The Monkees "Royal Flush" #1.1 (1966) (TV)

The beginning of The Monkees, 5 August 2015

The first episode of The Monkees, Royal Flush, is about what you'd expect if you've seen the series. Davy saves a young woman on the beach, finds out she a princess, discovers her uncle is trying to kill her so he can become king, and The Monkees set out to save the day. It's pretty basic - this isn't rocket science. 

Actually, I'm shocked - I don't remember The Monkees having this much plot - regardless of how silly it is. A few of the gags work very well. My favorite has to be the wool cap bit. Funny stuff. The supporting cast is surprisingly good with Theodore Marcuse (he played a baddie in just about everything in the 60s), Katherine Walsh (whose life was tragically cut short three years after this episode), and Vincent Beck (of Santa Claus vs the Martians fame). The biggest negative was the sword fight near the end of the episode. It's poorly done and runs too long. 

Favorite song in Royal Flush - Take A Giant Step.

6/10