"The Monkees" Rewatch: The Case of the Missing Monkee

“The Case of the Missing Monkee” begins with Professor Schniztler (one of America’s greatest scientists) concluding a speech at a banquet where the Monkees provide the entertainment. When Peter tells him how much he enjoyed the speech, the jittery professor gives Peter a note, “I am being taken to the Remington Clinic.” After Mike ignores Peter’s attempt to show him the note, Peter goes looking for the professor.  Once the others realize he’s disappeared Mike finally reads the note and the boys leave the gig to find Peter. Once the police and the clinic’s nurse are no help Mike, Davy, and Micky choose to break into the building and disguise themselves as patients in order to search for Peter and save the professor before the culprits smuggle him out of the country.

I have to say this is a good episode, but must admit that figuring out what to write about took a while. The episode is very funny, of course, but no big moment that stood out to focus on; instead quick lines of dialogue and visual gags that would just seem to piecemeal to write out. However, a couple ideas did eventually seem worth expanding on.

For some reason with this episode it really struck me how odd the Monkees’ gigs were in comparison what one might assume. Remember they’re meant to be teenagers (though Mike’s stated age is 21) and they’re a rock & roll band, yet they’re playing fancy balls, Italian restaurants, and banquets for famous scientists? Granted, they have gigs at the Vincent Van Gogh-Gogh as well as Valerie and Vanessa’s parties, which make sense as a club and parties for young people, respectively. Sure, whether in the show or out, the Monkees were never the most threatening rock act in terms of image (reality being far more complex, of course), it just seems weird considering the “long-haired weirdos” attitude the band gets from many older folks on the show.

Something else that stuck out to me from “The Case of the Missing Monkee” is Peter’s line, “Why am I always the one to play dumb? Why can’t I play smart once in a while?” I think that’s a fair question. Now, of course, I realize that the real answer lies in sitcom characters needing to fit into certain archetypes and every show “needs” a designated doofus, like Rose Nylund from The Golden Girls. But why? And why should Peter specifically be singled out as such, considering that up until this point the others have definitely had their own moments of stupidity? (Like, Davy in “Too Many Girls” and Mike and Micky in “Dance, Monkee, Dance.”) I don’t have any answers, unfortunately, but as the series goes on and Monkees output becomes more meta “Peter the Dummy” becomes a frequent topic of discussion.