Izzy’s place.

Typical real cave room in Sacromonte.

Next we see Tubb’s go to Clearance’s house. This was filmed at 7747 Atlantic Way, Miami Beach. This is the same beach house that we saw used in Definitely Miami as the safe house. It was also used in Burn Notice episode 51, Past and Future Tense as Burt Reynold’s house.

As seen in Definitely Miami

Then we return to Pizazz in Ft. Lauderdale where they do a little test marketing.

Then we go to the lab. Location unknown but likely a set at the studio.

They briefly go to the O.C.B. (set).

Before we cut to a meeting at Pizazz. I believe this was filmed on location and not a set.

Then we see Clarence make a call about the chemist, Lunar. I believe this was filmed at Pizazz but it is possibly a set.

Then we go to Pizazz where Izzy and Clarence walk off with the chemist just before the place gets shot up Scarface style.

Then we return to Castillo’s office in the O.C.B. (set).

Tubbs heads to New York. We see what looks like stock footage of an airliner over an unknown airport.

Then a view of Manhattan.

Then we see Tubbs inside a New York prison. This was a set at Greenwich Studios.

Then we cut to Izzy and Clearance where they are holding the chemist. This was filmed at the old fire station #4, 1000 S. Miami Ave. At times you can see the old garage doors to the bays.

1983 just prior to making it on the national list of historic locations.

1923 just after opening.

Intercut we see Crockett at Pizazz being questioned in the office.

Crockett calls Castillo (office set). I believe Crockett is at Pizazz but it may also be a set.

Potent

Then we see Tubbs walking on the beach talking to Melody. This was filmed behind 7747 Atlantic Way, Clarence’s place.

Then we see Clarence meet up with Tubbs on the street. This was filmed in the 160 block of East Flagler Street, Downtown Miami.

Then we see Izzy escaping from the old firestation #4.

Next we see Crockett at Pizzaz. He receives a call from Izzy,

location unknown.

Then we see Tubbs arrive at the O.C.B. (set) and talk with Castillo.

Then we cut to Pizazz where Clarence is offered 150k to kill Tubbs at the meet.

Then we go to Carence’s place (Atlantic Way) where he learns Tubbs went to bat for him.

Next we see the meet at Bayside. We get a great view of the full renovation of Bayside and the construction of Bayside Marketplace. They park just a few yards from where Crockett and Tubbs parked at the start of Nobody Lives Forever to examine the abandoned car.

Clarence comes around but Crockett is there to save Tubbs anyway.

THE

END

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03/01/2012

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                 episode 53,

                Baby Blues

If you recognize any of the unknown locations or have something else to add, please let me know at: cglide@floridamovielocations.com

If you recognize any of the unknown locations or have something else to add, please let me know at: cglide@floridamovielocations.org

53 Baby Blues