Monk: Mr. Monk and the Miracle

Sadly, "Mr. Monk and the Miracle" was a sub-standard episode and hardly worth the moniker of "special." The mystery was rather simple -- about the most complicated piece of evidence was the hand print in the refrigerator -- and when Michael Badalucco appeared as Leland's pharmacist, you kind of knew he was involved in some way. Yet while the show wasn't up to the best of Monk standards, it did have a moment or two to redeem it.

The annoying Monk was on display the moment he scowled at Natalie with the ladle. This seemed extreme even for Monk; was he going to throw out every utensil and appliance she used in the kitchen? Hasn't he already accepted at least her "cooties" when it comes to his stuff?

But annoying Monk -- germophobe to the nth degree -- was in full force, freaking out when his clients, homeless bums Ike, Reggie and the Professor, hired him to find out who killed their buddy, Willie. I know Monk's discomfort over their filth and lack of social graces is meant to be laugh-inducing, but it's a fine line between him being annoyed and him being rude. Natalie is the counterbalance, so you could count on her for the true Christmas spirit (and Julie, too). Although they didn't show how it got that way, the best gag was the way Monk wrapped his furniture wrapped in plastic and cordoned-off parts of the apartment.

The better half of the episode dealing with Leland's bad back and overwhelming sadness. Has it really been two years since his relationship with Linda ended? My heart was aching for him, which made his conversion at the monastery all the better. When Monk tried to talk to the monk who had taken a vow of silence, the "shush" bit was very funny -- reminiscent of Seth Green and Mike Meyers in Austin Powers -- even though I was waiting for a topper, a way for Monk to communicate without speaking. The charades when he finally found Leland was predictable.

Ultimately, of course, the truth about the fake waters of the fountain was revealed and Badalucco apprehended after his girlfriend confessed. Natalie and Monk sneaking in as monks and chanting the information to him was very funny, "Here's what happened." I liked the idea that Leland's faith was restored by the "miracle" recovery, but his cop instincts should have told him something was off about the fountain. As a character, he's not that naive, even with a bad back. Monk was suspicious from the start.

Other points of interest:

The chalk/herbal concoction that Stottlemeyer drank and Monk connected back to Willie's murder was a reach. He should have confirmed the connection by testing the bottle to see if the bottles were Leland's because of DNA. Otherwise, why couldn't the bottle have come from anywhere in San Francisco?

When talking to the pharmacist, Leland referred to Randy as his partner. Hmm.

Without the moustache, Leland looked younger. With the moustache, Randy looked funny.

In the final scene, did Monk drink from the fountain? I think not. He just cannot believe.

What was the joke about the bum's gravy? I still don't get it.

Leland's gift to Randy was a razor.

Monk: Mr. Monk Get Hypnotized

Monk should have wrapped the season with thelastepisode, ending on a high point, because this show was in many ways a downer. The case, such as it was, was pretty flimsy. The clues were presented so early and rather ungracefully that unless I was really unfamiliar with the Monk formula, it was a cinch to guess who was really the "guy."

The real novelty was Monk's getting in touch with his inner child. That and Tim Bagley returning as Harold Krenshaw. It's always fun when Monk's nemesis shows up, but this was a reborn Harold. Thanks to his new shrink, Dr. Kleinman, Harold wasn't interested in competing with Monk. He just wanted to embrace the wonders of life.

I get that Harold pushes Monk's buttons and therefore seeing him happy upset Adrian. But there was a lack of continuity here, because for no discernible reason, Monk was dissatisfied with Dr. Bell. After the submarine show, Monk and Dr. Bell were completely in sync. In this show, Monk complains to Natalie that he's getting nowhere in his therapy. "I've been talking for eleven years. I want to get better." Wow! That was a revelation. Perhaps it's the result of his inability to make a lasting connection with Layla in "Mr. Monk Falls in Love"? If so, it would show some growth, albeit painful growth, on Monk's part.

So after one session with Dr. Kleinman, played in a too brief appearance by The West Wing's Richard Schiff, Monk is hypnotized to a happy place. Ding, ding, ding -- Monk becomes a little boy. The Adrian as a child bit was rather gimmicky, but Tony Shalhoub played it to the hilt. You got to figure that all actors really enjoy the chance to become six year olds. It's a tried and true plot device.

