Bad Monkey

While it's a little bit of a throwback to the '90s when shows overflowing with characters that eventually all come together were more prominent, it's also got a hip, modern tone. Do yourself a favor and check it out.

The “Swingers” star [Vince Vaughn] is a perfect match to play former Miami detective Andrew Yancy. .... “Bad Monkey” is indeed bananas, in the best ways possible.

“Bad Monkey” the TV series is a near-perfect realization of “Bad Monkey” the novel.

A vehicle tailor-made for its leading funnyman Vince Vaughn—and one of the year’s sunniest surprises.

The 10-episode crime dramedy, developed by Bill Lawrence (Ted Lasso), gives Vaughn a showcase to do what he does best — though with a gentler, more mature polish.

Vince Vaughn is in his element as a fast-talking detective in Apple TV+’s engagingly weird mystery comedy Bad Monkey.

A ridiculous but gripping, sun-soaked slice of crime comedy, Bad Monkey deserves to be your next murder-mystery binge-watch. With plenty of shock twists and turns, this show is no basic beach.

There’s a loosey-goosey quality to “Bad Monkey” that keeps the tone light, emphasizing the comedy even when it sits alongside more dramatic moments.

This is the Vince Vaughn–iest role the Dodgeball star has played in at least a decade, and it’s immensely satisfying to watch him joyfully reclaim his rascally side. But Yancy isn’t all wisecracks and witty banter.

What makes “Bad Monkey” special is that there is nothing special about it. It’s a little wayward at times, what with its huge cast of characters and myriad plot lines, some of which are, strictly speaking, unnecessary, but it gets the job done in a good old-fashioned colorful way.

Bad Monkey may not be perfect, but, much like its source material, it feels like the perfect kind of summer viewing material. With a charismatic cast and a mostly compelling mystery, this series is another overall win for both Lawrence and Apple TV+.

The narrative is elaborately plotted but not labyrinthine. The relationships all feel fresh—Yancy’s bond with his long-suffering ex-partner, Ro (John Ortiz), puts new blood in the cop-buddy convention—and the characters are unconventional, even if Yancy is an amalgamation of every Vince Vaughn role ever.

A low-key but non-stop-talking Vaughn turns out to be just the glue to hold everything together. .... I found myself drawn back to the characters, making this a series worth spending time with.

Vaughn is so good, the entire cast of characters (which also includes Scott Glenn as Yancy’s laid-back dad, and Alex Moffatt as a developer with what Yancy describes as ” the most punchable face I’ve ever seen not on a golf course”) so much fun, and the vibes so strong, that the mystery very quickly becomes besides the point. The season covers the entire book, but the last scene leaves the door open for more adventures of Andrew Yancy. By that point, you may, like me, feel eager to spend more time with this fast-talking man and his surreal little corner of the world.

“Bad Monkey” may err on the side of too much, but anything less wouldn’t be true Hiaasen — neither would anything quieter. Garrulous brilliance is what the author, and Vaughn, were made to blather.

It’s all zany, fun, and very far-fetched. Which is everything you could want from a summer potboiler.

Bad Monkey has a bit of a shaggy feel to it, with potential to fly off in a lot of different directions and a lot of characters to keep track of. But if anyone can keep a show like this on point, it’s Lawrence and his crew.

Undemanding but effective, offering all the distraction of a sunny day without the need to relinquish the AC. Lawrence surrounds his core ensemble with personalities — a douchebag real estate agent trying to offload a waterfront McMansion; a novelty T-shirt baron with potential ties to the Russian mob — who may not advance the central case, but help enhance the vibe.

The show never quite nails Hiaasen’s satirical edge, his very specific perspective on Florida’s grifters and interlopers, settling for soft mockery of corrupt institutions and the nouveau riche. It’s all surface, but when the surface is this pretty — white-sand beaches, sparkling blue water, condensation glistening on a cold beer — you may very well be happy to spend some time on it.

Vaughn's charming turn as detective-turned-health inspector Andrew Yancy means that Bad Monkey is entertaining even when its story slouches toward its conclusion. The ensemble also shines throughout, featuring standout performances from Meredith Hagner, Natalie Martinez, and Jodie Turner-Smith.

Florida is a strange, divisive place, but Bad Monkey, while not as propulsive as the book, gives it a mostly pleasant and palatable time in the sun.

The show largely works. But I would like it considerably more if someone other than Vaughn were in the central role. He doesn’t embody a specific character so much as play a version of his well-worn persona, delivering a glib, fast-talking patter but little else to suggest there’s a human being underneath all that bluster. He’s blank behind the eyes.

A few episodes in, Bad Monkey is becoming a tad overcomplicated for a tissue-thin mystery (this is 10 episodes long – seriously?). Still, it looks good (sun-soaked and sleazy) and Vaughn’s slouchy sangfroid keeps things rolling along.

It’s fun, it’s light, and it makes you want to go on holiday. Still, with Vince Vaughn and all that Apple clout, you might expect something just a touch more magical.

While this is true, the episodes sometimes drag, and “Bad Monkey” feels like proof that we need to bring back 30-minute comedies. Although it’s frustrating to watch at times and almost outstays its welcome, it’s clear that there is something special here. Unfortunately, it just takes too long to discover this spark.

The skinny, barely plausible story feels overstretched at 10 episodes and the energy ebbs away in a closing episode in which loose ends are not so much tied up as scrunched into a ball of paper and tossed into the nearest wastebasket. But as a character piece that serves up a snapshot of eccentric Florida life, Bad Monkey is a tale slips down as easily as a sundowner on a moonlit beach.

“Bad Monkey” suffers from oppressively awful narration and obvious plot twists. .... Still, “Bad Monkey” mostly plays as an easy-going crowd-pleaser. The supporting cast is extremely likable, from Hagner and Ortiz to Rob Delaney and Michelle Monaghan.

Overall, Lawrence’s series is overpacked with characters, storylines, and jokes it has no place for, desperately wanting to please any and every viewer who presses play. But in trying to capture everyone, it succeeds in truly capturing no one.

The lazy over-narration turns this into “Hiaassen for Dummies.” I’ve watched half of it, and for all the casting coups, local color and amusing banter, I can’t say I’ll finish it.

Unfortunately, the series is just as infatuated with its over-the-top protagonist—and as exhausting in its relentless quirk—as his [Bill Lawrence's] recent comedies. The best decision Lawrence and Tarses made in bringing Hiaasen’s book to the small screen was to cast Vaughn. .... Standout supporting performances by Jodie Turner-Smith, Rob Delaney, and Michelle Monaghan also go a long way toward mitigating the script’s silliness.