Brother’s Keeper (Pilot):

[Part 1] Detective Sonny Crockett is introduced as a dedicated (or driven?) vice cop who’s getting irritated by the constant undermining of his investigation into a major Colombian druglord. His frustration is brought to its head when a carbomb kills his partner, Eddie Rivera, and Sonny temporarily seeks solace with his estranged wife and son. Setting up another buy with his contact Leon Jefferson, Sonny arrives for the bust but his backup, Dets. Stan Switek and Larry Zito, rush in too early, and while Leon goes down, another man grabs both the cash and drugs and tries to escape by speedboat. Sonny follows and eventually captures him only to find out his quarry is NYPD Detective Rafael Tubbs. It turns out that Crockett and Tubbs are after the same suspect, wanted in the Bronx for the murder of two cops. After Leon is let off, Tubbs follows him until Sonny arrives, but Leon is killed right under their noses. With Sonny’s contact gone, he and Tubbs agree on joining forces to hunt down Calderon.

[Part 2] Searching Leon’s ransacked apartment, Tubbs comes across a book of phone numbers that Calderon’s men overlooked. Tubbs dangerously suggests that there could be a leak in the Vice department which led to Leon’s murder, but Sonny won’t hear of it. Tubbs realizes that James “Sonny” Crockett was an All-American player for the University Of Florida, but Sonny must tell him that before he could turn pro, he was drafted into a very losing game-- Vietnam. Back at the office, Sonny has Det. Gina Calabrese run a background check on Det. Tubbs and has the numbers run down. After a meeting with Calderon’s frontman Trini DeSoto, Crockett and Tubbs have an arranged contact with Calderon, bringing Gina and Det. Trudy Joplin along. Trudy leaves, giving Tubbs a ride home, and when alone, Gina reveals to Sonny that Rafael Tubbs has been dead for a month, killed in Calderon’s shootout. When confronted, Sonny’s mystery guest reveals that he is really Ricardo Tubbs, out to destroy Calderon to avenge his brother. When the meeting with Calderon is moved up, Tubbs must arrive alone, but Sonny receives a call from him right after finding out that there is a departmental leak, and it’s his former partner. Rico’s cover is blown, and Sonny rushes to the meet, saving Rico. After arresting Sonny’s partner, the real meet goes down and Calderon is arrested. Unfortunately, before they Sonny and Rico can even get to the jail, Calderon’s men have bought off a judge and gotten him released on bail. The two furious cops arrive at the marina too late, seeing Calderon’s seaplane take off. Rico barely has any reason to return to New York, so he and Sonny drive into the night, with Sonny asking,

“Hey Tubbs, you ever consider a career in Southern law enforcement?”

Thanks to the fellow Miami Vice Fan that wrote this synopsis

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