Monk as a boy is free and goofy and a frog-lover. He finds a frog while working the case -- sort of -- and names him Hoppy (nearly Happy). He gorges himself on pancakes. He withholds nothing when confronting suspects. It was great that even though he was a boy, he still had the keen observational skills to see that Aaron Larkin was having an affair with his assistant. Of course, the observation involved the woman having "cooties," but he still saw what nobody else did.

Not surprisingly, Monk becomes bored with the case -- he's only six and grown up police work is no fun. When Sally Larkin is questioned, his misbehaving leads to him throwing a tantrum and saying he hates them all, but not before he finds the gum on her shoe, the key to solving the crime.

Perhaps it was fitting that it was Monk himself that brought him back to reality. In the playground, Monk saw his reflection and realized the truth. He takes Hoppy back into pond at the Larkin estate, saying, "At least one of us can be free." Freedom is something Monk cannot achieve because in the end, he's right back where he was. He can't embrace pancakes or the wonder of a mother bird feeding her chicks. He doesn't get it. Hypnosis wasn't the answer.

Other points of interest:

Monk's vision of childhood isn't his own. It's the childhood he always wanted.

Playing a boy, Monk did some really gross things, including the fart noises, commenting about Natalie's body odor, and speaking out. My favorite line from little Adrian was, "She's a liar, Stottlemeyer."

When Dr. Kleinman tells Monk to leap, he says that a net will appear. Monk wonders who's "Annette?"

The moment I saw the headline in the tabloid that Sally Larkin was an actress, I knew she was "the guy."

Disher mints, Randy's do-it-yourself gum making kit. The whole idea of gum on the shoe being re-eaten was disgusting. Monk being the one to eat it makes it twice as gross.

The first black and white reenactment of how Aaron was killed in the cabin was really funny. I'm used to Monk's "this is how he did it" moments to be completely factual and this was a goof on that.

Monk: Mr. Monk's 100th Case

Too often when a show reaches an anniversary, like say 100 episodes, the producers feel the need to mark the occasion with an extraordinary entry. That was what happened with Monk.

To commemorate the 100th episode, they created Mr. Monk's 100th Case, and using a show within a show format, celebrated Adrian Monk, a modern day Sherlock Holmes. San Francisco's defective detective

Thank goodness it all worked! I was afraid I was going to get a clip-laden, down-memory-lane type of show with nothing remotely intriguing. No, the writers were more clever than that.

Yes, there were memories, but there was also a new case and many of Monk's previous adversaries/killers (guest stars) that were revisited in new filmed scenes! Kudos to the Monk team for getting so many stars to return.

Eric McCormack played an unctuous host of a TV crime docudrama series called In Focus. With a haughty "Chris Hanson style" (To Catch a Predator), the In Focus production focused on Monk solving a serial killer case.

This gave the show a great opportunity to remind viewers about the Monk biography, including a really good recap of the death of his wife, Trudy. It wasn't just the telling of her dying in a car bombing, it was that documentary footage, the interviews with Ambrose, Monk's brother (John Turtturo), and Stottlemeyer, about how her death devastated Adrian.

Then, the question asked by Novak of Monk, "Why do you keep going?" With tears in his eyes, Monk answers, "I can't die until I know." The Trudy connection has never been better explained than that.

There was a good balance between the serious stuff -- Trudy -- and the comic -- Monk's quirks, like what he does with his hands and why. It was an easy get when Monk discovered that the photographer was the link to the killings -- his name was on each photo. But it was good that for once the obvious suspect was the killer, but not the "guy."

You had the feeling that Eric McCormack had to be the "guy." His motivation was a little weak (his wife was going to find out he was cheating), as was his pulling a gun in a room filled with cops -- did he really think he was going to shoot his way out of there?

As I mentioned, many of the stars who've appeared on Monk returned for extended cameos, including Howie Mandel and Andy Richter. My favorites were Angela Kinsey, Sarah Silverman and Brooke Adams. Also, you had to love it when Tim Bagley as Harold Krenshaw, Monk's enemy, was interviewed. I think Dr. Bell and all references to Dr. Kroger were left out because of doctor/patient confidentiality. Would a psychologist discuss a patient with a filmmaker? No.

