Bad Monkey

Set in sunlit Southern Florida, Bad Monkey follows Andrew Yancy, a former detective turned restaurant inspector who believes his days of danger are behind him. His routine health checks and petty enforcement duties take a surprising turn when a casual fishing trip by a tourist uncovers a severed arm floating near the dock. The discovery drags Yancy into a web of greed, political shadiness, and deadly secrets that churn beneath the surface of tourist towns and upscale eateries. Complications mount as money and power collide, and Yancy finds himself navigating a maze of corrupt players, reluctant allies, and the unpredictable chaos that only a meddling primate can amplify. The case pulls him toward a line he never wanted to cross, for better or worse.

Bad Monkey arrived in 2024 as a television series created by Bill Lawrence and Carl Hiaasen, adapting Hiaasen’s novel Bad Monkey for the screen. Vince Vaughn headlines as Andrew Yancy, with L Scott Caldwell, Rob Delaney, Meredith Hagner, and Natalie Martinez in supporting roles.

Critics have framed the mix of crime and comedy as light but sharp, leaning on a Florida texture that blends satire with fast paced capers. The show probes greed, bureaucratic corruption, and loyalty, while balancing character wit with screwball situations that keep the tone breezy even as the stakes rise.

For viewers familiar with Hiaasen's Florida satire, Bad Monkey offers a familiar flavor of sunlit crime, municipal quirks, and a sharp eye for greed. The monkey gag punctuates the episodes with offbeat energy, giving the show a distinctive, if uneven, rhythm.

As of its release, Bad Monkey has not been nominated for major awards. The conversation around the show centers on Vaughn's performance and the Florida setting, with critics noting its breezy pace and comic timing rather than award buzz right now.