Miami in Media: Why TV Shows Only the Rich or Criminal – No Middle Ground

Miami Social is such a terrible show bashing it has almost become passé. After the Herald’s Glen Garvin did one of the most masterful slayings of a television program I’d ever seen, I knew no criticism I could throw its way could ever top it. So I won’t even bother.

But now on the heels of this particular piece of televised refuse comes another show aimed at people for whom “Sesame Street” was just a little too complex, E!’s “Khloe and Kourtney Take Miami.” This program apparently follows the two biggest wastes of life not named after a hotel chain as they try to do something with their lives other than dismantle their father’s fortune as fast as humanly possible.

Miami: home to people who kill, and people you’d like to kill

But again, ripping the poor Kardashian sisters for being poor uses of carbon is about as original as a Dan Quayle joke. So I’m not going to bitch about them either. But what I am going to do is pose a question: Why must every single show about Miami involve either the obnoxiously wealthy or the dregs of society?

It seems the only perceptions anyone outside of South Florida gets of our city is of the social elite attending parties we can’t afford, or the social rejects robbing, killing and free basing. Does anyone in America even know that Miami has a middle class?

Think about it. When it comes to reality shows in Miami, you either have socialites acting like people you’d like to have killed on “Miami Social” and “Khloe and Kourtney,” or the people you’d like to see kill them on “The First 48.” Throw in some good old fashioned animal abuse and you have a city that looks like it should have been wiped off the face of the Earth years ago.

And let’s not even get started on the fictional shows, the most notable of which now depict a scientist who investigates about five homicides a week, and a serial killer. Miami Vice wasn’t exactly flattering either, aside from the pastel suits and fancy cars.

Unless your show is about Dave Barry, somebody better be dying or on drugs

A lot of other cities are portrayed as glitzy and crime ridden, like LA and New York, but you also see a good number of fictional shows set in those cities that portray folks with normal lives. Other cities, like Boston, Chicago and Seattle might get the occasional episode of “Cops” showing their lowest rung of the social ladder, but most of the shows you see set there are fairly normal as well.

Miami? If it doesn’t involve excessive partying or violent crime, why even bother?

Maybe that’s part of what I like about Miami, that it has this sort of nasty reputation in addition to being the Sun and Fun Capital of the World. But part of me wants people to know that, hey, people’s lives here revolve around a lot more than partying and killing. There are normal people here who do normal things, and even some interesting people who don’t have to break the law to attract attention.

But for now, Miami must play to its strengths. And for better or for worse, America seems to love us for being nasty. Well, I guess I should look at the bright side; it probably helps keep the population down.

Editor’s Note: Originally published July 21, 2009. Updated in 2026 with new photography; Matt Meltzer’s original writing remains unchanged.