Miami Vice Rewatch?

I’m not sure I would say that “Miami Vice” was formative for me during my teenage years, but it was certainly iconic. Don Johnson was for me the embodiment of cool. Jan Hammer’s synth-heavy music resonated with my soul. All those shots of cars driving down night streets were the kind of cinematic imagery I still aspire to.

I remember the television series as serious, dark, and deep. However, some years ago, I started watching the first episodes at the beginning of the first series. I was surprised how it differed from my memory. I’ve had similar experiences with other television, like “Simon & Simon” (which had even more influence on me as a kid). I gave up watching, and I chalked it up to imperfect memory and a shift in television toward better drama.

However, I keep wondering. The topic of “Miami Vice” keeps coming up, and I can’t help wondering if maybe the show evolved, and I have misjudged it by only checking out the early episodes. What if it became more of the kind of show I remember?

I am giving serious consideration to a rewatch. I could buy the whole series on Blu-ray for $50. A hundred eleven episodes at probably 44 minutes each, it would be a serious time commitment. Then again, the selection of good television has been paltry, so maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.

If I do this, I should do some analysis. I should write things down so I can compare, objectively, the evolution of the series from earlier episodes to later ones. I would also like to make note of cinematic elements and story elements that I like.