What was missing was Sharona (Bitty Schram). She should have been one of the interviews.

The topper was the finale, with Monk saying he was going to stop detecting because 100 was a good even number to call it quits. Natalie nicely noted that it was actually case 101, forcing Monk to keep going till he reaches 200 -- or so they said. I guess that'll be up to USA and Tony Shalhoub.

Other points of interest

-- Gillian, Disher's girlfriend is a re-enactor, an actor specializing in shows the re-enact crimes. "She was bludgeoned to death on Dateline," says Randy proudly. Later, when the gun fires and she falls to the ground, it set up a great line: "Sorry, force of habit!"

-- When Natalie warned Stottlemeyer to stop switching over to the basketball game, he snarked at her, "You're not my mother."

-- Loved seeing Kathryn Joosten, "Where's the fiber?" commercial lady and Desperate Housewives' regular (not to mention Mrs. Landingham on The West Wing) as Monk's babysitter from childhood.

-- Monk's TV remote language was great: Picture freezer, picture go fast, picture regular.

-- I liked the Dracula at The Morbid Cafe, the whole idea of that kind of theme restaurant was very funny.

-- Randy's assertion that "If you can name him, you can catch him" about serial killers was typical Disher inanity. The Lipstick Assassin or Mr. Lipstick.

Monk: Mr. Monk Falls In Love

This was a rarity in the Monk canon. It was not only a serious episode, but one in which Monk seemed capable of touching another person and falling in love again. The title of the episode, in fact, suggests that he does fall in love.

There were other differences in the show. The murder of the taxi driver brought Stottlemeyer and Disher to the case, and Natalie and Adrian, but also a San Francisco Homicide task force -- i.e. two other detectives. Have I ever seen these guys before? I don't remember them. They were there for one reason basically, to contradict Monk's assertion that the prime suspect -- Layla with a Z, a beautiful social worker -- is not the "guy." In the face of mounting evidence, Monk refused to believe she did it.

At the same time, Monk allowed himself to be attracted to her, or rather, he couldn't help himself. When he goes to see her to warn her that the cops will arrest her, he admits that he could have called instead. Fighting every one of his instincts to pull away, Monk kept coming back to her. Joanna Pacula played Layla with complete sincerity. She did look like an angel when they first interviewed her. At no point, did I think she was playing Monk, like the other two detectives suggested.

As attracted to her as Monk was, she was attracted to him, too, a fact that was underscored in the dancing scene. Monk actually overcame his phobias about intimacy and after a hesitant start, he took her in his arms and they danced. It was a sweet moment, but it couldn't last. Monk's obsession with Trudy continues to hold him in check. Scrubbing the wedding ring symbolized his need to remain only Trudy's. Sad, really.

The Zemenian restaurant scene was fun, sort of a Benihana of Slavic food. Like the last episode on the submarine, Monk refused to eat. This time it was because of chef was playing with the food. One of these week's, Monk's going to have to eat something.

When the story of the butcher came out and Layla mentioned Emmerich by name, Monk's calling for 911 because the guy spat on the floor was over the top. But then, this is Monk.

The ending though was particularly poignant. Monk did the right thing. He save Layla and found the right "guy," but was it fair that an old woman was imprisoned when a war criminal, "the butcher of Zemenia," was never brought to justice? Yes, she stabbed him, but what crimes had he committed and never been tried for?

Ultimately, Monk's choice resulted in his losing Layla. There was no right answer, actually. If he let her confession stand, he'd lose her. Bringing in her mother and revealing that she was the killer, lost Layla to him, too. The final shot of Layla walking away and the door swinging closed on Monk sealed the deal. I doubt Layla will be back again.

Other points of interest:

Randy in date mode was like Randy at work, oblivious. By the way, Randy looked quite randy in the cab. I guess he hasn't been dating much lately.

When Layla kissed Monk for the first time, Natalie gave him a wipe, which he didn't use.

