Miami Vice (1984)
There's no stopping them.
The story of the Miami Police Department's vice squad and its efforts to end drug trafficking and prostitution, centered on the unlikely partnership of Sonny Crockett and Ricardo Tubbs - who first meet when Tubbs is undercover in a drug cartel.
| Type | TV series |
|---|---|
| First aired | 16 September 1984 |
| Status | Ended, last episode 28 June 1989 |
| Genre | Crime, Drama |
| Created by | Anthony Yerkovich |
| Starring | Don Johnson, Philip Michael Thomas and Saundra Santiago |
| Seasons | 5 seasons, 110 episodes |
| Episode length | about 48 min |
| Time to watch it all | about 88 hours |
| Rated | TV-14 |
| Scores | IMDb 7.6/10 · TMDB users 7.4/10 |
Where to watch Miami Vice
Miami Vice is streaming on Tubi in the US.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 28 October 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
Where to watch Miami Vice in 2 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Canada | Prime Video $9.99 CAD |
| Netherlands | Prime Video €4.99 |
Subscription, free and ad-supported services we track; prices where Binge Boss has a price list for the country. "About" marks a price the service bills in another currency, converted at the day's rate. All countries as data.
What kind of watch this is
Miami Vice trades procedural logic for atmosphere. It is a crime drama where the sun never sets and the music never stops, defined by two detectives who should not work together. Don Johnson plays Sonny Crockett; Philip Michael Thomas brings the grounded counterweight as Rico Tubbs. Their partnership is the engine, though the real star is the neon-soaked aesthetic. Five seasons and 110 episodes amount to 88 hours of driving through a city that feels like a fever dream. It is loud, stylish, and dangerously cool. You will either love the excess or find it exhausting.
What the critics said
Reception was messy. Critics argued the pretty photography dressed up bad violence, or that the music masked thin stories. Miami’s civic leaders grumbled about the crime coverage until they saw the money. Gerald S. Arenberg of the National Association of Chiefs of Police pointed out that real vice cops don’t chase dealers in Ferraris. He noted they usually sit in crummy rooms with dented binoculars. The show took home 4 Emmys in 1985. The Los Angeles Herald-Examiner blamed conservative voters for rejecting its hedonism. IMDb gives it a 7.6/10 as of June 2026.
How it did with audiences
On TMDB, users rate it 7.4 out of 10. IMDb gives it a 7.6/10 weighted average as of June 2026. The finale pulled in 22 million viewers with a 14.7 rating. That lost to a real-life baby rescue, but beat a Mike Hammer murder mystery. NBC later aired a 16.1 million viewer send-off. China Beach drew 10.8 million. It found a second life in the UK, Germany, and Italy.
What came next for the cast
Don Johnson came from A Boy and His Dog (1975). He left for Django Unchained (2012) and Knives Out (2019). The credits list the movies. They do not list the cause. Olivia Brown arrived from 48 Hrs. (1982). She departed for Throw Momma from the Train (1987). One went from a boy and his dog to a man and his knives. The other took a train.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched Miami Vice.
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Sources
- Miami Vice on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q559321 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “Miami Vice” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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