# Tales of the Gold Monkey (1982)

> A young American adventurer and his ragtag crew fly a battered seaplane through 1938 South Pacific hi-jinx, ferrying people on the run.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/2852

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 22
- Episode runtime: 60 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: adventure, action, drama
- Created by: Donald P. Bellisario
- Network: ABC
- Cast: Stephen Collins, Caitlin O'Heaney, Jeff MacKay, Roddy McDowall, Marta DuBois, John Fujioka, John Calvin, Ron Moody
- TMDB rating: 8.0/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083488/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: mild
- Tone: breezy, playful, escapist, nostalgic, comedic

## What critics say

Reviewers found it a breezy, good-natured escapist adventure carried by its charming cast, though its formulaic episodes and thin plotting kept it from standing out, and it was cancelled after one season.

## Synopsis

Tales of the Gold Monkey (1982-1983) is an American adventure series created by Donald P. Bellisario for ABC. Set in a backwater corner of the South Pacific in 1938, it follows young American adventurer Jake Cutter (Stephen Collins) and his ragtag circle of friends as they pilot a worn Grumman Goose seaplane. Sarah Stickney White (Caitlin O'Heaney) and the colorful sidekicks Corky (Jeff MacKay) and Bon Chance Louie (Roddy McDowall) join him in the hi-jinx of the show. The engine of each episode is simple and kinetic: a rescue or cargo run for people on the run from authorities, complicated by rival crews and local dangers. Shaped as a single season of 22 episodes, the series keeps each adventure largely self-contained while its crew dynamic carries forward. The tone is breezy, playful and escapist, with the glamour of a 1930s exotic setting and light comic banter. Fans of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. and Hogan's Heroes will find resonance in its swashbuckling spirit and affectionate ensemble humor.

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