Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site drufl.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!drutx!drufl!kpm From: kpm@drufl.UUCP (MalloyKP) Newsgroups: net.tv Subject: Yet Another "Miami Vice" Season Premere Review Message-ID: <44@drufl.UUCP> Date: Mon, 30-Sep-85 21:13:59 EDT Article-I.D.: drufl.44 Posted: Mon Sep 30 21:13:59 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 2-Oct-85 06:20:24 EDT Organization: AT&T Information Systems, Denver Lines: 65 **REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR FAVORITE VICE COP SHOW** Just thought I'd throw in my 0.02 worth on the Miami Vice season premere, "The Prodigal Son", seen on KCNC-4 (NBC) 8:00pm (MDT) Friday 27 Sept '85. First the high points. I thought the show was technically great -- fabulous photography and choreography (especially the vertical shots of NYC's skyline and Crockett's "You Belong to the City" stroll), wonderful music ("You Belong to the City" and Jan Hammer's instrumentals), and fantastic sets, as expected. The show was worth wasting a Friday night, just on its technical merits. However, on first watching, the show left me flat -- I was disappointed. If you took out the panoramic photography, great choreography, shoot-em-up scenes, and the love scenes, you'd have about 15 minutes of show. The script tries to spin a web that just doesn't hang together. I thought the dialog was really contrived, some of it made no sense at all. Some of Sonny's (Don Johnson) lines seemed out of place, as did some of his shots. (I wonder if his contract states that he is to have so many lines and a minimum percentage of screen time). I also thought that the show was **much** too violent (I lost count at 35 dead). I watched it again on the following Saturday, thanks to the magic of VCR and an *early* fall snowstorm here in Denver, and I liked the show a lot more. Maybe all of the media hype had worn off and I wasn't expecting as much. (Maybe I picked out a bit more detail and the plot wasn't as bad after all!) As for resurrected characters, I was surprised to see Pam Grier (Valerie) back, somehow she was acquitted of murdering the man who pimped for her sister in "Rites of Passage". I was even more surprised to see Bill Smitrovich back -- I suppose he was fired from the DEA for selling information to the Colombian cocaine kingpin Calderone ("Miami Vice -- The Movie") and was hired by ATF. Also, Miguel Pinero appears in the credits of both the original movie and "The Prodigal Son". I believe he is both Calderone in the original movie and the lead Colombian gangster in "the Prodigal Son" (good eye, Jeff Meyer). I'm a devoted fan -- I don't miss an episode. I bought a VCR so my Friday nights could be free again but now I stay home so I can tape the show without commercials! I'm looking forward to a great new season. I hope there'll be some real gems like last season's premere, "Smuggler's Blues", and "Evan". My expectations have not been relaxed by a season premere that was not up to snuff (in my book). BTW, the soundtrack (MCA-6150) is worth getting. It has "Smuggler's Blues" (Glenn Frey), "In the Air Tonight" (Phil Collins) [I an see the Ferrari heading down the Boulevard now], "You Belong to the City" (Glenn Frey), "Better be Good to Me" (Tina Turner), and some great instrumentals by Jan Hammer. I made a tape of the album and replaced "Vice" (Grandmaster Melle Mel) [not my type of music] with "You Only Left a Picture" (Fashion) [from "Evan", much better]. 'Til next Friday night, 0900pm (MST). My VCR will be on, my phone will be busy, and I'll be glued to the TV, because once again, the drums will sound, the sun will shine through the palm trees, the familiar chords will strum (my, aren't we getting carried away), and it will be time for Miami Vice, again ... I am ... K. P. Malloy (Kevin) ihnp4!drufl!kpm 601 W. 11th Ave., #108 Denver, CO 80204 These are the views of ... (standard disclaimer) Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com