"Miami Vice" (1984) TV series 1984-1989

Creator:

Anthony Yerkovich

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Release Date:

28 September 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

The adventures of the vice squad detectives of the Miami Police Department.

Plot Keywords:

Detective | Police | Undercover | Drugs | Miami Florida

Awards:

Won 2 Golden Globes. Another 5 wins & 25 nominations

Cast

Don Johnson	...	Detective James Crockett (111 episodes, 1984-1990)
Philip Michael Thomas	...	Detective Ricardo Tubbs (111 episodes, 1984-1990)
Saundra Santiago	...	Detective Gina Calabrese (111 episodes, 1984-1990)
Olivia Brown	...	Detective Trudy Joplin / ... (111 episodes, 1984-1990)
Michael Talbott	...	Detective Stan Switek (110 episodes, 1984-1990)
Edward James Olmos	...	Lieutenant Martin Castillo (106 episodes, 1984-1990)
John Diehl	...	Detective Larry Zito (56 episodes, 1984-1987)

Also Known As:

Gold Coast (USA) (working title)
Miami Unworthiness (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

USA:60 min (including commercials) (111 episodes) | Argentina:60 min (including commercials)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:12 (some epiosodes) | Iceland:16 (some epiosodes) | UK:15 (some episodes) | UK:18 (one episode) | Singapore:PG | Finland:K-18 (2007) (DVD) (self applied) | Finland:K-15 (DVD) (2005) (season 1) | Netherlands:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M (DVD rating) | Canada:G (Quebec) | USA:TV-14 | Norway:11 (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Michael Mann Productions

Trivia:

During pre-production, Don Johnson wanted Sonny Crockett to be "more of a cowboy", and suggested "a lot of denim, V-neck sweaters and cowboy boots". He was really unsure about how the heavy use of pastel and bright colors would fit the macho, no-nonsense persona of his character, but producer Michael Mann and costume designer Jodie Lynn Tillen managed to convince him. They saw Crockett more in the lines of a beach bum. Johnson relented and as a result became one of the biggest fashion symbols of the 1980s.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): In the beginning of the episode "Calderon's Return, Part 1", a hired assassin, supposedly one of the best in the world, is seen putting on surgical gloves to keep his fingerprints off the gun he is about to use. However, before he puts on the gloves, he moves the gun off of them by touching the gun butt with his fingertips.

Quotes:

Sonny Crockett: I get these occasional urges for stability in my life.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Cocaine Cowboys (2006)

Soundtrack:

In The Air Tonight

Pure 80's!

I remember back in 1985, when I was in Grade 9, the teacher wanted to have the students talk about themselves. We were given a personal questionaire, 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 dominate 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.