Miami Vice: Season Two Review Score: 7/10 | Date Posted: December 22nd 2005 In: DVD Reviews Starring: Don Johnson, Philip Michael Thomas, Edward James Olmos Directed by: Various Studio: MCA Home Video Miami Vice: Season Two Review by Robert Falconer | HNR Senior Editor Miami Vice was one of those rare shows that tapped into the zeitgeist of its time; reflecting trends while simultaneously inspiring many of its own. Most of us remember suits with pastel T-shirts, sockless loafers and the five o-clock shadow all becoming the de rigueur fashion for the mid-80s male. Apart from the pastel clothes and colors used on all the sets (producer Michael Mann decreed early on that the series would feature no earth tones) and the bright South Florida settings, the show is essentially about two cops, two friends; Sonny Crockett (Don Johnson) and Ricardo Tubbs (Philip Michael Thomas) who work undercover as vice detectives for the Miami Police Department. Originally billed to the NBC network as "MTV cops" for its juxtapositional use of popular music during pivotal scenes as a means of increasing dramatic impact, the series also redefined the formula for the "police procedural" drama. The 22 episodes of the inaugural 1985-86 season maintained a consistently and unprecedentedly high ratings average, with few duds in the mix. Season 2 upped the ante with "The Prodigal Son," a two-parter that sees vice cops Crockett and Tubbs travel to New York where they pursue a Colombian drug lord who's killed a federal agent in their jurisdiction. The season opener featured several guest stars from the entertainment world - some playing themselves, some playing fictitious characters. Broadway composer-showman Peter Allen, actor-playwright Charles Ludlum, KISS lead singer Gene Simmons, and numerous others joined Pam Grier and Anthony Heald in Season 2's star-studded kick-off. The two-parter also became inextricably linked with Glenn Frye's song "You Belong To The City," specifically composed for this episode. But that was just the beginning. As the season progressed, the series featured other notable luminaries such as Ted Nugent, Phil Collins, John Leguizamo, Bruce McGill, David Strathairn, Little Richard and Bob Balaban. Even the deliciously nefarious G. Gordon Liddy - notable for his involvement in Nixon's Watergate coverup - made a memorable appearance as a drug runner. Season 2 also began to take a darker path, with grittier stories that allowed the characters to more fully explore their emotional colors and depths. The supporting cast is more fully fleshed out here, from the comical, Laurel and Hardy-like antics of Zito and Switek, to the buttoned-down performance of Edward James Olmos as the detectives' boss, Lt. Martin Castillo, a character who always seemed even more dangerous than the criminals Crockett and Tubbs so frequently found themselves rubbing shoulders with while undercover. Sadly, there are no special features on the Season 2 disc set. The episodes appear on dual sided discs, with the episode titles appearing on the back of the inside slip jacket. What's truly glaring by way of omission is the lack of a booklet that would provide the viewer with episode descriptions and airdates so one could choose the episode one wanted to watch before putting the disc in the DVD player. Image quality is acceptable, though a bit grainy at times. Fortunately, the sound is a different story; it has been re-mastered in full 5.1 Surround, emphasizing the pulse-quickening soundtrack that was such an iconic part of this series.

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