The Monkees "For Pete's Sake"

You can’t explain syndication to a kid.

At least, my mother couldn’t explain syndication to an 9 year old me.

I was in our basement/TV room, devastated. I'd just learned that my favorite band was breaking up and ending their run on TV.

I was crying. Inconsolable.

How could The Monkees do this?

Well, little did I know, The Monkees TV show had been off the air for a decade at this point. It was the late 1970s, and I was in grammar school.

I had been watching The Monkees almost every day, for months, on what I now understand was a local independent TV station that aired reruns of programs all day long.

I loved the songs. I loved the guys in the band. I loved the wacky antics.

But on this day, what I had witnessed, nearly destroyed me.

The last episode of the series aired. I remember clearly that it was introduced as such (though for all my internet searching, I can't seem to find any information about it) by the band, saying that the series was ending.

This was it. It was all over. There would be no more Monkees. No more Davy falling in love. No more Mickey saying something hilarious. No more time spent in that awesome flat. No more playing along to songs on my tennis racket.

Mom kept trying to explain to me that just because it was the last episode that was made, it wasn't the last time the show would ever air.

But I would not be convinced. I mean, Mike Nesmith was just on TV, saying it was the last episode. C'mon, who would know more about the situation (or anything, for that matter), Mike Nesmith or my Mom?

Finally, somewhat exasperated, my Mom got out the TV Guide. She turned the page to tomorrow and looked up the time-slot. "The Monkees" was scheduled to air. And the same thing for the same time the next day.

I still didn't fully believe her, but it was enough to stop the full mental breakdown, or loss of will-to-live.

I rested, uneasily.

Twenty-three hours later, I was in front of the television.

Twenty-three hours later, there was an episode of The Monkees on my TV.

It turns out those last closing credits, weren't the last closing credits, for Pete's (and Mickey's and Davy's and Mike's) sake . . .

(Did you know that the closing credits song is called "For Pete's Sake"?)

See the closing credits on Youtube.


See the opening and closing credits on Youtube.