ORBzine - Monkey TV Review
[Season 1 !Season 2 ]
Season 1
Monkey [Season 1, Episode 1]
Monkey Goes Wild about Heaven
Shown
This is the origin story. Our hero, the Monkey King, declares himself Great Sage, Equal of Heaven. Naturally, this (and other, far more distasteful acts) lead to a terrible punishment from the Buddha ...
Pigsy was a Knight Marshal of Heaven?
Monkey [Season 1, Episode 2]
Monkey Turns Nursemaid
Shown
Tripitaka is introduced, given a quest and meets Monkey.
Monkey [Season 1, Episode 3]
The Great Journey Begins
Shown March 2006 [Wednesday]
Monkey, Sandy and Pigsy fight the tiger-people.
Monkey [Season 1, Episode 4]
Monkey Swallows the Universe
Shown
Monkey [Season 1, Episode 5]
The Power of Youth
Shown
The team face the King of Youth.
Monkey [Season 1, Episode 6]
Even Monsters Can be People
Shown
Tripitaka has Demons. monkey is sent home.
Monkey [Season 1, Episode 7]
The Beginning of Wisdom
Shown March 2006 [Wednesday]
The pilgrims enter a drought zone. A water monster demands human sacrifice of children from a village. Is he Sandy's father?
Monkey [Season 1, Episode 8]
Pigsy Woos a Widow
Shown
Monkey [Season 1, Episode 9]
What Monkey Calls the Dog-Woman
Shown
The Quest involves a Magistrate's ex-wife and daughter.
Monkey [Season 1, Episode 10]
Pigsy's in the Well
Shown
The ghost of a murdered King wants revenge on his usurper.
Monkey [Season 1, Episode 11]
The Difference Between Night & Day
Shown 17th March 2006 [friday]
The Pilgrims encounter a magic barrier between night and day. The Queen of Night [a vamp] and the King of Day [a vulture-spirit] have divorced. The pilgrims must end the dispute.
Pigsy relaxes at the Queen's palace. Monkey helps the night-time villagers defend themselves from the vamps - but he falls in love with a girl who reminds him of Tripitaka.
Tripitaka distracts the King, while Sandy reunites 2 lovers.
The moral of the story: Everything that ever was is necessary to create everything that is.
Monkey [Season 1, Episode 12]
Pearls Before Swine
Shown 23rd March 2006 [Thursday]
A trio of immortal animal-spirits have taken over a village. They are recognisable by their furry hats and big moustaches.
Monkey [Season 1, Episode 13]
The Minx and the Slug
Shown 24th March 2006 [Friday]
The pilgrims are asked to find a missing teenage girl.
Pigsy goes into the mountains and discovers the slug-spirit who lives there. But he finds out that the relationship between the Minx and the Slug is quite complex ...
Tripitaka's disgusted at the thought of bestiality - and at sex in general it seems.
The moral of the story: If life is a gift, is it immoral to refuse part of that gift?
Monkey [Season 1, Episode 14]
Catfish, Saint and the Shape-Changer
Shown 30th March 2006 [Thursday]
The pilgrims near an earthquake zone, near a volcano. Looks more like Japan [where this show was made] than China [where it is set].
Pigsy meets a woman who has no face. Later, an old man tells the group that one of them is the shapechanger. The group become paranoid about each other.
Another demon is after Tripitaka as well.
Monkey [Season 1, Episode 15]
Monkey Meets the Demon Digger
Shown 31st March 2006 [Friday]
The Demon Digger has been digging a tunnel through a mountain for 22 years.
Monkey is exiled by Tripitaka, Pigsy and Sandy. Will he save the day and rejoin them by the end of the ep?
The moral of the story: A life can be wasted gathering wealth. But what is the use of a life that is not wasted?
Monkey [Season 1, Episode 16]
The Most Monstrous Monster
Shown
A Demon swallows Pigsy, Sandy and Monkey!
Monkey [Season 1, Episode 17]
Truth and the Grey Gloves Devil
Shown 7th April 2006 [Friday]
Monkey and the others face off against the Grey Gloves Demon, who can hypnotise people with his eyes.
A crazy old woman thinks Tripitaka is her son. Ironic, since he's obviously a girl, but he plays along anyway.
Pigsy's womanising gets blamed for everything.
The moral of the story: if you put off the search for enlightenment to answer other questions, you will never find the path.
Monkey [Season 1, Episode 18]
Land for the Locusts
Shown 13th April 2006 [Thursday]
The pilgrims enter an area that is victim to a huge swarm of locusts. The locusts serve a Queen, who defoliates areas and turns people [and animal-spirits] into pigs!
The moral of the story: If a man's mind becomes pure, all his surroundings become pure as well.
