When I think of Bad Monkey, I immediately think of Florida. Honestly, the Florida Keys are a character in the quirky whodunnit that’s based on Carl Hiaasen’s novels. So, I’m thrilled that we’ll get to spend another season with Vince Vaughn’s Yancy solving crimes in this wild place. However, I’m upset that production is reportedly moving to Los Angeles for Season 2 rather than filming it all on location.
Apple TV+ Has Renewed Bad Monkey For A Second Season
A few months after Bad Monkey’s run on the 2024 TV schedule, Apple TV+ announced that it had been renewed for a second season. The show is a book-to-screen adaptation of Carl Hiaasen’s work, and according to Deadline, Season 2 will be an original story that isn’t based on one of the author’s books. However, it will be “influenced” by it.
In the announcement about the renewal of the great Apple TV+ series, the mystery comedy’s showrunner and executive producer Bill Lawrence said:
I hope that people know that Carl Hiaasen is an idol of mine and an inspiration for me as a write. To get to go on telling his story with Vince Vaughn and this great cast, at least the characters who are still alive, is very exciting. I’m very thankful to our partners at Apple TV+ and Warner Bros, as well as the entire team that helps bring this show to life.
Knowing how much Lawrence loves this project and witnessing how great Vince Vaughn and the ensemble cast were in it, I can’t wait to see the return of Andrew Yancy. However, there was one reported update about where they’ll film this season that makes me upset and worried.
However, Production Will Reportedly Move From Florida To LA, And I Don’t Love That
When I spoke with Bill Lawrence about Bad Monkey earlier this year, he told me that Hiaasen “wouldn’t really let” them make the show unless it was filmed in Florida, so that’s what they did. Ultimately, it led to some wild wildlife interactions and requirements that impacted the comedy, and it added a needed tropical feel to a project that made its location a character.
However, apparently, Season 2 will be moving from Miami and the Florida Keys to LA, according to a report from Deadline. This claim came from sources who spoke to the publication, and they alleged that “the move was important to Los Angeles-based Vaughn and the crew also faced a lot of weather-related challenges while filming Season 1.”
The report does clarify that they will do “pickup shoots” in Florida, so we can likely expect some of that tropical view and fun wildlife in the show. However, it feels like there will be a lot less of it, which upsets me.
I spoke to the cast of Bad Monkey about Florida playing a character in this show – with Zach Braff even telling me a story about a “man date” he went on with Rob Delaney that involved alligators – and it was clear that it had a big impact. I loved seeing Vaughn’s Yancy traverse around The Keys and the characters solving crimes on beaches. I also was a big fan of the deer, turtles and other wildlife that played a big part in the show. Overall, I think it's best when projects like this can be filmed on location, because it really adds a level of immersion that's hard to fully get on a set.
Logistically, I get why this move is happening. As the report stated, a bunch of the cast is based in LA, plus Bill Lawrence also has Season 3 of Shrinking, an HBO comedy with Steve Carell and a Scrubs reboot in the works. There's no doubt it’d be hard to uproot and move to Florida. I also assume it will be easier to film on sets there and pick up exteriors and such later.
However, I’m still upset about this move. One of the reasons why I love Bad Monkey so much was the unexpected and authentic energy it had because they literally filmed it in Florida. While I’m sure they’ll be able to maintain it, especially since they’ve established the characters and their surroundings, it’s still a bummer.
Don’t get it twisted though, I’ll still be tuned in to watch Season 2 with my Apple TV+ subscription whenever it comes out, and I’ll likely enjoy it too. I'll just miss that extra bit of Florida flair.
