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The Best Episodes of The Monkees

Every episode of The Monkees ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of The Monkees!

Binge this in 1d 0h•Peaking at 8.6/10

Micky, Mike, Peter, and Davy are four young men in mid-1960s LA, members of a struggling country-folk-rock band looking for their big break amid madcap encounters with a variety of people straight out of TV

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Seasons2

All12

Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    The Monkees Season 2 Episode 20 - The Devil and Peter Tork
    8.6/10(198 votes)

    S2:E20

    At an eerie pawn shop, Peter unwittingly sells his soul to devilish character Mr. Zero (Monte Landis) in order to purchase a golden harp! Can Peter's musical talent save him from Mr. Zero's evil clutches forever ?

    Director:James Frawley
    Writers:Dee Caruso, Robert Kaufman, Gerald Gardner

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  2. The Monkees Season 1 Episode 18 - I Was a Teenage Monster
    8.2/10(183 votes)

    S1:E18

    A mad scientist (John Hoyt) hires the Monkees to teach his monster (Richard Kiel) music—and then transplants their musical talent into the monster. Can the Monkees get their talent back? Byron Foulger appears as Groot, Dr. Mendoza's assistant.

    Director:Sidney Miller
    Writers:Dee Caruso, Gerald Gardner, Dave Evans

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  3. The Monkees Season 1 Episode 29 - Monkees Get Out More Dirt
    8.1/10(178 votes)

    S1:E29

    The Monkees' friendship is threatened when they all fall for the same girl, luscious local laundromat proprietress April Conquest (Julie Newmar).

    Director:Gerald Shepard
    Writers:Dee Caruso, Gerald Gardner

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  4. The Monkees Season 1 Episode 31 - Monkees at the Movies
    8.1/10(176 votes)

    S1:E31

    The Monkees have a run-in with a snobbish movie idol (Bobby Sherman) on the set as extras in a beach movie.

    Director:Russ Mayberry
    Writers:Dee Caruso, Gerald Gardner

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  5. The Monkees Season 1 Episode 32 - Monkees on Tour
    8.1/10(169 votes)

    S1:E32

    A mini-documentary chronicling a live Monkees concert gig on location in Phoenix, Arizona during their first public appearance tour.

    Director:Bob Rafelson
    Writer:Bob Rafelson

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  6. The Monkees Season 2 Episode 1 - It's a Nice Place to Visit
    8.1/10(147 votes)

    S2:E1

    In El Monotono, Mexico, Davy is captured by a bandito (Peter Whitney) and his minions for being "captivated" with El Diablo's girlfriend (Cynthia Hull).

    Director:James Frawley
    Writer:Treva Silverman

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of The Monkees

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  7. The Monkees Season 1 Episode 3 - Monkee vs. Machine
    8.0/10(242 votes)

    S1:E3

    In a computerized toy factory, the Monkees foil an efficiency expert (Stan Freberg) who wants to replace an old toymaker (Walter Janovitz) with automation.

    Director:Bob Rafelson
    Writer:David Panich

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  8. The Monkees Season 2 Episode 2 - The Picture Frame
    8.0/10(150 votes)

    S2:E2

    Peter must prove the Monkees' innocence when they unwittingly rob a bank in the pretext of making a movie for two con men (Cliff Norton, Kelton Garwood).

    Director:James Frawley
    Writer:Jack Winter

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  9. The Monkees Season 2 Episode 14 - Monkees on the Wheel
    8.0/10(150 votes)

    S2:E14

    In Las Vegas, the Monkees are mistaken for crooked gamblers by a roulette dealer (Rip Taylor) and policeman (Dort Clark) and try their luck at exposing the real gang (David Astor and Pepper Davis).

    Director:Gerald Shepard
    Writer:Coslough Johnson

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  10. The Monkees Season 1 Episode 4 - Your Friendly Neighborhood Kidnappers
    7.9/10(202 votes)

    S1:E4

    A shady PR man (Andre Philippe) kidnaps the Monkees to prevent them from winning a talent contest in order for his clients (rival band the Four Swines) to win.

    Director:James Frawley
    Writer:Dave Evans

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  11. The Monkees Season 1 Episode 7 - Monkees in a Ghost Town
    7.9/10(211 votes)

    S1:E7

    Stranded in a ghost town after their car runs out of gas, the Monkees are held prisoner by bank robbers (Len Lesser, Lon Chaney Jr.) and their boss, "The Big Man" (Rose Marie).

    Director:James Frawley
    Writers:Peter Meyerson, Robert Schlitt

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  12. The Monkees Season 1 Episode 12 - I've Got a Little Song Here
    7.9/10(181 votes)

    S1:E12

    Mike is fleeced by a fraudulent music publisher (Phil Leeds), but Micky dons the guise of a flashy Hollywood producer to get Mike's money back.

    Director:Bruce Kessler
    Writer:Treva Silverman

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  13. The Monkees Season 1 Episode 13 - One Man Shy (Peter and the Debutante)
    7.9/10(165 votes)

    S1:E13

    Bashful Peter tries to win the heart of lovely debutante Valerie Cartwright (Lisa James) while dealing with her haughty boyfriend Ronnie Farnsworth (George Furth).

