Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		2.0
Audio		2.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		2.0

Nash Bridges: The Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman September 19, 2023

There are a few actors who can say that they have been the face of a genre for two decades, but there are fewer who can say that they have been the face of a genre over two decades by playing two different characters in that same genre. Don Johnson is one of those select few. Johnson rose to prominence in the 1980s by playing the lead role in Michael Mann's epic TV series Miami Vice, portraying Sonny Crockett (alongside Philip Michael Thomas playing Rico Tubbs). Miami Vice ran from 1984-1990, and it was a six-year break before Johnson would once again step into the role of a TV cop, this time starring alongside Cheech Marin in Nash Bridges, a stylistic, tonal, emotional, and in some ways even psychological departure from Miami Vice but still placing Johnson squarely in the role of big city cop, partner in tow, cruising in a flashy car, and dealing with the criminal element around him. Nash Bridges lacks the cool factor, and at this point in its life the legacy that Miami Vice left behind, but in many ways it feels like the more complete show in terms of depth of character and world building, a debate that fans will certainly have for the foreseeable future. Whether one prefers Miami or Nash, there is no denying that Johnson's magnetic personality, flair for the dramatic, screen presence, and good looks dominated two decades of TV buddy cop shows, leaving behind a legacy of excellence that will not soon be forgotten.

Official synopsis: The life and case of inspector Nash Bridges(Don Johnson) of the special investigations unit (SIU) and his quirky partner inspector Joe Domingues (Cheech Marin) as they keep tabs on crime in the scenic Bay Area in Bridges electric yellow 1971 Plymouth Barracuda. Don Johnson recreates the iconic success of 'Miami Vice' with his fashionable flair and electrifying rapport with Marin with a backdrop of the breath-taking San Francisco Bay Area.

As is the case with most brief TV show descriptors, there's a lot that can be packed into a few words and a lot that is left unsaid. That is certainly true of VEI's synopsis for Nash Bridges, which is brief and to the point, telling the essential story (who, what, when, and where), but leaving out the "how" and the "why." Nash Bridges thrives on who, what, when, and where -- it's a product of its character, his action, its time, and its setting -- but the show is much more satisfying when factoring the care and attention to detail given to how it's put together and the reasons given why the story matters beyond the nuts-and-bolts procedural content. Many shows get those nuts-and-bolts done right. They can be tonally disparate, and the elements can vary greatly from one to the next, but those are components most have in common, and such are certainly true of Nash Bridges. But the show works hard to round out the material from core excellence to broader excellence by taking its time to build a full narrative over its six seasons rather than simply bank on the superficialities (new character, new action, new time, new place) that are easy.

The shows basic premise follows Johnson's title character as, pretty soon out of the gate, the commander of the prestigious SIU or "Special Investigations Unit," one of the "fictitious" (Johnson claims it is real in one of the Blu-ray extras) alphabet soup governmental organizations that allow for the characters to enter into a broad spectrum of crime investigations for the murder, mystery, mayhem, whatever of the week. He pairs with Cheech Marin's Joe Dominguez, whom Nash coaxes out of retirement to aid him in his work. The tandem cruise around San Francisco in a loud 1971 Plymouth Barracuda in true 70s and 80s style; the car is practically a character all its own, and if nothing else it is certainly an identifiable hallmark in the show. Nash and Joe are surrounded by the usual gaggle of helpers who aid in various aspects of their work.

In many ways, Nash Bridges is aptly titled. It is a bridge from the gritty Cop shows of the 70s and the slick Cop shows of the 80s and 90s to the more intense and realistic procedurals of the 2000s. The show integrates core elements from the past and presents much content that would become genre staples in the years to follow its cancellation in shows like CSI and NCIS. Yet even as there's so much throwback that is central to the show and so much burgeoning forward-looking material, Nash Bridges manages to find its own identity as that bridge, and it plays extremely well for the curious, but effective, mishmash at its center.

The reason it works well is because the character glue at its center is first-rate. Johnson is, of course, the big draw here. His character is in many ways similar to his character in Miami Vice, at least in some essential elements, but here he plays an older individual with a much deeper personality and a larger, and more intimately explored, family and personal dynamic at work that adds some substance to the stories. Even in the midst of the basic procedural content, there's ample character development and growth to be found, and the writers, along with Johnson, have molded a very complex and oftentimes compelling character as the lead. He pairs well with Cheech Marin, who is himself a significant draw for the show not just for his name and acting ability but for the character's own position and growth through the show and the faultless and fun chemistry he and Johnson share throughout the show. More than any of the narrative elements, the setting, and the style, it's these two characters, individually and together as a team, that make Nash Bridges tick.

