Anthony's Film Review - Miami Vice (TV Series, 1984-1990)

As a stylish crime drama, Miami Vice defined television of the 1980s...

Television is an art form that can be described in terms of decades. If you look specifically at the 1950s, 1960s, et cetera, you can often find characteristic patterns of the TV shows in those years. They tend to share a certain look and feel, work within the same censorship limitations, and reflect the lifestyles of the times. As an example, let's turn to the 1980s. I like to think of that decade as the years of new wave music and hairstyles like the mullet, along with stuff like the Cold War and the rise of video games. However, the 1980s were also known for an epidemic of drug addiction, especially with trafficking of cocaine into the United States through south Florida. It was such a problem that one television show dramatized this phenomenon while capturing the spirit of the 1980s: Miami Vice.

This is a crime drama that is often described as a glamorized and stylized cop show. While that is true, I was pleasantly surprised by how I was able to put the glam aside (more on that later). At its core, Miami Vice is a police procedural. Similar to real life, the cops perform investigations, undercover work, and even witness protection, while staying in the bounds of search warrants and courtroom proceedings. That's not to say it's all ordinary work, because plenty of interesting situational twists can occur from time to time. Besides police procedural, another genre that defines Miami Vice is neo-noir. If you look at classic noir, you'll tend to notice dark and dramatic 1940s crime movies that depict seedy criminal underworlds hiding within plain sight in a sprawling environment, like the city of Los Angeles. Miami Vice brings that feel of noir into a new setting: 1980s Miami.

The two main characters are a pair of detectives in the vice division of the Miami police. James "Sonny" Crockett (Don Johnson) is a cop raised in the South. His personality is that of someone who is laid-back and cool, while still taking his job seriously. Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs (Philip Michael Thomas) is an African-American cop from New York who, in the pilot episode, comes to Miami to go after a drug dealer, before joining the Miami police force soon after. Rico is also a guy who is fairly cool while being a reliable detective. These two men work together pretty well, with really no strife between them, because their personas and lifestyles don't really clash. If there's any noticeable difference between Sonny and Rico, it's that while both men do have an eye for pretty ladies, it's definitely more true for Rico.

Crockett and Tubbs are part of a diverse and dedicated team of law enforcement professionals. They are allied by two female detectives, Gina Calabrese (Saundra Santiago) and Trudy Joplin (Olivia Brown), who are smart and tough, as well as attractive enough to be undercover prostitutes if needed. For surveillance and bugging operations, there's Stan Switek (Michael Talbott) and, for the first three seasons, Larry Zito (John Diehl). As for the team's superior, Lou Rodriguez (Gregory Serra) is the lieutenant for the first few episodes before he is killed off (because the actor disliked working on location in Miami and asked to be written out of the show). Afterward, Martin Castillo (Edward James Olmos) takes over as the new lieutenant. Castillo is a striking character because he is usually very soft-spoken and serious with a cold expression, but deep down, he trusts his team and cares about everyone's success.

Given that this is a vice unit, the types of crimes they investigate are what some might consider crimes of sin. The major one they deal with is drug smuggling. Sonny and Rico come face to face with drug users, drug dealers, and drug kingpins. To get closer to the ones at the top, Sonny and Rico often go undercover, using their respective aliases of Sonny Burnett and Rico Cooper. Besides drugs, Miami Vice also takes on prostitution, arms smuggling, illegal gambling, and certain crimes of theft. No matter what the crime is, there are always shady villains in sunny Miami. Many of them enjoy high life and luxury thanks to the riches they have obtained illicitly. Because this is something they do not want to lose, they are also very dangerous people who will do anything, even murder, to protect their wealth and power. Every now and then, the Miami Vice may also encounter villains from their side of the law, in the form of corrupt law enforcement officers.

As long as I'm talking about the variety of characters in this show, let me talk about the variety of guest stars throughout Miami Vice's run. I cannot believe how many actors and actresses who have been recognizable after the 1980s have actually starred in a Miami Vice episode. There's a lot. For example, before starring in the action movie Die Hard, did you know that Bruce Willis played an arms dealer in a Miami Vice episode? Yeah, no kidding. Also, before playing Al Bundy on Married With Children, Ed O'Neill played a federal agent who is obsessed with his undercover work. Other examples include Stanley Tucci as a mob boss, Chris Rock as a teen fascinated by UFOs, John Leguizamo as the son of a drug kingpin, John Turturro as a high-class pimp, Pam Grier as an old flame of Rico, and even Julia Roberts as an assistant to a drug lord. Still, the most surprising Miami Vice guest star for me was Michael Richards. The actor known for playing the comical neighbor Kramer on the sitcom Seinfeld had, in his younger days, played a dramatic role on Miami Vice as a gambling bookie.

Let's talk about the 80s style presented on Miami Vice. Much of the glamour comes from Sonny and Rico wearing stylish Italian men's suits. The colors and style of dress vary from episode to episode, but seeing that often definitely inspired others to dress and be cool like these two. Also, Sonny and Rico own and drive luxurious fast cars. It's understandable that some people, particularly police officers, have criticized Miami Vice for this stylized portrayal of police work. Still, this doesn't bother me all that much because, in a way, it makes sense. Given that Sonny and Rico often go undercover in the drug underworld, they have to blend in with the bad guys. Their fashion style helps them do just that.

