Entertainment
How A Blockbuster 80s Thriller Changed TV Forever With Phil Collins' Drums
By Jonathan Klotz
| Published
The Golden Age of prestige television started when Tony Soprano first walked into Dr. Melfi’s office, but the groundwork for The Sopranos was laid a decade earlier. On September 16, 1984, Michael Mann introduced the world to Miami Vice.
So much of the 80s style and culture can be traced back to the series’ impact, from the cars to the men’s wear, but its lasting legacy has been to show that, at its best, television can be better than the movies. And it’s thanks to Phil Collins.
The Greatest Drums In Music History
Before Miami Vice debuted, television was considered secondary to movies. On the big screen, fans could see larger-than-life stories and characters, such as Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Jaws, which were reserved for cinema. Television was where stars who couldn’t make it in the movies went. You could tell by the vast difference between their budgets. Even the best-looking television series looked inferior to the movies, until that is, Michael Mann turned a TV pilot into a music video.
“My Brother’s Keeper,” the pilot episode for Miami Vice, set the stakes for the rest of the series to follow. Crockett (Don Johnson) is coping with the loss of his partner when he’s paired up with Tubbs (Philip Michael Thomas) in an undercover sting to take down the ruthless drug lord, Calderone (Miguel Pinero). It’s standard police procedural stuff today, but in 1984, it was a new level of grit and darkness under the flashy exterior of cool cars, bright lights, and designer shades.
No sequence summed it up better than the ending, when Corckett and Tubs get in their car to confront Calderone while “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins starts up. Shots of the car going down the road, the two detectives are silent as each is lost in their own thoughts, and then Crockett gets out of the car to place a phone call. All episode, he’s been bothered by his relationship with his estranged wife, but she picks up, and he asks a simple question: “It was real?”
As he hangs up, the drums kick in. You know exactly what drums. And right there, Miami Vice arrived, and television has never been the same. Over 40 years later, and guys still blast “In the Air Tonight” while driving around at night.
A Movie On A TV Budget
The Miami Vice pilot was a two-hour television event, which is why the production team pulled out all the stops to make it a hit. Licensing music wasn’t common back then, and not only did “My Brother’s Keeper” use “In the Air Tonight,” but it also included “Miss You” by The Rolling Stones, and “Somebody Watching Me” by Rockwell. Recognizable music was the key ingredient to turn stretches of the episode into music videos.
Beyond the soundtrack and award-winning cinematography, Miami Vice was a breath of fresh air for its dark, cynical tone. Sonny Crockett was a cop on the edge, watching his life slowly fall apart around him, while Ricardo Tubbs didn’t only want to avenge his brother’s death at the hands of Calderon, he was consumed by it. This was a far cry from the sunny shores of Hawaii 5-0, or the cheese of Cagney & Lacey, Hart to Hart, and The A-Team.
Miami Vice didn’t look, sound, or play out (the villain wins) like any of its contemporaries. By the time “My Brother’s Keeper” came to an end, the bar for success in television was raised to a nearly unattainable standard. Dark heroes were in, licensed music was expected, and grittier storylines replaced the fairytale endings.
Entertainment
Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen go live — where to buy now for Nintendo Switch
TL;DR: The Nintendo eShop has dropped the digital versions of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen for Nintendo Switch — buy now for $19.99.
Where to buy Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen for Nintendo Switch:
The Pokémon franchise’s 30th anniversary, coinciding with the release date of the original Pokémon Red and Green Game Boy titles in Japan, is being celebrated in the best way possible. You can now buy digital Nintendo Switch versions of the Game Boy Advance’s Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen games at the Nintendo eShop for $19.99.
For gamers in the UK, both games are available for £16.99 at the UK Nintendo eShop.
FireRed and LeafGreen’s Nintendo Switch ports will release on Feb. 27 (Pokémon Day 2026) at 6 a.m. PST, after the Pokémon Company’s Pokémon Presents stream has aired.
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Instead of being tied to a Nintendo Switch Online membership, paying for these games à la carte means you can have them both permanently as part of your digital library. Both games will also be fully compatible with Nintendo Switch 2 consoles.