"Red light, schmed light. That's your argument?"

The cops should not have had guns drawn when they went to arrest Layla; there was no imminent danger.

Showing the murder in black and white was a nice touch, even though we've seen it before. But wouldn't the cabbie have some inkling that he was despised by the Zemenian community? Was he hiding in plain sight?

The mythical Zemenia reminded me of Freedonian.

Monk: Mr. Monk is Underwater

"It's funny how the mind works."-- Monk to Dr. Bell

I kind of knew when I put together the words Monk and submarine I was going to get an unusual episode. As a longtime Monk watcher, I know that enclosed places are not Adrian-friendly environs, so when an old friend of Natalie's -- hottie Casper Van Dien (Starship Troopers) as her late husband Mitch's buddy, Lt. Steve Albright -- asked Monk to investigate a suspicious death on the U.S.S. Seattle, trouble would ensue. Was it a contrived situation to get Monk trapped on board? You bet, but I accepted that and moved on.

What made this episode unique was how Monk reacted. Initially, he ran for the hatch like a crazed three-year-old. But then Adrian concocted a coping mechanism. This was a Monk first. To deal with claustrophia, he envisioned Dr. Bell by his side.

It was like Harvey, the movie in which Jimmy Stewart has an invisible best friend named Harvey, a giant rabbit. To the world, Jimmy's character, Elwood P. Dowd, is completely daft. In a similar fashion, Monk spent this entire episode conferring and talking to an invisible Dr. Bell. Monk appeared delusional, but the illusion allowed him to cope with the situation and solve the case. It was actually pretty funny.

Is it possible that Monk is getting better -- at least better for him? Since his illusion was Dr. Bell and not someone else, that means he's bonded with the new therapist. If the late Stanley Kamel were alive, this illusion might have been Dr. Kroger. Still, Monk's subconscious chose someone who can help him deal psychologically, as opposed to Leland or Randy, who would have been there to help solve the crime only.

It was pretty obvious that Commander Whitaker was the "guy," especially because William Atherton always plays an S.O.B. Remember the Die Hard movies? He was great in the pompous, over the top, "I am the Lord on this boat," scene. But there was little doubt that he was the killer.

While there wasn't much suspense, I liked the character development for Monk and the hint of a romance for Natalie. They left it out there that Steve might be back for Christmas. He's single, she's single. They clearly have chemistry. It's time for Natalie to complicate her life with some love. And, finally, if there was any question about Monk and Dr. Bell, it's been answered. When the shrink appeared at the end of the show to meet Monk at the pier and they walked off together, it was like the fade out of Casablanca, "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

Other points of interest:

With all the references to NCIS, I half-expected to see Mark Harmon make an appearance! (Too bad it's a different network).

As the water filled the sealed room, Monk panicked -- naturally -- crying, "Ocean in my pants."

The shot of the U.S.S. Seattle from the pier was pretty good CGI work, although I knew it was a process shot.

Monk: Mr. Monk Takes a Punch

Okay, this episode was a definite reach, especially the convoluted way they came up with a climax to feature Monk doing all the things necessary to pass a fitness exam. Perhaps it was an homage to the Olympics, a twisted connection thanks to the NBC Universal. I don't know, but it took a leap of faith to buy it all.

For starters, there was no star murderer. It was an interesting case for a change, especially since the killer was a professional hit man. The planting of the bomb in the heavy bag was clever, although wouldn't a real pro make sure that the target would be hit? The set up was so random. And if you don't care about killing, why not leave a bomb big enough to destroy the gym and everyone in it? Just wondering...

So we get Monk in a boxing ring. Hmm... Was this episode inspired by the Rocky movies? You have to wonder, because boxing is hardly a "now" sport. This was more like a 1930's boxing movie, which is what Rocky was basically re-creating. Very anachronistic. This was especially true in the scene when Monk confronted Ray with the evidence that he took a dive, it seemed to come out of left field. There was no build up to it... Adrian said he was quitting before the commercial, then he's on the case.

The show did have familiar stars, like James Lesure who played Mike on Las Vegas, as the boxer (turns out that he's an amateur boxer). Great character actor Robert Loggia seemed to be doing the Burgess Meredith role from Rocky, you know, crusty old Mickey? (I guess I should be glad there was no Burt Young character).

