Hey, Hey It’s The Monkees

Written and Directed by Michael Nemsith

Produced by Ronnie Hader

Songs: “You And I” by Micky Dolenz & David Jones, “Circle Sky” by Michael Nesmith, “Anartica” by Bill Martin, “Regional Girl” by Micky Dolenz, “Last Train To Clarksville” by Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart, “Daydream Believer” by John Stewart, “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone” by Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart, “I’m A Believer” by Neil Diamond and “Pleasant Valley Sunday” by Gerry Goffin & Carole King

Guest Appearences

                    Lawyer                                       John Brockman                    

                         Tour Guide                                         Bill Martin

                         The Woman                                    Sarah Jones

                         Young Boy                                 James Williams

                         The Driver                                           Mia Perez

                         The Date                                            Marco Rea

                         The Guard                                      John Greene

                         Manager                                     Chuck Woolery

                         Princess                                           Gillian Holt

Premiered on February 17, 1997

Summary

In this 60-minute special, it’s thirty years later and the Monkees are still living pad trying to make it big having making episodes of the TV series all these years and are up to episode #781 and are now trying to dodge a plotline.  Davy is still the same guy who gets stars only now they come out of his ears (leftovers).  Micky is still making inventions and is now working on his latest invention, a drink that makes someone throw up sparkles as a gimmick when he answers a door to a lawyer how is claims the Monkees can inherit an estate of an recently deceased millionaire if they spend the night at his mansion which is considered haunted.  However, the Monkees decline since they did that episode already(episode 186)but Micky offers the lawyer his drink and upon closing the door he hears the lawyer throwing up.

As the Monkees plan to perform at one of the most prestigious country clubs in the city, they are discusss whether to do a gimmick and make several suggestions including becoming the world’s first throw up band to Mike’s Tasmanian Kabuki impression and Peter’s impression of Donald Duck’s temper tantrum and becoming pro wrestlers(literally) but no one is satisfied with any of these suggestions.  Then Davy opens the refrigerator only to find small people touring around for memorable collections of the Monkees including the first TV dinner.  They’re about to rehearse, when a young woman barges claiming that guys with cell phones and black gloves are chasing her but Davy informs her that they did that episode already without the cell phones.  She makes another suggestion of waking up with no memory with a note that says return to sender, but the guys aren't satified and have to rehearse although they allow her to invite a crowd of people to come in and listen.  Then they perform “You And I” to which a musical sequence shows them in an ice skating rink in winter coats as ice skaters skate away.

Back to reality, they prepare to rehearse another song when they hear the laugh track which is broken and Davy shuts it off.  Then the scene is interrupted by footage of a lizard sunning itself on a rock twice which Mike claims is stock footage added since the show doesn’t have enough film.  The guys then decide to go out to the beach as Davy turns of the track this time it’s the sound of a standing ovation which he indulges in before being dragged away.  At the beach, Mike and Peter briefly do some of their old Monkees shenanigans by running back in forth on the sand  the while all are on the sand, the others are shocked to learn Mike turned their Monkeemobile into a low rider and a dimension machine.  Micky even has a fantasy sequence of a museum guide as he introduces the Monkeemobile.  The Monkees indulge in some more Monkees shenanigans just before deciding to rehearse again as they spot a stage with instruments right on the beach to which they perform right there and soon there’s a video sequence to an updated tune of their classic song “Circle Sky”. 

Later on the beach, the Monkees comfort a little boy who is crying over his pet pig being sold for bacon and Micky thinks it’s a good storyline but Mike reminds everyone that they did that already only it was a calf.  He then tries to cheer the boy up by giving a moving closing monologue from the classic “Grapes of Wrath” but they only makes the boy cry again  Then Davy does a song and dance “Gonna Build A Mountain” but to no success until Micky offers to show they kid his throwing up sparkles which cheers the boy up so much that he soon rushes off to get his friends forgetting all about his pet pig.  As the Monkees stroll along the sand, they debate whether to do a storyline to add tension and drama but Mike points out that there’s nothing wrong with just hanging out and having fun since they’ve been doing it for years although a good storyline comes along once every five years or so.  Then the stock footage of the lizard is back.  Davy still insists they need a storyline but Mike claims they only need to play their music and when they spot a piano right on the beach to which Peter plays and all of them sing “Antarctica” which involves a fantasy sequence of them dressed in winter coats in snowy Antarctica playing on the keyboards. 

