Episode #1 "Brother's Keeper"


Ferrariman

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It was a great introduction. Showed us the cast of characters, the circumstances, the setting, etc. The most important thing the episode did of course, is introduce Sonny and Rico to each other. Sonny is shown as the unorthodox cop, but undoubtedly a good person, a likeable character. Rico traumatized by his brother's death, and wanting to get revenge. I liked the part where Sonny came up with the clever ambush to catch Rico on the speedboat, and then the surprise in finding out he was a fellow cop. Also the tension between them, Sonny teasing Rico with the alligator and scaring the poor guy like that. It was a funny scene, even though poor Tubbs looked like he was about to have a heart attack. I also like it when he says "I don't even like alligator shoes", hinting that he's a stylish guy. And Sonny's reluctance to work with him calling him a "wide-eyed understudy". It shows Sonny as being annoyed, while all Rico wants to do his help him, and be a friend to.  But really it was also the character of Sonny to be like that, just friendly banter, it showed that Crockett had taken a liking to Tubbs, and the need he felt to protect him, which set the tone for the rest of the series. That's why the title "Brother's Keeper" refers not only to Tubbs and his late brother, but also to Crockett and Tubbs' relationship, and how from then on, Sonny was always looking out for Rico, and teaching him how things work in Miami. I also love the scenery they show, the lighting, the atmosphere, the colors, the clothes. It's completely different from television shows nowadays, which look dingy and like they're set in a basement or something. Miami Vice had a certain feel that you just don't see anymore on television and movies, it seems like another world now. And the use of the music was done perfectly, unlike now where they just throw something in. The scene where Tubbs is at the beach with a tropical drink after following Leon, and the song "Girls Just Wnat to Have Fun" plays, an upbeat song contrasting sharply with poor Leon getting killed. Then later the emotions that Sonny goes through when he realizes he's been betrayed by someone he trusted so much. Everything was there, storyline, character development, setting, everything was done so brilliantly. 

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Cory Barker of the website This Was Television has reviewed every Season 1 episode. The reviews are somewhat insightful and it's always interesting to get an outsider's opinion of MV.  Two excerpts:

While "MTV Cops" might be a phrase of legend, it's a stunningly accurate way to describe this pilot effort and one that evokes a degree of style and cool that I can't quite recall experiencing before.

Much has been made about Vice's visual style and musical cues, but if you have never seen the show before, they are still pretty staggering. "Brother's Keeper" doesn't feature the most advanced or intelligence narrative and the characters' pop culture-laced dialogue sometimes goes too far, but the visuals and the music make up for any weakness and carry the pilot to another level. Almost all of the episode's most memorable moments are driven by images (whether that be the interesting location shots of Miami or the stylized angles and cutting), music, or both, with very little dialogue involved.

Read the full review:
 
http://thiswastv.com/2012/08/20/review-miami-vice-brothers-keeper-series-premiere/

Edited by airtommy
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  • 1 year later...

My first post.

I first saw this episode in the winter of 2011. I'd never seen MV before. I remember absolutely loving it. Within a year, I'd seen the entire series. There were loads of great episodes but there is something about Brother's Keeper that makes it remain my favorite episode. Everything from the music to cinematography is top notch. I recently got the Blu-ray set. I'm pretty sure this is the same master that was broadcast in 2006 which really excited me. The In The Air Tonight scene looks better than ever. Anyway, this is my favorite series. Personally I think The Sopranos is the BEST. But Miami Vice is my FAVORITE. It has everything. Cheers. :)

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2 hours ago, Remington said:

Personally I think The Sopranos is the BEST. But Miami Vice is my FAVORITE.

Hello, new best friend! :) 

Welcome to a great site. 

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3 hours ago, Remington said:

My first post.

I first saw this episode in the winter of 2011. I'd never seen MV before. I remember absolutely loving it. Within a year, I'd seen the entire series. There were loads of great episodes but there is something about Brother's Keeper that makes it remain my favorite episode. Everything from the music to cinematography is top notch. I recently got the Blu-ray set. I'm pretty sure this is the same master that was broadcast in 2006 which really excited me. The In The Air Tonight scene looks better than ever. Anyway, this is my favorite series. Personally I think The Sopranos is the BEST. But Miami Vice is my FAVORITE. It has everything. Cheers. :)

You are absolutely correct...the music and cinematography were superb! However, although you have to have the pilot movie (Brother's Keeper) to understand my favorite episode/s...my all-time favorite is the 2-part Calderone's Return (originally broadcast as The Hit List & Calderone's Demise)! They had everything...wild plot twists, action & car chases, music, suspense, intense & "gritty" characterization & drama, color & more amazing cinematography, etc... There are many shows I love and have...but MV will always remain one of my all-time favorites & most iconic for the 80's and TV history! :cool: :thumbsup:

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16 minutes ago, ViceFanMan said:

You are absolutely correct...the music and cinematography were superb! However, although you have to have the pilot movie (Brother's Keeper) to understand my favorite episode/s...my all-time favorite is the 2-part Calderone's Return (originally broadcast as The Hit List & Calderone's Demise)! They had everything...wild plot twists, action & car chases, music, suspense, intense & "gritty" characterization & drama, color & more amazing cinematography, etc... There are many shows I love and have...but MV will always remain one of my all-time favorites & most iconic for the 80's and TV history! :cool: :thumbsup:

Great minds think alike. The Hit List and Calderone's Demise are my second and third favorite episodes.