Monkey [Season 1, Episode 19]
The Vampire Master AKA Vampire Monster
Shown 20th April 2006 [Thursday]
The pilgrims enter a Kingdom where the weak-willed king is manipulated by a vampire politician.
Is Tripitaka a Vamp? Will Monkey betray his pals?
Monkey [Season 1, Episode 20]
Outrageous Coincidences
Shown
Monkey [Season 1, Episode 21]
Pigsy, King and God
Shown 27th April 2006 [Thursday]
Monkey and Sandy tease Pigsy for being ... Pigsy.
The pilgrims enter the kingdom of Red Hog, where Pigs are worshipped. Pigsy is crowned god-King, and he decides to stay!
A ghost tells Trippitaka that the new King is going to sacrifice the other pilgrims.
Monkey and Sandy must free the Princess and help her lead a Rebellion. Very Han Solo of them!
Monkey [Season 1, Episode 22]
Village of the Undead
Shown 28th April 2006 [Friday]
The pilgrims arrive in a village. Pigsy and Sandy are seduced by a pair of maidens who ply them with drink. Drink that makes their animal characteristics appear, and makes them choose marriage over continuing the mission
The maidens are actually undead witches who spit poisoned darts. Their master, an evil sorceror, wants to sacrifice the pilgrims so he and his disciples can be resurrected.
Monkey [Season 1, Episode 23]
Two Little Blessings
Shown 4th May 2006 [Thursday]
The God of Fertility seperates a pair of lovers. He offers to reunite them if the woman, now an old hag, gives Tripitaka a drink of magic water.
Pigsy and Sandy drink the water and get pregnant.
The God of Fertility wants to prevent the Pilgrims reaching India. He fears it will render the old gods obselete. A nicer version of the Fall of Olympus in Xena S5 !
The moral of the story: The God of Fertility turned over a new leaf. That is why, these days, very few men get pregnant.
Monkey [Season 1, Episode 24]
The Fires of Jealousy
Shown 5th May 2006 [Thursday]
The pilgrims reach the Land of the Queen of Fire. It's too hot, so Monkey goes to the Queen to make her turn the heat down. She's a jealous little madam, who's only acting up because her hubby, the Buffalo King, is ignoring her and seeing another woman.
The Queen is a demon with a magic fan. She outsmarts Monkey - not exactly difficult, but still nice to watch. Pigsy goes in disguise to seduce her.
The real eye-opener of the ep is the rain-dance the 3 animal spirits do at the end. It seems slightly disco-esque ... then they start doing The Robot!
The moral of the story: Love is a force almost as powerful as fire. Without love we should be cold, without fire we should be alone in the dark. Yet for each there is a proper season and a golden rede. Love without ebb and flow is jealousy, and becomes a curse. The way is neither in the earth nor in the sky. The way is in the middle. The jewel at the heart of the lotus.
Monkey [Season 1, Episode 25]
The Country of Nightmares
Shown 11th May 2006 [Thursday]
The pilgrims approach The Country of Nightmares, where lots of Demons live. Priests are banned, and everyone who enters must be tested for magic. Monkey disguises Tripitaka as a beautiful young woman - how Shakespearean! Also, nice to see the actress without her usual costume.
The Spirits have to pass a magic test. This is hilarious - each gets different treatment. Monkey impresses everyone at the magic test by writing Monkey Magic [in English] in the clouds. They throw a party of him, and play his theme tune [all the verses!] while everyone disco-dances!
Tipitaka, guest of honour at a demon banquet, is offended by the evil-doers' activity. Typically, she can't play along.
The moral of the story: Fighting evil the wrong way can strengthen it. Tripitaka conceal his true nature, which only caused more ignorance. Ignorance leads to fear, fear leads to superstition. Ignorance, fear and superstition are the basis of nightmares.
Monkey [Season 1, Episode 26]
The End of the Way
Shown 12th May 2006 [Friday]
The pilgrims approach India. However, the villains call in reinforcements - the Queen of Hell! The King of Ages (a Demon) kidnaps Tripitaka. Monkey is released, his Quest (and the Season) are now over ...
Luckily, Pigsy's sister is nearby. And Sandy gets a girlfriend ...
Monkey [Season 2, Episode 1]
Pigsy's Ten Thousand Ladies
Shown 18th May 2006 [Thursday]
Unfortunately, the news Season has a flashy new dumbed-down intro and voiceover. The New opening credits show the horse in the cast, and a new Pigsy. There's even a crappy new end song instead of Gondara.
Monkey goes home to rule his Kingdom. But being King of the Monkeys is less fun than being a pilgrim.
