The partnership between Bill Lawrence and Apple TV+ has been incredibly fruitful. The comedy creator has worked with Apple on two great shows, Ted Lasso and Shrinking, which both turned out to be critical and commercial hits for the streaming service. Now, the two have paired up yet again for Bad Monkey, which naturally has many wondering whether this show, which stars Vince Vaughn, will be as successful as Lawrence’s first two for Apple.
What is Bad Monkey about?
The show is based on Carl Hiaasen’s 2013 novel of the same name and stars Vaughn as a Florida health inspector who used to work for the Miami Police Department. When he uncovers a mystery involving a human arm caught in a fishing net, he sees a path to getting back on the force.
“He just needs to get past a trove of Floridian oddballs and one bad monkey,” according to the official description.
The show will debut on Aug. 14 and run for 10 episodes. It co-stars Rob Delaney, Michelle Monaghan, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Zach Braff, as well as Lawrence’s daughter, Charlotte, who is making her TV debut.
The early returns on the show have been positive from critics, suggesting that Vaughn is perfectly cast as a motor-mouthed cynic always looking for his next advantage. Whether that critical success ultimately translates to viewership remains to be seen, but Lawrence has a strong track record of past success to draw upon and may have a better relationship with Apple than any other creator working with them.
