Miami Vice article from Twitter Today

[Matt5]

http://www.avclub.com/article/how-imiami-vicei-launched-the-80s-on-tv-then-died--83262?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=ShareTools&utm_campaign=default

[airtommy]

Mann was chiefly responsible for guiding the show from its seventh episode (by that point, Yerkovich was gone) to the end of its second season (after which Mann was more focused on his own new show, Crime Story).

I've never heard this before.  

 “No Exit” marks something of a turning point in Miami Vice: The first six episodes of the series were inconsistent in tone—sometimes showing what became the familiar, worldly Miami Vice attitude, and sometimes coming off as a conventional, corny mid-’80s cop show in flashier clothes—but by episode seven, Mann had taken over as the sole executive producer, and Edward James Olmos had come on board to play Crockett and Tubbs’ serious-minded boss, Lt. Martin Castillo, which helped add gravitas.

For years I've been saying that No Exit was an inflection point, but I couldn't pinpoint why.

[Matt5]

2 hours ago, airtommy said:

Mann was chiefly responsible for guiding the show from its seventh episode (by that point, Yerkovich was gone) to the end of its second season (after which Mann was more focused on his own new show, Crime Story).

I've never heard this before.  

 “No Exit” marks something of a turning point in Miami Vice: The first six episodes of the series were inconsistent in tone—sometimes showing what became the familiar, worldly Miami Vice attitude, and sometimes coming off as a conventional, corny mid-’80s cop show in flashier clothes—but by episode seven, Mann had taken over as the sole executive producer, and Edward James Olmos had come on board to play Crockett and Tubbs’ serious-minded boss, Lt. Martin Castillo, which helped add gravitas.

For years I've been saying that No Exit was an inflection point, but I couldn't pinpoint why.

The article seems very detailed pinpointing "No Exit" 

[Assasinge]

I remember reading this article couple years back actually...oh, it's from 2012, of course. But still pinpoints MV's rise and fall though. I remember being real sad that Lt. Rodriguez was gone, but then as soon as Olmos came on to kick a$$, I had forgotten about him somehow. The show feels so different by season 3 than season 1, it's amazing.

[Matt5]

2 hours ago, Assasinge said:

I remember reading this article couple years back actually...oh, it's from 2012, of course. But still pinpoints MV's rise and fall though. I remember being real sad that Lt. Rodriguez was gone, but then as soon as Olmos came on to kick a$$, I had forgotten about him somehow. The show feels so different by season 3 than season 1, it's amazing.

Yes it's so detailed particularly around "No Exit" and the show's rise and fall 

[airtommy]

4 hours ago, Assasinge said:

I remember reading this article couple years back actually...oh, it's from 2012, of course. 

The article was discussed in this thread in 2013:

http://miamiviceonline.com/index.php?/topic/9105-av-club-website-reviews-no-exit/

 

[AzVice]

very accurate article about No Exit marking a turning point in the early episodes, and the ups and downs of the show.

[mvnyc]

As has been mentioned, "No Exit" is probably the point where the show really took off, IMO. 

[Mr. Calderon]

I must say first season was the best, even with few weak episodes...Season 2 in my humble opinion has much more boring episodes with few good ones...

[Assasinge]

Let's be honest here folks. Miami Vice was all about the looks, the style, the way it was produced. In essence, the plot didn't really even matter because the reason the show was influential was because of the look and the way it was shot and made. Speaking from a filmmaker's point of view, of course, the show had some incredible compositions in nearly each episode. So what I'm saying is, the plot didn't actually matter because we really watched it for the whole 80's vibe, looks, surface. So I somewhat disagree/agree with your thought on some episodes being boring than others because all i can remember from watching episodes is the way it looked and was made. Catch my drift? I can't even remember almost 90% of the plots because I'm so engrossed in the look and the production of it. Maybe it's cuz I work in the same business lol, but asking other people who I work with that have seen the show, they only remember the look and barely the plots. Unless you watch it again. While I admire episodes like "Out Where the Buses Don't Run", sure, the plot was deep once you got to the end, but what sold that ending? The music, the lone wolf style driving in the night to the motel, the look. Why did MV become so popular and remain as a classic today? The episodes? Nope, the looks!

 

tl;dr Show was about looks and essence of 80's quality, plot rarely ever mattered except for things like Calderone.

Edited March 13, 2017 by Assasinge

[Matt5]

2 hours ago, Mr. Calderon said:

I must say first season was the best, even with few weak episodes...Season 2 in my humble opinion has much more boring episodes with few good ones...

Some of the Season 2 episodes are very flawed like Florence Italy certainly style over substance there!

[airtommy]

On March 12, 2017 at 7:54 PM, Assasinge said:

Let's be honest here folks. Miami Vice was all about the looks, the style, the way it was produced. In essence, the plot didn't really even matter because the reason the show was influential was because of the look and the way it was shot and made. Speaking from a filmmaker's point of view, of course, the show had some incredible compositions in nearly each episode. So what I'm saying is, the plot didn't actually matter because we really watched it for the whole 80's vibe, looks, surface. So I somewhat disagree/agree with your thought on some episodes being boring than others because all i can remember from watching episodes is the way it looked and was made. Catch my drift? I can't even remember almost 90% of the plots because I'm so engrossed in the look and the production of it. Maybe it's cuz I work in the same business lol, but asking other people who I work with that have seen the show, they only remember the look and barely the plots.

