It's been more than 20 years since I first became a fan of the Monkees TV show. At that time, the late Eighties, the program was already twenty years old, which seemed like an eternity to me at the time. Nowadays the opposite applies as I find myself amazed at how young the four guys were at the time (in their early twenties). Also, I really didn't get some of the more 'far out' episodes that graced the second season the first time I saw them, but by the second or third viewing these psychedelic episodes had become some of my all time favorites. Although this Christmas show isn't particularly trippy, there are a few instances in which the Monkees attempt to break some Television barriers of the Sixties, but more on that in the third paragraph.
The Monkees are hired to babysit rich kid Melvin Vandersnoot (played by the one and only original Eddie Munster) and are set to earn a hundred bucks a piece for ten days. Mickey, Peter, Davy and Mike take the boy home and begin acting even more like big children than usual, only to find little Melvin (who is almost as big as Davy) unwilling to have fun. The four guys do their best to teach him the meaning of Christmas, only to be shocked when he replies with a 'Humbug'. Even though he is smart as a computer, the poor kid is unable to smile. The Monkees are also forced to spend all of their 400 dollars on damage repair and doctors bills owing to the predicaments they get themselves in.
When a disillusioned Melvin goes home to the empty Vandersnoot mansion, it finally hits Mike what they've been doing wrong: they haven't shown the boy any love and caring. So Mick and Dave dress up as Santa and an Elf while Petey and Mike bring over their Christmas tree to Melvin's home. When all four burst out in 'Deck the Halls', Santa and his little helper hilariously put extra emphasis on the word 'gay' (as in gay and merry). Later on Davy refers to somebody as a 'poof' (this probably got past the censors because they didn't know what he was talking about) and earlier in the show, Melvin says 'Dickens' in such a derogative manner aimed at the Monkees that it almost sounds like he's calling them dick heads instead.
Apart from the carol mentioned in the last paragraph, there is a distinct lack of musical numbers during the bulk of the episode. Even in the most obvious spot, a fantasy sequence that shows Melvin wishing he was able to have fun, background compost Stu Phillips offers up a montage of Christmas standards. However, as soon as the main story is resolved, we are treated to a rare a Capella performance by the prefab four of a traditional 16th century Spanish Christmas carol called Riu Chiu. The guys give one of their most impressive vocal performances on this number, with Micky tackling the hardest parts (and the most lyrics) as usual. Note the big smile on Peter Torks face during this song, as more than any other Monkey, he just wanted to make music in a group.
But the most touching sequence is yet to come: instead of a closing 'here-we-go-again-tag' before the end credits, the Monkees take the time to pull the entire backstage crew in front of the cameras as part of their Christmas wish. They keep on going even as the credits begin to roll, and the screen fills up with unfamiliar face laughing, smiling and shouting Christmas cheers while the Monkees try to introduce each one of them by name. This charming surprise always stayed with me over the years whenever Christmas comes around.
9 out of 10
The Monkees are hired to babysit rich kid Melvin Vandersnoot (played by the one and only original Eddie Munster) and are set to earn a hundred bucks a piece for ten days. Mickey, Peter, Davy and Mike take the boy home and begin acting even more like big children than usual, only to find little Melvin (who is almost as big as Davy) unwilling to have fun. The four guys do their best to teach him the meaning of Christmas, only to be shocked when he replies with a 'Humbug'. Even though he is smart as a computer, the poor kid is unable to smile. The Monkees are also forced to spend all of their 400 dollars on damage repair and doctors bills owing to the predicaments they get themselves in.
When a disillusioned Melvin goes home to the empty Vandersnoot mansion, it finally hits Mike what they've been doing wrong: they haven't shown the boy any love and caring. So Mick and Dave dress up as Santa and an Elf while Petey and Mike bring over their Christmas tree to Melvin's home. When all four burst out in 'Deck the Halls', Santa and his little helper hilariously put extra emphasis on the word 'gay' (as in gay and merry). Later on Davy refers to somebody as a 'poof' (this probably got past the censors because they didn't know what he was talking about) and earlier in the show, Melvin says 'Dickens' in such a derogative manner aimed at the Monkees that it almost sounds like he's calling them dick heads instead.
Apart from the carol mentioned in the last paragraph, there is a distinct lack of musical numbers during the bulk of the episode. Even in the most obvious spot, a fantasy sequence that shows Melvin wishing he was able to have fun, background compost Stu Phillips offers up a montage of Christmas standards. However, as soon as the main story is resolved, we are treated to a rare a Capella performance by the prefab four of a traditional 16th century Spanish Christmas carol called Riu Chiu. The guys give one of their most impressive vocal performances on this number, with Micky tackling the hardest parts (and the most lyrics) as usual. Note the big smile on Peter Torks face during this song, as more than any other Monkey, he just wanted to make music in a group.
But the most touching sequence is yet to come: instead of a closing 'here-we-go-again-tag' before the end credits, the Monkees take the time to pull the entire backstage crew in front of the cameras as part of their Christmas wish. They keep on going even as the credits begin to roll, and the screen fills up with unfamiliar face laughing, smiling and shouting Christmas cheers while the Monkees try to introduce each one of them by name. This charming surprise always stayed with me over the years whenever Christmas comes around.
9 out of 10
