I wrote a little missive describing the impact that the TV series Miami Vice had on me. I talked about the fashion, the cars, the music, the look of the show and how it had made me feel, both then and now. How it had influenced me in various ways, pushed or pulled me into different situations based on what I had learnt from the show. Now after watching the FIVE series straight through I have come to realise that everything I had based that missive on, and apparently half of my life, was only the first series, not the whole enchilada!
For instance, I didn’t realise that Detective Trudy Joplin had a sign on her desk that read Trudy “Big Booty” Joplin! I had also forgotten about Izzy. Izzy or to give him his proper name, Isidore Moreno was a small time crook and big time informant for the cops which he would give in his broken English, using incorrect analogies and mixed up phrases and words. He was pretty much comic relief while furthering the plot by giving information to Crockett and Tubbs.
When watching five series of anything, you will notice where certain locations or set reappear, like the one location which was either an island paradise, a fishing town where drug dealers ruled, or where
military kidnappers held someone. You also started seeing the same clips of downtown Miami, where hookers and pimps hung out, made more noticeable when it appears the film was taken in New York in the early seventies!
Edward James Olmos was brought in mid way through series one as Lieutenant Martin Castillo, and for the next four and a half series, I believe he smiles twice. He is way more Gaff from Blade Runner than Adama from BSG. He is moody, secretive, thoughtful, unless the episode calls for martial arts and violence where he suddenly becomes this wild man.
Because Miami Vice became the hip place to be seen, there were multiple up and coming stars as well as established stars who appeared in episodes. Willie Nelson as an ex- Texas Ranger, Liam Neeson as an Irish terrorist, Ian McShane as a Columbian drug lord and also a South American corrupt general…. Ian McShane? Lovejoy?? WTF? Several artists appeared twice as different characters such as Stanley Tucci. Possibly the best guest appearances was by Denis Farina as Albert Lombard, who becomes more than likable with his few appearances starting in the first series and finishing in the last. He really does grow into this enjoyable character, and if he had been given the opportunity to be in every episode probably would have become simliar to G’Kar from Babylon 5 in growing from a bit part into one of the most likeable and strongest character on the screen.
For every good appearance there were not so good ones, Miles Davis as a pimp who half the time doesn’t seem to know what he is pimping, Julia Roberts as a paper thin character who gets to sleep with Sonny, Little Richard who is on screen for moments only. Possibly the most bizarre is James Brown who believes in little green men.
On a side note, if you combine about ten episodes from Miami Vice the series, you can create the script for Miami Vice the movie which Michael Mann also made.
Plots started strong at the beginning of the series but by series five were scraped from the bottom of the proverbial barrel. One episode towards the end introduced a young cop who pretty much was the star of the episode. Crocket and Tubbs appear briefly but other than that it was more 21 Jump Street than Miami Vice.
While Jan Hammer gets credit and deservedly so, for creating the soundscapes for the series, in series five he was replaced by Tim Truman. I didn’t remember this and to be fair, I should have. Gone are the thick layers of synths, to be replaced by big drums, and rock guitar. Suddenly I am realising that I subconsciously remember this music as it guided me into listening to various guitar albums such as Guitar Speak, and discs from Steve Vai, and compilations from Guitar World etc.. Whereas Jan Hammer
used his Keytar to add heavy chugging riffs or soaring solo lines, now a real guitar was doing the work and doing the work well. At times it does sound more like aural masturbation than constructed music but it does work.
As I watched episode after episode, I started wondering how big is the criminal underworld in Miami, because I would have expected that word would have gotten out pretty quickly about two vice cops driving around in a white Ferrari busting drug dealers.
After five series, the show ended with the main characters quitting the force, taking the Ferrari with them. I felt burnt out as multiple episodes merged into one big montage of action. Miami Vice was a good show for the time it was made, if you pick out the good bits, ignore the bad bits and understand that it was never going to be as good as a Hill Street Blues. It was a pop culture show for the pop culture audience and after watching it all, my eyes have gone pop.
