Monkey has built a reputation that precedes it, and right now it is all available in the UK on Amazon Prime Video. Masaaki Sakai leads a cast that brings something genuine to every episode. What sets Monkey apart from the dozens of similar shows is hard to pin down in a single sentence — it is partly the writing, partly the performances, partly the way it commits to its premise without flinching. Genuinely funny in a way that holds up on rewatch: that is the shorthand, but it undersells how well Monkey executes on it. An audience of 17 has voted with their time — and their score reflects a run without many weak episodes. The streaming access means you can form your own opinion tonight, without any barrier to entry.

Japanese production values give Monkey a feel distinct from American and international alternatives. Buddhist priest Tripitaka and his three disciples Monkey, Pigsy, and Sandy, travel from China to India to fetch the Buddhist scriptures. They have been sent by Buddha, and getting these scriptures will bring peace to the people of the world. Masaaki Sakai and Masako Natsume lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. The series ran for 2 seasons (1978–1980), building a story that gave its audience time to invest properly. The real test of any comedy is whether it is still funny once you know all the jokes, and Monkey holds up on rewatch in a way that separates it from one-season curiosities. The consistency across the run is what elevates it — not every episode is the best, but none of them are a reason to stop watching.

If you need a comedy that actually makes you laugh rather than just smile politely, Monkey is a strong candidate — fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender will recognise the sensibility immediately. The writing is sharp without being exhausting, and the jokes land because they are grounded in characters you have had time to understand. The run is exactly long enough to let the relationships develop without wearing out its welcome. Put it on on a weeknight when you need something that is not going to demand your full concentration, then find it demanding your full concentration. This is what good comedy does.