Yes!  And in addition to looks and style, also MOOD.

Edited March 14, 2017 by airtommy

[vicegirl85]

11 hours ago, Assasinge said:

Let's be honest here folks. Miami Vice was all about the looks, the style, the way it was produced. In essence, the plot didn't really even matter because the reason the show was influential was because of the look and the way it was shot and made. Speaking from a filmmaker's point of view, of course, the show had some incredible compositions in nearly each episode. So what I'm saying is, the plot didn't actually matter because we really watched it for the whole 80's vibe, looks, surface. (snipped)

tl;dr Show was about looks and essence of 80's quality, plot rarely ever mattered except for things like Calderone.

You may be right about the intent of the filmmakers/producers, etc.  However, for me as a viewer, the plots and characters/character development did and do matter.  Perhaps that is the reason I find some episodes dissatisfying, because plot and character development was nonexistent or unbelievable.  But the looks and style could have been accomplished without the specific actors and writers who were used.  If looks and style were the only things that mattered, it could have been a music video, an animated show, or a video game.

For me, what made MV great were the characters and their stories.   Looks and style made a great vehicle to tell those stories, but was undoubtedly very expensive over the long haul, becoming unsustainable.  Ultimately (for me) the filmmakers devoted so much time and money to the style aspect that the character/story aspect suffered. 

Many people here don't care for multi-episode story arcs, but I think a little more of that would have been welcomed by viewers and would have allowed the interesting characters to develop more depth.

[Assasinge]

Well you're not wrong of course. If the episodes didn't have any plot at all, then it wouldn't even be a show at all. Sure, after watching episodes a few times and actually analyzing the plot, I'll either be grinning cause it was a grewt plot, or sitting perplexed becaue it made no sense at all. But I guess I'm one of those people who, if I didn't like the plot, at least I liked the substance of the show and the looks etc. 

[DeepCover333]

11 hours ago, vicegirl85 said:

You may be right about the intent of the filmmakers/producers, etc.  However, for me as a viewer, the plots and characters/character development did and do matter.  Perhaps that is the reason I find some episodes dissatisfying, because plot and character development was nonexistent or unbelievable.  But the looks and style could have been accomplished without the specific actors and writers who were used.  If looks and style were the only things that mattered, it could have been a music video, an animated show, or a video game.

For me, what made MV great were the characters and their stories.   Looks and style made a great vehicle to tell those stories, but was undoubtedly very expensive over the long haul, becoming unsustainable.  Ultimately (for me) the filmmakers devoted so much time and money to the style aspect that the character/story aspect suffered. 

Many people here don't care for multi-episode story arcs, but I think a little more of that would have been welcomed by viewers and would have allowed the interesting characters to develop more depth.

I completely agree. The looks, style and sounds were mesmerizing, attractive, delicious on the eyes and ears but the often unconventional plots are what truly kept me in. Anticipating the next twist or being somewhat shocked by the ending, these elements in combination with the overall essence of the show, often became more than the sum of parts.

[Stinger390X]

On ‎3‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 7:54 PM, Assasinge said:

Let's be honest here folks. ...............

Well said Assasinge! I also agree the look and feel of the show was number one!

The clothes were so cool I remember I went to a store over in the states to buy a white jacket and I rumpled the sleeves up and tried to look cool! The show was very influential on fashion and look.

I can still remember how blown away I was in the season two opener of when Crocket and Tubbs go to the party at the hotel and Gina is wounded. The colours of the walls were so outstanding that they grabbed my attention immediately! That was the LOOK of the show!

 I agree season three started to loose some of that style but then again they started to move indoors a lot in season three and four to get away from filming outside as fans were interrupting shoots. I don't know how much this played in the change of the LOOK of the show but it might be a factor? Some plotlines also started to welter in S3 and by S5 some were just outright bad like Miracle Man! Others like the Burnett trilogy saved the day.

 

The other thing that was mentioned in the article was all the older shows like Hill street and other cop dramas. The plotlines of MV were absolutely groundbreaking like No Exit and the shooting scene in the end, as well as the in the Hackman series when Crocket shoots Hackman, which created debate around the watercooler the next day. Even the opening S1 when the bad guys fly away in the airplane and your are left on the sofa staring at the tv saying to yourself WTF??? 

This was ground breaking television for it's day and was never done before!

Edited March 18, 2017 by Stinger390X

[Noggie]

The look was what caught my attention but of the stories had been bad I wouldn't have watched. I love season 2 but there are way too many episodes that end with a character shooting themselves or driving their car into a wall. Way too many suicide wrap ups for me.  On the flip side, there are episodes that didn't grab me at all at the time like  "Trust Fund Pirates" that I love today. 

When the stories were strong & there was good interplay between Crockett & Tubbs, the look just enhanced everything. The relationship between Crockett & Tubbs was really neglected in seasons 4 & 5 and even 3 to an extent.