It’s A Nice Place To Visit

Written by Treva Silverman

Directed by James Frawley

Produced by Robert Rafelson&Bert Schneider

Song: "Hangin' Round" by Michael Murphy

Guest Appearances

Angelita                               Cynthia Hull

Pedro                               Nacho Galindo

                                      El Diablo                           Peter Whitney

                                      Jose                                  Nate Esformes

                                      Lupe                               Pedro Gonzales 

                                      Bandit                            Arthur Ambrosio

Premiered on September 11, 1967

Summary

The Monkees’ Monkeemobile breaks down in the middle of a Mexican town, El Monotono.  As Lupe', the mechanic is looking it over, the guys enter Pedro's Cafe.  While ordering, Davy becomes smitten with the pretty waitress Angelita but her father Pedro insists Davy mustn't see Angelita and that they must leave town immediately.  He's backed up by Jose', a bandit  since she's the girl of El Diablo aka The Bandit Without a Heart  as Jose scares the Monkees off by throwing a knife at their table.

Davy tries to go back in the cafe to see Angelita but the sight of Jose' with the knife scares them all back to their car.  Lupe' tells them that they need a new motor and charges them $14.95.  To earn the money, the guys perform at Pedro's cafe singing "Hangin' Round".  After Pedro pays them, they all plan to head out until Davy spots Angelita again and insists on saying goodbye.  He bids her farewell as Angelita explains that she doesn’t want to be El Diablo’s woman but in her town one doesn’t have a choice.  Soon she and Davy are locked in a kiss just as a man storms in announcing that El Diablo and his bandits are on their way causing the people to all run in fear.  El Diablo and is crew barge in causing a raucous with their shooting and witnesses Davy and Angelita still engaged in their goodbye kiss.  He begins tormenting Davy by shoot-ing at his feet to make him dance then forces him at gunpoint to beg for his life on his hands and knees as the other guys join in.  As he bashes him to Angelita, she still declares her love for him anyway and starts displaying affection for him enraging the bandit who then has his men drag Davy off to their camp.  The other guys attempt to intervene but their fear of El Diablo makes them back off quickly.

Micky tries to get help from the townsfolk by making a moving speech about standing up for themselves but it backfires when he insists they go to El Diablo’s camp and confront the bandits.  Then they decide to disguise themselves as Mexican bandits all drabbed with fake moustaches and after paying Lupe’ for the repairs to the Monkeemobile, they set to rescue Davy.  While Davy is tied to a tree and guarded by one of El Diablo’s men, the trio barge into the camp with guns but the bandits aren’t stirred up by their pretense. When the guys lower their guns, the bandits surround them at gunpoint and take them to El Diablo in his tent.  There, they present themselves as El Dolenzio(the bandit without a soul), El Nesminto( the bandit without a conscience) and El Torko(the bandit without a nickname) and claim they want join up with him.  Not impressed, the bandit has them past some tests first and warns them of the consequences if they fail.  First there’s the test of strength and which El Diablo and Mike arm wrestle and Mike wins by inadvertently knocking him out with wood.  Next, the test of skill and determination with him and Peter playing cards(Go Fish), smoking cigars and Peter's the winner.  Then the test of bravery where the bandit and Micky engage in combat by holding on to the end of a small rope while trying to knife each other and Micky wins by cutting the rope send-ing the bandits sprawling.  Later having past each test, they celebrate with the bandits by drinking booze but the guys actually spill their drinks on the ground.  While the ban-dits get drunk, Mike sends Peter off to find Davy.  When El Diablo questions Peter's departure, Mike covers by saying he’s going out for some fresh air, meaning to throw up from the booze. 

When Peter arrives, he tries unsuccessfully to get the guard to leave for the party who doesn’t understand English until Peter says the word booze.  At first, Davy is fearful not recognizing Peter then he tries to get Peter to untie him with no success since Davy is tied in a square knot.  Meanwhile back at the party, Micky gets caught up in the celebration as he dances on the table and Mike has to persuade him to leave with him to find the others.  Using the same excuse for Peter’s departure, they head off.  When they do arrive to where Davy and Peter are, Peter is still trying to untie Davy and Micky manages to do it easily.  Then they jump into the Monkeemobile planning to drive off but are stopped quickly by a Mexican parking attendant who charges them $0.50 for parking and the guys respond by driving off over his toe.  When El Diablo sees that Davy and the others are gone, he realizes they’ve been duped and sends his men after them.  The guys wind up pushing the car back into town having run out of gas and Davy is greeted by Angelita as the others are greeted by Lupe’ who charges them for gas.  One of El Diablo’s drunken bandits arrives on horseback to deliver a message to Micky.  Micky reads the message that states that El Diablo has challenged him to a duel at the center of town by noon.  At first Micky and the others prepare to flee until Angelita insists that El Diablo will take his anger out on the townsfolk if Micky doesn’t show.

Later, Micky now dressed in a white cowboy outfit prepares for his showdown with El Diablo as the others help him with his gear.  When the clock strikes high noon, Micky in wild west-style confronts El Diablo who orders them to draw on the count of three but El Diablo draws on the count of two instead and fires at Micky repeatedly.  However, Micky still alive taunts him on missing him making silly faces and then to the whole tune of “Hangin’ Round” the Monkees and the bandits engage in battle which ends with them roping the bandits and winning.

Trivia Notes

Although this was the first episode aired during its second season,

it was actually the ninth episode produced.

Peter Tork & Joseph Richards “For Pete’s Sake” replaces the “Monkees

theme song” as closing theme for the second season.

There are a couple of scenes from this episode that appear as footage

for the series opening involving Davy dressed as a cowboy drawing his

gun and his gun holster belt falls down and Mike and Micky dressed

as cowboys with their hats flying in the air.

The late actor Peter Whitney(El Diablo) appeared in many films and

TV shows including as Lafayette “Lafe” Crick in the CBS classic sitcom

“The Beverly Hillbillies” and as George Courtney in the 1967 feature film

“In The Heat Of The Night”.

Actress Cynthia Hull(Angelita) would later portray Ann in ABC’s short-lived

series “Here Comes The Brides” which starred former Monkees guest star

actor/singer Bobby Sherman.

Late actor Godfrey Cambridge(Parking Attendant) is not credited in the

end credits.

The Monkees Roady/Stand-In David Pearl cameos as one of the townsfolk

at Pedro’s Cafe during a scene when Micky is trying to gain their assistance

against El Diablo.

Former Associate Producer Ward Sylvester takes over as the new executive

producer for the second season.