Is Vince Vaughn’s Apple TV+ Comedy the Best New Show on Streaming? (2024)

With a decorated and colorful career spanning 30 years, comedian and actor extraordinaire Vince Vaughn has dazzled the masses with his charismatic demeanor and rapid-fire wit, delivering unforgettable performances in uproarious farces like Swingers, Old School, Dodgeball, and Wedding Crashers. Though perhaps most celebrated for being one of Hollywood's most likable funny men, Vaughn has also flexed his dramatic acting chops and showcased his range in more serious films, including Hacksaw Ridge and Brawl in Cell Block 99.

While Vaughn has primarily stuck to the big screen, he has branched out and ventured into the world of television in recent years, notably appearing in popular shows such as True Detective, F is for Family, and Curb Your Enthusiasm, with the Apple TV+ black comedy Bad Monkey being the actor's latest TV project. The series has already garnered widespread acclaim from both fans and critics, with Vaughn's scene-stealing portrayal being singled out and praised by viewers. Let's take a closer look at Bad Monkey and check out why it's the best new show on streaming.

Bad Monkey

3.5/5

Comedy

Crime

Release Date

August 14, 2024

Seasons

1

Main Genre

Crime

Creator

Carl Hiaasen

Streaming Service(s)

Apple TV+

Read Our Review

What Is Bad Monkey About & Who Stars In It?

Based on the Carl Hiassen novel of the same name, the black dramedy Bad Monkey takes place in Southern Florida, where demoted detective-turned-restaurant inspector Andrew Yancy finds himself pulled back into the crime-solving game after a tourist stumbles upon a severed human arm and Yancy is tasked by the local authorities to transport the appendage up to Miami to be investigated by Dade County. When the Miami-Dade Police Department coroner tells Yancy there is not enough evidence to connect the arm to any ongoing, unsolved crimes, Yancy takes matters into his own hands to solve the perplexing case.

Vince Vaughn stars as the laid-back, loose-tongued Andrew Yancy, who decides to investigate the origins of the severed arm in hopes of getting his old detective job back, ultimately leading him to become swept up into the corruption and greed running rampant in Florida and the Bahamas and its profound effects on the environment and land. Vaughn is joined by stars like Natalie Martinez, a Miami medical examiner who assists Yancy on the case and is the motor-mouthed main character's love interest, as well as Michelle Monaghan, Rob Delaney, and Jodie Smith-Turner in the fun and entertaining series.

Bill Lawrence created the small screen adaptation of the popular novel, having previously been involved in the creation of beloved TV gems like Scrubs, Cougar Town, Ted Lasso, and Shrinking. Bad Monkey marks Vaughn's return to television after his dramatic turn in the second season of HBO's anthology crime series True Detective, in addition to his guest stint in the Larry David comedy juggernaut Curb Your Enthusiasm. Not only does Vaughn headline the black dramedy, but he also serves as a producer of the program, which made its sensational debut on August 14, 2014, to widespread praise.

Vince Vaughn Shows Off His Impressive Range

Known for his effortlessly cool demeanor, off-the-cuff humor, and wit, Vince Vaughn has steadily proven he is far more than just a Hollywood funnyman and has showcased his impressive range as a performer in recent years. Outside of his compelling work in True Detective, Vaughn has shown he can more than hold his own and deliver a dramatic portrayal, masterfully doing so in Oscar-winning war picture Hacksaw Ridge, neo-noir thriller Brawl in Cell Block 99, and taut crime film Dragged Across Concrete. Bad Monkey is just the movie star's latest project that reminds audiences how dynamic an actor Vaughn truly is.

Fans of the charismatic star may have forgotten that Vaughn actually began his career as a more serious actor, having starred in eclectic movies like Psycho, Return to Paradise, The Cell, and Domestic Disturbance, though his breakout role in the 1996 buddy comedy Swingers began to showcase his comedic chops. When Vaughn was cast in Todd Phillips' 2003 farce Old School alongside Luke Wilson and Will Ferrell, the studio wasn't convinced he could carry a comedy film (as he had not yet become known as a mainstream comedic performer). However, the box office success ultimately helped establish him as a member of the Hollywood "Frat Pack."

In Bad Monkey, Vaughn's signature charisma and magnetism are front-and-center, and he can brilliantly toe the line between silly and serious as his character, Yancy, becomes more deeply involved in the strange case involving a mysterious severed arm. Vaughn's winning performance is just one of the many reasons why the series is becoming a certified hit and reestablishing the actor as a bona fide leading man, and with just two episodes released, the fanfare is likely to only grow and gain momentum as the show reaches new audiences and becomes even more popular.

Critics and Audiences Can't Get Enough of Bad Monkey

After making its premiere on the streaming service Apple TV+ on August 14, 2024, fans and critics agree that Bad Monkey is television's most exciting and wildly entertaining new hit. Author Carl Hiassen is also equally thrilled that his very personal novel was adapted into a series instead of a movie, as previous big-screen adaptations of his works Strip Tease and Hoot failed to resonate with audiences and dominate the box office. Hiassen felt that Bad Monkey was in capable hands with producer and creator Bill Lawrence, telling CBS News upon the show's debut:

"If I was handed a novel like mine, with the subplots, I would have a really hard time adapting. The exciting thing about 'Bad Monkey' is that it's a series, and can do more backstory. You can do all kinds of things that you can't do in a feature film."

Critics are raving about Vaughn's powerhouse performance and the series' sleek and stylish pacing and visuals, with Bad Monkey's delightful blend of humor and dark crime charming viewers in addition to its gorgeous backdrop and savvy screenplay being lauded by the masses. In their glowing review of the knockout program, TV Line declared the adaptation a certified hit and wrote, "A sleazy, sweaty Florida noir with a cast full of colorful characters and a wickedly dark sense of humor, and it feels like it was tailor-made to play to Vaughn’s unique strengths as a tongue-in-cheek rascal of a leading man." In our own review, Greg Archer writes:

Bad Monkey currently holds an impressive 91% Rotten Tomatoes score and 78% audience score, and captivated viewers are brought along on a thrilling journey as Andrew Yancy attempts to get to the bottom of the career-saving case. With just two electrifying episodes under its belt and eight more to go, watching as more of Yancy's backstory is revealed and what other dark and sordid secrets he unearths while on his quest for the truth will be interesting. The series is perfect for fans of both true crime and comedy and its snappy dialogue, playful performances, and eccentric premise have all helped establish Bad Monkey as the small screen's most buzzed about new streaming hit. Stream Bad Monkey on Apple TV+.