Bruce Willis needs no introduction. Apart from the (epic) Die Hard franchise, the actor has appeared in a wide variety of mega-popular films - from Sin City to The Expendables - and established himself as a true action hero. While Willis' career is seasoned with more than a hundred performancesit's time to go back in time and take a look at one of his first acting roles before he became a star. Prior to his active role in Moonlighting, Willis guest-starred in an episode of "Miami Vice" titled "No Way Out." This season one episode would end up standing out for more reasons than one, as it proved to be a turning point in solidifying the show's recurring themes and narrative archetypes.

This formulaic quality unique to "Miami Vice" might be considered dated by today's standards, but even as the show stumbled to find its footing, it was constantly pushing the boundaries. As a result, Willis' turn as the antagonist in No Way Out, considered one of the more entertaining entries in the first season, feels undeniably momentous. This episode, as usual, follows Metro-Dade undercover cops Sonny (Don Johnson) and Ricardo (Philip Michael Thomas), who are now investigating a military hardware deal. After the dealers are arrested, all fingers are pointed at Tony Amato (Willis), an elusive supplier who plans to sell stolen missiles. Things get uglier once Amato's wife Rita (Katherine Borowitz) gets involved and reveals Amato's obsessive, abusive nature when it comes to everything he feels he owes him.

Let's take a closer look Willis' Amato in No Way Out and how the episode offers much more than your standard police procedural by diving into deep existential waters.

The title of the episode refers to philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre's book of the same name, and this is beyond such a superficial nod. No Way Out explores the Satreian view of all relationships as being based on a struggle for dominance, where the inevitable presence of conflict drives our defining worldviews. The popular and often misinterpreted quote "Hell is other people" comes from this book, essentially emphasizing how the view and actions of the "other" (versus self) can influence our choices and rob us of our freedom. Sartre argues that once this instinct to make choices driven by arbitrariness is taken away, it is akin to denying our humanity.

Willis' Amato embodies the extreme manifestation of the "other", as he is the one pulling the strings and affecting those around him to their detriment. He is the kind of villain without (self-righteous) principles and sees people as objects that are either worthy of being desired or doomed to be discarded. Because of this skewed power dynamic, Amato robs people of their choice and thus their freedom to free themselves from his harmful influence. Willis plays this unsavory character by juxtaposing an attitude of ferocity with truly gruesome acts, with a hideous wardrobe to drive the performance home. You can't help but hate Amato because he's such a prick, which makes the moment of his inevitable downfall deliciously cathartic.

There is a a lot to like No Exit even beyond the pre-Moonlighting Willis, so I'll leave it up to you folks to check it out if you haven't already. It's also no wonder the actor became an absolute sensation as detective David Addison once Moonlighting began airing on ABC a year later, though a significant part of the show's appeal can be attributed to the character's electrifying chemistry with Maddie Hayes from Cybill Shepherd. . Needless to say, Moonlighting makes for great televisionand you can catch it on Hulu in case you want to wash away No Exit's existential vibes with something more comforting.