Bad Monkey is now streaming on Apple TV+. (Image via Apple TV+) — Bad Monkey is now streaming on Apple TV+ (Image via Apple TV+)

Why there should be Bad Monkey season 2? Explained

Modified Oct 11, 2024 14:11 GMT

A Bill Lawrence creation, Apple TV+’s Bad Monkey stars Vince Vaughn, L. Scott Caldwell, and Rob Delaney. Season 1 of the dark comedy drama was released on August 14, 2024. Consisting of ten episodes, the series has opened to largely positive reviews and currently boasts a 7.4 rating on IMDb, and its official synopsis reads:

“A detective turned restaurant inspector in Southern Florida is pulled into a world of greed and corruption after a tourist finds a severed arm while fishing. And yes, there's a monkey.”

After an entertaining season 1 narrative that features some truly colorful characters, fans are already looking forward to a potential season 2. The same has been talked about by creator Bill Lawrence, who claimed they have planned for a 3-season arc.

However, the lack of an official confirmation of the same might irk fans, who have plenty of reasons to expect a speedy renewal.

Why Bad Monkey should get a second season, explored

There are plenty of reasons why Andrew Yancy and his group of friends deserve a season 2 renewal. The detective-turned-health inspector is forced into an elaborate mystery after he finds a severed arm in one of the restaurants he is seen visiting. The character then embarks on a hilarious, adventure-filled journey into the world of corruption, drugs, and gangs of South Florida.

At the end of the first season, Yancy is seen at peace, having been suspended from his duty. He also continues to have unresolved feelings for Dr. Rosa Campesino, played by Natalie Martinez. While the protagonist may have solved the case, his suspension and the lack of conclusion to his romantic arc suggest that season 2 should be in the works.

Furthermore, Bad Monkey creators already have source material in the form of Razor Girl - the second book in the series written by Carl Hiaasen. Hence, not only did the actual source material continue Andrew Yancy’s story, but its rights are also owned by Lawrence and company. The creator claimed the following during a recent interview, according to Screen Rant:

“Vince [Vaughn] and I went into this when we sold to Apple saying we’d love to do three. We have a three-season arc in our head, the next book, Razor Girl, we own it. And Carl [Hiaasen]’s such a good writer. I don’t think he’s — rarely if ever — written sequels to his novels where that character stayed alive."

Lawrence continued:

"So the only thing that makes me nervous is if we do three seasons, that means I have to make up one on my own. And Carl, he’s a high bar, man.”

Further, lead actor Vaughn himself has expressed excitement about taking up the character once again, in a potential Bad Monkey season 2, according to Variety:

“It’s definitely stuff that we’ve talked about participating in. And what I liked is that [“Bad Monkey”] works as a one-off but it could be fun to revisit the character and follow him on the next Carl book.”

The creator's intentions aside, fans have also been left wanting more, with multiple character arcs leaving plenty of scope to be explored in a potential season 2. Rose, for example, decided not to enter into a committed relationship with Yancy toward the end of season 1; something that can be further delved into in the coming season.

Finally, Bad Monkey is not merely a crime drama. It is a dark comedy interspersed with some genius performances. Rob Delaney has expertly portrayed the role of the villain, while Caldwell’s simple yet profound character of Ya-Ya, along with his monkey friend, has made an impact on the viewers. All this leads to the fact that this series is one of the few that may actually deserve a further installment.

Season 1 of Bad Monkey is now available to stream on Apple TV+.