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4 hours ago, Remington said:

My first post.

I first saw this episode in the winter of 2011. I'd never seen MV before. I remember absolutely loving it. Within a year, I'd seen the entire series. There were loads of great episodes but there is something about Brother's Keeper that makes it remain my favorite episode. Everything from the music to cinematography is top notch. I recently got the Blu-ray set. I'm pretty sure this is the same master that was broadcast in 2006 which really excited me. The In The Air Tonight scene looks better than ever. Anyway, this is my favorite series. Personally I think The Sopranos is the BEST. But Miami Vice is my FAVORITE. It has everything. Cheers. :)

Truly a great beginning to a fantastic tv series.  I saw this in the original format on tv in 1984 and was hooked!  Friday night date night began AFTER watching the latest episode of Vice.   Welcome to the best fan site on the web. I know you will enjoy your stay. 

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9 minutes ago, Vicefan7777 said:

Truly a great beginning to a fantastic tv series.  I saw this in the original format on tv in 1984 and was hooked!  Friday night date night began AFTER watching the latest episode of Vice.   Welcome to the best fan site on the web. I know you will enjoy your stay. 

Definitely the best fan site on the web...couldn't agree more!! :thumbsup:

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Welcome to the site, Remington.........good to have another fan of this great show to discuss MV with us! :thumbsup:

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2 hours ago, Tony D. said:

Welcome to the site, Remington.........good to have another fan of this great show to discuss MV with us! :thumbsup:

Yes , as Tony says welcome:thumbsup:

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On 5/17/2010 at 0:29 AM, ViceFanMan said:

I love the "Pilot" TV movie!! It truly is an electrifying and sizzling start to one of the most superb shows in TV history!!Martin Ferrero was also hilarious as "Trini Desoto" before he became the moronic/annoying recurring regular "Izzy Moreno." :) The music, color, Miami art deco buildings, plot, dialogue, and interactions with the characters/actors are awesome! Of course my favorite scene is the Daytona speeding through the Miami streets with Phil Collins singing "In the Air Tonight" in the background! :cool:Anyway, I gave this a 10. However, the next chapter (so-to-speak) in the Calderone saga is actually my favorite episode/s of first season--the 2-part "Calderone's Return" (aka "Hit List" and "Calderone's Demise"). "Smuggler's Blues" also comes in very close with me, to being my favorite...followed probably by either "The Great McCarthy" or "Evan."

This was my review from about 7 years ago. Ladies, gents, & fellow Vice fans...I just watched this again a few minutes ago, but this time it was the original 1984 NBC airing...complete with original teaser pre-trailer, commercial bumpers and voiceover during the end credits...so amazing!! :glossy: Still an electrifying premiere...almost 33 years later and it still fascinates me! :cool: 

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10 minutes ago, ViceFanMan said:

This was my review from about 7 years ago. Ladies, gents, & fellow Vice fans...I just watched this again a few minutes ago, but this time it was the original 1984 NBC airing...complete with original teaser pre-trailer, commercial bumpers and voiceover during the end credits...so amazing!! :glossy: Still an electrifying premiere...almost 33 years later and it still fascinates me! :cool: 

Two things. One you're making me seriously jealous. Two:is the Blu-ray transfer faithful to the original?

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1 hour ago, Remington said:

Two things. One you're making me seriously jealous. Two:is the Blu-ray transfer faithful to the original?

Lol, I'm truly not trying to cause jealousy, but am just grateful to have it! About 3-4 years ago I was unbelievably fortunate to be able to acquire some original NBC airings...that were taken from VHS tapes and put on DVDs. I only have DVDs, as I've heard there were problems with the Blu-rays...plus I heard the 2005-2007 Universal DVD versions were used for the Blu-rays too...which were syndicated versions. :(  I have my original airings and the Universal DVDs, and until they fix and/or improve the Blu-ray issues (and original airings are used instead) I'll stick with my DVDs. :thumbsup: 

Edited by ViceFanMan
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55 minutes ago, ViceFanMan said:

