"The Monkees" (1966) TV series 1966-1968

Writers:

Dee Caruso (writer) (21 episodes)
Gerald Gardner (writer) (21 episodes)

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

12 September 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Music

Plot:

The misadventures of a struggling rock band.

Plot Keywords:

The Monkees | Famous Opening Theme | Unemployment | Struggling Music Group | Actor Playing Himself

Awards:

Won 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Davy Jones	...	Davy / ... (58 episodes, 1966-1968)
Micky Dolenz	...	Micky / ... (58 episodes, 1966-1968)
Peter Tork	...	Peter / ... (58 episodes, 1966-1968)
Michael Nesmith	...	Mike / ... (57 episodes, 1966-1968)

Runtime:

30 min (58 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Columbia/Sunset Gower Studios - 1438 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

National Broadcasting Company (NBC)

Trivia:

After the first season ended, Davy Jones disappeared from the public eye for several weeks, while a series of morbid rumors about his health made the rounds. The truth was that Jones had received a draft notice, and subsequently fasted for three weeks in order to fail the physical. It worked.

Goofs:

Continuity: In a number of second-season episodes, Micky's hairstyle changes back and forth from a straight hairdo to a curly "permed" look. This was due to the fact that second-season episodes were filmed at two different times, the spring of 1967 (when a number of the actual episode storylines were filmed) and then later that fall (during which time all the song performances were filmed). During the summer break, Micky let his hair grow out. The difference is perhaps most notable in the episode "It's a Nice Place to Visit," when at one moment Micky is performing a song with his hair curled, and is then seen leaving the stage with his hair straight.

Quotes:

Mike: Ooh! So, uh... That's, uh... That's what
[bleeped]
Mike: is all about.
Davy: Yeah.
[bleeped]
Davy: It's pretty scary.
Micky: You know what's even more scary?
Peter: What?
Micky: You can't say
[bleeped]
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Wild World of Batwoman (#6.15)" (1993)

Soundtrack:

Take A Giant Step

Pivotal Series In TV & Pop Music History

The Monkees may have been created as a Beatles-of-America series, but like The Fab Four the show and the group within had a pivotal role in pop music history. While the concept of quick-edit rock music pieces began with A Hard Days Night and its sequels, it was The Monkees that really fleshed out the concept that today is known as the music video.

The power of television proved itself with Monkee-mania, and seeing the series and listening to the records four decades after their debut reveals how fresh and engaging both still are. The sit-com concept was basically parodied, and the free-wheeling styles of Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, and David Jones made the parodies all the more cutting and funny. There is a magnetism to Micky, Mike, Peter, and Davy that still shows in the show and the music; the use of session hipsters in the backing tracks certainly created a strong baseline at the beginning, but in concert with session help or all on their own (in the album Headquarters and the songs from which the show made use), it was Micky, Mike, Peter, and Davy who gave the music a stamp that was undeniably theirs.

The same is true of the show - other singers have shown engaging humor (Alison Krauss is one of the funniest), but none show the magnetic zaniness of The Monkees (if anything, Ms. Krauss' sense of humor is more like Mike Nesmith's than anything).

This is why the show and the group will always endure.