NCIS: Did Ziva & Tony Reunite After She Faked Her Death?

Miami Vice also had a huge impact on pop culture in general, being heavily referenced in the likes of the Bad Boys movies or Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. When it came to casting, actors such as Nick Nolte or Mickey Rourke were first considered for Crockett, and the success of Miami Vice cemented the stardom of eventual lead Don Johnson (Blood & Oil). However, when filming of Miami Vice season 3 was gearing up in 1986, the actor felt his salary per episode – estimated to be around $35,000 – wasn’t in keeping with the series’ huge success. When his request for a higher salary was refused, Johnson walked off filming the planned season 3 opener “El Viejo.” Universal played hardball following this, threatening the actor with a breach of contract lawsuit and lining up Mark Harmon to replace him as Miami Vice’s lead.

According to insider reports at the time, both Harmon and Deep Rising star Treat Williams were being strongly considered to replace Don Johnson on Miami Vice, though the show would have cast them as new characters instead of replacements for Crockett. At the time, Mark Harmon (who quit NCIS in 2021) had just left hit medical drama St. Elsewhere and was even crowned People Magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” that same year. Universal’s lawsuit, according to a Washington Post article at the time, also would have prevented Johnson from seeking employment elsewhere until his contract on Miami Vice ran out in 1991.

The Don Johnson Miami Vice holdout was over quickly, as hours after the lawsuit was filed, the star and studio reached an agreement. Johnson’s pay was said to be bumped up to around $65,000 per episode, while neither Mark Harmon nor Treat Williams appeared on Miami Vice. While talk of a Miami Vice reboot surfaces occasionally – with Vin Diesel once set to produce a new series in 2017 – there has yet to be a revival.