‘Bad Monkey’ Recap: ‘The Russian Mob Is Very Active in Key West’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Jodie Turner-Smith and Vince Vaughn as Gracie and Detective Andrew Yancy in Episode 108 of ‘Bad Monkey’ – ‘The Russian Mob Is Very Active in Key West’. (Photo Courtesy of Apple.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Eight of ‘Bad Monkey’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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There was a time where crime stories were utterly devoid of deeper meaning. For they were just stories about bad people being caught by good people, and the struggle that accompanied bringing that bad person down. All of which just served as a reminder that there was a battle being waged on our streets that we the average person did not have to deal with, and that was just fine by us. For we just enjoyed a fascinating and enjoyable story. But now, crime stories do have depth to them, which is also welcome since they teach us so much about life and about our fellow human beings, and that does leave one to wonder… what the central theme of Bad Monkey on Apple TV+ happens to be.

Simply because thus far, this show has been closer to those classic tales, with little lessons thrown in for good measure to appease. Making it seem as though there won’t be something deeper, and this will serve as a real classic throwback. But the next episode in this series, made it clear that it is indeed hoping to look at something deeper, something broad and powerful in nature, and it revealed that in ‘The Russian Mob Is Very Active in Key West’ after wrapping up some important business. Specifically, informing us that Yancy was okay and that the shooting that took place here, wasn’t sanctioned by our villains. No instead, it was ordered by that little asshat, Evan. Who was put in his place after Pestov realized who the target was, and had his men stand down and replace what they damaged when they stormed the Yancy home.

Which allowed for the exploration in question to take place and slowly but surely, this story informed us that it wants to just examine… the duality of man. Of the heroic things we are capable of, and the good we can impart. Alongside our raw stupidity and our selfish evils, and it expressed how that exists within us, in part, by having Bonnie be set free in Oklahoma because the cost of putting her away wasn’t worth it. But she wanted that accountability, she wanted to pay for her crimes… so she blew up Evan’s little dreamhouse and finally went to jail. Which spoke to the wild duality we yield, and the explorations didn’t end there. Because we saw that on display in Andros as well, through Gracie, who had taken the time to step away from the title of Dragon Queen because… she was dealing with duality in her own mind.

Because in part, she wanted to follow the path expected of her, but she also wanted her freedom, and that conflict raged within and prompted her to go to great extremes in this tale to breathe and be away from the pressures upon her. That was why she stole Christopher’s crazy expensive watch when she worked on helping, he and Eve land more contracts, and used funds from the sale of it to leave. Because of that swirling conflict within, and we continued to see it as this episode played out. Since Yancy and Rosa did some real good here by fooling our villains into coming back into Miami, while possibly blowing their cover by simply being kind. Not to mention, we saw Sheriff Summers dance in that grey area when Evan demanded some measure of retribution and justice for Bonnie’s wild actions.

Because that is where the world operates, in duality. With good and bad happening at every turn and both sides battle it out more often than we know, and that battle is raging out here in this story. Which gave rise to a fascinating episode for certain. Because of this unique examination, one grounded deeply in reality and one that let every character have a moment in the sun in some capacity and of course… has us ready to continue the journey. Because now we have to know how this clash will play out and if the case will end in a manner that is satisfactory or muddled or terrible because of the duality of man, and our inability to forever hold to the light or the dark. Until next time.

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