Pigsy [with new human features, though nobody notices] applies for a new job. He wants to be the boss of the Emperor's 10,000 concubines!
Sandy gets an arranged marriage in Heaven. Unfortunately, domesticity will mean chores. Plus a score of rug-rats that all look like him [including the bald spot!].
Tripitaka is left alone. Well, almost. The horse becomes human. Then they encounter an unfriendly dragon - a fire-breathing Brontosaurus that looks like something from a Japanese Godzilla film.
The moral of the story: No failure is forever. There is always change - and a new beginning.
Monkey [Season 2, Episode 2]
The Dogs of Death
Shown 19th May 2006 [Friday]
The pilgrims arrive in a village afflicted with plague. Trippitaka stops to help, and contracts the plague too!
The only cure is monkey brains. And the only monkey available is ... Monkey!
It's the Black Dog Plague. A man in hairy dog-suit [with dangly tail] fights monkey.
Monkey [Season 2, Episode 3]
You Win Some, You Lose Some
Shown 12 Oct 04
2 demons run a casino. They fleece the locals, then Sandy and Pigsy.
Sandy turns Monkey into a dice [DI!] to cheat the Demons.
Monkey [Season 2, Episode 4]
Pigsy Learns A Lesson
Shown 19 Oct 04
Shown 25th May 2006 [Thursday]
The pilgrims reach a village where nobody can do fractions. But at least the numbers are in Arabic numerals!
The locals fear a beautiful Fraction Demon. She kidnaps children who are good at fractions, so her own son can steal their skills.
Trippitaka gives the Demon a night's parole, so she can say goodbye to her son. If she doesn't return, Trippitaka will be executed in her stead!
Monkey [Season 2, Episode 5]
The Land With Two Suns
Shown 2 Nov 04
The pilgrims reach the land without night, ruled by an evil sorceror and fallen mystical warrior.
The villains want Tripitaka's soul.
Monkey [Season 2, Episode 6]
The House of the Evil Spirit
Shown 21 Sep 04
Shown 1st June 2006 [Thursday]
An evil-doer is kidnapping brides.
Sheeps-head Demon possesses a man, and drives him to commit vigilante murders.
Moral of the story: Our deeds stay with us, until we let them go.
Monkey [Season 2, Episode 7]
Am I Dreaming?
Shown 5 Oct 04
Demon-King Yuki invades Tripitaka's dreams.
Monkey enters the dream to save him.
Monkey [Season 2, Episode 8]
The Tormented Emperor
Shown 7 Sep 04
The pilgrims arrive at a country where the army are women, and the ruler is an Empress.
The Emperor's dreams are haunted by a she-demon. The pilgrims must stand guard to protect him.
Pigsy and Horse go undercover to infiltrate the female barracks and discover who the demon is.
Monkey [Season 2, Episode 9]
Between Heaven and Hell
Shown 23 Nov 04
Sandy gets trapped, his pals must get 100k yen to free him.
They split up.
Tripitaka sells the sentient horse!
Monkey [Season 2, Episode 10]
The Foolish Philosopher
Shown February 2006 [Wednesday]
Monkey must save a princess from a water demon.
Monkey [Season 2, Episode 11]
Who Am I?
Shown 15th June 2006 [Thursday]
The pilgrims eat some dodgy mushrooms, and lose their memories.
Moral of the story: Sometimes by correcting mistakes you just create more errors. In this case, the middle way is golden.
Monkey [Season 2, Episode 12]
What is Wisdom?
Shown 22nd June 2006 [Thursday]
An evil Wizard turns Monkey invisible. The villain plots against Buddism.
The wizard challenges Tripitaka to a battle of magic against faith. Monkey helps Tripitaka cheat.
Moral of the story: Cleverness may learn something, but wisdom means giving up a little certainty every day.
Monkey [Season 2, Episode 13]
The Fountain of Youth
Shown 23rd June 2006 [Friday]
The Pilgrims arrive at the Fountain of Youth. A brother-and-sister team of baby-stealing monsters live nearby.
Monkey, Pigsy and Sandy bathe in the fountain too long, and revert to baby form. Tripitaka and the Horse are left by themselves. The must gather monster-tears to reverse the aging process.
Moral of the story: .
Monkey [Season 2, Episode 14]
Better the Demon you know
Shown 14 Sep 04
A Female demon kidnaps brides and turns their grooms to stone.
To catch her, Pigsy and Sandy pose as a honeymoon couple.
It turns out she was the mother-in-law from Hell [literally], so her son and daughter-in-law ran away and abandoned her.
Monkey [Season 2, Episode 15]
A Shadow So Huge
Shown 30th June 2006 [Friday]
Lord Gold is so corrupted that he actually eats gold, and has the power of that element. His sidekicks, Silver, Nickel and Radium, do likewise.