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Exclusively available digitally on the eShop, the Nintendo Switch editions of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen will be nearly exactly the same as they were when released on the Game Boy Advance back in 2004 — minus the need for Link Cables or the Game Boy Advance versions’ bundled GBA Wireless Adapter, which you originally needed to trade and battle with other players. You’ll now be able to use the Pokémon Wireless Club for those local multiplayer features instead.
Remakes of the original Pokémon Red and Green Game Boy games (Pokémon Red and Blue in the west) let you relive the original Pokémon adventure with updated Game Boy Advance graphics — journey across Kanto, take on Team Rocket, defeat all eight Gym leaders, and become champion of the Pokémon League.
The Nintendo Switch editions will contain exclusive post-game content on the Sevii Islands: introducing both an additional storyline revealed once you defeat the Pokémon League and plenty of extra Pokémon to collect.
For more Pocket Monster deals, you can also celebrate the 30th anniversary with the Pokémon TCG Pokémon Day 2026 Collection, which is still available for under $40 at Amazon. Meanwhile, you can still save at least $20 on eight Pokémon TCG: Phantasmal Flames booster packs.
Entertainment
Dont leave $400 on the table — get a 512GB Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra smartphone and Amazon gift card for 24% off
SAVE $400: As of Feb. 27, get the brand new Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra with 512GB of storage for just $1,299.99, plus receive a $200 Amazon gift card. That saves you $200 off its list price, plus gives you $200 to spend at Amazon totally free.
$1,299.99
at Amazon
$1,699.99
Save $400
On Feb. 25 at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked, the brand debuted its newest S Series smartphone: the S26. With its arrival, we expected to see some stellar markdowns on the previous generation, the S25, which has dropped as low as $899.99. Yet, there’s an even better deal to shop now, and it’s on the new S26.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra with 512GB is priced at $1,499.99 on Samsung’s website, yet we found a major deal on Amazon. As of Feb. 27, the phone paired with a $200 Amazon gift cart is a bundle worth $1,699.99, but it’s on sale for just $1,299.99. That saves you $200 off the phone plus gets you a free gift card, saving $400 for 24% off.
So what’s new with the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra? Coming out of Samsung Unpacked, the biggest headline is the phone’s new the new privacy display. The adjustable feature allows you to keep your screen hidden from those around you, as it shades the screen unless you’re looking at it straight on. Additionally, Samsung combined its AI photo and video editing in one spot, the Creative Studio. It’s an impressive device, which makes this deal tantalizing.
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Plus, with your $200 Amazon gift card, you can use it to shop the new Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro or a Samsung Galaxy Ring.
Entertainment
Best Buy is running free Pokémon Trade and Play events this weekend — score free packs, trade, and shop exclusive collections
TL;DR: Best Buy is running free Pokémon Trade and Play events on Feb. 28 (12-2 p.m. local time). Participants can score free packs, trade cards, and shop exclusive collections.
We’ve made a lot of noise about Pokémon’s 30th birthday celebrations, and so has the rest of the world. We’ve seen genuine excitement over new Pokémon TCG releases, the first-ever Lego Pokémon sets, and the return of nostalgic Pokémon games, and it feels like there’s more to come from this special anniversary.
Best Buy is clearly feeling the party vibes. On Feb. 28 (12-2 p.m. local time), Best Buy stores across the country will host in-store Trade and Play events, with demo stations, Pokémon TCG trades, exclusive card drops, freebies, expert tuition, and a whole lot more. Attend solo, bring a friend, or gather together everyone from your neighborhood. This is going to be big.
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Somehow still on the fence? Here’s a snapshot of what you can expect from these special events:
Before you set off, it’s important to check out Best Buy’s Pokémon page to find a Trade and Play event at a store near you. Once that’s sorted, you’re all set to capture the magic of Pokémon this weekend.
Topics
Pokemon
Trading Cards
Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen go live — where to buy now for Nintendo Switch
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