'Love Monkey' blends music, humor
By Susannah Elliott, Entertainment Editor
January 26, 2006 | 1 a.m.
“Love Monkey,” based on the novel by Kyle Smith, follows Tom Farrell (Tom Cavanagh), who, like a monkey indecisively swinging from branch to branch, doesn’t yet know what he’s looking for in a relationship. Though he flounders in that area of his life, he excels in his career as he makes the transition from an A&R rep for the huge Goliath Records to the manager of the independent True Vinyl Records.
The role of music and the in-depth look at the industry sets “Love Monkey” apart from other shows. Unlike many programs, the business isn’t portrayed as an establishment solely out to make money. There is a very genuine feel to the way Farrell and his co-workers operate.
The show also dives behind the scenes as new artists gain exposure directly from the program. Not only are there artists like Badly Drawn Boy and Franz Ferdinand contributing to the soundtrack, but up-and-coming acts have also been clambering for a chance to be a part of the cast.
“People actually want to be on the show, and they’re also unbelievably gifted, you know,” Cavanagh said in an interview on CBS.com. “You just realize how hard it is to make it in that world … it’s a pretty interesting story.”
Those stories include that of Teddy Geiger, a musician-on-the-rise at only 17, who plays Wayne, a singer-songwriter prodigy who has recently been discovered by Farrell and signed to a label with True Vinyl. Prior to “Love Monkey,” Geiger had only developed a small fan base concentrated mostly in upstate New York. His work on the show, however, may just be the big break that spreads that fan base across the country.
Contrary to many other programs, “Love Monkey” actually films all scenes set in New York City on-location — the crew doesn’t use soundstages in Los Angeles or Canada. Most of the indoor sets are also actual buildings.
“Love Monkey” is taking steps in many directions to branch off from the norm of dramedies on television now. Male viewers will especially appreciate the telling of Farrell’s story from a male perspective. Every episode is scattered with Farrell’s inner monologue and side-plots with his diverse group of friends.
Despite their differences, Farrell and his friends became a tight-knit group. Mike (Jason Priestly) is married to Farrell’s sister, who is expecting a baby in a few weeks. Shooter (Larenz Tate), born with a silver spoon, is a street-wise, young, ladies’ man. Jake (Christopher Wiehl) is a professional baseball player-turned-sportscaster who happens to be gay. Each character has a very different inner conflict to work through.
“Love Monkey” is, without a doubt, a “guy’s story,” but what would any show be without women? Viewers can expect to see a lot of girlfriends go in and out of the series. In Kyle Smith’s novel, Farrell admits his most time-consuming hobby is “collecting ex-girlfriends.”
One girl viewers may hope sticks around is Bran (Judy Greer), Farrell’s platonic “girl-space-friend.” Bran acts as the voice of reason for Farrell, always telling him what she thinks in a straightforward, poignant way. Farrell’s sister Karen (Katherine La Nasa), who seems like the grown-up version of that girl who pushed boys down on the playground, adds to the female cast. Fellow True Vinyl employee Julia (Ivana Milicevic) may or may not be out to break Farrell’s heart.
“Love Monkey” is a funny, yet insightful series exposing what Tom Farrell and his friends learn about themselves and each other each week. Audiences can catch it on CBS at 10 p.m. on Tuesdays, but meanwhile, visit True Vinyl’s Web site, where there are bios and a MySpace profile for each employee.
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Visit the “Love Monkey” official Web site at: http://www.cbs.com/primetime/love_monkey