Proved style could be substance for a generation of directors.
Why it matters
Episode guide
110 episodes across 5 seasons — titles, air dates, and synopses.
At a glance
Undercover detectives Crockett and Tubbs chase Miami crime in pastel armor with music-video direction and needle drops. Style is substance; fashion is plot armor. Nightclub neon meets federal case files.
Network & studio
- NBC — broadcast network
Why watch now
The show that taught a generation of directors that TV could look like a film school fever dream.
Cultural impact
Miami Vice turned music budgets and menswear into thriller grammar and left Don Johnson negotiations as 80s industry legend. Pastel cops remain a cultural hieroglyph.
Creators
Anthony Yerkovich
Key cast
- Don Johnson as James "Sonny" Crockett
- Philip Michael Thomas as Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs
- Edward James Olmos as Lieutenant Martin Castillo
- Saundra Santiago as Detective Gina Calabrese
- Olivia Brown as Detective Trudy Joplin
- Michael Talbott as Detective Stan Switek
- John Diehl as Detective Larry Zito
Flash facts
- NBC crime drama (1984–1989) created by Anthony Yerkovich; Michael Mann executive-produced.
- Stylized undercover Miami policing with fashion, music, and glossy night visuals.
- Often linked to Brandon Tartikoff’s “MTV cops” network brainstorming era.
- Five seasons; music supervision and contemporary pop/rock cues were signature.
- Helped define 1980s network aesthetic and later influenced crime-drama style TV.
FAQ
Who created Miami Vice?
Anthony Yerkovich created the series; Michael Mann was a key executive producer.
Who played Crockett and Tubbs?
Don Johnson starred as Sonny Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas as Ricardo Tubbs.
How long did Miami Vice run?
Five seasons on NBC from 1984 to 1989.
Cultural eras
Official & further reading
External sites for further reading — TV Flash is not affiliated with these networks or studios.
Back to the decade
More from the 1980s — Glitz, Soaps & Nighttime Neon. All shows.
Also on the dial
Related & side shows
Baywatch
Slow-mo lifeguards, red swimsuits, and Hasselhoff's second global export.
Gimme a Break!
Nell Carter's powerhouse voice and housekeeper-mom energy in a police chief's home.
Silver Spoons
Rich kid, toy-filled mansion, and Jason Bateman before Arrested Development.
Punky Brewster
Orphan optimism, neon fashion, and earworm theme energy.
Empty Nest
Golden Girls neighbor doctor with adult daughters home again — Miami shared-universe comedy.
Amen
Sherman Hemsley takes the pulpit — church politics as sitcom battleground.