Miami Vice (TV Series) The Dutch Oven (1985) User Reviews

Good Trudy centred episode

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 12 November 2009]

This is another great episode of "Miami Vice", exciting from start to finish with a bit more emotion and less comic relief than most episodes.

It opens with Trudy applying some rather dazzling make-up before heading off to a night club where the squad are preparing for a routine drugs bust. Things go wrong however when somebody crashes the party; stealing the drugs and the buy money Tubbs was carrying. As the thief makes his getaway Crockett and Trudy set off in hot pursuit, a pursuit which ends with the thief opening fire and being fatally shot by Trudy.

She is upset and heads off to a club where she meets an old flame called David and his friend Adonis who boasts of his ability to supply drugs. At first she tries to turn a blind eye but the more she sees the more she knows she must get the rest of the squad involved despite knowing it is likely to damage any chance of a relationship with David.

Olivia Brown did a good job as Trudy, it was nice to see her character get a major role in an episode.

An Abel Ferrara gem

[UptownRox · 8/10 · 27 April 2018]

Abel Ferrara what can you say? If you haven't seen Bad Lieutenant stop reading this. SERIOUSLY. WATCH IT. Ok. This episode is Abel Ferrara and no one else.

To back up a little, this isn't one of the great "Miami Vice" episodes, but one of the b-stories as the other reviewers said, and a really good one.

The only improvement would've been Martin Scorsese as director, and that would've been a very different feel. This is just grimy, real street drama (as much as TV can get away with in 1985). Slow and the camera focused on the actor. Each shot is held so long, the actors have to deliver-- watch and count the seconds go by and go by-- and under Ferrara's direction the actor's deliver well. The serious tone the actors are going for is a little clumsy to watch, for sure, that's just how Ferrara wants you to see it. It's the "real" feel he likes to utilize to take down the barrier and put you in the drama. The clumsy realism, the long takes, the subtext-heavy dialogue, the ice cold operators stepping into the story, like Giancarlo Esposito in this one, that's Abel Ferrara.

Esposito's part could've been twice as big. This guy is just good.

Only the climax disappoints. Why wasn't Trudy left to resolve her own situation? I guess that's me talking in 2018; it is Sonny's show. Still, ends on a fine, serious note. I don't remember the show enough to say a down-beat ending is a rarity. But this one was good.

Miami Vice--The Dutch Oven

[Scarecrow-88 · 6/10 · 25 February 2011]

Good episode for Olivia Brown, her Vice cop Trudy getting a chance to star as the focal character. Trudy kills a man who disturbs a drug bust by Vice by holding up Tubbs at gunpoint along with a partner, attempting to flee with the "blow" and cash to be exchanged. Shaken by taking a life, Trudy needs a break and becomes involved with an old flame, club singer David, seemingly a sensitive soul with a shoulder to cry on. A flamboyant, assured, fast-talking wannabe big-time drug pusher, Adonis, could be a close associate with David, much to the chagrin of Trudy, who might have to do the unthinkable--help Vice shakedown her lover's best friend. Adonis, who calls himself with delight "the Candyman", is in cahoots with a much bigger fish, a Colombian from a large drug family. The bottom line is that Trudy could jeopardize her relationship with David if she helps Vice orchestrate a bust on Adonis. As I mentioned earlier, this episode is a good showcase for a secondary character, Trudy, which allows her to take center stage. Trudy is having to cope with killing a man, facing a possible disciplinary charge, and setting up the friend of her boyfriend. Other than an exciting car chase at the beginning, this episode of Miami Vice doesn't contain a really potent finale, but shows that female or male cop, being able to juggle the job and an outside relationship is extremely difficult, particularly when no matter what party you find yourself, drug use seems to be in abundance. This episode is loaded with pop songs, including a lively number by The New York Dolls' David Johansen who entertains with "King of Babylon". Giancarlo Esposito steals this episode as Adonis, who talks a big game but is perhaps in over his head, with Cleavant Derricks as David, not reacting too well to what Trudy does to his friend behind his back, as if it were an act of betrayal. David Provol, known to portray hotheaded mafioso types, here is an explosive Internal Affairs interrogator who drills Crocket and Trudy over the murder of the criminal. This episode was directed by Abel Ferrara(Ms. 45; King of New York).

Kind of lame but watchable!

[mm-39 · 6/10 · 22 October 2023]

The Dutch Oven was kind of lame but watchable! Starts out strong with Trudy and Crocket being back up on a drug sting, which ends up being a burn deal goes wrong with a shooting. The viewer was hit with a strong fast investigated by Internal Affairs. An intense investigative confrontation with a hot headed Crocket. The Dutch Oven turns the heat down, as the story segues into a personal story of Trudy's personal emotions of being a cop interfering with her personal life. The bottom third was sappy, but a slick ending kind of saves the installment. Making right decision always comes at a cost was the message! The ending and message save the installment. 6 stars.

An impressive "Trudy" episode

[DVD_Connoisseur · 9/10 · 26 June 2007]

"The Dutch Oven" opens with style as Trudy prepares her make-up for a night undercover as a prostitute, becomes involved in a high-speed chase in Crockett's Ferrari and ends up shooting an armed man when under-fire. This last slice of action is accompanied by Pat Benatar's excellent "Diamond Field" which compliments the on-screen events perfectly.

This is a Trudy-dedicated episode that really hits the spot. Olivia Brown is an excellent actress and this tale really gives her the platform to showcase her talent.

David Johansen's "King of Babylon" is another memorable track from "The Dutch Oven" as the singer entertains at a drug-fuelled party.

This episode was directed by non-other than Abel Ferrara of "Driller Killer", "Ms. 45" and "Bad Lieutenant" fame.

9 out of 10.

Trudy Catches Sonny's Dumbness Disease

[ccthemovieman-1 · 3/10 · 18 August 2007]

Not every one of these shows was a winner. Some episodes were losers, like this one. There were too many stereotypes in this one: mainly, the investigating cop who always (a la the "Dirty Harry" films) makes the good cops look like criminals because they shot some scumbag. The good guys - in this case, "Trudy" and "Crockett" with Trudy doing the killing - shoot in self defense (as always) but have to take all this abuse from some loudmouth and arrogant Internal Affairs guy. That gets tiresome and is overplayed on this show (and most everywhere else)..

Meanwhile, we have the usual Miami Vice sleaze angle which sometimes is fun; other times insulting as the cops (mainly Crockett, but here Trudy again,) who just has to go to a bar and then sleep with a guy because all that makes her problems go away. Yeah, okay.

We also have the cliché of the boss telling the cop to take time off and the cop (Trudy) telling boss, Capt. Castillo, "No, I am fine, keep me on the job." And - unlike real life - the cop overrules his/her superior.

There is one predictable event after another on this episode, which is soap-opera-like with Trudy (Olivia Brown) and her boyfriend/crook. Crockett goes through these periodically, always falling for some sleazy woman. Here, it's the reverse with Trudy playing Crockett's usual tale of romance vs. business woes.

I expect our friend Don Johnson act stupid; now Olivia Brown is doing the same thing. This was a dumb and annoying episode. Period.