The strands of this episode were all over the place -- Ray taking a dive for Flynn's daughter's operations, stolen art, Marino the mob boss, the hired gun man with the high powered rifle, Monk's ineptitude at physical activity -- which prompted a quick wrap up (at warp speed) once Disher and Stottlemeyer shot the assailant (and wasn't that a shock; normally nobody is shot by the cops on Monk). Randy looked devastated, even though Leland said they'd acted in self-defense.

Overall, not a great episode, but at least Monk's still on the San Francisco P.D. consultant list. Hopefully, "the beast" will get more interesting cases to come.

Other points of interest:

Great catch by Stottlemeyer, noticing that the thread from the heavy bag had been licked and had to have DNA on it.

What? Adrian Monk doesn't know anything about the web. Really? How could he tell Julie what to look up and how to find it on the Internet Worldwide Web if he's never used it. This seemed off to me. Monk has OCD, but he's not out of touch with the 21st century.

When Monk goes to the bomb site in the track suit, moaning that he's going to quit because he can't pass the fitness test, Flynn growls, "He looks like a big, sad plum."

For a change, Randy was very funny. His undressing to prove that he wasn't wearing a wire made me laugh out loud.

I never thought I'd see Tony Shalhoub mimicking Barbra Streisand, but his gags at ringside were just like hers in The Main Event, i.e. getting tangled in the ropes trying to climb into the ring, then straightening the boxer's socks when he's supposed to get back to the fight.

Monk: Mr Monk Gets Lotto Fever

"You used to be a superstar and now you're Garfunkel."

I never realized that Mr. Monk likes being a celebrity. This episode really underscored that fact. When the uniformed cop asks for his autograph and then he talks to the guy's nephew, Monk is giddy as he tells Natalie that the kid thinks he's "Cooler than Spider-man?" Autographs and ego. I didn't realize that Monk enjoyed his status. Meanwhile, in a really odd turn, the body is just laying there. What a cavalier attitude about showing the body, I mean that's kind of unusual for an episode of Monk. There was no sheet over the body. And the killing was pretty vicious. The aggressiveness of the killer, the way he chased her, then stabbed her three times, suggested passion to me, but it was all a red herring.

There's some real tension between Natalie and Monk. I've seen this before, including last week with the money issue. Are they building to something? Monk's attitude about saying, "Nokay" to Natalie's chance to do become "Lotto Girl" (for one night) was typical, selfish Monk. "You'll thank me later," Natalie said, borrowing from Monk. The sight of Natalie posing as lotto girl on the city bus was great. It really hit home her 15 minutes of fame. Monk mocks her and nearly calls her a bimbo. It reaches a crescendo when Monk demands that she choose and Natalie quits. "I quit you. I quit us." For Natalie, this was all emotion. She ran off in tears. Monk doesn't seem to get this fact and is only concerned with who will hand him a fresh wipe. Later, he laments, "Everyone leaves. I'd leave me too if I had a chance." Why doesn't he realize that he has the power to change that? Guess it's part of his neuroses.

I loved Lotto guy. What a great character! Instead of just being an obsessive nut, his theory about how to win was very well-thought out and revelatory. See, even geeky fan boys are more than just their obsessions! By the way, he was living in Nob Hill Towers. In San Francisco. Maybe he had won some Lotto millions, how else could he afford even a studio apartment there?

The finale was again rushed. I don't know why the writers are having such a hard time pacing the mysteries. The scene in which the lottery commissioner and the station manager confront Natalie and Leland and accuse them of rigging the lotto machine was really badly written. Leland's a cop. Natalie has no criminal record. The accusations were all conjecture and the evidence didn't prove that they had doctored the system. Monk figures out the metallic paint and the magnet in 30 seconds. Then he recognizes the logo on the hat and Billy Logan, sound man -- who should have been the obvious suspect because of his connection to the equipment -- is conveniently lounging by the pool with his accomplice.

