“I’m in a Bit of a Jam Here”

I’m not usually a fan of actor Vince Vaughn. I was appalled by long-ago rumors that he’d assume the role of Hawaii private eye Thomas Magnum in a film version of CBS-TV’s Magnum, P.I. And talk of him replacing James Garner in a movie based on NBC’s The Rockford Files absolutely turned my stomach. To me, Vaughn is synonymous with the big dumb dope roles he’s played in too many cinematic comedies.



That persona, though, seems to fit perfectly with the character of former Florida police detective Andrew Yancy, the protagonist in Bad Monkey, an upcoming 10-part Apple TV+ series based on Carl Hiaasen’s 2013 novel of that same name. As with most Hiassen tales, Bad Monkey is a crazy salad of weirdoes and comic escapades. Yancy has been suspended for assaulting the husband of his lover, Bonnie Witt, and is assigned to work as a health inspector for the state’s Department of Hotels and Restaurants. But, explains Wikipedia, “a severed arm found by a tourist pulls Yancy into the world of greed and corruption that decimates the land and environment in both Florida and the Bahamas.” For much of the series, Vaughn plays a big dumb dope ambling through a sea troubles largely beyond his comprehension.

Aiding him in his investigations, or else abetting his sun-addled shenanigans in this show are performers Michelle Monaghan, John Ortiz, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Natalie Martinez (formerly of Detroit 1-8-7), who plays a major role as Miami medical examiner Rosa Campesino. Bad Money was developed by Bill Lawrence, known for his work on Ted Lasso, Cougar Town, Scrubs, Spin City, and other small-screen series. As I hope is clear from the video clip above, Bad Monkey—set to begin on Wednesday, August 14—looks like great escapist fun.