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Miami Vice was a popular television series (five seasons on NBC from 1984-1989) starring Don Johnson (James "Sonny" Crockett) and Philip Michael Thomas (Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs) as two Miami police detectives working undercover. A motion picture based on the series was released on July 28, 2006.
Origins Legend has it, the head of NBC's Entertainment Division, Brandon Tartikoff, wrote a brainstorming memo that simply read "MTV cops". The result was Michael Mann's production of Miami Vice. However, according to series creator Anthony Yerkovich it was a Time Magazine article on a then-recently enacted law that allows law enforcement agencies (the DEA, FBI, etc.) to use items recovered in the commission of a crime to further other unrelated investigations. This allowed a confiscated Ferrari, for example, to be used to enhance an undercover officer's cover as a high-profile drug dealer, which is exactly what happened on Miami Vice. Characters
Storylines The storylines of the series differed from those of police shows from earlier decades, simultaneously reflecting the more glitzy and gritty feel of 1980s "New Wave" culture; cocaine trafficking and culture, for instance, were common themes in many episodes, and the graphic, casual violence and the relatively exotic, subtropical urban setting of Miami (the series was shot on location) were significant departures from most earlier cop shows. The locale gave the series a pronounced internationalist Latin American and Caribbean flavor, which occasional location shoots in Latin America intensified. Style The truly revolutionary aspects of Miami Vice, however, lay in its music, cinematography, and imagery, which made large segments of each episode resemble a protracted music video. Perhaps the best example of the combination of three is found in the pilot episode "Brother's Keeper" when Crockett and Tubbs are in the Ferrari Daytona Spyder, driving through a damp, nighttime Miami downtown heading to a somber showdown with a sinister, murdering druglord as "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins surrealistically plays along. As Lee Katkin, one of the series' directors, once stated, "The show is written for an MTV audience, which is more interested in images, emotions and energy than plot and character." These elements made the series into an instant hit, and its first season saw an unprecedented number of Emmy Award nominations. While the first few episodes contain some echoes of cop show convention, the producers soon abandoned them and fully developed the trademark Vice style. One key to the complete transformation was the early death of Lieutenant Lou Rodriguez (Gregory Sierra) and introduction of the Vice Division's new commander, former DEA agent Lieutenant Martin Castillo (Edward James Olmos in an Emmy-winning performance). Distant, imposing, and utterly competent and professional, Castillo was an intriguing character with a somewhat mysterious background and a highly distinctive style that perfectly counterbalanced the flamboyancy of Crockett and Tubbs. While Crockett and Tubbs were usually dressed in pastels, Castillo's dress was usually a white shirt with a black suit and tie to reflect the character's view of life (that he sees things in black and white). Music Miami Vice was noted for its innovative use of music, particularly countless pop and rock hits of the 1980s and the distinctive, synthesized instrumental music of Jan Hammer. Among the many well-known bands and artists who contributed their music to the show were Jackson Browne, Phil Collins, Bryan Adams, Tina Turner, Peter Gabriel, ZZ Top, Dire Straits, Depeche Mode, The Hooters, Glenn Frey, U2, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Foreigner, The Police, Laura Branigan, Ted Nugent, Suicidal Tendencies, The Damned, and Billy Idol. Some of them even guest-starred in episodes, such as Phil Collins, Glenn Frey, Willie Nelson, and Ted Nugent. The integration of music (particularly the hits of the 1980s) and carefully selected scenes made each episode seem like a short film or movie that was unique compared to other dramas at the time. Again, one of the most famous scenes that differentiated Miami Vice from other 'conventional' cops shows was the aforementioned scene involving Crockett and Tubbs travelling through the streets of Miami at night in the Ferrari to the song "In the Air Tonight". Collins' also had a later hit "Take Me Home" used in the premiere of the second season. The combination of the memorable camera angles of the car (view of the front wheel and the hood) and the removal of background noise to accommodate the song culminated in an ethereal and eerie atmosphere. As a result many would consider this as one of the most iconic