Other points of interest:

Leland to Randy when the other cop comes up with his funny one-liner about the murder: "Come on, Shecky. Let's walk it off"

Monk makes a reference to celebrity, saying, "I felt like Fats Domino." Really? He knows Fats Domino but not Art Garfunkel? I guess he stopped listening to music in 1961.

In his glee at winning the lottery, Stottlemeyer showed his generosity, offering to pay off Randy's student loans. And he's ready to give up his job in a heartbeat.

When Randy arrested Logan, he peppered him with zingers, then said, "You have the right to remain silent." Logan shot back, "I will if you will."

Monk's thinking that Garfunkel was Garfield the cat, or Alvin and the Chipmunks, or a carbuncle, was funny.

Monk: Mr. Monk and the Genius

I really thought this was going to be a superb Monk. It had all the elements of a top notch cat and mouse affair, starting with guest star David Strathairn -- so brilliant in Good Night and Good Luck as Edward R. Murrow -- as a chess grand master, Patrick Kloster.

The set up was elegant; Kloster's wife hires Monk to investigate her murder because she is certain her husband will follow through on his perfect plan to kill her. Within a day, she's dead and the chess master has an airtight alibi. How did he do it? It was a Columbo gambit, and only a genius like Columbo -- or Monk -- could figure it out.

The clues to the mystery fell into place without any great surprise or twist. The wife was poisoned when she drank from a secret stash of oleander laced wine, which was never found. That was just Monk's supposition after swiping the flowers from the garden. That would be inadmissible evidence because he had no warrant to get them from Kloster's home. Then he actually tried to plant the evidence -- again, not very smart or Monk-like.

The scene that preceded the planting of evidence was the "moment" for the show. Leland suspected that Monk was about the "cross the line" and manufacture the evidence to get Kloster. In a well-written and nicely directed scene (Monk's face is shot in half-darkness and Stottlemeyer is shown as a mirrored reflection), Monk reveals that the wife touched his hands when she convinced him to take the case in a way that was just like Trudy. Monk couldn't just "let it go." He had to make Kloster pay for his crime.

But the way Monk finally figures out how the headstones were switched, by recognizing the castling move in a chess match as Patrick's method of switching the corpses, was too elementary. What goes unexplained is how on earth Kloster could have moved the headstones before the police appeared to dig up his first wife's body? How could he have done it without a trace? Monk was there for the exhumation and didn't notice a blade of grass unturned -- how likely would that be?

So, overall, an episode that promised a lot, but wasn't grand or masterful at all.

Other points of interest:

Finally, a scene with Natalie bitching about her job and how much -- little -- she gets paid to be his assistant. Is Monk having money problems because of the house? He should have reminded her of that debacle.

Julie's flirting with the young chessman was cute, especially Natalie's pride/upset at how good her teenaged daughter is at getting to the guy.

It was a relief that Randy wasn't made to look like an idiot for a chance. In fact, his predicting that Stottlemeyer would in some way spill his coffee and he'd be forced to clean up the mess was very prescient.

Would Monk really have not endorsed the $5,000 check unless tricked into it? The guy has to pay his rent.

What a relief when Monk finally tells Kloster that he's sick of the chess metaphors! It was becoming a bore.

I liked the way Kloster was dressed like Monk in the first scene; no tie, buttoned up. As the episode progressed, his look became less and less Monkish.

Monk: Mr. Monk Buys a House

Just when I thought it was another lazy summer waiting for fall programming, I was blessed with the first episode of the new season of my favorite obsessive detective.

The Murder –A nurse is trying to get information from an old man in a wheelchair. When she doesn’t get what she wants, she brings him up the stairs in his wheelchair, only to stand him up and push him back down the stairs to his demise.

Monk is up to his usual antics. He’s very upset hearing a young girl playing her piano, and he calls the police on her. I find out soon after that Monk’s therapist Dr Kroger has had a heart attack! (In true life, actor Stanley Kamel passed away in April of this year.) Adrian will need a new therapist.

At the station, Monk is chomping at the bit for a new case, and finds the folder with the case of the old man. He wants to investigate it, and Captain Stottlemeyer finally concedes. Leland, Randy and Monk go to the house where the crime was committed. While Leland and Randy were asking the man’s daughter questions, Monk seems more interested that the house is for sale. Against Leland’s advice, Monk agrees to purchase the house!