Aesthetically the show looks very good. The San Francisco location serves as a wonderful backdrop for the stories and the car chases, which are many and which are always exciting and well done. Certainly, they are not well done to the level of a major Hollywood motion picture with an infinitely bigger budget, but they're really great for a TV show. The show is well paced and never wears out its welcome. The six season run feels just about right, though certainly fans rightly clamored for more. That "more" came in 2021 with a TV movie that is, sadly, not included with this Blu-ray collection.

Nash Bridges: The Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Upon disc insertion, viewers are greeted to this message: "due to the age of these original programs and the high quality resolution that Blu-ray provides, you may or may not notice technical anomalies on this Blu-ray presentation that we are unable to correct." That's a bit of a misdirect/excuse for the quality of the presentation, which is not at all great but not at all poor, because age has nothing to do with it. The show was shot on film and would look fine with some TLC, so VEI is really just trying to imply that they tried, but the results of absolute low effort mediocrity (at its best) pretty much speak for themselves.

Nash Bridges, sadly, looks substandard on Blu-ray, and that is just about the nicest way of saying it. The image is presented at a 4x3 aspect ratio which preserves the original broadcast aspect ratio and places vertical "black bars" on either side of the HDTV frame. The picture is adequate at its very best, and those who do not consider themselves hardcore videophiles might even be more-or-less satisfied. However, the picture certainly does not live up to its potential. At 1080i it lacks the muscle of a full 1080p resolution, and the image does not faithfully capture the filmic nature of its original 35mm source. Grain is not really a factor here. The image offers smooth details rather than complex, boosted enough to notice it's in HD but not really enough to make the case as a necessary gain over the SD Blu-ray. Fine detail suffices on faces, clothes, and city elements, but texturally this represents just about the bottom of the "passable" range. The same can be said of colors. There is no depth or punch. Colors lack nuance and life, presenting with only the most essential of tonal vitality and accuracy. Skin tones are OK, blacks are OK, and whites are OK. Nothing excels. The image suffers from some mild compression issues, random bouts of softness, and bursts of interlacing artifacts, but there are surprisingly few print issues. Casual audiences will find this watchable but far from even "good" retro TV shows on Blu-ray.

Nash Bridges: The Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Nash Bridges arrives on Blu-ray with a lossy Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack. The presentation gets the job done with the bare essentials conveyed well enough. Dialogue images nicely enough to the center and is pleasantly intelligible. There's not much significant stretch to the sides, with even music seeming to linger towards the center area, but some light notes and mild environmental fill spread further and at times even traverse from one speaker to another. Action effects offer decent depth, like gunshots and revving car engines. This is pretty basic stuff.

Nash Bridges: The Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray complete collection of Nash Bridges does contain some extras, but the supplements are limited to the first two season. The seasons ship in their own standard sized Amaray cases. Each case is individually shrink wrapped. The outer box is adequately sturdy. It reminds of a typical Mill Creek TV box set in terms of structure and design.

Season One, Disc One (note that the season packaging advertises "audio commentaries" and "Nash Bridges Writers Roundtable Season 1," but I cannot locate either):

• On-Set Interview with Don Johnson & Cheech Marin (480i, 4x3, 2:13): The actors talk up their working relationship and the plot and character essentials for the show.
• Don Johnson and the Original Gonzo Idea (480i, 7:30): Johnson discusses the project's origins, collaboration with Hunter Thompson, the San Francisco setting, production details, meeting his wife, and much more.
• Season 1 Promo (480i, 2:32): Quickly introducing the show's characters and tenor.

Season Two, Disc One (note that the season packaging advertises "audio commentaries," but I cannot locate them):

• Nash Bridges Writers' Roundtable Season 2 (480i, 17:29): Creator/Executive Producer Carlton Cuse, Executive Producer John Wirth, Supervising Producer Jed Seidel, Co-Executive Producer Reed Steiner, and Writer Shawn Ryan sit down to chat up Nash Bridges: season two specifically, the show in general, and writing and plot details in various episodes.

Nash Bridges: The Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Nash Bridges is not the legend that are some of the like-minded shows that preceded it, and it is not a legend like some of the similar shows that would come after it, but it's a wonderfully blended yet still somehow unique spin on various genres that works extraordinarily well thanks to great superficialities and plenty of depth that draws the characters out of the stereotypical world with enough depth and feeling to help draw the viewer into, maneuver through, and come to love the full world of cliche and originality alike that make Nash Bridges a very successful show. VEI's Blu-ray is adequate, at best, offering troubled video, baseline decent 2.0 lossy audio, and a few extras that are included and a few that are advertised but appear to be missing. For hardcore fans of the show only.