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Recap / Miami Vice S 1 E 17 Rites Of Passage

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A beautiful young woman, Diane Gordon, is flirted with on the beach by a well-dressed man named Lile. Lile takes her to a lavish party where there are number of high class prostitutes. Lile is an agent working for David Traynor, who runs a "modeling" service that provides these women for his clients. During the party, one of the women refuses to sleep with a client and later turns up dead.

Meanwhile, back at Vice, Tubbs is shocked to find his ex-girlfriend, Valerie Gordon (Pam Greer), is looking for her sister. Investigations reveal that Diane is now one of Traynor's prostitutes and addicted to cocaine as well as the fast lifestyle of a Miami prostitute. After a heartfelt plea from Valerie, Diane decides to leave the agency but is soon found murdered.

This inspires Valerie to go on a mission of revenge.


This episode contains the following tropes:

  • Actor Allusion: This is far from the first time that Pam Greer has gone on a Roaring Rampage of Revenge.
  • Action Girl: Valerie, unsurprisingly, given who she was played by.
  • Artistic License – Pharmacology: Diane Gordon is addicted to cocaine and thus acts sleepy as well as strung out the entire time, which is not typically symptoms associated with cocaine. It is more a symptom of cocaine withdrawal which she hasn't yet started.
  • Disproportionate Retribution: Traynor killing his prostitutes when they defy him or attempt to leave his service rapidly draws the police who would largely not care otherwise, even on a TV show like Miami Vice.
  • Female Gaze: A lot of Tubbs' body is shown during his sex scene with Valerie.
  • High-Class Call Girl: The service that Traynor provides to his incredibly wealthy clients. They're paid in both drugs and make $1,000 a night. It would be fine if not for the fact that he murders the ones who try to leave.
  • Hooker with a Heart of Gold: Diane is a nice young woman who gets caught up with some bad people.
  • New Old Flame: Tubbs and Valerie used to be boyfriend and girlfriend back in the day.
  • Roaring Rampage of Revenge: Valerie goes to kill Traynor and his goons after her sister is killed.
  • Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: Valerie is arrested for killing Traynor and her attempt to kill Lile.


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