moments of Miami Vice. Due to such an influential scene those behind the show decided to recreate the effect in the final episode "Freefall". Despite travelling in a white Ferrari Testarossa this time around, once again the combination of the mounted camera angles and the removal of background noise to accommodate the song was applied. "Bad Attitude" by Honeymoon Suite was the song used this time around. During the show's run, three official soundtrack albums with original music from the episodes were released. With the series' rising popularity, record companies increasingly attempted to get their up-and-coming acts into the episodes. Jan Hammer showed great versatility and ingenuity in underscoring the series; as stated by him in an interview in the Season 1 DVD Box, then-executive producer Michael Mann gave him a high amount of artistic freedom in doing so. This resulted in some memorable instrumental music pieces, including the show's title theme, which climbed to the top of the U.S. Billboard charts in 1985, the first TV theme to do so since "Theme from Peter Gunn." The Miami Vice original soundtrack, featuring Jan Hammer's "Crockett's Theme", another recurring tune from the show, became a Guest Stars Many famous actors, musicians, comedians, and other celebrities appeared on the series as well. Willie Nelson once guest-starred as a retired Texas Ranger, Gene Simmons and Ted Nugent played drug dealers, Glenn Frey played a drug smuggler and Frank Zappa appeared as a drug kingpin. Phil Collins played a game show host, Miles Davis played a pimp, Frankie Valli played a mob boss, Danny Sullivan in his acting debut, played a racing driver which was incidentally his actual profession, Little Richard appeared as a street preacher, and Leonard Cohen was an Interpol agent. In a bizarre move, auto executive Lee Iacocca appeared in one episode as a gun-crazy parks commissioner while G. Gordon Liddy added a realistically political edge to two episodes by starring as a politically-motivated drug runner. Athletes also played guest roles on the show, as legendary Boston Celtics center Bill Russell appeared as a crooked judge with a huge gambling debt, with 1980s NBA superstar Bernard King playing his son, a star basketball player for the FIU Sunblazers (name changed to Golden Panthers in 1987). Boxer Roberto Duran appeared as a convict, while fellow pugilist Carlos Palomino appeared as a drug runner who runs a boxing gym as a cover. Other notable appearances include now well known stars such as Annette Bening, Bruce Willis, Viggo Mortensen, Ben Stiller, Chris Cooper, Wesley Snipes, Liam Neeson, Michael Richards, Chris Rock, Julia Roberts, Helena Bonham Carter, Melanie Griffith and Benicio Del Toro. The show also featured many up-and-coming television and film actors including Michael Madsen, Dennis Farina, Steve Buscemi, John Leguizamo, Charles S. Dutton, Lou Diamond Phillips, Ed O'Neill, Luis Guzmán, Ving Rhames, Jimmy Smits (who appeared in the pilot as Crockett's ill-fated original partner), Dan Hedaya, Bill Paxton, Bruce McGill, Garcelle Beauvais, Penn Jillette, Nathan Lane, Michael DeLorenzo, Giancarlo Esposito, Esai Morales, James Velliky and Ian McShane. Fashion The show had a huge influence on (men's) fashion at the time, arguably inventing the "T-shirt under Armani jacket"-style. Pastel colors dominated the series in clothes as well as in architecture. Crockett's perpetually unshaven appearance sparked a minor fashion trend, inspiring men to wear a small amount of beard stubble, also known as five o'clock shadow or "designer stubble", at all times. Production Miami Vice was one of the first American network television programs to be broadcast in stereophonic sound. At that time, stereo production for television (especially location sound) was novel and difficult. Although all manner of pastel shades were used during the filming of the series, Michael Mann avoided the color red and any earth tones, with the exception of Larry Zito's dark brown bag. Locations Many episodes of Miami Vice were filmed in the South Beach section of Miami Beach, an area which, at the time, was blighted by poverty and crime. Some street corners of South Beach were so run down that the production crew actually decided to repaint the exterior walls of some buildings before filming. Miami Vice is to some degree credited with causing a wave of support for the preservation of Miami's famous Art Deco architecture in the mid-to-late 1980s; quite a few of those buildings (among them many beachfront hotels) have been renovated since, making that part of South Beach one of Southern Florida's most popular places for tourists and celebrities. Episodes Several episode scripts were loosely based on actual crimes that occurred in Miami over the years. (Example: "Out Where the Buses Don't Run", 