Then they guys are back at their pad now dressed in suits preparing for their gig and outside a teenage girl tells her date a scary story of four guys who moved in the pad and went crazy and never moved out to scare her date into kissing her which is interrupted by Micky who then gives a lecture to the audience about practicing safe kissing.  As they're driving to the club, Mike shows them each of the dimension devices to the car including one that changes them and everything else a hundred yards away back into the 1960s.  The last device changes things into different objects and not just inside the car (very Monkees).  Mike then allows Peter to take the wheel (literally) since he’s tired of driving.  When they arrive at Country Club, the guard won’t let them in at first until Davy donned up as Ethel Merman does a song and dance impressing the guard who still refuses to admit them since women aren’t allowed to wear pants in which Davy rips off her pants showing off his lovely legs to the guard.  Then the guys decide to rehearse one last time on stage and soon do the number “Regional Girl” as a video sequence of the Monkees with a group of women appears. 

Afterwards, the guys meet Chuck, the club manager and his scatter-brained daughter Princess who needs the Monkees' performance to do well in order to save the club but the guys see it as another attempt to get them to do a storyline.  They question if the Monkees will play their greatest hits but they insists of promoting their latest CD and in another fantasy sequence there’s a Home Shopping commercial with the phone number 000-Mick3y where Peter introduces his psychic perfume before introducing his guest Davy who shows the poster for  their latest CD “Justus” and Micky as Martha Stewart.  Back to reality, Davy chats with Princess about songs they’re going to do and just like in the classic episodes she gets stars(literally) in eyes they glance but also grapes, bananas and other fruit and hot dogs come out of Davy’s ear as the stock footage of the lizard comes back again.   Micky is tuning his drums with a stethoscope when he spots the little boy with his friends outside the club near urging him to throw up sparkles again.  When he does, the lizard footage appears and they realize that is what causes the lizard footage to appear.  Then Chuck gives a brief introduction before the Monkees are on stage performing their classic hits  in  front of dancing crowd consisting of “Last Train To Clarksville”, “Daydream Believer”, “I’m Not Your (Steppin’ Stone)”, “I’m A Believer” and “Pleasant Valley Sunday” while their instruments turn into different objects courtesy to the kids outside playing with the Monkeemobile dimension device and flashbacks from their classic episodes appear.

After their performance, Chuck thanks the Monkees and announces that he doesn’t have to sell their club and Princess praises them being just as stupid as they ever were now that they’ve grown up.  While driving home Peter plays with the dimension device as they declare that their show will never go away go on forever even when not broadcasting.  As they reach their pad, they’re shock to see that they’re pad is covered in toilet paper but Peter seems to like it.  Micky decides to wrap things up by throwing up more sparkles since their no more footage and it will wrap up the whole show and as he does they show literally ends with a bang with fireworks.

Trivia Notes:

The original title for this special was called “Hey Hey We’re The Monkees

(aka A Lizard Sunning Itself On A Rock)”.

ABC which aired the special also aired Saturday Afternoon repeats

from September 1972 to August 1973.

The musical number “You And I” was filmed at an ice rink and

practice site for the Los Angeles Hockey Team.

Micky Dolenz’s “Regional Girl” had some lyrics altered replacing

lyrics that ABC thought to be unsuitable.

Bill Martin’s “Antarctica” also appeared in a 1980 Pacific Arts comedy

video titled “An Evening With Sir William Martin” where Mike portrayed

Foyer the Butler.

Mike wrote and directed this special making him the second member

to write and the third member to direct a Monkees project. 

Davy's real life then girlfriend actress Gillian Holt (Princess) and daughter

Sarah (The Woman) guest appeared in this special.

This special was the first to have all four Monkees appear together since

their 1969 TV Special "33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee".