Ran across the series being re-run on AXS TV recently, so decided to take a stroll down Memory Lane, having watched the series when I was a little kid (I was in love with Davy Jones when I was seven...). Watching this as an adult was interesting because of all the stuff that I probably wouldn't have noticed (or even registered, assuming I had seen this one at all), what with the effective screen pop-ups (at one point during the sword fight, Davy is thinking "This always worked for Errol Flynn" or some such. Fun sword fight between Jones and the villain, with cuts at various points of some couple falling in love while shoving food in their faces. So, Shakespeare or Ibsen it's not, but was a good way to blow 20 minutes (fast forwarding over the commercials -- sorry advertisers) on a holiday weekend. We'll see how many of the rest of the episodes I can sit through before going "I can't take this drivel anymore!"
4 Reviews
Goofy Fairytale
survivorofakuze28 October 2013
Warning: Spoilers
(Spoilers)
This little story is basically a sort of goofy fairy tale; the guys even read a fairy tale to an antagonist goon at one point to distract him. (Alternately it could be seen as one of those silly unrealistic spy stories, but it's really more (goofy) regal than quasi-military.)
The story starts with that short yet dashing Englishman Davy Jones saving a girl from drowning, who turns out to be a princess-- so that gives you a feel for the mood of it, I guess. (Micky later finds a newspaper article on the princess so that Jones and the guys can find the hotel where she's staying.) Yeah, so then they have to save the girl from her uncle and legal guardian, who is a little nefarious (as well as his hired goon). There was a lot of humorous delaying/distracting going on (that type of humor) with Micky, Peter and Michael pretending to be "throne salesmen" while Davy ran around with the girl. (Peter, by contrast, at one point got cast as the human footstool ("carved in the form of a servile flatterer") for the evil archduke.)
There's a lot of goofy humor, for example puns/play on words-- at one point Michael promises the cleaning lady a tip, and proceeds to give her one: to buy international steel.
There were a couple good songs, (not especially plot-appropriate, but whatever), "This just doesn't seem to be my day", and, (probably the better of the two), "Take a giant step"-- "take a giant step outside your mind....".... also, Davy gets to have one of those corny sword fights with the evil bastard, so that's something.
Basically, the good points are that it's good-humored, not the sort of thing that tries to scare you or any of that dross, and that it really doesn't take itself too seriously. (There's even this breaking-the-fourth-wall interview at the end where Michael has this nice little quip.) I actually wish that everyone took themselves as seriously as the Monkees, because that would be a better world, for sure.
I almost gave it a slightly higher rating, but I didn't rate it too highly only because it's not really a big deal or anything.
(7/10)
This little story is basically a sort of goofy fairy tale; the guys even read a fairy tale to an antagonist goon at one point to distract him. (Alternately it could be seen as one of those silly unrealistic spy stories, but it's really more (goofy) regal than quasi-military.)
The story starts with that short yet dashing Englishman Davy Jones saving a girl from drowning, who turns out to be a princess-- so that gives you a feel for the mood of it, I guess. (Micky later finds a newspaper article on the princess so that Jones and the guys can find the hotel where she's staying.) Yeah, so then they have to save the girl from her uncle and legal guardian, who is a little nefarious (as well as his hired goon). There was a lot of humorous delaying/distracting going on (that type of humor) with Micky, Peter and Michael pretending to be "throne salesmen" while Davy ran around with the girl. (Peter, by contrast, at one point got cast as the human footstool ("carved in the form of a servile flatterer") for the evil archduke.)
There's a lot of goofy humor, for example puns/play on words-- at one point Michael promises the cleaning lady a tip, and proceeds to give her one: to buy international steel.
There were a couple good songs, (not especially plot-appropriate, but whatever), "This just doesn't seem to be my day", and, (probably the better of the two), "Take a giant step"-- "take a giant step outside your mind....".... also, Davy gets to have one of those corny sword fights with the evil bastard, so that's something.
Basically, the good points are that it's good-humored, not the sort of thing that tries to scare you or any of that dross, and that it really doesn't take itself too seriously. (There's even this breaking-the-fourth-wall interview at the end where Michael has this nice little quip.) I actually wish that everyone took themselves as seriously as the Monkees, because that would be a better world, for sure.
I almost gave it a slightly higher rating, but I didn't rate it too highly only because it's not really a big deal or anything.
(7/10)
The beginning of The Monkees
bensonmum25 August 2015
Warning: Spoilers
The first episode of The Monkees, Royal Flush, is about what you'd expect if you've seen the series. Davy saves a young woman on the beach, finds out she a princess, discovers her uncle is trying to kill her so he can become king, and The Monkees set out to save the day. It's pretty basic - this isn't rocket science.
Actually, I'm shocked - I don't remember The Monkees having this much plot - regardless of how silly it is. A few of the gags work very well. My favorite has to be the wool cap bit. Funny stuff. The supporting cast is surprisingly good with Theodore Marcuse (he played a baddie in just about everything in the 60s), Katherine Walsh (whose life was tragically cut short three years after this episode), and Vincent Beck (of Santa Claus vs the Martians fame). The biggest negative was the sword fight near the end of the episode. It's poorly done and runs too long.
Favorite song in Royal Flush - Take A Giant Step.
Actually, I'm shocked - I don't remember The Monkees having this much plot - regardless of how silly it is. A few of the gags work very well. My favorite has to be the wool cap bit. Funny stuff. The supporting cast is surprisingly good with Theodore Marcuse (he played a baddie in just about everything in the 60s), Katherine Walsh (whose life was tragically cut short three years after this episode), and Vincent Beck (of Santa Claus vs the Martians fame). The biggest negative was the sword fight near the end of the episode. It's poorly done and runs too long.
Favorite song in Royal Flush - Take A Giant Step.
The debut episode- Sept 12 1966
kevinolzak4 December 2013
Of the 13 episodes in the can prior to the Sept 12 premiere, "Royal Flush" was chosen for the debut, no doubt to capitalize on the growing fan base of Davy Jones, who had already released the Colpix LP "David Jones" in 1965 (Colgems merged the now defunct Colpix with Screen Gems). Third in production (June 7-10), second since the pilot was picked up, and very similar to the pilot, Davy helping out a girl in trouble, the twist being that Bettina (Katherine Walsh) is a foreign princess, whose archduke uncle Otto (Theo Marcuse) seeks to usurp the throne for himself. The laughs just aren't that frequent, though Vincent Beck's henchman Sigmund remains consistently amusing. Apart from teen idol Davy, the other Monkees aren't allowed much to do, but Michael Nesmith quickly establishes himself as droll and laconic, Micky Dolenz the versatile clown, and Peter Tork the Harpo-inspired, smiling sad sack with a warmth that was never in doubt. Sad to say, the principal actors were destined to die tragically within four years of this broadcast: Theo Marcuse, very busy character villain (THRILLER, BATMAN, STAR TREK), was killed in a car crash in Nov 1967, while pretty Katherine Walsh was murdered in London in Oct 1970, an apparently unsolved homicide. Ceil Cabot steals her scenes as the chambermaid, and returned in "Success Story." The very first song heard on the series (not counting the regular theme) is at least sung by Davy, "This Just Doesn't Seem to Be My Day" (recorded July 5), composed by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, followed by Micky's "Take a Giant Step" (recorded July 9), B-side to the debut single "Last Train to Clarksville" (issued Aug 16, a full month before), composed by the husband and wife team Gerry Goffin and Carole King. Both tracks featured on the debut LP THE MONKEES, produced by Boyce and Hart, but not released until Oct 10.
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