On This Day in 1966: Davy, Micky, Mike, and Peter Monkee around for the first time

If you’re enjoying The Monkees’ new album, then you may be interested to know that today is the anniversary of when the Good Times! began on the foursome’s TV series: on this day in 1966, The Monkees commenced production.

We’re not talking about the series’ pilot, mind you, which was long since completed. No, it was 50 years ago today that Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Mike Nesmith, and Peter Tork began filming “Don’t Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth,” the first proper episode of The Monkees. In a perfect encapsulation of how there’s neither rhyme nor reason to the order in which episodes are filmed versus when they’re aired, this actually ended up being the eighth episode of the series, but so it goes.

By the way, in case you were wondering which songs were featured, Nesmith’s plot-appropriate “All the King’s Horses” was used in the episode, as was his song “Papa Gene’s Blues.”

Oh, and did we mention that The Monkees: The Complete Series is hitting Blu-ray on this summer? Because it is, and it’s going to be amazing. Like, insanely amazing. Need proof? We can provide it.

Here’s the full details of what you’ll find on the set, and if you haven’t passed out by the time you’ve finished reading it, you’ll want to go pre-order your copy, because we’re only releasing 10,000 individually-numbered copies!

Discs 1-7

All 58 original, uncut episodes of THE MONKEES, remastered in HD from the original film negatives Audio commentary from all four Monkees NEW audio commentary from Micky Dolenz, Rodney Bingenheimer and "Monkee Girl" Valerie Kairys Venet Alternate "Saturday morning rerun" versions of 10 episodes with alternate songs and mixes All in the original glorious mono direct from the film audio mags

Disc 8

The 1968 movie HEAD, in HD Optional DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround soundtrack Audio commentary from all four Monkees

Disc 9

The 1969 NBC television special 33 1/3 REVOLUTIONS PER MONKEE, restored from newly discovered video elements Audio commentary from Micky Dolenz

Disc 10 - BONUS DISC, AVAILABLE IN THIS STRICTLY LIMITED EDITION ONLY!

Original screen tests Original TV commercial spots featuring The Monkees Newly discovered outtakes from THE MONKEES TV series Newly discovered color promo film for "Randy Scouse Git" created for TOP OF THE POPS and unseen since its original airing Never-before-seen backstage footage of The Monkees at the 1967 Emmy Awards Newly discovered outtakes from the movie HEAD Newly discovered outtakes from the TV special 33 1/3 REVOLUTIONS PER MONKEE The Monkees on THE JOHNNY CASH SHOW in 1969, including "Nine Times Blue" and "Everybody Loves A Nut (with Johnny Cash)" The Monkees on THE GLEN CAMPBELL GOODTIME HOUR in 1969, including a medley of "Last Train to Clarksville/I'm A Believer/Salesman" and a performance of "Tear Drop City" The Monkees on ROWAN & MARTIN'S LAUGH-IN in 1969 Davy Jones performing "Someday Man" from the 1969 TV special MUSIC BAG, unseen since its original airing Newly restored color promo film for "Oh My My"