Miami Vice Amen... Send Money (1984–1990) Online

Brian Dennehy puts in one of his patented solid performances, this time as the televangelist Reverend Billy Bob Proverb who preaches the divinity of materialism (props to the MV writers for not pulling any punches satirizing the likes of notorious religious shysters such as Jim Bakker). This episode isn't your standard MV fare: no guns are shot, no boats are raced, no Ferrari's rip around town to 80's pop music. What you do get is a pretty solid, albeit light, 48-minutes of entertainment.

The opening sequence brings together the televangelist, his drug addicted wife and the undercover work of Crockett and Tubbs. When the televangelist's wife gets pinched by MV, the big fat Christian money maker goes into his bag of tricks to not only shame MV, but most notably the detective in charge (Tubbs)...or so it seems. Other forces, most notably the Rev's arch nemesis/competitor Mason Mather (played by the poor man's Robert Duvall or {far worse) Donald Pleasance, James Tolkan), are at work, making for a somewhat convoluted and unpredictable plot line.

The highlight of the episode (for me) is an comical exchange of dialog between Crockett and Tubbs, where Tubbs runs on about the technological dangers of radio towers prompting Crockett to ask him how the hell he'd know so much about something so random. Tubbs replies"Night School...there IS life after vice." Perhaps a cheap expository cover up by the writers, but I gotta give them the nod for making it worth the price of admission.

Of note, Ben Stiller has a cameo playing a fast talking scumbag huckster of religious paraphernalia...in other words, he plays a slight variation of himself.

This episode opens with televangelist Rev. Billy Bob Proverb asking his flock to send him money so that he can do God's bidding... God doesn't want him to help the starving in Africa, nor does he want him to help the underprivileged of Miami; no he believes God wants the good reverend to use the money to buy himself the best goods that money can buy! Meanwhile out on the streets of Miami his wife Leona is getting busted by Tubbs for buying narcotics. It isn't long before the good reverend is condemning the Vice Department in his sermons and it looks like he has sunk even lower when one of his flock calls Tubbs to arrange a meeting so that she can tell him what is really going on at the church... then she screams rape. With Internal Affairs looking into Tubbs the Vice Department dig deeper into the life of the Reverend Proverb and also that of his arch rival... a rival who accurately predicts that Proverb will be 'struck down from above'.

While this wasn't one of the best episodes of Miami Vice it wasn't bad; Brian Dennehy put in a fine performance as the money grubbing preacher; delightfully satirising real life televangelists... there was also a nice twist regarding his character that I hadn't expected and won't spoil here. The other main guest star, James Tolkan also did a good job as Proverb's rival Mason Mather. The story does get a little bit silly at times... at one point it looks as if somebody has literally been struck down by God... don't worry it turns out there is a human explanation!

Another head-scratcher of an episode, but still better than 'Contempt of Court'. Rival televangelists, a celebrity drug bust and Tubbs on the hook for rape; it's bizarre, no doubt.The subject matter goes from dark and serious to light and . . . kinda silly, actually.

It could've been better, at least something worthy of its guest star lineup (James Tolkan, Ben Stiller, Brian effing Dennehy). But as-is, it's a pretty good Crockett episode.

Man, season 4 really got off on a weird foot.

6/10

Conflicted episode. With the 80's Tele-Evangelist scandals Miami Vice breaches the topic. After the arrest of the wife of Reverend Billy Bob Proverb, Crockett and Tubbs become enthralled into the dark side of religion. A cable war with scandal, greed, and ego unfold. A commentary of all the vices of the Devil which attacks the church. The characters with their vices create a human tragedy. I once heard the Devil will attack the church internally. As Crockett and Tubbs investigate Billy Bob Proverb, they found out how Proverb started out as a good man and humanitarian. Brian Dennehy does some fine acting when Proverb explains how no one wants faith without struggle/sacrifice. Proverb explains how he suffers from a cross of luxury. No one wants to see the poor life style that Jesus lived. There is a social commentary in Send Money about materialism seeping into all aspects of life. As Crockett says at the end, "at least you can turn the T V off." 7 out of 10 stars.