Child's Play - very good scenes
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Topic: Child's Play - very good scenes
Posted By: Mr Dante
Subject: Child's Play - very good scenes
Date Posted: 30 January 2007 at 8:00pm
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As most of you know, Sleuth is now airing Season 4. Child's Play aired last night, and I noticed some great things about this episode. 1) The scene between Crockett and Castillo at OCB (Castillo tells Crockett to embrace the pain of shooting the child, and move on). I think this is one of the best scenes of the entire series. From script to acting and direction, it's perfectly crafted. Only Castillo would have the guts to speak so bluntly, yet so affectionately to Crockett, and only Olmos could pull it off effectively. Don Johnson does an incredible job of moving from rage to disbelief to understanding, and he does this all with his eyes as he absorbs what Castillo is saying. An excellent scene, and if the episodes from this season were not better than the first three, at least the actors, in my opinion were getting better at their craft. I think whatever tension existed between Johnson and Olmos was used by both here to create a great moment. Also, this episode had a lot to do with father & son/parent & child relationships, and this scene between Castillo and Crockett was peculiarly, but beautifully paternal. Worked great with the subplot. 2) The scene between Crockett and the boy he shot (Crockett speaks to the boy for advice on Billy's adoption, and the boy clenches his fingers). Again, great acting, and just a powerful, well crafted scene. |
Replies:
Posted By: elvisfan
Date Posted: 30 January 2007 at 8:36pm
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One of the better episodes in Season 4. Liked how the episode touched on Crockett's personal life and the complexity of his character. Thought the writers could have incorporated his son, Billy, into more episodes. Crockett thought with his son being away from him, he was protecting him due to his dangerous lifestyle and didn't want a repeat of Calderone's Return I. However, what he came to realize is that he was pushing him away and his son needed to get to know him better, dangerous lifestyle and all.
It would be very difficult to balance family life and undercover police work. The episodes with Crockett's son helped me gain a newfound respect for people involved in that line of work.
------------- "Hey Corky, forget where the ocean is, my boat's in the Atlantic." - Sonny to Corky in BROTHER'S KEEPER |
Posted By: moftap
Date Posted: 31 January 2007 at 9:29am
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I agree, the scene with Castillo and Crockett is excellent. I also like the exchanges between Tubbs and Crockett when Rico expresses his love and concern for Sonny. Those moments figure prominently in the Burnett trilogy flashbacks, when Sonny is trying to remember who he is and who Rico is - illustrating how meaningful they really were. ------------- "This is the official 'I'm Okay' report. I'm okay. Okay?" ~ Crockett in Child's Play |
Posted By: nmathews
Date Posted: 31 January 2007 at 5:03pm
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Here's some points I wrote down the last time I saw this episode. I'm trying to make myself a homemade companion for MV episodes. Child Play is one of my favorites.
Child Play ________________________________________ This episode is one of my favorite 4th season episodes. Some may think the acting by DJ on this is over the top, but I think it's some of his best acting in the show. Sonny is trying to cope with shooting a child. He feels remorse about it, he's second guessing himself about it, and he's mad as heck it happened to him and the kid. I thought he showed a natural tendency on Sonny's part to reach out to his family. He did it in the pilot when his world turned upside down after he found out his old partner had betrayed him and Tubbs to Calderon. He calls Caroline to make sure everything that went before was real. To me in Child Play he not only wants to reach out to his kid and verify that his own kid is real and safe, but before he was confronted by the reality of Bob and Caroline, I think he wanted more assurances from Caroline. Naturally when he meets Bob and then gets hit with the proposed adoption, he's smacked right back into the situation of his real life. He needs to rebuild his relationship with Billy, and he needs to deal with the shooting of the kid and also deal with Caroline isn't his anymore. I also liked Castillo in this episode. He reached out to Sonny when Sonny needed it, not an easy thing for a private man like Castillo to do, but he did it. I wonder if Marty had a similar situation. when he told Sonny about it burning and scaring him and it should it sounded like Marty was talking from experience. He also stood up for Sonny when politics and high pressure were trying to