Miami Vice

I won't bore you with what I think are the best episodes, but season 2 was where I started watching it originally as a kid and I've revisited the show again on DVD just recently some 25 years later

The things that strike me now are that Don Johnson is a damn fine actor, Jan Hammers music was and is awesome, and the show had a noticeable upturn in production values from around about 'Yankee Dollar' onward - from that moment we have real on-set undubbed dialogue, proper location ambiences, camera shots onboard speed boats. It really does get awesome from here. I just watched the episode and loved it

You can tell that Mann is primed and ready to get into film work at this point and really had honed his skills as a Producer

All I can tell you is if you've never seen it, watch the show. It has Edward James Olmos who went on to star in my other favourite TV show of all-time 'Battlestar Galactica'. Don Johnson who really should be recognized for his acting talents imho and some of the coolest music you will ever hear in a TV show in Season 2. I'm definitely not talking about the pop music btw, but the Jan Hammer tracks - if you like vintage retro synths you will absolutely love it

While some of the fashion styles might seem silly now, interestingly Miami Vice had a huge influence on popular culture and fashion during the 80's rather than vice versa. I still think Sonny and Crocket look slick most of the time, but some of the extras do look like aliens from outer space, and the shorts are Bjorn Borg short!!! The 80's were a pretty crazy decade

Great show. Brings back a lot of memories seeing it again, and very satisfying that Michael Mann went on to become one of the best movie Directors of all time with films like 'Manhunter' and 'Heat'

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!

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.

What can I say about Miami Vice that hasn't already been said, except that it is the greatest TV show ever made in the history of television. It quite obvious the best season of Miami Vice is the first season. Season one was the season where Vice really focused all it's episodes in real life situations. Situations which really happen in real life. Vice started with a bang with the excellent pilot episode, and it never looked backed for the next 22 episodes. Season one was everything that made Mimai Vice what it is now. Action, drama, intensity, thrills , music, style, and relationships. One episode that features all this, is Calderone's Return- Part 1 and 2. Two really fantastic episodes. Other great episodes of season 1 are The Great McCarthy, Little Prince, Milk Run, I can go on and on. One truly classic season.

As good as Season 2 was and it was good, it doesn't compare to Season 1. The problem with season 2, is the show focusing on bizarre situations such as voodoo, satanism, and other weird stuff. Season 2 featured three episodes that I consider awful. Whatever Works, Tale of the Goat, and Bushido. Three episodes that season 1 would of never of thought of making. Even though I don't like these episodes, I still consider season 2 a very good season. It just doesn't even come close to the flawless season 1. I do think though that season 2 features the greatest Miami Vice episode of all time which is The Prodigal Son. A well directed, very entertaining Vice episode that features lots of action, drug busts, romance, and totally awesome 80's music. Your not a real Vice fan if you don't like The Prodigal Son.

It's sad to say, out of all five seasons of Vice, only the first two seasons defy what Miami Vice was and are the only two seasons that really kick Miami Vice ass!! Season 3 became more of a darker Vice that took away everything that made the first two seasons such a highly entertaining show. Gone was the pastel background colors, snappy pop tunes, and Crocketts famous look that made him an icon among men and his fast wheeling car. Dark broody colors were replaced in the background, the music was replaced with unknown artists, and Crockett looked more like a banker/rock star, and his beloved Spider Ferrari was replaced with a Testarossa. Which was blown up in the season premiere of season 3 When Irish Eyes are Crying.

Season 3 took out all the fun and excitement of the first two seasons and replaced it with a more darker depressing Miami Vice. The outcome, ratings dropped, and the show was not Miami Vice that everyone fell in love with. I think the problem lies with the shows producer John Nicolla, who left and was replaced by Dick Wolf who probably was never in favor of the pastel energetic Mimai Vice of the first two seasons. So if anyone is to blame of Vice's downfall, it's Dick Wolf. Creator also of the lame Law and Order series.

I have nothing to say about seasons 4 or 5 except that was this really Miami Vice the show that was unlike any other in the history of television. I have nothing good to say about seasons 4 or 5, except horrifically awful, especially season 4. Can't get any worse than that.

There is great news though as of this writing Miami Vice is finally being released on DVD. Season 1 that is. The complete season of all 22 episodes and it's original music intact. Wow what a collection that will be, I can't wait. Presume to come out later this year, around Christmas time. What a Christams present that will make! Miami VICE LIVES ON!!! THE GREATEST DAMN SHOW EVER MADE IN THE HISTORY OF TELEVISION!!!