7.4/10225 votes#1 - The Royal Flush
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 9/12/1966
The Monkees rescue Princess Bettina, Duchess of Harmonica (Katherine Walsh) from her evil uncle Archduke Otto (Theodore Marcuse).
Director: James Frawley
Writer: Robert Schlitt, Peter Meyerson
7.7/10188 votes#2 - Monkee See, Monkee Die
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 9/19/1966
The Monkees spend the night in a haunted house to collect an inheritance.
Director: James Frawley
Writer: Treva Silverman, Dee Caruso, David Panich
8.1/10188 votes#3 - Monkee vs. Machine
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 9/26/1966
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: Treva Silverman, David Panich
8.0/10162 votes#4 - Your Friendly Neighborhood Kidnappers
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 10/3/1966
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
7.8/10160 votes#5 - The Spy Who Came in From the Cool
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 10/10/1966
The Monkees get mixed up in a spy ring (Jacques Aubuchon, Arlene Martel) after Davy accidentally purchases a set of red maracas containing secret microfilm. Can the Monkees outwit two professional spies ?
Director: Bob Rafelson
Writer: Gerald Gardner, Dee Caruso
7.5/10140 votes#6 - Success Story
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 10/17/1966
Davy's grandfather (Ben Wright) visits, and the Monkees try to convince him that his grandson is wealthy and successful.
Director: James Frawley
Writer: Gerald Gardner, Dee Caruso, Bernie Orenstein
7.9/10167 votes#7 - The Monkees in a Ghost Town
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 10/24/1966
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
Writer: Robert Schlitt, Peter Meyerson
7.1/10129 votes#8 - Don't Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth (a.k.a. Gift Horse)
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 10/31/1966
Davy is given a horse, which the Monkees have to hide from their landlord, Mr. Babbitt (Henry Corden). It is returned to a heart-broken child (Kerry MacLane) and father (Jim Boles) after Davy rides it to victory over the horse of the father's neighbor. Famed character actor, and frequent Bob Hope sideman, Jerry Colonna plays veterinarian Doctor Mann.
Director: Bob Rafelson
Writer: Dave Evans
7.8/10140 votes#9 - The Chaperone
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 11/7/1966
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
Writer: Gerald Gardner, Dee Caruso
7.2/10153 votes#10 - Here Come the Monkees
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 11/14/1966
The Monkees play a sweet sixteen party and help the birthday girl (Robyn Millan) with her studies after she falls for Davy.
Director: Mike Elliot
Writer: Paul Mazursky, Larry Tucker
7.4/10126 votes#11 - Monkees à la Carte
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 11/21/1966
The Monkees pose as the Purple Flower Gang to save their favourite Italian restaurant from a gangster (Harvey Lembeck).
Director: James Frawley
Writer: Gerald Gardner, Bernie Orenstein
8.0/10152 votes#12 - I've Got a Little Song Here
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 11/28/1966
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
7.9/10137 votes#13 - One Man Shy
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 12/5/1966
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
Writer: Gerald Gardner, Dee Caruso, Treva Silverman
7.8/10134 votes#14 - Dance, Monkee, Dance
Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 12/12/1966
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
7.8/10122 votes#15 - Too Many Girls (a.k.a. Davy and Fern)
Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 12/19/1966
A domineering stage mother (Reta Shaw) tries to use Davy to further her daughter Fern's (Kelly Jean Peters) career.
Director: James Frawley
Writer: Gerald Gardner, Dee Caruso, Dave Evans
7.1/10121 votes#16 - Son of a Gypsy
Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 12/26/1966
A band of gypsies, headed by the powerful Maria (Jeanne Arnold), force the Monkees to steal a priceless statuette called the "Maltese Vulture."
Director: James Frawley
Writer: Gerald Gardner, Dee Caruso, Treva Silverman
7.5/10127 votes#17 - The Case of the Missing Monkee
Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 1/9/1967
Peter becomes involved with the disappearance of the respected Professor Milo Schnitzler (Norbert Schiller) and then disappears himself.
Director: Bob Rafelson
Writer: Gerald Gardner, Dee Caruso
8.1/10141 votes#18 - I Was a Teenage Monster
Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 1/16/1967
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
Writer: Gerald Gardner, Dee Caruso, Dave Evans
7.9/10132 votes#19 - Find the Monkees
Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 1/23/1967
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: Gerald Gardner, Dee Caruso, Dave Evans
7.3/10120 votes#20 - Monkees in the Ring
Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 1/30/1967
A crooked fight promoter (Ned Glass) prepares to cash in on a big bet by making Davy a stooge in a bout with the champ.
Director: James Frawley
Writer: Gerald Gardner, Dee Caruso
7.6/10112 votes#21 - The Prince and the Paupers
Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 2/6/1967
Davy doubles for a lookalike Peruvian prince in order to win the heart of Wendy Forsythe (Heather North) or forfeit his throne to evil Count Myron (Oscar Beregi Jr.).
Director: James Komack
Writer: Peter Meyerson, Gerald Gardner, Dee Caruso
7.5/10128 votes#22 - Monkees at the Circus
Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 2/13/1967
To save a bankrupt circus, the Monkees pose as a troupe of dazzling, supreme high-wire artists from France known as the Mozzarelli Brothers, but get in trouble when their guise requires them to actually perform.
Director: Bruce Kessler
Writer: David Panich
8.0/10137 votes#23 - Captain Crocodile
Season 1 Episode 23 - Aired 2/20/1967
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
Writer: Robert Schlitt, Peter Meyerson, Gerald Gardner, Dee Caruso
7.5/10133 votes#24 - Monkees à la Mode
Season 1 Episode 24 - Aired 2/27/1967
The Monkees are chosen as "Typical Young Americans of the Year," by Chic magazine, a haughty publication that runs a bogus article on the group moulding them into a false image of clean cut young men.
Director: Alexander Singer
Writer: Gerald Gardner, Dee Caruso
7.6/10128 votes#25 - Alias Micky Dolenz
Season 1 Episode 25 - Aired 3/6/1967
The police cash in on Micky's striking resemblance to imprisoned crime kingpin Baby Face Morales in an attempt to locate robbery loot.
Director: Bruce Kessler
Writer: Gerald Gardner, Dee Caruso, Dave Evans
The Best Episodes of The Monkees Season 1
Every episode of The Monkees Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of The Monkees Season 1!
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...
Genres:ComedyFamily
Network:NBC
Season 1 Ratings Summary
"The Royal Flush" is the best rated episode of "The Monkees" season 1. It scored 7.4/10 based on 225 votes. Directed by James Frawley and written by Robert Schlitt, Peter Meyerson, it aired on 9/12/1966. This episode is rated 0.3 points higher than the second-best, "Monkee See, Monkee Die".