Miami Vice is streaming – but the best episode is missing
Why Most ’80s and ’90s Action TV Doesn’t Hold Up — and Why Miami Vice Does
In this era of prestige TV, I think it’s safe to say that many of our favorite action shows from the eighties and nineties don’t really hold up. It might sound harsh, but the quality of TV leapfrogged in a huge way in the mid-to-late nineties, and some of the most popular action shows, in hindsight, seem impossibly cheesy. I tried watching The A-Team and Knight Rider on Pluto the other day and found them largely unwatchable. Yet, one show that (mostly) doesn’t suffer that fate is Miami Vice.
How Michael Mann Turned Miami Vice into Proto-Prestige TV
Probably the reason it holds up is the fact that under the supervision of none other than Michael Mann as its executive producer, it kind of functioned as proto-prestige TV. Sure, it had action, but the production values made it look more like a movie, especially as far as the editing and soundtracks went, both with Jan Hammer’s scores and the hit-driven soundtracks. The show was also anchored by Don Johnson at his most charismatic as Sonny Crockett, along with terrific support by Philip Michael Thomas as Tubbs (way better on this show than some remember), Edward James Olmos as their taciturn boss, Castillo, Olivia Brown, Sandra Santiago, Michael Talbot and, for a while, John Diehl.
Which Seasons of Miami Vice Still Hold Up?
That said, of its five-season run, only the first two seasons of the show really hold up. Mann became more hands-off somewhere around the third season, and the decline in quality was immediately obvious. Season three has some great episodes, but seasons four and five are almost unwatchable. Yet, those first two seasons have many classic episodes that stand up next to the best prestige TV from our modern era, and will be used as reference material for Joseph Kosinski’s upcoming IMAX-shot reboot of the series (although I have a huge soft spot for Mann’s own awesome movie remake).
How Miami Vice Has Survived on Home Media and Streaming
Miami Vice has fared better on home media than other shows of its era, with Universal going to great lengths to keep the soundtracks intact, which are essential. This has carried over into the streaming era — with one notable exception. While the show is easy to find on most streaming services, one of the best episodes ever is missing due to what many assume are music rights issues.
What Is the Missing Miami Vice Episode on Streaming?
The episode in question is the 21st of season one, “Evan.” Many, myself included, consider this among the best Miami Vice episodes ever, with it providing a heartfelt and provocative (for 1985) premise, where Crockett discovers his former best friend, a cop named Evan (William Russ in a performance that would shock people who know him mostly for Boy Meets World) is deep undercover in a cartel as an enforcer. Crockett hates Evan because they had a friend, a fellow cop who turned out to be gay, that was viciously outed by Evan, and the cop later committed suicide. What’s worse is that Crockett, while hating Evan, also hates himself for his own latent homophobia, having not stood up for his friend.
Why “Evan” Is Considered One of the Best Miami Vice Episodes Ever
While most shows would either not tackle the issue at all (homophobia) or turn Evan into a bad guy, in this episode Evan is shown to be highly remorseful, to the point that he’s now so reckless he’s suicidal. It’s also hinted that maybe he also has some unresolved romantic feelings towards Crockett himself, and it ends in a powerhouse moment where Evan sacrifices himself to save Crockett and Tubbs while Peter Gabriel’s “Biko” fills the soundtrack. It’s an unforgettable moment often singled out as the show’s best, but sadly the only way to watch it is on the physical media releases, where it’s intact.
Why Is the Miami Vice Episode “Evan” Missing From Streaming?
So why is it missing? The general consensus seems to be that it’s the use of Peter Gabriel’s “Biko” that keeps it out of circulation. It seems to be a rights issue that — sometimes — appears settled, as the episode has been known to occasionally pop up on streaming, while it’s intact on all physical media releases of the show. Yet, even if you buy the show digitally on iTunes, that episode (as of right now) is missing, so buyer beware.
Is It Better to Remove the Episode or Change the Music?
While that’s a bummer, I must admit I do prefer them simply pulling the episode rather than changing the soundtrack, which is what a lot of companies would probably do, as it would destroy the episode’s impact (the use of “Biko” is absolutely essential). So, if you check out Miami Vice on streaming, just be aware that you’re not getting the full release — and you might be better off buying it on Blu-ray (buy it HERE).
The post Miami Vice is streaming – but the best episode is missing appeared first on JoBlo.