How was Miami Vice generally received in the 80's?

[bowman]

It was dumb, it was stupid, but it was popular. Just like a lot of TV has always been. Those two pretty boys would have lasted about 90 seconds in any dive bar in town - and I’d give them about 3 minutes in the Senior Center. But they did have an impact on fashion: my girlfriend at the time insisted that I buy a couple of pastel shirts if she was going to be seen with me at any club. I obeyed. And my band in that era dressed in a semi-Miami Vice way - at certain gigs it had to be done.

 

[NWinther]

Like hubba-bubba bublegum...
Vile

 

[PhoenixBill]

They had some cool guns though, back when all the other cop shows were still toting snub-nosed.38s….

 

[imwjl]

I'm just curious cause as a Millennial I know it's super cheesy BS but it's still my favorite show lol and seems so classic to me. I just love everything about it; the 80's MTV soundtrack, Don Johnson and Phillip Michael Thomas fighting crime the hard way with designer clothes and quarter million dollar sports cars lmao... Real life sucks. As far as TV escapism goes I think Miami Vice wins out over any show I've ever seen.

I might have seen the show a few times but remember a white linen unstructured sport coat I got that was a look of the times. It was an interesting learning experience. It actually helped get me a date and the shallow ditzy woman was a lesson in no thanks for the fashion and just be me.

 

[Skydog1010]

Several years plus post college era for me. I enjoyed it ok for the first 2 maybe 3 seasons. Period in my life where I was GASing for all kinds of cool stuff, had a relatively significant impact on my consumerism.

 

[tery]

The cool thing is that Miami Vice was actually filmed on location in Miami.
The music & clothes were the real deal in Miami at the time.

 

[Flat6Driver]

I sense a lot of negativity here in this thread towards something that was popular. All the too cool for the hot thing guys sound off!

 

[O- Fender]

How was it received in the ‘80s?

With a rabbit-ear antenna. Add tinfoil if you’re in a rural area.

While frantically adjusting the "vert" and "horz" buttons.
With the occasional whack on the side.

 

[Engine Swap]

I must admit that when I finally got around to visiting Miami in 2015, I was disappointed that it wasn’t much like the show. Still love it as a city.

 

[trandy9850]

Everyone feels as they do…but I thought Miami Vice was badass through and through.

A cop with a 10mm Bren Ten?(first season…they changed it to a S&W 645 the next season). Too cool.

Cops with a Ferrari? Too cool.

A cop who lived on a sailboat with an alligator named Elvis for security? Awesome.

Cops dressed in fashion show-like attire instead of the drab clothes most TV cops wore? Awesome.

Jan Hammer soundtrack? Too cool.

Cops riding around in cigarette boats? Awesome.

BTW I also really enjoyed the Miami Vice movie with Colin Farrell and Jamie Fox

 

[srvy]

I found the show very pastel.

 

[trandy9850]

Let's not forget that Don Johnson rode that wave into a major label album release. Because of his prior connections, it had loads of high-profile guest spots (Dickey Betts, Ron Wood, Steve Jones, Barbra Streisand(!), etc.). This one has some flashy guitar from Dweezil Zappa.

I was once on a band that did this song.

 

[CV Jee Beez]

Huge impact. Well received to say the least when it came out.

Rolex watches
Convertible cars
Linen suits
Big shoulders/shoulder pads
no socks
Espedrilles shoes/sandals
Shades

 

[USian Pie]

Let's not forget that Don Johnson rode that wave into a major label album release. Because of his prior connections, it had loads of high-profile guest spots (Dickey Betts, Ron Wood, Steve Jones, Barbra Streisand(!), etc.). This one has some flashy guitar from Dweezil Zappa.

It's kind of trip watching that. I'm pretty sure I watched more music videos coming from Miami Vice that episodes of the show.

 

[USian Pie]

I spend some time on forums with membership that is heavy with current and former police officers.

Bring up Miami Vice and there's a near-unanimous "Yeah. That was ridiculous. But I still want a Bren Ten or Smith and Wesson and shoulder holster for it."

One large holster maker has a very popular shoulder holster model called The Miami Classic.

Pop culture makes a permanent impression at a young age. I still want an Ibanez Destroyer even though I would only play it for the irony factor now. Thank you, Phil Collen.

 

[BrazHog]

you might want to check the A team !

If you can find them.

 

[String Tree]

I'm just curious cause as a Millennial I know it's super cheesy BS but it's still my favorite show lol and seems so classic to me. I just love everything about it; the 80's MTV soundtrack, Don Johnson and Phillip Michael Thomas fighting crime the hard way with designer clothes and quarter million dollar sports cars lmao... Real life sucks. As far as TV escapism goes I think Miami Vice wins out over any show I've ever seen.

The Sound Track for that show was a ground breaker.
For the First time, Manufactures started putting High Quality Audio for TV.
I did a hack at home that worked pretty well using my PA Speakers and Amps.

As for the Content of the Show, it was all about the Cocaine Generation, people that wore nice clothes, drove expensive clothes and, killed each other with Guns.

 

[Dukex]

For me, back in the day, it was Starsky and Hutch. I wanted that Gran Torino real bad.

 

[Ed Driscoll]

The Sound Track for that show was a ground breaker.
For the First time, Manufactures started putting High Quality Audio for TV.
I did a hack at home that worked pretty well using my PA Speakers and Amps.

Not only that, but it was the first time that a TV series bought the rights to loads of hit songs by the original artists, thanks to Brandon Tartikoff's legendary (and unfortunately apocryphal) "MTV* Cops" missive. Up until that time, if a song was performed on a TV series, it was almost always a cover done by Hollywood session musicians. Also, it was the first time a TV series had really film-like cinematography. Most previous TV shows were shot with a flat, very brightly lit picture, to compensate for the varying degrees of TV reception (or the lack thereof) and the infamous NTSC "Never Twice the Same Color" analog picture quality.

* You younger readers will no doubt be shocked to learn that back in the '80s, MTV actually showed music videos! It was a simpler time back then.

 

[ChicknPickn]

For me, back in the day, it was Starsky and Hutch. I wanted that Gran Torino real bad.

Husky and Starch, my wife called them.