MovieChat Forums > Miami Vice (1984) Discussion > Some reasons Miami Vice was different an...

Some reasons Miami Vice was different and can never be repeated.

posted 8 years ago by manco82
4 replies | jump to latest

1. It literally had to invent style. Miami in 1983 was dilapidated and not the "cool" place that the TV show depicted. It's almost as if the TV show led to Miami's renaissance. No other TV show in history has done that or will again.

2. It wasn't preachy. It dealt with some difficult subjects at times, but never did it in a way that was the writer telling you what to feel. "Evan" was the best example of that. It laid out the scenario and let the audience decide for itself. Ever since the 90s, most shows are infested with "social justice" types that ruin virtually any script they touch. I literally have stopped watching some recent shows for that reason alone. It also takes away from a "timeless" aspect to be preaching a current morality.

3. The 1980s was a cultural and technological renaissance in the US and we're still living in it. Miami Vice was a part of that. Nothing on TV or movies these days has that kind of impact. But 1984 was at the beginning phase of it. There will be other cultural renaissances in the future, but I doubt television shows will be a thing anymore.

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] filmklassik 8 years ago

So true about Politica Correctness informing virtually every show on the air these days.

One notable exception was BREAKING BAD

Not surprising that the creator of BREAKING BAD, Vince Gilligan, has indicated -- at least implicitly -- that he's a bit right of center.

[–] robocop-37224 8 years ago

People actually communicated with one another.. nowadays the kids sit in a circle and Text each other? No wonder why the world is soF ucked up!

[–] MIJACology 7 years ago

As to your point 1., it is taken as accepted fact that Miami Vice caused South Beach to bloom.

As to your point 3., the 1980's was more a cultural renaissance of Americans proper. After the 80's ended, American media became much more filled with international presence, and the small community era of 1980's America of native born and bred citizens started becoming forgotten to many. So no, we are not still living in that renaissance. We are living in the renaissance of actors from Britain with British accents and so many foreign born people that we have almost forgotten who we were. A perfect example is the heavily Irish accented Colin Farrell to play Sonny Crockett. Contrast that with Philip Michael Thomas and Don Johnson, who both were, and are, deeply American country boys in real life.

The 80's was special because it was uniquely American.

Not vehemently disagreeing, just offering another opinion.

To add another reason why Miami Vice can't be repeated for the foreseeable future, I could point out that so much of American society isn't American anymore. You could rehire Phillip Michael Thomas and Don Johnson to reprise their old roles, but the simplistic American Miami of that time has been obscured/diluted by immigration.