The Monkees: A Nice Place to Visit

The Monkees: A Nice Place to Visit
NBC
September 11, 1967
Sitcom, Musical
DVD
C+

It's hard to know how to take this series, and I say that as someone who was born while it was on the air and who grew up watching it in syndication.  I haven't watched the series in decades, but I still know most of the lyrics to the theme song and I could certainly tell you who my favorite Monkee was (Mike of course).  The first season was checked out, so I can't tell you if it is such an unexpected paradox-- youth rebellion sponsored by Kellogg's, corny slapstick and sound effects and only the smidgen of a plot, with moments like Davy's bandmates providing a running commentary on his tendency to fall in love at first sight.  I can't even decide if this episode is racist, because those are clearly movie-Mexicans, not real Mexicans.  In fact, is this fair to describe this as the first Unreality Show?  I don't think we're supposed to take any of it seriously. I was mildly entertained in any case.  And, yes, recent RIP to Peter Tork.

David Pearl had various uncredited roles on the series, here as a Townsperson.  This is the fifth of six Monkees scripts by Treva Silverman, still three years away from The Mary Tyler Moore Show.  James Frawley directed 27 other episodes.