January 1987. Miami. The neon lights of the OCB were a little dimmer than usual. While most of America was obsessed with the pastel suits and the Ferraris, a huge chunk of the show’s soul was about to be ripped out in a gym shower.
John Diehl, the man who played Detective Larry Zito, was done.
He didn't just leave. He basically demanded to be killed off. For fans of the show, Zito’s death in the "Down for the Count" two-parter wasn't just another plot point; it was a trauma. Watching Stan Switek (Michael Talbott) cradle his partner’s lifeless body after a forced heroin overdose—a "hot shot"—was arguably the most raw, un-glamorous moment in the entire series.
But why? Why would anyone walk away from one of the biggest cultural phenomenons of the decade?
The Frustration Behind the Pastel Curtain
Honestly, it came down to boredom. John Diehl Miami Vice fans often forget that while Sonny Crockett and Rico Tubbs were chasing drug lords, Zito and Switek were often stuck in a surveillance van. They were the "comic relief."
Diehl was a serious actor. He’d done avant-garde theater. He’d worked with Harold Ramis in National Lampoon’s Vacation and appeared in Stripes. To him, Larry Zito was becoming a creative dead end.
He famously mentioned in interviews that he spent way too much time sitting in his trailer in Miami, just waiting. Waiting for a phone call. Waiting for a scene where he might get three lines of dialogue. It’s a lucrative gig, sure, but for someone with an itch for "real" acting, it felt like a gilded cage.
The paychecks were great. The lifestyle was quintessential 80s. But the character was underwritten, and Diehl knew it.
What Really Happened with Larry Zito’s Exit
There’s a lot of rumors about why he left. Some people thought it was a contract dispute. Others whispered about him wanting to be a professional boxer—which, weirdly enough, was actually true. He did have a brief professional boxing career off-screen around that time.
But the truth is simpler: he wanted his life back.
Diehl moved into a basement apartment in Greenwich Village. He traded the Miami sun for the cold New York pavement just so he could do theater. He turned down high-paying TV roles to do plays that barely paid the rent.
"I was a minor performer on a major show," is essentially how the sentiment went. He wasn't the star. He was a gear in a massive machine, and he wanted to be the whole engine again.
The Impact of the "Hot Shot"
When the writers finally agreed to let him go, they didn't go easy. They gave him one of the most brutal exits in TV history.
- The Setup: Zito gets involved in the boxing underworld, trying to help a young fighter (played by real-life boxer Mark Breland).
- The Betrayal: He’s cornered in a gym by a promoter's thugs.
- The Death: They don't shoot him. They needle him.
- The Discovery: Switek finds him. No music. Just the sound of a shower running.
This moment changed the show. John Diehl's departure marked the end of the "fun" era of Miami Vice. After Zito died, the show got darker. Grittier. Switek’s character spiraled into a gambling addiction and depression that lasted until the series finale. The chemistry was gone.
Life After the OCB: Was it the Right Move?
Most actors who quit hit shows disappear. Diehl didn't.
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He became one of the most prolific character actors in Hollywood. You’ve seen him. You might not have realized it was "Zito," but he was there. He played G. Gordon Liddy in Oliver Stone’s Nixon. He was the mercenary Cooper in Jurassic Park III. He had a massive recurring role in The Shield as Ben Gilroy.
He didn't need the pastel suit anymore.
Interestingly, Diehl is one of the most frequent guests at Miami Vice reunions and fan events. He doesn't hate the show. He actually speaks very fondly of Michael Mann and his castmates. He just hated the stagnation.
What You Can Learn from Zito’s Departure
If you’re a fan looking to revisit this era, don't just watch the pilot. Go back and watch "Down for the Count."
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- Look at the acting: Diehl puts everything into those final scenes. He knew it was his swan song.
- Watch Switek: Michael Talbott’s reaction wasn't just acting; it was the grief of losing a real-life partner on set.
- The Cinematography: Notice how the colors start to shift. The bright pinks and blues start getting replaced by shadows.
If you want to see what John Diehl is up to now, skip the reruns for a night. Check out his work in Land of Plenty (2004) or his guest spots on Friday Night Lights. You'll see an actor who is much more satisfied than the guy sitting in the back of a surveillance van in 1985.
To really understand the legacy of John Diehl Miami Vice, you have to watch the show’s transition from season three to season four. It’s the moment the party ended. The "Vice" grew up, and it wasn't nearly as much fun without Larry Zito cracking jokes in the background.
To get the full experience of Diehl's final arc, re-watch the two-part episode "Down for the Count." Pay close attention to the lack of a freeze-frame ending in Part 1—a rare stylistic choice for the series that signaled just how much the status quo had been shattered. Once you’ve finished that, look up his performance in The Shield to see how he evolved from a "comic relief" detective into a master of high-stakes dramatic tension.