“My gut is telling me that there’s somebody who’s keeping an eye on me because of what I know, but I really don’t know what I know.”

Vince Vaughn delivers this line with the same blend of charm and wit that fans might recognize from his roles as Peter LaFleur, Jeremy Grey, or Trent Walker. However, this isn’t Dodgeball, Wedding Crashers, or Swingers. It’s Apple TV’s Bad Monkey, and Vaughn is playing Andrew Yancy, a disgraced Miami detective turned restaurant inspector. Yancy’s mundane job takes a dark turn when he fails to dispose of a severed arm, leading him into a bizarre murder mystery that involves gold-digging widows, real estate fraud, and even voodoo.

Bad Monkey is adapted from Carl Hiaasen’s 2013 bestseller of the same name. Hiaasen, known for his satirical crime novels set in Florida, sees his work brought to life by Bill Lawrence, the creator of Scrubs, Shrinking, and Ted Lasso. Lawrence is known for his unique ability to blend serious themes with lighthearted humor, creating a perfect balance between depth and levity making him a perfect fit to adapt Hiaasen.

The series premiered on August 14th, debuting the first two episodes of its ten-part run on Apple TV+, and has since transitioned to a weekly Wednesday release. The show quickly garnered attention from Hiaasen fans, Lawrence supporters, and Vince Vaughn enthusiasts eager to see him return to his charming, mischievous roots.

The series has been well-received by critics and audiences alike. It features notable performances by Rob Delaney, Michelle Monaghan, and Ana Villafañe in supporting roles. The plot is engaging and multifaceted, skillfully navigating between various characters with a centralized voiceover that helps keep track of the unfolding events. The humor is consistently present and balances the story's darker themes, some of which might be upsetting for the easily unsettled.

Bad Monkey will continue through the end of September, and if it maintains its current level of intrigue and humor, it will keep viewers entertained until they and Yancy both know what they really don’t know.