1985.) During its course, the series also took a look at controversial political issues like the Northern Ireland conflict (episode "When Irish Eyes Are Crying"), the drug war in South America (e.g. "Prodigal Son") or child trafficking (episode "Baby Blues"). Personal issues also arose: Crockett divorced from his wife Caroline early in the series, and later his second wife Caitlin (Sheena Easton) was killed by one of his enemies. In the three episodes "Mirror Image", "Hostile Takeover" and "Redemption in Blood", a concussion caused by an explosion caused Crockett to believe he was his undercover alter ego Sonny Burnett, a drug dealer. Tubbs had a running, partly personal vendetta with the Calderone family, a member of which had ordered the death of his brother Raphael, a New York City police detective. Early Seasons In the first seasons the tone was often very light, especially when comical characters such as Noogie and Izzy appeared. Later on, the content was almost always quite dark and cynical, with Crockett and Tubbs also having to fight corruption. Typically the darker episodes had no tag sequence, each episode ending abruptly immediately after a climax that almost always involved violence and death, often giving the episodes, especially in later seasons, a despairing and sometimes nihilistic feel despite the trademark glamour and conspicuous wealth. Given its idiosyncratic "dark" feel and touch, Miami Vice is frequently cited as an example of made-for-TV Neo-noir; still today, the show's executive producer over most of the five years, Michael Mann, is often credited with being one of the most influential modern-day Film Noir or Neo-Noir directors. Lasting Impact Miami Vice was one of the best-known shows of the 1980s, and it had a huge impact on the decade's popular fashions as well as setting the tone for further evolution of police drama. Series such as , NYPD Blue, and Law & Order, though being vastly different in style and theme from Miami Vice, followed its lead in breaking the genre's mold; Dick Wolf, creator & producer of Law & Order, was a writer & later executive producer of Miami Vice. Although sometimes heavily disputed by their producers, the movies Bad Boys (1995) and Bad Boys 2 (2003) borrowed heavily on the concept of two undercover cops in the glitzy, upscale yet seedy world of southern Florida law enforcement. The show has been so influential that the style of Miami Vice has often been borrowed or alluded to by much of today's pop culture in order to indicate or emphasise the 1980s decade. Examples of this includes the episode "The One With All The Thanksgivings" from the American sitcom Friends. Flashback scenes from the 1980s in this episode shows the characters Ross and Chandler in pastel coloured suits with rolled up sleeves like that of Sonny Crockett. Another more obvious example would be the computer and video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, which was published by Rockstar Games and is set in a stylised 1980's Miami. Two undercover police officers appear in a police sports car within the game when three felony stars are obtained by the player. It is believed that the two officers (one white and one black) represent the two leading characters of Miami Vice. One of the main characters, Lance Vance, was actually voiced by Philip Michael Thomas. Many of the styles popularized by the TV show, such as the t-shirt under pastel suits, no socks, rolled up sleeves, and Rayban sunglasses have today become the standard image of 1980s culture. Ironically, people today will often recognise the decade's image, yet are unfamiliar with the TV show, despite it being the phenomenon that gave birth to the style in the first place. However, it must be noted that pastels and the fashion accessories mentioned above were not emblematic of the entire decade, but that they stood for an era during the mid-eighties which lasted approximately two to four years. With the show's popularity notably waning around 1988 and different color schemes being adopted by the producers for the third season (1986-1987), "Vice"-themed, pastel-toned clothing went out of style, and fashion in general saw a departure from pastels and linen suits with the advent of bright, harsh neon colors, which became the next fad towards the onset of the 1990s. Likewise, the early 1980s were much more about earthtones in fashion and style. Ratings Reason for series end According to the Sunday Mail, the series ended for a variety of reasons: One major reason really was declining popularity and errors in managerial judgement. The show's popularity began to sag (aka Jump The Shark) at the beginning of third season (1986-1987). For one thing, in retrospective, it was an ill-fated decision to move Miami Vice to the same time slot as CBS's Dallas, which was then overwhelmingly