24 WHATEVER WORKS

Miami Vice

Episode 24

Whatever Works

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Original air date: 10/04/1985.

This appears to have been one of the more dangerous episodes to film as there seems to have been an injury to someone every other day. One day (07/17/1985) an electrical power line broke and fell on Tubb’s Cadillac. Florida Power and Light had to be called in to remove the power line.

Most of the filming was done from 07/16/1985 through 07/26/85. Some filming was required on 08/07/1985 to complete the episode.

The teaser starts us out on Dodge Island, at the SW corner where we had seen Lt. Castillo meet with General Lao Li in episode # 14, Golden Triangle part 2. This is also the same spot we will see used for the teaser of episode # 66, Viking Bikers From Hell.

There is a Police Officer from another county there, dead. It appears the murderer is still there lighting a candle. After lighting the candle on the dash board we can see the symbol of Ochosi (small metallic bow and arrow with seven colored ribbons) hanging from the rearview mirror. This is clearly not the typical murder. Then it cuts and the vice squad has arrived. Tubbs and Castillo recognize it as Santeria.

Then we see the opening montage that has changed slightly from season one but is the same as seen in the season 2 opener, The Prodigal Son. The 6th version we have seen in the series.

After the opening montage we see an establishing shot of a marina. This is the famous Dinner Key Marina that Burn Notice now uses so frequently being right next to their studio.

Then it goes to the St. Vitus Dance where we see Crockett. His boat is at the same marina as in season 1, at the Miami Marina, Bayside. Not at Dinner Key.

We see an accountant, Maxwell Dierks show up at Crockett’s slip as Crockett’s flavor of the night is leaving.

The accountant is there for the Daytona.

Then we go to the O.C.B. (a set inside Stage A of Greenwich Studios). Crockett is not happy about losing his car.

Then it cuts to Crockett and Tubbs driving in the Cadi on the wrong side of the road. Luckily they drive by a street sign before pulling up to a house with the number painted in huge digits on the front wall. They are at 10337 Broadview Drive in Bay Harbor, looking for Orfil Rivera. We first saw this house in episode 10, Give A Little, Take A Little. It was used for the exterior shot of Ramirez’s house.

Then after the calvary arrives we cut to the inside of Riviera’s house. Only they are not at the same house. You may notice in the background that the view out the window is not what you would expect to see at a house on the water. That is because the upstairs, interior scenes were not shot at 10337 Broadview Drive. They were shot at 2507 Trapp Avenue in Coconut Grove.

Crockett probably had trouble concentrating in this scene since he was thinking back 4 episodes to Nobody lives Forever. Brenda was on his mind since she only lives two houses away.

Next, we go down stairs and the filming has returned to 10337 Broadview Dr.

Act 2 opens at Chata’s house. Chata is a Santeria priest who is willing to help. This was filmed in Coconut Grove in the house right next to the house where they filmed the interior upstairs scene of Rivera’s house. The address is 3050 Jefferson Street.

Then we see Crockett and Tubbs in the Cadillac. This was filmed on NE 3rd Street outside Miami Dade College.

Then we go to the city’s property lot where Crockett goes to work on getting his Daytona back. This was filmed at the Florida Power and Light power station that we had seen in No Exit. 122 SW 3rd Street on the Miami River.

Then we cut back to Tubbs who is at the Miami-Dade Records Department. This was actually filmed at Miami Dade Community College, 300 NE 2nd Ave. in the Office Technology Department.

Crockett finds his ex-car is not being well cared for and in the background we see work on the Bank of America building is nearing completion.

Next we see a couple low-lifes go thru a red light on the beach and get pulled over by two uniformed patrolman. This is one of the rare occasions when Miami Vice filmed in Broward County. This scene was filmed outside the Elbo Room, made famous by the movie Where The Boys Are. A large part of that movie was filmed at this very location. The Porsche pulls off of Las Olas Blvd. running the light and turns northbound on A1A.

Then we cut to Crockett and Tubbs driving at night in the Cadillac. Crockett knows where to go to find more bad cops. They are northbound on Interstate 95 by the Miami Police Department parking garage which is in the 400 block of NW 3rd Ave. Thanks to Harold Loeser who figured out where this was filmed and let me know so I could share it here. Thanks again Harold.

Then we go to a bar where cops hang out. This was filmed at Zigfield’s at the Holiday Inn Airport Lakes. 1101 NW 57th Ave. Miami.

Then we go to Morandez’s yacht where he is meeting with several business-like looking drug dealers. This also was filmed in Ft. Lauderdale, Broward County, Fl. At the city’s marina on the Intra Coastal Waterway at Las Olas Blvd. The Las Olas draw bridge can be seen in the background.

Then Castillo returns to Chata’s house in Coconut Grove. She has arranged a meet with Morandez but only if Morandez’s Babalocha meets Castillo first and approves.

Next we see Tubb’s walking out of the Ultramont Mall in Downtown Miami. 110 SE 1st Street.

Tubbs walks out onto SE 1st Street and gets into his car. There is a police car parked behind him near the intersection of SE 1st Ave.

Tubbs drives off with the marked unit in tow. He drives down a city street but I have not sussed out which street he is driving on.

Location unknown.

Then we see Tubbs drive onto a bridge and stop. This location drove me nuts for some time trying to figure out where it was filmed. Finally I realized it was not Miami but it was the Las Olas Blvd. Bridge over the Intra Coastal Waterway in Ft. Lauderdale. We have since seen this bridge used in the movie, Marley and Me.

Then we see Castillo go to meet the Babalocha. This was filmed at Villa Vizcaya in South Miami. Villa Vizcaya, you may recognize from the movies Tony Rome, Absence of Malice, Ace Ventura as well as several other movies.

After meeting with the Babalocha and sacrificing a goat, Castillo is allowed to meet with Morandez. This was also filmed at Vizcaya. In the Gazebo that is on the bay.

Then we cut to the O.C.B. (Greenwich Studios) where the Vice Squad is meeting.

Then we see Blakeney arrive at Solen’s house. Solen has been murdered. This was filmed at 2507 Trapp Avenue in Coconut Grove. The same house was used to film the upstairs, interior scene of Rivera’s house.

Then we see Blakeney speeding off toward Davilla’s house. I have not sussed out the exact address where he is driving but it is in Glenvar Heights.

Then we see the vice squad in position outside Davilla’s home. Davilla’s house was filmed at 8225 SW 64th Street in Glenvar heights. Crockett and Tubbs are parked at 8200 SW 64th Street.

Blakeney goes charging in. He came up SW 82nd Ave. turned left onto SW 64th Street and then into 8225 SW 64th St.

Then we go back to the Florida Power and Light yard on the Miami river where Crockett is reunited with his true love.

THE

END

Rivera’s interior

Brenda’s

Chata’s

Blue indicates where Castillo walks in.

Green indicates where altar was located.

Gazebo meeting

Blakeney’s route

C+T parked

Castillo and backup

HOME

12/31/2010

Please click here to continue to episode 25,

Out Where The Buses Don’t Run.

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

cglide@floridamovielocations.org

Goof: At approximately 01:18 into the episode we see the candle blow out. Then a little less than a minute later we see the candle burning bright again.