Everyone would stagger in to our halls' common room still half cut and we'd watch late night music shows, Cinemattractions, weak sitcoms like Herman's Head/Flying Blind and the macabre sci-fi War of the Worlds. But Tropical Heat was by far our favourite, not least because of the array of gorgeous women who would weekly flock around our beloved beachcomber/private eye hero Nick Slaughter (Who is the bikini girl in the opening titles,? Her body is just FABULOUS!). That said I always had a thing for Carolyn Dunn too although I liked her better with straight hair (sadly she seems to have given up acting as of 2009 to become a businesswoman in alternative medicine whilst Rob Stewart and Ian Tracey never seem to have been off TV in the last decade).
Never could figure out how Nick was in both the DEA and the Mounties, did he have dual nationality through his parents or something? Also hilarious how the show was supposedly set in the Florida Keys yet was clearly filmed in Mexico/Israel/South Africa, hence why Nick always flew El Al and there were mountains in the background which are sorely lacking on the Gold Coast?
Watching the documentary 'Nick Slaughter for President' made me revisit the series, that this lightweight TV show could inspire resistance to the dictatorship in war torn Serbia is just too hilarious for words (a similar occurrence to Kojak being hugely popular in communist Poland because even the gritty crime ridden New York it depicted seemed aspirational to those trapped behind the Iron Curtain).
Interesting to see Traci Lords on this show in what must have been her first post-porn role. Also The Avengers' Linda Thorson and The Magnificent 7's/Dirty Dozen's Clint Walker appearing in one ep as does Kenny Everett's buxom comedy foil Cleo Rocos. For my money I far preferred Spider in seasons 2-3 than Ian from season 1, equally Gregory was by far my favourite Key Maria cop. Adding recurring comedy relief such as the over-eager rookie officer and quirky coroner was welcome but the show had largely run its' course by season 3 and probably ended at the right time.
Plus of course the theme music was infectiously brilliant!
What happened to Nick and Sylvie? I think she eventually got married to Rollie the coroner, bought Nick out and expanded the business, he used the money to buy a half share in the bar and spent his autumn years seducing daddy's girls and playing beloved godparent/Uncle Nick to her kids. Because it would have ruined the legend if Nick Slaughter ever had to grow up.
So if you want an undemanding combination of Miami Vice and Magnum PI this show is for you.
Review of Sweating Bullets
Sweating Bullets
(1991–1993)
The perfect post pub entertainment when I was at university
24 February 2020