Bad Monkey

I'd thought this'd be junk and Apple has a tendency to stretch out shows double what they should be and end up being incredibly boring. That may happen here but so far there's zero indication of that. The first two episodes were incredibly well paced ( ignore the ADD Fast and Furious loving reviewers ), funny and incredibly entertaining. Vaughn is not always likable but he definitely is here. He's also aided by a good supporting cast; primarily Natalie ( the second sexiest Latina actress after Salma ). There are several good and nefarious characters to keep things interesting and the acting is top notch. The narrator ads some good subtext and humorous additions. My wife and I were chuckling throughout most of the episodes. Nice locations and since we live in Miami, several places we've been to. The two hours were over in an entertaining flash making the only drawback being we have to wait a week for the next episode. Great new show.

I love Carl Hiaasen's writing, particularly the Andrew Yancy novels. I'm also a fan of Bill Lawrence. To an extent. Scrubs could be grating, Ted Lasso meandered once he left, Shrinking is... I don't know.

But as far as the first two episodes go, they've nailed the tone of the book and the casting is really good. I never would've picked Vince Vaughn as Yancy, but he's perfect. The world weariness, the sardonic self loathing, it's all there.

You can tell that Lawrence is a huge Hiaasen fan and he's been thinking about this for a while. It's been a few years since I read the book but I like the additions that have been made to pad the story out. Again, I'm basing this off two episodes. I really hope this series is successful and we get a Razor Girl adaptation.

And I think the narration, sort of a lackadaisical Floridian version of Sam Elliot in Big Lebowski. It keeps things wry and offbeat. The only issue I have so far, and maybe just because I know the eventual outcome, is the big reveal in the book works because there isn't a visual element involved and you've been too distracted to think that hard about it. I would be surprised if most people didn't guess what's going on right away. But boy, what a fun beautiful time.

Great scenery. And island characters. Hoping the plot is told a little clearer. The narrator,although pleasant, isn't helping explain the plot. Like the mix of Miami vibe and laidback key west. A little monkey goes a long way. Hope there is more island and less monkey in future episodes. And hoping they'll be some stellar restaurants inspected along with the icky ones. The new house annoyance for the lead character is an enjoyable side plot. Anyone who has something added to their neighborhood that doesn't fit can relate. Hoping to see more of that in future episodes. And more of the stepdaughter character.

I am a huge fan of Carl Hiaasen's novels. This serialized version of Bad Monkey, which I reread not too long ago, is very well done. The few changes I noted in passing were logical and made the tv version better than it would have been. I would give the casting and photography high ratings. I'm not particularly a fan of Vince Vaughn, but I think he does well in this show. I like the narrator part, too.

I didn't see Natalie Martinez's name so it was great surprize to recognize her in this. I first saw her in a thing called "Under the Dome", not a very good series. Her performance in "Kingdom" was remarkable. She's good in this one, too.

I hope someone, Apple or not, takes some of Hiaasen's numerous other works for tv or cinema. "Strip Tease" was a pretty good movie as far as I recall. I'm usually not impressed with Apple's tv output, but this one hits the mark!

Someone decided to remake Fletch, and they actually did a pretty good job. It's a fun ride with a quirky mix of crime, comedy, and the bizarre that keeps you entertained from start to finish. Vince Vaughn nails the laid-back, wisecracking lead, and the Florida setting adds a nice touch of sun-soaked weirdness. It's not something I'd rush to rewatch, but it definitely makes for a solid night in front of the TV. And let's just say the voodoo lady might haunt your dreams in ways you didn't expect. Overall, it's a decent watch if you're in the mood for something offbeat and just a little twisted...