You know when you’re browsing old copies of American television industry magazines, and you come across something that makes you stop and scratch your head with Simian-like confusion?

[image error]Broadcasting & Cable, 19th Jan 1987

New Monkees was a syndicated show, developed from the original by Matthew Fassberg and Victor Fresco. It lasted 13 episodes, and was jointly produced by Coca Cola Telecommunications and Straybert Productions.

[image error]Broadcasting & Cable, 20th October, 1986

Clearly they didn’t sell well enough to warrant making the planned 44 episodes.

This is the appearance on Good Morning America that’s mentioned in the above article.

Good Morning America, 16th October 1986

News of the show reached UK shores.

[image error]Liverpool Echo – Friday 21st November 1986

With a much bigger profile, full-page spread nearly a year later, marking the group’s first album release.

Daily Record – Thursday 31st December 1987

Here’s the opening titles.

New Monkees

And there it probably ended …

… except …

[image error]The Stage – Thursday 16th January 2003

What’s this? The New New Monkees?

Simon Fuller – creator of hit UK TV talent show Pop Idol – has begun talks to remake the 1960s cult comedy series The Monkees.

Fuller, who also first managed the Spice Girls, began discussions with US TV network NBC on Tuesday, according to trade journal Variety …

Fuller’s updated show would feature a new handpicked American all-male group in the roles made famous by the musical, accident-prone foursome. If Fuller’s plan gets the go-ahead, the revisited show would first be screened in the US in the autumn of 2003.

Fuller, who also created the UK pop group S Club 7, bought the rights to The Monkees concept and name.

The Monkees was also the inspiration for S Club 7 – the chart-topping who group who also starred in their own US-based children’s show.

Fuller’s updated Monkees would feature many of the elements that made the original series popular, such as comedy sketches and music.

(Pop Idol creator eyes Monkees remake, BBC News, 24th July 2002)

As far as I can see, it only ever got to the script stage, with this final mention in Entertainment Weekly.

Though it’s only in the script stage, NBC Entertainment president Jeff Zucker is already singing a happy tune about ”The Monkees,” an updated version of the classic ’60s comedy that will chronicle the search for four young men who can sing, dance, and act goofy for the camera. (The gang may even recut ”I’m a Believer.”) ”Look at what’s going on in TV right now, with unscripted programming and musical talent,” says Zucker. ”’The Monkees’ combines all of that.”

(EW, 13th February 2003)

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