Lol, I'm truly not trying to cause jealousy, but am just grateful to have it! About 3-4 years ago I was unbelievably fortunate to be able to acquire some original NBC airings...that were taken from VHS tapes and put on DVDs. I only have DVDs, as I've heard there were problems with the Blu-rays...plus I heard the 2005-2007 Universal DVD versions were used for the Blu-rays too...which were syndicated versions. :(  I have my original airings and the Universal DVDs, and until they fix and/or improve the Blu-ray issues (and original airings are used instead) I'll stick with my DVDs. :thumbsup: 

The same versions from the dvds were used with the exception of Brother's Keeper, Smugglers Blues, and i think Prodigal Son. Anyway the dvd of the pilot just looks overly orange. For example, the girl on the beach has an orange bikini on the dvd. On the Blu-ray its pink. And about the original airings on dvd, thats just awesome.:)

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10 hours ago, Remington said:

The same versions from the dvds were used with the exception of Brother's Keeper, Smugglers Blues, and i think Prodigal Son. Anyway the dvd of the pilot just looks overly orange. For example, the girl on the beach has an orange bikini on the dvd. On the Blu-ray its pink. And about the original airings on dvd, thats just awesome.:)

Yeah, for some reason I've never been able to figure out, when the show was cancelled in 1989 and went into syndication the following year (USA network was 1st to air reruns) the rerun versions were altered from the original airings. The colors of the logos were changed and other colors/lighting for certain scenes were changed. :evil: 

As for what color of a girl's bikini in the Pilot...to be honest I don't remember which color is accurate, lol? I'll have to go back and watch the original airing again. As for an over-all orange tint...I have not noticed that with the original airings I have. For almost 33 year old copies, the colors are pretty amazing! :thumbsup: 

I really haven't noticed an "orange-y" tint on the Universal DVDs much either...but it's been several years since I watched them and I do know syndicated versions were used--plus I have not seen the Blu-rays to compare with the DVDs. 

Also...on the Blu-rays, Is the Pilot called Brother's Keeper..aka is the Brother's Keeper title included in it? If so, it's also a syndicated version. Originally the Pilot movie was just Miami Vice...the Brother's Keeper title was put in later for re-airings/reruns. 

Edited by ViceFanMan
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Its called Brother's Keeper on the BR. Its not split in two parts or anything. 

The orange i just notice on the first few episodes. 

 

Would ya be able to put up screenshots of the original. I'm not sure how that really works.

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10 minutes ago, Remington said:

Its called Brother's Keeper on the BR. Its not split in two parts or anything. 

The orange i just notice on the first few episodes. 

 

Would ya be able to put up screenshots of the original. I'm not sure how that really works.

I'm sure some of the colors have been remastered even better for the Blu-rays...but if the Brother's Keeper title is in the Blu-ray version then it too is a syndicated version. However, I think the Pilot was re-aired a couple times as a 2-hour episode before being split into 2 parts for reruns...so the Blu-ray version is probably one of those re-airings--but still after the Brother's Keeper title had been inserted for later versions. 

As for screen shots...not totally sure how to do that either, but I can maybe figure it out sometime soon. :D

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I goofed. On the menu its called BK. On the actual episode there's no title. Its the same as the dvd but with a different transfer.

And thanks. appreciate it.

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45 minutes ago, Remington said:

I goofed. On the menu its called BK. On the actual episode there's no title. Its the same as the dvd but with a different transfer.

And thanks. appreciate it.

If it's without the Brother's Keeper title in the actual Pilot itself, then maybe they did use the original airing for the Blu-ray...or they could have used one of the re-airings of the 2-hour Pilot, but took the BK title out. The Pilot originally premiered (as just Miami Vice) on September 16, 1984. It was re-aired twice--once on January 25, 1985 and again on July 28, 1985...but possibly with the Brother's Keeper title now inserted? Later in syndication for reruns, it was split into two different parts...Brother's Keeper Pts. 1&2. Either way, if the Blu-ray is not split into 2 parts it sounds as if the Blu-ray does have a more "true" version of the Pilot than the DVDs did. :cool:

Also, can you be more specific of where in the Pilot the girl in the orange/pink bikini is? LOL...I can't think of it off the top of my memory. :p This way, I can maybe get a screen-clip of that part from my original airing, and see what the color looks like from 1984...and you can compare it to the Blu-ray now.

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23 minutes ago, Remington said:

After Leon is killed. Blonde chick behind Sonny when he says "Do it now!" Im pretty sure I've seen them compared on one of these forums.

Okay...lets see if I can do this right...here is a scene-clip (from my 1984 original airing) of the blonde girl in her bikini, behind Sonny right after Leon was killed. I think we can safely say it was PINK, lol! :D I don't know why, but every time I do insert a pic, it's posted twice--FYI.

5904f265386dd_MVPilotBikini.JPG.917f24b9

 

 

 

MV Pilot Bikini.JPG

Edited by ViceFanMan
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