Later I meet Dr. Neven Bell, Monk’s new (assumed) psychiatrist. He’s not happy to meet with a new doctor, and Natalie’s mentioning that his last name is a palindrome doesn’t help. Although things start to look up when Dr. Bell offers Monk a wipe. After talking a while, Dr Bell thinks the reason that the piano playing is only bothering him because it’s Chopin and Dr Kroger loved Chopin. Monk is missing his friend.

After his session, Adrian is shopping in a hardware store for a new showerhead for the house. He’s unhappy that there aren’t 100 holes in the head, finding only 98. But then a friendly handyman named Jake comes by and offers to drill those extra holes for him. Monk is happy to hear this news.

Monk has now moved into his new house. He gives Natalie a tour of the home, and she shows some concern. She can’t believe that he is able to move out of the apartment that Trudy lived in. And she reminds him that is he not good with change. However, Adrian thinks he’s matured.

Later he has Jake by to help center his dining room chandelier. Jake tells Monk that his wiring is out of date, and he needs to run a new line. Then Jake starts to smash down Monk’s “Third favorite wall”. Then Jake brings in Ramon and they start smashing through all of the walls!

As the dust settles on the stairs, Monk has his first revelation. He notices thin tire marks on the stairs, highlighted by the dust. He pulls out the wheelchair and sees that it’s a match. Later that night, Cassie (the nurse) comes home from a late shift. And guess who is sitting in her apartment already? That’s right, it’s Jake the handyman. He tells Cassie who purchased the house from the old man. Jake wastes no time in stabbing Cassie to death.

The following day Stottlemeyer and the crew head out to speak to Cassie, only to discover that she’s been murdered! They find some cash that has dates from the 60’s with old serial numbers. Leland and Randy go to an armored truck service and they find out that the numbers on the money they found were from a robbery back in the 60’s. Two of the robbers were caught and died in prison. The third robber was never found nor ratted out. Stottlemeyer figures that this person may have been the old man.

Meanwhile, Natalie and Monk are going through an old scrapbook that the old man had. She can’t understand why he would have the clippings that are in there. That is, until Monk starts turning over some of the clippings to reveal stories of the heist. Monk then notices an awl hanging out of Jake’s toolbox. He pulls it out and sees blood. But Jake has already noticed and is pointing a gun at Monk & Natalie. Jake chains them to the bathtub and continues smashing walls to look for the money. Natalie notes that Jake hasn’t fixed the light.

Then it occurs to Monk where the money is. Jake starts to smash down what is a false wall to reveal the money, and then shoots Ramon right after. Then Monk and Natalie are able to kick the wall over on Jake for enough time to send out a help signal from the fireplace. Fortunately Stottlemeyer sees the signal and comes to the rescue. Adrian is back in Dr Bell’s office. He is obviously happy with him now, and will be coming back.

The episode ends with Monk back in his apartment, but this time he opens the widow to hear the piano. The camera scrolls over to show Dr Kroger’s picture.

This was an excellent first episode to kick off the 7th season. It was very touching at the end, with the producers dedicating the episode to Stanley Kamel. Brad Garrett was great as Jake, stepping totally away from his character on Everybody Loves Raymond.

Monk: Mr. Monk is on the Run, Part 2

The build up was great in the first-half of the season finale. Adrian's clearly being targeted for a murder by a local sheriff, and he's in some serious trouble. Then to give him and Leland time to figure everything out, they concoct a plan to "kill" Adrian.

All of that went very well. Nobody really suspected anything was up, which led for some interesting scenes between Leland and Natalie. Her reactions seemed perfect (no over-acting), but at the same time, they didn't make a whole lot of sense. Natalie has only known Adrian for a short period of time, and yet she seems as distraught as a wife would react. The acting was believable, but not the story aspect.

As soon as Natalie learned Adrian was alive, I knew exactly how the episode was going to end.

Adrian really hasn't had many arch enemies. It's something that's always been missing in the series, but the closest there is is Dale the Whale and he made a re-appearance in the finale. He's actually a great villain. He's wealthy and obviously still has plenty of connections to the outside (of prison).