Lord Gold wants his daughter to marry someone who isn't interested in her inheritance. Anyone he thinks is greedy - Sandy, Pigsy and Monkey - is enslaved to work in his open-cast gold mine. Tripitaka, however, is press-ganged as a potential husband!
Silver, Nickel and Radium want the inheritance for themselves. They plot to kill Tripitaka.
Moral of the story: A little gold casts a Shadow So Huge the very stars come out at noon. By the light of the stars, here and there small truths appear. Is Tripitka wise because he wants enlightenment as much as another wanted gold? Even in shadow, one may meet another, find a friend and learn from him.
Monkey [Season 2, Episode 16]
Keep on Dancing
Shown 6th July 2006 [Thursday]
The pilgrims arrive at the mansion of a merchant who is a self-taught Buddist. Unfortunately he got a few things wrong, including Flamenco-style dancing.
A young Goblin has fallen in love with the merchant's wife. He and his father disguise themselves as humans to fool the self-taught Buddists.
Moral of the story: There is a time which is neither too early or too late. That time is now.
Monkey [Season 2, Episode 17]
Give and Take
Shown 7th July 2006 [Friday]
The pilgrims arrive at an area where undead monsters live. A hunter kills the monsters for the reward.
Pigsy falls in love with a blind girl. He needs money to pay for a medical operation for her, so he becomes a bounty-hunter and goes after the monsters. Even though, if he cures her then she wil see he is an ugly swine!
An evil plotter pays the bounty-hunter to assassinate Tripitaka.
Moral of the story: It is wrong to do things just because we can. Power without rightness, pure force, cannot last against nature because nature is stronger.
A seed will only grow if planted in spring. You cannot force a seed to grow. Likewise, love cannot be forced. The good is the golden middle way.
Monkey [Season 2, Episode 18]
Such a Nice Monster
Shown 13th July 2006 [Thursday]
The pilgrims encounter a dog-monster that can make himself into a giant. He's a man in a big fuzzy suit, so he can't be evil. Also, he's scared of Pigsy ...
The Horse bonds with the Monster, while Tripitaka tries to stop the villagers from forming a lynch mob.
Monkey pretends to be a villain, so the dog-monster can save the day and impress the villagers.
Moral of the story: Be careful what you think. Those who know everything are less certain than us. Be careful what you do. All the harm in the world is done by people who are certain. Give up certainty, but try to do good and good will be done.
Monkey [Season 2, Episode 19]
The Fake Pilgrims
Shown 16 Nov 04
Shown 14th July 2006 [Friday]
Some demons disguise themselves as the pilgrims, and do evil deeds. The local villagers blame the REAL pilgrims, and refuse to give them food. Thus, our heroes face death by starvation.
Monkey [Season 2, Episode 20]
Pretty as a Picture
Shown February 2006 [Wednesday]
There is a magical wall-mural.
Monkey falls in love.
Monkey [Season 2, Episode 21]
Mothers
Shown February 2006 [Wednesday]
The pilgrims arrive at a village where the evil Wasp Witch steals children.
Monkey must rescue the stolen children.
Moral of the story: Fighting evil is both dangerous and demanding. There are no extremes that are right. There is only one way, and that is in the middle.
Monkey [Season 2, Episode 22]
The Tenacious Tomboy
Shown 30 Nov 04
Pigsy is attacked by a teen girl bandit. Was she a Buffy inspiration?
She has grudge against a stone-demon.
The ep is held back by its crappy vid-quality visuals.
Monkey [Season 2, Episode 23]
Stoned
Shown 28 Sep 04
A Young demon turns the 4 pilgrims to stone.
They have to teach him demon-magicks!
Monkey [Season 2, Episode 24]
Hungry Like The Wolf
Shown 26 Oct 04
The Pilgrims take wrong the road, and go to the blue-wolf-demon's hideout.
The Wolf demons [men in brightly-coloured furry suits] want to eat human flesh.
The Villager must choose - will he help BWD get a cure for his werewolf son?
Monkey [Season 2, Episode 25]
Monkey's Yearning
Shown 7 Dec 04
Shown 3rd August 2006 [Thursday]
The Pilgrims catch a young boy stealing food. Monkey takes him back to his mother - and then fall in love with her.
Monkey yearns to be a normal human man, with a wife and son. But the villagers are hassled by demons, and he is tempted by the way of violence.
The others get lost without him.
Monkey [Season 2, Episode 26]
At the Top of the Mountain
Shown 14 Dec 04
The travellers must contact Tripitaka's mother.
Monkey clones himself.
This is the end of Season 2.