Then there's the 80s music. At times, a scene occurs in a place where music is playing, like a nightclub, and that's one way Miami Vice showcases music of the decade. One example I recall is DeBarge performing his song "Rhythm of the Night" in a nightclub. It's pretty cool. But more importantly, Miami Vice plays 80s songs as part of its soundtrack. For instance, the pilot episode has a segment that plays the Phil Collins song "In the Air Tonight" while Sonny and Rico are tracking down a drug kingpin. Also expect to hear Bon Jovi's "Wanted (Dead or Alive)" in the middle of a shootout, Ted Nugent's "Little Miss Dangerous" in a strip club, Foreigner's "I Want to Know What Love Is" as a prostitute gets murdered, Tina Turner's "What's Love Got to Do With It" during a romantic farewell, and Phil Collins's "I Don't Care Anymore" during a quiet approach towards a villain. And of course, let's not forget the iconic Miami Vice theme composed by Jan Hammer.

With the combination of 80s vibe and neo-noir, Miami Vice is a cop drama that straddles the line between a light tone and a dark tone. It's not so light-hearted that violence is minimal and the kids could safely watch it, nor is it so dark that no shot of Miami ever looks or feels sunny. It's in the middle. Interestingly, although the show from beginning to end is all about fighting crime, episodes will either have a light feel or a dark feel. I don't mind the lighter episodes, as long as they don't go overboard with it, like with one of my least favorite episodes, "The Cows of October," that centers on theft of a rancher's bull semen. As for the darker episodes, I definitely like those better, because it goes better with drama, in my opinion.

Many episodes center on Sonny and Rico working as a duo on a case. However, there are times when the show deviates from this character focus. Some episodes may center mainly on Rico and less on Sonny. Others may focus on Gina or Trudy, like episodes where one of them is trying to protect a woman who had been a victim of a horrific crime. There's even one episode that puts Switek and Zito front and center. But perhaps the most notable episodes about the supporting characters are those that center on Castillo. Given how he is always quiet, it is always refreshing to see episodes where he is much more involved in the action. Also, it is revealed that Castillo used to be a DEA agent working in Southeast Asia, such that his knowledge and experience come in handy if Asian organized crime makes a presence in Miami.

Miami Vice, created by Anthony Yerkovich and produced by Michael Mann, ran on NBC for 111 episodes over five seasons from 1984 to 1990. The series finale, "Freefall," aired in May 1989, but after that, four lost episodes aired. Three of them were Season 5 episodes that were put aside before the series finale and then subsequently aired on NBC in June 1989. The fourth episode, "Too Much, Too Late," was not aired on NBC because of dialogue that references child molestation. Instead, it aired in syndication on the USA network in January 1990. So that's why it ran from 1984 to 1990, not 1984 to 1989. (If you watch the last season of Miami Vice, be sure to watch the four lost episodes before the series finale, or else there won't be continuity.)

As for my favorite episodes, I can identify several. "Rites of Passage," about a young girl getting sucked into being a high-end call girl, is a pretty good one. That's the episode that features the dark use of Foreigner's "I Want to Know What Love Is." "Little Miss Dangerous," featuring the Ted Nugent song of the same name, is about a murderous prostitute, with Rico's weakness for women putting himself at risk. "Duty and Honor" centers on the search for a murderous Vietnam War veteran, aided by a Vietnamese man who once knew Castillo. "Out Where the Buses Don't Run" is notable for the final scene that reminds us of how erroneous the justice system could be at times. Then there's the three-part story arc comprising the last episode of Season 4 and the first two episodes of Season 5. This is where Sonny gets amnesia while undercover as Sonny Burnett, but, because of where he recovers, he is only reminded that he is drug dealer Sonny Burnett, to Rico's horror. And who can forget the finale "Freefall"? While it doesn't tie up all loose ends, it's still powerful because what ultimately happens to Sonny and Rico after five years is a moment that could leave a tear in your eye. (Note: This is not a complete list of the best Miami Vice episodes. It's just a sample.)

When I look at the show as a whole, I can say it's a good one. Each episode is nicely written, with plot complexity and plenty of opportunity for the cast to bring characters to life. The result is drama that usually doesn't get boring. As for the lighter elements, such as music and mild humor, they usually make things a little extra fun. There are also some pretty good action scenes, whether they are car chases, shootouts, or fistfights. Speaking of action, it's definitely more intense in the fifth season. If you like intense drama and action, you are more likely to consider the fifth season to be the best one of all. I'm one of those people. I'd probably really love it if all five seasons were this intense. Still, the show is quite good the way it is.

I am not one of those people who watched the show when it originally aired on television. I was just a kid, and I wasn't interested in watching crime dramas, nor was I old enough to have parental approval for that anyway. No, I watched this show more than 30 years after that, via free online streaming from the NBC website. I must say that it was a fun ride. The show was an opportunity for me to appreciate several things at once: noir crime drama, exciting action, 80s culture, and characters I care about like real people. I now understand the excitement and appeal of Miami Vice. This is a series that defined 1980s television. Anyone who talks about the most notable TV of that decade would no doubt include this show in the list.

Anthony's Rating:

For more information about Miami Vice, visit the Internet Movie Database.