There’s an old saying “don’t meet your heroes” but for TV creator and showrunner Bill Lawrence, it was a dream come true. Lawrence’s new series “Bad Monkey” for Apple TV+, based on a novel by his favorite author, Carl Hiaasen, premieres Wednesday.

“I started reading Carl Hiaasen books when I was 15 years old. There’s a direct line from Carl’s surreal satires and wildly insane character pieces to, like, ‘Scrubs,'” explained Lawrence, also known for creating the long-running Zach Braff sitcom. “The guy helped me become a storyteller. He turned out to be cool and such a good dude.”

Starring in “Bad Monkey” is Vince Vaughn, whose humor and one-liners align with the writing styles of both Hiaasen and Lawrence.

Vaughn portrays Andrew Yancy, a former Miami police detective now working as a restaurant inspector in the Florida Keys. When a favor leads him to a mysterious case involving a human arm, Yancy finds himself entangled in a web of greed and power.

“Bad Monkey” allowed Lawrence to collaborate with daughter Charlotte, who plays a recurring role in the series. This marked Charlotte’s first acting role, adding a personal touch to the production.

Episodes of the series were shot on location in South Florida, providing an authentic backdrop that added to the storytelling.

Lawrence’s advice to everyone is simple, “If you can work with your kids, do it forever. Who cares what others say. It’s awesome.”