After the intro (which explains that the words are about empathy and sympathy), Skits, Wally, Francois, Cisco, Burt, Martha, and two other dogs are seen playing around. The clock chimes three, signalling the end of school, so the dogs run up to greet the students. Helen is late, which, according to Martha, she has been for a few days. Then, when she exits, she's too wrapped up in a conversation with T.D. and another girl to pay the dogs much attention, only offering them a brief "Hi".
Then, at home, Helen is too busy studying to play with her dogs, so they go into the front yard to sulk. Just then, a badly-made go-kart swerves down the street, and a monkey in a lab coat flies through the air and ends up suspended from a tree. It tries to communicate with her, but she doesn't understand monkeys, and then it falls from the tree. Then, Martha recognises him as Professor Monkey, who jumps on her back and points, indicating for her to run. A car with his face on it chases them and they hide under Bob's verandah.
Unfortunately, Bob appears and growls at them. They run out and bump into a woman, who's revealed to be Professor Monkey's coworker. She explains that her name is Bethyl and she writes a book called Monkey Do So You Can Too, and that Professor Monkey was only taking a "little break". Martha is confused since he'd been acting like Bethyl was a "bad guy", but Bethyl just says that Professor Monkey is an expert liar. She then claims that he wants to know if Martha would like to join the two of them for lunch, and she excepts.
Bethyl shows Martha more go-karts, that are made from popsicle sticks, which are models for a book she's writing on how to make them. Bethyl reveals that Professor Monkey, who is serving food, has been feeling pressured since they have a deadline to finish writing the book. Helen complains about how busy Helen's been, then suggests Professor Monkey would feel less pressured if he had his own dog. That evening, Martha tells Helen, but she doesn't listen.
Martha and Professor Monkey survey the animal shelter, talk with some dogs in an alley, and look at a flyer for kittens, but don't get anywhere because Professor Monkey keeps demanding "breaks", during which they have a picnic, dig through the trash, go swimming, play cards, and steal meat. At home, Martha tries to tell Helen, but she's fallen asleep.
The next morning, Martha tells Helen she plans to spend the whole day with Professor Monkey, but Helen is again too busy studying to pay attention. At Professor Monkey's house, he's built a text-to-speech machine so they can communicate. Then, they fly off on a flying couch despite Bethyl's warning that they must get ready for the book tour.
They go to the park, and the clock chimes three again, but Martha accidentally sends the flying couch away without them on it. Bethyl arrives and picks up the Professor so they can go on tour, but this makes Martha lonely. Professor Monkey wants Martha to come with him and Bethyl, but Martha declines because she thinks it'd offend Helen. Then, at home, Helen's report is now due and they play fetch.
This episode provides examples of
- Accessory-Wearing Cartoon Animal: While serving food, Professor Monkey wears nothing but an apron.
- Aesop Amnesia: Martha is still prejudiced against cats, ignoring the Prejudice Aesop of "There Goes the Neighbourhood".
- Alliterative Title: Monkeyshines Martha.
- Animal Jingoism: Martha says, "Kittens grow into cats, so no wonder they're giving them away".
- Bittersweet Ending: Helen's report is done so she has time to play with Martha and Skits again, and Professor Monkey is happy again since he'll enjoy the tour, but he still has no pet.
- Flat Joy: Professor Monkey's text-to-speech device can't emote, which makes it sound weird when he says, "It will be fun, fun, fun".
- Fuzz Therapy: Discussed when Martha thinks a dog would make Professor Monkey feel less pressured.
- Happy Dance: Professor Monkey dances happily when anticipating the book tour.
- Language Barrier: Martha cannot understand monkey noises, necessitating Professor Monkey to make a text-to-speech device.
- Literal-Minded: As well as Martha, Professor Monkey takes his suggestion of them "unwinding" literally.
- Oh, Crap!: Martha screams when Bob growls at her and Professor Monkey.
- Percussive Maintenance: Professor Monkey hits the talking machine to make it work.
- Rhyming Title: Bethyl's book is called Monkey Do So You Can Too.
- Slasptick:
- Professor Monkey ends up suspended from a tree, then he falls from it.
- Bethyl ends up knocked over at the end of the chase scene.
- Stock Animal Diet: Professor Monkey feeds Martha sausages.
