Miami Vice

This classic ground breaking series followed two very different Police Department detectives working undercover in Miami.

It holds up, the characters are still as endearing as they were back then. The first season has its faults mainly the abrupt cutting between scenes (due to planned adverts) but also at times the writers or directors don't seem to know how to finish a scene before the next as with many of the shows of the time. New comers may find this a little jarring and frustrating as this has been finely tuned in modern quality TV shows.

The first season has some rough episodes but of the 22 they are the few and far between. The characters are great and the acting is decent for the most part. The meeting of the both leads is great, Ricardo Tubbs (Philip Michael Thomas), a New York street cop collides with James "Sonny" Crockett (Don Johnson) Former football star and 'Nam vet' now undercover detective. It's good to watch their friendship grow through good and bad times. The supporting cast are on fine form, notably Det. Gina Calabrese (Saundra Santiago) and Lt. Castillo (Edward James Olmos) who becomes their new boss a few episodes in.

Its fitting that the exposition isn't forced and you need to take note to what the characters are saying. Many of the cast are while not major stars are veteran bit part actors who have familiar faces. In addition, as well as the many guest stars including Bruce Willis it's surprising how many of the supporting cast are stars now, for example Ving Rhames.

Even after being viewed through 80's rose tinted glasses and overlooking some cheese - it encapsulates a fanciful nostalgia, the clothes, the cars, the boats, soundtrack and even Miami itself. The style and panache of Crockett and Tubbs sums it up, but that's not to say the locations, story lines and character are not without a dark side, prostitution, kidnapping, murder and drugs (mainly heroin) to name a few. These maybe sanitized slightly due to censorship of the time but there's enough to give it an edge especially for the time.

Restrictions and the unkindness of time aside, like the Equalizer, from its motion picture shooting style and production/wardrobe design, to the landmark music Miami Vice is as entertaining today as it was back then.

At the time of writing, the anti-80s sentiment that was so strong particularly in the 90s has more or less disappeared. Finally, we can again appreciate this strange decade's fashion. Miami Vice was cutting-edge, the coolest of the coolest, and a must-see for those fascinated by 80s aesthetics. Some of the episodes are actually slow and contemplative, focusing much more on building a cool atmosphere rather than on endless action scenes. Somehow, it captures much of the optimistic "no problem" attitude of the decade that has recently been dismissed as "kitsch". At least, this is the case for the first couple of seasons. The speculative elements that at the time raised some criticism look innocent and almost charming compared to what's being shown today. You can see cool design, cool clothes, cool architecture, cool attitudes, cool cars, cool boats, listen to cool music. Though one may like or dislike the style, everyone will see that there has been put quite an enormous effort into all this. As for the stories, they fit the spirit of the series quite well - they're interesting enough to catch your interest - never complex, but not devoid of intriguing and well-developed characters. This is simply one of the best showcases for what the 80s were all about.

I know that I never got to see Miami Vice when it was out but I know it did end a year after I was born. I got to see the show on DVD and I thought it was just classic and cool! From the way the show is made it looks more like a movie than a TV-series. The show revolves around two cops, Detective James "Sonny" Crockett (Don Johnson) and Detective Ricardo Tubbs (Philip Michael Thomas) and their adventures solving crimes around Miami! Stubble-faced detective Crockett lived in a sailboat guarded by his alligator Elvis. His partner Tubbs was a black New York cop looking for his brother's killer. Together they took on the Florida drug world. The show influenced men's fashions toward Italo-casual and interior decor toward the Memphis look. This show aired on NBC from 1984-1989 and lasted 5 seasons and I was amazed my this real neat series when I first watched it especially on the way it was made and such, plus I think Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas are one cool and memorable TV team to remember. I remember that 5 years later after Miami Vice ended, Don Johnson did another detective series called "Nash Bridges" which lasted 6 seasons on CBS! If you like this series then you would also like Nash Bridges!

User Rating: 10/10

BOTTOM LINE: A FANTASTIC SERIES!

I remember back in 1985, when I was in Grade 9 that the teacher wanted to have the students talk about themselves. We were given a personal questionnaire, then we would divulge our answers. When it came to our favorite T.V. show, 18 out 30 students said "Miami Vice". And that's how I was introduced to this show.

Running during the years when NBC was dominant in prime-time and daytime (1984-1991), when the other networks were struggling as opposed to the pathetic NBC we have now, Miami Vice was probably the second most popular show in the U.S. after The Cosby Show.

Miami Vice is a crime-drama about two detectives, Sonny Crockett (Don Johnson) and a transplant from New York, Ricardo Tubbs (Phillip Michael Thomas) who fight crime in Miami. Unlike other by-the-book cop shows, this one brought back the cool trend brought in years back with Starsky & Hutch. The men are dressed in cool pastel clothes (Johnson became quite a fashion plate during these years), have a sleek white Ferrari and certainly have 80's panache in dealing with criminal element.

Like many programs during the "Flashdance" era, there is music in the background at all times but Miami Vice played the current hits as well. It was a big honour for artists to have their music played on the show.

Of course, today the show is a bit dated and a lot of people think that Don Johnson dominates too many episodes but he was THE MAN and PMT didn't mind playing second fiddle (who was hotter than Don?). Still, as a lover of the 80's this show is a must-watch for me. Too bad it's on the more pathetic TNN (WE GOT POP!!) but I tolerate it. Also, Don Johnson's current hit "Nash Bridges" is good, too. He may be a little heftier but that voice and his fashion sense haven't changed.

I don't care what the Don Johnson detractors think, this show is still distinct to this day! I'm glad it won Emmys without pretending to be Masterpiece Theater. This how had a distinct visual style and distinct lingo, which I still use today (esp. "Jou got it, meng!"). And the year is 2011! LOL Don Johnson plays Detective Sony Crockett, a troubled cop who one day meets up with Rico Tubbs, a New York police detective who comes to Miami to avenge the death of his brother. Thus, a legend was born, along with a working relationship and a friendship.

I got a bit fed up with so many people bitching that MV was no good in the 3rd season just because it got darker and more depressing. No, it wasn't QUITE the same, but that was the idea of MV. It's good to see IMDB users such as yarborough sticking up for Season 3, though I think his assessment of the series overall was pretty harsh. There were many episodes I really liked besides those he mentioned and those I've mentioned, granted his opinion is somewhat agreeabl whjen it comes to Season 2.

Critics whined that the music video format would be old hat, but who cares? It's still around, just online instead of on MTV or VH1 much anymore, for gosh sake!!! Miami Vice, despite its detractors, brings back memories of when I was in college too. It reminds us what a fun, memorable decade the '80s were. Thank God for DVD box sets. And as for the casting, it's like a who's who of guest stars, many of whom would take Hollywood by storm: Bruce Willis, Julia Roberts, David Strathairn -- along with other famous entertainers such as Miles Davis and Phil Collins.

Kinda annoyed me when the 2006 movie came out. A friend of mine liked it because "It's not a Don Johnson thing. It had a storyline." This series had HALF A DECADE of story lines. I still can't forget "Evan" to this day, or "Return of Calderone!" Two of the best TV eps ever! Don't get me wrong: the movie isn't bad for what it is. I just got a bit tired of people hating on this show just because they didn't like Johnson. At least he was colorful. Long live Miami Vice, pal!