Miami Vice was one of the iconic and groundbreaking shows of the 1980s but here's why it was canceled, and whether it will ever return.
Here's why the groundbreaking series Miami Vice was canceled, and if it will ever return someday. Miami Vice arrived in 1984 on NBC and cast Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas as undercover cops Crockett and Tubbs. While police procedurals were hardly a new concept back in the 1980s, Miami Vice's style and tone were unlike anything seen on TV previously. The show's eye-popping use of color and cinematic sheen made it stand out from the crowd, as did its use of pop music and montages.
Miami Vice wasn't afraid to get dark, and the show routinely juxtaposed the more glamourous side of the city with its seedier elements. The show also had its share of future movie stars or pop stars making guest appearances, including Julia Roberts, Liam Neeson, Phil Collins or Die Hard's Bruce Willis. While the show's fashion and music would likely be badly dated to modern viewers, Miami Vice was one of the first TV series to show it was possible to create a cinematic experience on the small screen and many shows would follow its lead.
Miami Vice itself came to an end in 1990 after five seasons, with Crockett and Tubbs quitting the force after becoming disillusioned. The franchise was briefly revived in 2006 when the show's executive producer Michael Mann helmed a big-screen version. This Miami Vice was shot in a similiar style to Mann's own Collateral and carried a significantly grittier look. Colin Farrell - who was pranked during production - took over as Crockett while Jamie Foxx played Tubbs, but despite receiving retroactive praise as one of Mann's most underrated thrillers, it was a box-office disappointment. As for the show itself, despite being considered a classic, Miami Vice was noticeably struggling in its later seasons before being canceled.
By the time Miami Vice season 5 came around, many key creatives like Mann or composer Jan Hammer had left. Future Law & Order creator Dick Wolf took over following Mann's exit, but the series had begun dipping in ratings next to soap opera Dallas. To freshen things up, Miami Vice tried several different creative directions, including doubling down on the darker elements but it continued to struggle, and it was decided Miami Vice season 5 would be the end.
Dick Wolf (who has a healthy net worth) - would later claim that Miami Vice's cancelation in season 5 was simply down to the show having run its course. Johnson himself wanted to move on to movie roles too, and while later seasons of Miami Vice had their moments, the first two series are considered the show's peak. While Johnson revived his other cop show Nash Bridges for a 2021 TV special, there's no sign of a Miami Vice reboot.
In 2017, there was talk of Vin Diesel and his production company producing a Miami Vice TV revival, but nothing concrete has come of those plans. For his part, Johnson revealed to USA Today that Diesel was once supposed to reach out to him about a Miami Vice reboot, but it never came together. He also believes that Miami Vice (where Helena Bonham Carter once had an arc) belonged to a very specific time and era that would be very difficult to recapture, but he's open to conversations about bringing it back.
