Philip Michael Thomas makes the clothes and composure of Rico Tubbs worth watching: we care about the man wearing them. Miami Vice remains the reason to seek him out, particularly in its stronger early seasons.
Fi1m perspective
In Miami Vice (1984), Philip Michael Thomas looks comfortable in the tailored suits, and less comfortable with the life Rico Tubbs is leading. That difference is what makes the performance worth watching. Alongside Don Johnson's Sonny Crockett, he gives us someone to follow when the programme lets the case wait. We felt for these men because Thomas and Johnson had first made spending time with them a pleasure.
Before Tubbs, his film work included Randy and the voice of Brother Rabbit in Ralph Bakshi's animated satire Coonskin (1975), then Stix opposite Irene Cara in the musical drama Sparkle (1976). These were different sorts of work from the urbane television detective who became his breakthrough. After Miami Vice ended in 1989, the roles became less prominent. He reunited with Johnson for guest appearances in Nash Bridges (1997), and voiced Lance Vance in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002). Tubbs remained the defining part, which is understandable without making the rest of the work irrelevant.
His urbane Tubbs helped broaden the image of the Black television hero. The character draws on Black culture without being defined entirely by it, and Thomas's composure is central to his appeal. With Michael Mann as executive producer, Miami Vice gives considerable attention to appearances; Thomas and Johnson make that attention worthwhile. Edward James Olmos brings a welcome gravity to Martin Castillo, giving the series another compelling presence when the investigation is not its chief concern.
There are limits to what such a cast can do, and our enthusiasm for Thomas is not an endorsement of every episode. The early seasons of Miami Vice are the strongest; later instalments cannot always match the care of their images with equally good storytelling. Thomas remains a reason to watch, though a weak case still asks us to be patient. Start with the early episodes, where the writing gives him better support.
Biography
Philip Michael Thomas is an American actor and musician. Born on 26 May 1949 in Columbus, Ohio, he studied at Oakwood College and the University of California, Riverside before beginning his career on stage.
He made his Broadway debut in 1971 in No Place to Be Somebody. Early film roles include Coonskin (1975) and Sparkle (1976). Thomas is best known for portraying Detective Ricardo Tubbs in the television series Miami Vice (1984–1989). He later appeared in made-for-television films and voiced a character in the video games Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002) and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (2006). He has also released music albums.
