Ep 23. Trust Fund Pirates

Set in the flashy world of Miami in the 80s, Miami Vice season 2 episode 23 titled "Trust Fund Pirates" follows detectives Sonny Crockett (Don Johnson) and Ricardo Tubbs (Philip Michael Thomas) as they investigate a complex case involving a young woman from a wealthy family who's being forced into marriage to secure an inheritance.

The plot takes off when Crockett and Tubbs are summoned to a yacht to investigate a complaint made by a wealthy couple. The wealthy couple claims that their daughter has been targeted for marriage by a notorious villain who is linked with the drug cartels. The father's wealth and connections mean that the villain will have to get through Crockett and Tubbs if he intends to take the daughter or the money.

The case gets complicated when the detectives learn that the daughter has been technically kidnapped as she was forced aboard the yacht. She came to complain and plead to not be forced into marriage. Crockett and Tubbs learn that the villain has his eyes set on the large sum of money the father possesses, and with the daughter being a part of that inheritance, the villain intends to go to any lengths to get hold of it.

As the investigation progresses, it becomes clear that there is not just one villain involved in the case, but a series of others. The additional villains' characters are carefully constructed, and each one adds different plot details making the story richer. Crockett and Tubbs are kept busy with various twists and double-crosses, keeping the audience guessing about the true motives of each character.

To catch the villain in question, Crockett and Tubbs infiltrate the underground world of Miami's elite, where they uncover a web of deceit, greed, and backstabbing. The case quickly starts to unravel, and the detectives find themselves in the middle of a criminal network linked to the city's biggest drug cartels.

Crockett and Tubbs also have their personal troubles to deal with in this episode. Crockett, who is going through a rough patch in his personal life, finds himself struggling to keep his personal life balanced with his professional duties. Meanwhile, Tubbs, who has been busy patching up his relationship with his long-lost brother, faces some tough choices.

"Trust Fund Pirates" is a complex episode that showcases the dark underbelly of Miami's glamour. This episode offers more than just flashy situations and a Miami-esque atmosphere, with its rich character development, complex plot, great dialogue, and clever twists. Notably, this episode features a stand-out performance by Glenn Plummer, who plays a charismatic gang leader caught in the middle of the plot.

Overall, "Trust Fund Pirates" is a great episode that showcases the strengths of Miami Vice - its iconic looks, its gripping soundtrack, its colorful characters, and the well-written scripts that made this show a pop-culture phenomenon. Viewers who tune in will be treated to an exciting and thrilling hour of television that has aged well even after decades since its initial airing.