Miami Vice (TV Series) Evan (1985) User Reviews

Genuinely gripping drama

[DVD_Connoisseur · 10/10 · 18 May 2007]

As the first season of "Miami Vice" draws near, "Evan" demonstrates the show's ability to deliver gripping television cop drama with Hollywood production values.

The opening is explosive and dramatic with a failed police raid on a warehouse, accompanied by Peter Gabriel's "Rhythm Of The Heat". Stirring stuff, as you'd expect from director Rob Cohen.

The episode unfolds beautifully with a top drawer performance from Don Johnson, one of the most underestimated small screen actors. The tension from the previous episode between Crockett and Tubbs continues here as Ricardo desperately tries to understand what is haunting his troubled partner.

William Russ is excellent as the title character, the tortured Evan, a man on the very edge.

Jan Hammer's theme for Evan is one of his strongest pieces of music from the first series and adds yet more gloss to the proceedings.

Full marks for this episode. They just don't make shows with production values like this anymore. I love "Miami Vice" when a large proportion of the action takes place at night and this episode is full of atmospheric shots of Miami after-dark.

The depths of despair

[Mr-Fusion · 10/10 · 13 April 2016]

'Evan' opens up with a stylish MAC-10 demo and even an explosion, but that's no forecast for where this episode is headed. The tension isn't in the bust or the shootouts, it's in the friction between partners - both past and present. Crockett's faced with years of pent-up guilt when an old friend shows up during an arms deal (William Russ). The issue between them is ignorance, how they both dealt with it in their youth and how it cost a close friend his life. What really amazes about this episode is its sensitivity in addressing homophobia, especially for a macho cop show in the mid-'80s. Clearly uncharacteristic of the time and climate.

And what really elevates this episode is the excellent acting. Don Johnson is on fire here, and his scene with Philip Michael Thomas at the gas station might be their finest together on the show. Both sides are hurting on this issue and that makes for superb drama. There's one line that rings like an explosion and it comes from Tubbs:

"You've got the courage to do this job, every day. Have the courage to tell Evan what it is you have to say."

'Evan' really is something different for this show, and a tremendous effort. Gold star all the way.

10/10

Action packed 'Vice' with a message

[Tweekums · 9/10 · 27 March 2012]

This, the penultimate episode of the first season gets off to an exciting start as the team prepare to arrest a group of criminals taking parting what an informant described as a 'nickel and dime' deal; of course it is anything but and they end up interrupting the sale of a consignment of Ingram M-10 machine pistols. The crooks get away and it is only through luck that no police officers are killed. Posing as buyers Crockett and Tubbs manage to get a meeting with one of the criminals but Crockett has a shock when the other walks in... it is his old partner Evan Freed! It turns out he is with ATF now and is deep cover; they don't want his operation blown but Castillo is equally determined that the guns will not find their way to Miami's streets. Crockett is not keen to work with his old partner due to an event in their past which left a mutual friend dead and Evan volunteering for every dangerous job he could.

This was a great episode with plenty of action and fine story; while the case against the arms dealer was obviously important the back story of Crockett and Freed was more fascinating. When we finally learn that their friend had put himself in a deadly situation after his colleagues couldn't deal with his homosexuality after he came out... this included Crockett; Don Johnson put in one of his best performances as he told Tubbs how he had let his friend down. Guest star William Russ put in a fin performance as Evan; who was dealing with his guilt in a far more dangerous way. I was pleasantly surprised to see such issues being brought up in a positive in a programme from the mid-eighties; a time when homophobia was on the rise due to the sudden appearance of AIDS. There is a good twist at the end when the police bust doesn't go quite the way one would expect... I won't spoil that though!

Best episode ever

[kitteninbritches · 10/10 · 8 February 2021]

I could watch this every day, I think. Action, depth, sensitivity, it's got the lot. It could be described as a tragedy, in fact. Two ex-friends linked by guilt over another friend's suicide never resolve their estrangement though one, Evan , is desperate to do so. Only when Evan dies saving Sonny's life, is Sonny consumed by grief and regret. Sonny becomes a "real" person in this episode, and what's more, someone you'd be honoured to call a friend. He remains this way throughout the whole five series (excluding the amnesia aberrations) and this has contributed massively to MV's still existing fan base. "Evan" is by far the best episode of the whole series (and there are some serious contenders!)

Evan

[Prismark10 · 8/10 · 9 July 2020]

Evan Freed (William Russ) is a middle man for some deadly arms dealers. The latest gun for hire is the MAC-10 machine gun.

Crockett and Tubbs meet up with the criminals posing as buyers for the MAC-10.

The problem for Crockett, he knows Evan is a cop. In fact Evan was a close associate and there is bad blood between them.

Crockett is moody in this one and even Tubbs gets the brush off from him.

Directed by Rob Cohen, it has a stylish explosive opening. It also deals with the issue of homophobia.

Evan and Crockett could not deal with a colleague who came out of the closet. The man died, Evan seems to have a death wish by acting recklessly. Both are regretful of how they acted as Crockett feels he did not do enough to protect the man.

Again this is another episode from the first season with some great night shots and modernist production design. Two Peter Gabriel songs are used to enhance the mood as well as Jan Hammer's music.

Watching some top-rated MVs and see this way over-rated

[bringbackberniew · 30 December 2021]

The acting is fine. I don't know the guy who played Evan. He was good, mostly. The story doesn't totally make sense, and the ending is almost laughable. One example: there are 2 cop cars, with full cop paint jobs, roof lights, the works parked in the parking lot a very short distance from where the deal is supposed to go down. The bad guys ahve a helicopter, but they never notice them! Really?

Another problem: Crockett has a chance to give forgiveness, which would be both logical and beneficial to the ongoing operation. He does not. Great job, Sonny.

Also, the Peter Gabriel songs aren't the worst use of music in MV, but surely not near the best. But, I'm sure the high-ratings come from recent years and are given mostly to support the message against gay-bashing.