Sartaj Singh
‘Bad Monkey’ follows a disgraced detective as he is sent to the Florida Keys after being demoted but finds himself embroiled in an intriguing case involving dangerous criminal enterprises, murder, and a monkey. As Andrew Yancy begins taking in the turquoise blue waters and laid-back beaches of the Keys, he happens upon a mystery related to a dismembered arm and begins tracing its bloody history.
Yancy is soon pulled into a world of corruption and greed that threatens the peaceful vistas of Southern Florida and the Bahamas. Created by Bill Lawrence, the show is based on Carl Hiaasen’s best-selling book of the same name. Set in Southern Florida, the Apple TV+ show follows the crime comedy-drama in Yancy’s life across various sites through the coastal landscapes.
Bad Monkey Filming Locations
Filming for season 1 of ‘Bad Monkey’ actually took place on location in Key West and Miami, Florida. Principal photography began in February 2022. During production, the film’s cast and crew faced multiple difficulties due to the South Florida location. The humidity warranted a frequent change of clothes on camera since they would get soaked and mess up continuity. Shots were often interrupted when wildlife strayed into the scene, with Key deer, birds, and iguanas intruding most frequently.
However, the team seemed to quickly warm up to the creatures and their vibrant surroundings, appreciating the perks of shooting on location in the region. “You can just walk in anywhere, and it’s authentic,” said production designer Tim Galvin in an interview. “It’s not a great challenge to find the place to get oysters… The color of the water down there is just so unbelievable; you don’t see that anywhere else.”
Key West, Florida
Going for an authentic filming location to add believability and charm to ‘Bad Monkey,’ the production team chose the island of Key West as the main shooting location for season 1. In particular, the commercial downtown zone of Duval Street can be identified in various sequences throughout the season, with the colorful Victorian-era houses, churches, and conch-style cottages adding to their visual appeal. The crew ventured to 500 Duval Street to capture the shots of the tree-lined stretch and the pastel-colored structures. The island’s beaches and piers also presented enchanting filming backdrops that can be spotted in the show.
The island and its elongated coastline can be observed in stunning aerial landscape shots that show off its lush greenery and serene beaches, creating a contrast between the idyllic environment and the high-stakes drama unfolding onscreen. A part of Monroe County, the city of Key West comprises a chain of separate islands, including the northern part of Stock Island, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and Dredgers Key. It emerges as an ideal filming location for ‘Bad Monkey,’ adhering to the setting of the source material. The distinctive charm and vibrant atmosphere of Key West perfectly complement the show’s crime-comedy blend.
Miami, Florida
The seat of Miami-Dade County, the city of Miami, became a versatile shooting location for the first season of ‘Bad Monkey.’ Its cityscape not only depicted the scenes of Andrew doing detective work in Miami but also stood in for The Bahamas. Since shooting in a foreign country would have come along with a ton of complications, the environments of Andros Island were recreated largely in Miami. South Florida is not considered a very conducive location for housing productions, and it lacks the filming infrastructure, incentives, and suitable weather conditions of neighboring states. Many films and shows depict Florida locations using Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, and even Los Angeles, California.
However, the production team of the show was insistent that the natural beauty and distinct atmosphere of the Florida locations were worth the trouble. Another significant influence in deciding the filming destination seems to be creator Bill Lawrence, who hails from the region. He is also a fan of Hiaasen’s source novel, which had strong ecological leanings, thus creating a need for an authentic recreation of its settings. Other notable and similar works shot in and around Miami include ‘Bad Boys’ and its sequel, ‘War Dogs,’ the 2017 ‘Baywatch,’ and ‘Striptease,’ which was also based on a Hiaasen novel.
Read More: Is Bad Monkey Based on a True Story?