make Sonny the scape goat (to give these peoples something.) I thought Sonny's reaction to finding out that Jeffery McAlister wasn't who he thought he was but a kid with a record from Chicago was interesting. It didn't make a difference to him that he actually had shot a perp and it was a good shoot. He felt the kid would be a part of him for the rest of his life, and was angry that people weren't praying or supporting Gordon a real kid, but a fictitious kid who didn't even exist. put him on display, and used him to further their own agenda. Again we see Sonny's hatred of psychiatrists. an interesting scene they cut (although it's not really missed that much) was the scene where Sonny did go to Deliilo's office sit down across from him in a chair against the wall for several minutes and then walked out without saying anything. I also liked the way Rico backed up Sonny with the Doctor when Sonny quietly threatened the doctor that he'd be watching. The whole friendship thing between Rico and Sonny was evident just another example of how one thing happens to one the other one is affected in some way. The ending bothers me a little but I felt it was pretty realistic. Here Sonny along with the rest of OCB squad is chasing this low life, and Walker accidentally falls off the roof and is able to hang on for a few seconds. Sonny flashes on the events Walker caused: Threatening to kill the woman, the kid covering him from the other room, and Sonny's reaction by shooting in self defense and having to go through this whole thing. That moment's hesitation may have made him a little too late to save Walker from falling to his death. By the look on Sonny's face, he didn't consciously elect not to save him, but his slight hesitation probably did cause Sonny to fail from keeping Walker from falling to his death. ------------- Nancy From Indiana "You Took a Walk on the Wild Side Pal, Only you forgot to come back"- Sonny Crockett Miami Vice: 'Streetwise' |
Posted By: musicmax
Date Posted: 31 January 2007 at 7:18pm
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Couple thoughts on this one: - Most times C&T shoot someone it's a one-shot kill. Crockett puts two shots in a 13-year-old's chest from 10 feet away and he lives? Riiiiiiight. - Olmos has this weird smile going on during the scene others have cited. |
Posted By: Mr Dante
Date Posted: 31 January 2007 at 8:31pm
That's why this scene worked so well. Castillo is giving Sonny direction from experience, and Sonny recognizes this. Castillo may or may not have ever shot a child, but we know there are deep and dark and secrets in his background that made him what he is. In addition to receiving affection from Castillo, I think Crockett gets unexpected insight into who Castillo is. There's a lot going on in this scene. |
Posted By: Mr Dante
Date Posted: 31 January 2007 at 8:43pm
The kid lives, but he's in pretty bad shape. What I did like about the shooting scene is that you don't see the kid, just his POV after he has been shot. I think this made the impact of the scene more powerful. - regarding the smile, that's interesting. Empathy and recognition perhaps? |
Posted By: Lar!
Date Posted: 01 February 2007 at 12:44am
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This is definitely one of the top episodes of season four, IMO. Sonny's reaction when he first discovers he's shot a child is powerful, as is the scene where he's driving with Billy and telling him he'll know he tried his best, no matter what. And, as everyone has said, the scene between Sonny and Castillo is fantastic.
Pretty amazing that an episode this good could follow one as ridiculous as "The Big Thaw"! |
Posted By: gstien
Date Posted: 01 February 2007 at 4:50am
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I skipped the big thaw! When I saw Bob Marley layed out in a cryo chamber, that did it for me! |
Posted By: ViceFanMan
Date Posted: 01 February 2007 at 10:43pm
I could not have said it better! "Child's Play" is one of my favorite episodes of Season 4---and in my opinion not only one of the best of that season but of the series too, even though some don't like Seasons 4 and 5. "Child's Play" is one where we get to see a more personable side to Sonny and we get to see that he's not all 007/John Wayne-like where we shoot the bad guys and I'm tough guy 24/7. Sonny is human too and does feel emotion--especially when it comes to his son. This episode was definitely one of the most emotional for Crockett---and one where we get to learn a little more about Billy and his feelings too. I agree, that the character of Billy should have been expanded more upon. But, we got what we got.  I wonder what ever happened to Clayton Barclay Jones? I wonder if he ever watches himself on old re-runs? What ever happened to Ryan St.Leon, who played 'Billy' in Season 1? Wouldn't it be awesome if both 'Billys' got together sometime and exchanged stories...that would be a cool special feature!
