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
How to watch England vs. New Zealand in the 2026 T20 World Cup online for free
TL;DR: Live stream England vs. New Zealand in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 for free on ICC.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The 2026 T20 World Cup semi finals are fast approaching. England didn’t look particularly impressive in the initial group stage, but they’ve bounced back with wins over Pakistan and Sri Lanka. New Zealand are still unbeaten in this group but their match with Pakistan was abandoned due to rain — that could prove crucial as we approach the final round of group-stage fixtures.
England face off against New Zealand in their final game before the semi finals. England have already secured their spot in the semi finals, but New Zealand need a result. The pressure is all on the Black Caps.
If you want to watch England vs. New Zealand in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is England vs. New Zealand?
England vs. New Zealand in the 2026 T20 World Cup starts at 8:30 a.m. ET on Feb. 27. This game takes place at the R. Premadasa Cricket Stadium.
How to watch England vs. New Zealand for free
England vs. New Zealand in the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup is available to live stream for free on ICC.TV.
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This free live stream on ICC.TV is only available in select regions (see full list of territories here), but anyone can live stream the T20 Cricket World Cup for free with a VPN. These helpful tools can hide your IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with free access. This simple process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can live stream on ICC.TV from anywhere in the world.
Live stream England vs. New Zealand in the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup for free by following these simple steps:
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Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
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Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
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Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access
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Visit ICC.TV
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Watch the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup for free from anywhere in the world
$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch every game from the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you’ll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for live sport is on sale for a limited time.
What is the best VPN for ICC.TV?
ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on ICC.TV, for a number of reasons:
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Servers in 105 countries
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Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
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Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure
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Fast connection speeds
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Up to 10 simultaneous connections
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30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).
Watch the 2026 T20 World Cup for free with ExpressVPN.
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.
Mashable Deals
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.
Mashable Deals
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.
How to watch England vs. New Zealand in the 2026 T20 World Cup online for free
Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen go live — where to buy now for Nintendo Switch
