On August 14, 2024, Apple TV+ released 'Bad Monkey', which has received rave reviews from critics, currently holding at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. In the drama, a former detective investigates the discovery of a human arm discovered by a tourist. The ensemble cast includes Vince Vaughn, L. Scott Caldwell, Rob Delaney, Alex Moffat, Zach Braff, and Meredith Hagner. But what did the critics say?
Bill Goodykoontz of Arizona Republic notes, "There’s a lot of coincidence and dumb luck, both good and bad. The plot is sketchy and probably wouldn’t hold up to heavy scrutiny. But... A low-key but non-stop-talking Vaughn turns out to be just the glue to hold everything together."
Nick Schager of The Daily Beast praises the series, stating, "Just be patient” might be the most dreaded phrase in streaming television, so when a narrator—scruffy fisherman Captain Fitzpatrick (Tom Nowicki)—utters it at the outset of Bad Monkey, it’s reasonable to get nervous. Fortunately, there’s no cause for alarm, as Bill Lawrence’s Apple TV+ adaptation of Carl Hiaasen’s 2013 bestseller hits the ground running and maintains its jaunty pace for the entirety of its 10 episodes. A breezy and amusing Florida detective yarn that has personality to spare and never overstays its welcome, it’s a vehicle tailor-made for its leading funnyman Vince Vaughn—and one of the year’s sunniest surprises." Continuing, "Showrunner Lawrence (Scrubs, Ted Lasso) faithfully captures the loopiness and lethality of Hiaasen’s many characters, and by employing dry, meta narration that jokily comments on the action while simultaneously deepening one’s understanding of these figures’ interior lives, he lends the proceedings a novelistic quality. Rather than a hand-holding device, Fitzpatrick’s running commentary—reminiscent of Sam Elliot’s voiceover from The Big Lebowski—is key to the material’s comical spirit."
Pat Stacey of Irish Independent writes, "Bad Monkey breezes along entertainingly, anchored by the performance of an ideally cast Vaughn in terrific form."
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| Photo by Sean Oulashin on Unsplash |
Abe Friedtanzer of Awards Buzz says, "The ensemble is richly populated by fantastic actors who play superbly opposite Vaughn and in entirely separate storylines. John Ortiz serves as a fun punching bag for Yancy as his ex-partner Rogelio, and Monaghan is an alluring question mark whose minor appearances are memorable. Martinez and Vaughn have great chemistry and are an entertaining duo, and Search Party and Joy Ride veteran Hagner is expertly cast as a woman who loves to play dumb but is far more aware of what she’s doing than she lets on. Peet, Turner-Smith, and L. Scott Caldwell populate a portion of the storyline that feels entirely separate but just as interesting. Lawrence also casts his daughter Charlotte and Scrubs star Zach Braff in small roles that fit them very well." Adding, "This is the latest Apple TV+ endeavor from creator Bill Lawrence, who has rightfully earned critical acclaim for Ted Lasso and Shrinking. This series adds an element of crime that hasn’t been present in either of those shows, which mixes marvelously with the comedy inherent in its character interactions. It’s reminiscent of series like Burn Notice and The Glades, but with a distinct tone set by Vaughn. After watching the comedian whose defining successes include Swingers and Wedding Crashers improvise opposite Larry David throughout the last three of seasons of Curb Your Enthusiasm, it’s nice to see Vaughn return to a more natural habitat that allows him to make excellent use of his comedic talents."
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