popular. Secondly, Michael Mann decided to give the show a darker, grittier look, feel and touch - a definite change from the often lighthearted tone of the first two seasons that also involved darker, non-pastel wardrobes for the protagonists. Loyal fans were miffed at the series' new look and began to turn away, which led to the reintroduction of pastels for the fourth season (1987-1988). By then the original writers for the series had left, and the episodes often followed all but ridiculous and/or flat-out boring storylines. The most infamous example was perhaps what is known among fans as the "alien episode" (Missing Hours) - in which James Brown plays an alien leader. Another big loss was Jan Hammer's departure from the series at the end of the fourth season. Tim Truman was a worthy successor in his abilities to deliver proper score music in his own right, but to many fans, it meant a farewell to yet another idiosyncratic element of the show's style. Also, Michael Mann was replaced by Dick Wolf as the series' executive producer, a decision that had more than a mere subtle impact. The fifth season (1988-1989) meant yet another change in color tones and attitude, with storylines once again becoming dark, fatalistic and gritty - enough so that even some of the most loyal fans were left scratching their heads. Around the end of season five, Don Johnson had less screen time because he devoted much of his time to investing in his acting career beyond "'Vice". As Dick Wolf recalls in an interview for E! True Hollywood Story, after the fifth season, it was all just sort of "over", and the show had simply "run its course". Financially, Miami Vice became a bad investment, with production costs per episode skyrocketing while popularity and revenue were plummeting. Firearms
Boats Throughout the series, Sonny lived on a 42' Endeavor sailboat named the St. Vitus Dance. Sonny used a 39', 1983 Chris Craft Stinger 390 during season 1, and for season 2 through 5 he used a 38', 1985 Wellcraft Scarab 38KV. It has been rumored that Wellcraft gave Don Johnson an exact copy of this boat as a gift in appreciation for the high profile their product received on the television show. This boat sported what was then called the Miami Vice paint job, which added tens of thousands of dollars to the craft's base price. Cars During the first two seasons and two episodes of the third season, Detective Sonny Crockett drove a midnight black 1972 Ferrari Daytona Spyder 365 GTS/4 with a Florida license plate ZAQ178, until it was blown to pieces with a hand held stinger missile launcher during an illegal arms deal. Lt. Castillo told a still-grieving Crockett to check back for his new car. Sonny was greeted by a white 1986 Ferrari Testarossa, with a Florida license plate ATF00M. In reality, Don Johnson did not actually drive a Ferrari in the first two seasons. It was a 1980 Chevrolet Corvette C3 that had been modified with Ferrari-designed body panels by specialty car manufacturer McBurnie. As legend has it, Michael Mann spotted the car in a used car lot some time prior to shooting the pilot movie and thought it would look nice in the series. For publicity reasons and because they were unhappy with a fake getting this much attention and being portrayed as a bona fide Ferrari, the automaker donated two brand new Testarossas. One of them was partly stripped and modified and placed on a camera truck, while the other one could be seen in regular scenes. They were delivered in black but were repainted white to show up better in night scenes. For the more risky stunt scenes, yet another fake was used, this time a DeTomaso Pantera fitted with Testarossa body panels. Ricardo Tubbs drove a 1964 Cadillac Coupe DeVille Convertible. Stan Switek drove a turquoise 1961 Ford Thunderbird. Also, Switek drove a green Dodge Ram Van labled "Bug Busters" with a big ant on the roof. Gina Calabrese drove an 1971 Mercury Cougar XR-7 convertible. Other Miami Vice characters, such as bad guys or other cops, are also often seen driving fast, top of the line prestige marques. On the show, typical high end brands include the likes of Lamborghini, AMG Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Maserati, Lotus, Porsche and even the occasional American muscle car, such as a Corvette, GTO, Trans Am or Mustang. DVD releases The DVD release of series has been significantly slowed due to one of the signature features of the show, the heavy integration of early 80's pop and rock music, with sourcing the rights and permission to use each piece of music decades later complicating matters. Cast of original 1984-1989 series (killed off in "Down For The Count (Part 1) during the third season) Recurring cast See also | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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