Tales Of The Gold Monkey: Complete Series

In these trying times, we all need a shot of warm and fuzzy TV nostalgia—and Tales Of The Gold Monkey is exactly what the doctor ordered.

Originally aired in 1982, Tales Of The Gold Monkey comes from the stable of Donald P. Bellisario—who also created Magnum P.I., Quantum Leap, Airwolf and NCIS. And like those shows, Tales has drama, comedy, romance, and tons of charm.

Following the success of Indiana Jones’s Raiders Of The Lost Ark the previous year, the 22-hour long series is set in a backwater corner of the South Pacific where a young American pilot and his ragtag group of friends become involved in death-defying hi-jinx in a well-worn Grumman Goose seaplane. Along the way there are threats from dastardly pirates, glamorous spies, crazy dreamers, and dodgy bar-bums. Think boy’s own adventure-stories and you’ll have a pretty good idea of what to expect.

Stephen Collins makes a fine stand-in for Indy as the rakishly charming Jake Cutter, who works as a pilot for hire on the South Pacific island of Boragora in 1938. Roddy McDowall is as excellent as ever as Bon Chance Louie, the ethically-questionable French liaison, while Caitlin O’Hearney does a fine job of channelling Katherine Hepburn as the chanteuse and spy, Sarah Stickney White. Stealing nearly every scene he’s in is Jake’s ever grouchy one-eyed dog, Jack. 

Virtually unseen since its original broadcast, Tales Of The Gold Monkey is—put simply—huge  fun and exactly what you need to get you through the lockdown blues. 

The Complete Series box set includes an all new ‘Making Of’ documentary with Stephen Collins, Caitlin O’Heaney, Producer Tom Greene and Director Harvey Laidman, audio commentaries on five episodes, cast and character biographies, a fact file, stills gallery, Caitlin’s original costume gallery, artefacts gallery, and a 24 -page collectors booklet.