Johnson had been making $30,000-35,000 per episode for his role as James "Sonny" Crockett during Vice's first two seasons. With the show a massive hit after the second season, Johnson felt he deserved a pay rise that better reflected the huge success the series had become (the highest-paid television actor at the time, Tom Selleck, was making $250,000 per episode on Magnum P.I.). Universal offered to increase Johnson's pay to $38,500 an episode, but he turned this figure down, reportedly pushing for a wage of up to $100,000 per episode. When this was declined, he walked off the set and refused to return to the production unless he received a level of pay that he deemed more befitting of the show's popularity.