Brother's Keeper

Season 1, Episode 1

Original Air Date: 9/16/1984

Songs Featured: The Rolling Stones "Miss You", Rockwell "Somebody's Watching Me", Cindy Lauper "Girls Just Want to Have Fun", Phil Collins "In the Air Tonight".

Notable Guest Stars: Jimmy Smits, Mykelti Williamson

Essential Viewing: Yes

Referred to on the DVD release as simply "Pilot", "Brother's Keeper" is a double length introduction to Miami Vice. Without commercials it runs 97 minutes and plays well as a stand alone movie.

The action starts in New York where we are introduced to Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs (Philip Michael Thomas). At this point in the story we don't know much more than that he is tracking someone. He tails a man (Calderone) and his entourage to a club. When Calderone goes to the bathroom it  seems like Tubbs is going to kill him but he is interrupted by a bodyguard. After some gun play where Calderone escapes we cut to the opening titles. The main theme by Jan Hammer and images are slightly different and unlike a standard episode transition right into the episode. We are introduced to undercover cops James "Sonny" Crockett (Don Johnson) and Eddie Rivera (Jimmy Smitts). We learn that Eddie is soon to be a father and then he gets killed during a deal gone bad.

At this point Tubbs finds his way to Miami where Calderone has resurfaced. It turns out that he and Crockett are after the same guy. We learn that Tubbs is tracking Calderone because he is responsible for the death of Tubb's older brother, Raphael. By the end of the episode Calderone has escaped and Crockett and Tubbs seem on a path to be partners.

During the episode we learn a bit about Crockett. He's a Vietnam vet and a recently divorced father to a young son. He lives on a houseboat which doubles as the residence of his undercover identity, Sonny Burnett, and he owns a pet alligator named Elvis. Through Tubbs recognizing and placing his name we also learn that Crockett was a college football star. 

Many of the series regulars are introduced during the episode. Saundra Santiago, Olivia Brown, Michael Talbott and John Diehl play vice cops Gina, Trudy, Switek and Zito respectively. The only noticeable character absent is Edward James Olmos' Lieutenant Martin Castillo. In this episode we get Gregory Sierra as Lieutenant Lou Rodriguez instead.

The initial episode of Miami Vice is a wonderful introduction to the world and its characters. With its standalone story and movie length running time it is well worth repeat viewings.

BONUS AUDIO ESSAY!