    Director:James Frawley
    Writers:Dee Caruso, Treva Silverman, Gerald Gardner

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  14. The Monkees Season 1 Episode 23 - Captain Crocodile
    7.9/10(164 votes)

    S1:E23

    The Monkees' appearance on popular children's show The Captain Crocodile Show is sabotaged by its host (Joey Forman), who fears that his guest's popularity is diminishing his own.

    Director:James Frawley
    Writers:Peter Meyerson, Dee Caruso, Robert Schlitt, Gerald Gardner

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  15. The Monkees Season 1 Episode 30 - Monkees in Manhattan
    7.9/10(147 votes)

    S1:E30

    In New York City, the Monkees fend off an irate hotel manager (Philip Ober) as they help a producer (Richard Anders) get backing for a Broadway musical.

    Director:Russ Mayberry
    Writers:Dee Caruso, Gerald Gardner

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  16. The Monkees Season 2 Episode 5 - Art, for Monkees' Sake
    7.9/10(144 votes)

    S2:E5

    At an art museum, Peter copies an old painting for two guards (Monte Landis, Vic Tayback) who are actually thieves bent on snatching the real painting.

    Director:Alexander Singer
    Writer:Coslough Johnson

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  17. The Monkees Season 2 Episode 16 - Fairy Tale
    7.9/10(167 votes)

    S2:E16

    A Monkee pantomime romp through Fairy Tale Land, introduced by a "Town Crier" (Rege Cordic), sees Peter rescuing a haughty princess (Michael) from death by her fiendish fiancee (Murray Roman).

    Director:James Frawley
    Writer:Peter Meyerson

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  18. The Monkees Season 2 Episode 26 - Mijacogeo - The Frodis Caper
    7.9/10(190 votes)

    S2:E26

    The Monkees match wits with the insane Wizard Glick (Rip Taylor), who is out to control the minds of television viewers worldwide.

    Director:Micky Dolenz
    Writers:Jon C. Andersen, Micky Dolenz, Dave Evans

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  19. The Monkees Season 1 Episode 9 - The Chaperone
    7.8/10(176 votes)

    S1:E9

    Davy's feelings for retired General Harley Vandenberg's (Arch Johnson) daughter Leslie (Sherry Alberoni) leads Micky to pose as a female chaperone at a party after the real chaperone (Diana Chesney) gets drunk.

    Director:Bruce Kessler
    Writers:Dee Caruso, Gerald Gardner

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  20. The Monkees Season 1 Episode 14 - Dance, Monkee, Dance
    7.8/10(162 votes)

    S1:E14

    The Monkees sign up for lessons at Renaldo's Dance Au Go Go (Hal March), and then find out that their contracts are for life.

    Director:James Frawley
    Writer:Bernie Orenstein

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  21. The Monkees Season 1 Episode 15 - Too Many Girls (Davy and Fern)
    7.8/10(150 votes)

    S1:E15

    A domineering stage mother tries to use Davy to further her daughter Fern's career.

    Director:James Frawley
    Writers:Dee Caruso, Gerald Gardner, Dave Evans

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  22. The Monkees Season 1 Episode 19 - The Audition (Find the Monkees)
    7.8/10(166 votes)

    S1:E19

    When television producer Hubbell Bensen (Carl Ballantine) hears a tape of the Monkees, he frantically stages auditions in the hope of finding them for his new television show, unaware they are desperately trying to audition for him.

    Director:Richard Nunis
    Writer:Dave Evans

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  23. The Monkees Season 2 Episode 13 - Monkees in Texas
    7.8/10(145 votes)

    S2:E13

    In the Lone Star State, the Monkees outwit Black Bart (Barton MacLane), his cohort Red (Len Lesser) and the gang to save Mike's Aunt Kate's (Jacqueline deWit) ranch.

    Director:James Frawley
    Writer:Jack Winter

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  24. The Monkees Season 2 Episode 15 - The Christmas Show
    7.8/10(189 votes)

    S2:E15

    The Monkees try to instil the spirit of Christmas in a cynical little boy (Butch Patrick) who has soured on the whole idea.

    Director:Jon C. Andersen
    Writers:Dave Evans, Neil Burstyn

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  25. The Monkees Season 2 Episode 19 - The Monkees' Paw
    7.8/10(143 votes)

    S2:E19

    A broken-down magician's (Hans Conried) magical monkey's paw starts to bring the equally broken Monkees luck... unfortunately, all bad.

    Director:James Frawley
    Writer:Coslough Johnson

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Best Episodes Summary

"The Devil and Peter Tork" is the best rated episode of "The Monkees". It scored 8.6/10 based on 198 votes. Directed by James Frawley and written by Dee Caruso, Robert Kaufman, Gerald Gardner, it aired on 2/5/1968. This episode scored 0.4 points higher than the second highest rated, "I Was a Teenage Monster".