------------- "Blink...and you're mine, pal!" |
Posted By: Mr Dante
Date Posted: 02 February 2007 at 4:48pm
ViceFanMan, I have to disagree about wishing they included Billy in more episodes. Oddly enough, the scenes I dislike the most in Child's play are between Sonny and Billy, and it's mostly because of the awkward child acting - I didn't feel there was any connection between Johnson and the kid. In fact, when, Crockett is trying to explain why he kept his distance, I felt like Billy was more interested in driving the Ferrari - like, "yeah, you've been away, anyhoo, how do I shift this thing into third gear..." Don't get me wrong, I think the storyline in this episode is great, and I love the tie-in between Crockett shooting the 13 year old and the guilt he feels for neglecting Billy. I just don't love the actual scenes between Crockett and Billy. |
Posted By: gstien
Date Posted: 02 February 2007 at 11:17pm
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They are awkward scenes, but I feel that this was the message Mann was trying to portray between Crockett and Billy. Then again, Crockett told her to move, so it was his responsibility to go visit his son. He has days off. And apparently he could take the Ferrari out of town. I say Crockett was a bad father, and he deserved the cold shoulder his son was giving him. |
Posted By: ViceFanMan
Date Posted: 03 February 2007 at 12:57am
I agree! I think the awkwardness was actually more anger from Billy directed to his dad on purpose...not bad acting. Billy looked at the situation as I had to move further away from my Dad, who I barely got to see in the first place, and now I never really see him, nor does he come to see me! He was pissed at his dad and he was old enough and smart enough that when Crockett was trying to explain some of the reasons why he hadn't been around, the kid was like: "Yeah, whatever! Excuses are like butt-holes, everyone's got 'em and they all stink!"  He at that age probably was more into getting to drive a Ferrari than listen to his Dad come up with bone-head reasons of why he hadn't been around--even though we as adults understand some of those reasons.
But, to a kid they're crap--and to some extent Billy was right! I have to still stand with my original statement that I wish more episodes and interaction between Crockett and Billy had been implemented into the show. I actually thought the 'awkward' scenes were done very well and somewhat realistically portrayed. ------------- "Blink...and you're mine, pal!" |
Posted By: moftap
Date Posted: 03 February 2007 at 2:44am
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I thought it was bad acting by "Billy". He really had no personality or stage presence.
------------- "This is the official 'I'm Okay' report. I'm okay. Okay?" ~ Crockett in Child's Play |
Posted By: gstien
Date Posted: 03 February 2007 at 3:19am
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See, Billy was just that good! You thought he was a bad actor, but it was just acting. If you aren't a true conniseur of MV, get out man! Okay, now that you are off the ceiling... I'm kidding!  So he was only in 3 episodes of MV, and 1 in Lassie. That may be the clue here. He was good enough for 4 episodes in tv, but that's it. Someone had to play Billy, and it was him. BTW, this one was only credited for 3 episodes in the later part of the series. Apparently this is not the same one earlier in the series. At least not according to IMDB. We are at an enpass here. He was either believable, or really bad. |
Posted By: ViceFanMan
Date Posted: 06 February 2007 at 1:14am
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As gstien said, Clayton Barclay Jones was not that active on TV. He only did a few episodes of stuff and basically disappeared off the Hollywood radar.
They needed a kid and Jones fit the bill. I still do not think 'Billy' did that bad of a job for what was required and included. I liked Jones in the roll and wish they had done more with him. ------------- "Blink...and you're mine, pal!" |
Posted By: Mr Dante
Date Posted: 06 February 2007 at 4:05am
No surprise there! |
Posted By: gstien
Date Posted: 06 February 2007 at 4:23am
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I know, I was shocked to read that too! At least he got to sit on Don's lap and drive the Testarossa. I'm sure a lot of women out there would have loved that! Of course, LMD notwithstanding, since she likes guys in skirts. |
Posted By: ViceFanMan
Date Posted: 07 February 2007 at 5:17pm
As I stated earlier here, Ryan St. Leon played 'Billy' in Season 1. After that they brought in Clayton Barclay Jones, who played 'Billy' from then on. Ryan was in 2 episodes in Season 1: the 'Pilot' "Brother's Keeper" and "Calderone's Return"-Pt.1 (even though IMDB does not list Ryan in the 'Pilot'--but this is an oversight or inaccuracy on their part. He was in it). Clayton was in 3 episodes: 2 in 1987 and 1 in '89. I think we're starting to try and read way too much into the character of 'Billy.' I still wish he had been included more along the way, but as it was---I don't think the producers and writers planned on making Billy that 'big' or noticable of a character. Us going on about how good or bad he was...is really kind of pointless. How do we know? There was never really an episode specifically about Billy Crockett, so we never really got to see how good or bad of an actor Clayton Barclay Jones was--or Ryan St. Leon for that matter. ------------- "Blink...and you're mine, pal!" |