Whether or not Dale will be back is uncertain, but it's hard to overlook the fact that the ending seemed rather final. Dale didn't seem willing to part with any information he may have on "the judge," so he may not be back.

The story was pretty good, but I need to point out that Adrian did save the governor's life. The question is will the governor do anything to reward him. I seriously doubt it. And that's unfortunate. He saved the man's life; re-instate him or at least begin that process.

With season seven officially announced, it's likely going to be the final season. At that time, I figure the writers will finally wrap up the Trudy murder mythology and bring the series to a proper conclusion.

Monk: Mr. Monk Is On The Run Part 1

Now that my favorite show, Friday Night Lights, has wrapped up for the season, I am able to watch Monk. They were both on at 9pm EST, but alas my heart belongs to the Dillon Panthers and Coach Taylor. Still no confirmation if the show will be picked for the Fall 2008 season. My fingers are still crossed. Plus there is always a Monk Marathon on USA, so I'm sure I'll catch some of the shows I missed.

One of my most common complaints regarding Monk is the lack of story advancement in the death of Adrian's wife Trudy. I'm not looking for a quick end to it, but there hasn't been a serious lead in several seasons now. The two-part sixth season finale changed that. In fact, I meet Trudy's killer. The finale was a homage to The Fugitive. Monk went on the run after supposedly killing someone and he had to prove that he didn't do it.

I was actually impressed by the way things turned out. Adrian was able to think on his feet and stole Natalie's pass which allowed him to escape. He did a good job at playing a wanted man on the run.All of that was great, but there were some funny scenes that really stood out, such as Adrian's auto-theft attempt, the sewing of the torn pocket, and Natalie's smoothie. I'd love to know how many takes it took to do that smoothie scene because that was hysterical. It's hard to imagine how that drink would actually taste.

It was obvious early on that the small-town sheriff was involved in setting Adrian up. He arrived to the scene of the shooting far too early not to be involved. But the question remains: why did he set up Adrian? I really haven't got a satisfactory theory to that question, but I am theorizing the sheriff may have been involved in the murder of Trudy. The sheriff said he's got old friends in high places, namely the lieutenant governor. It wouldn't be the first time that Trudy (a journalist) was working on an exposé which would damage someone's career. It's possible the sheriff and lieutenant governor decided to get rid of Trudy before her story could be published and the man's reputation damaged.

The cliffhanger in the first part wasn't particularly great. It was obvious that Adrian and Leland conspired to setup the scene to make it look like Adrian had been shot and killed with the intent to get the sheriff to back off a bit while they figure out why he's after Adrian. Still, this was a great episode. There was a lot more drama in this episode because of the fact that Adrian was directly accused of something. Call me a skeptic, but somehow I don't think the second half could possibly live up to the first half.

Mr. Monk Goes To The Hospital

It's a sad and depressing time in the lives of Monk fans everywhere. The fifth season ended with the airing of "Mr. Monk Goes to the Hospital." There won't be a new episode of Monk again until July, so my expectations were undoubtedly high. However, these high expectations weren't necessarily met. Instead, after a season of strong, but sometimes awkward and unusual episodes, the season ended on perhaps one of the most unusual and unsatisfying of them all.

With that said, "Mr. Monk Goes to the Hospital" is still a good episode of Monk, providing plenty of humor and an intriguing crime-ridden storyline. OCD detective Adrian Monk visits the hospital with his assistant, Natalie Teeger. The reason for his visit lies in a nosebleed that doesn't seem to want to end. Naturally, the funny Monkesque antics ensue before long as Monk and Natalie spend considerable time in the emergency room waiting for Monk to be treated.

However, Natalie quickly ups and leaves Monk alone at the hospital to go meet a date, this being her first day off in several months. Adrian reluctantly releases her from duty for the day and is treated. It's directly after this treatment that Adrian wanders off, only to discover one of the hospital's doctors murdered in his own office.

As Adrian examines the crime scene with his friends at the San Francisco Police Department, Detectives Stottlemeyer and Disher, the evidence quickly leads back to an elderly patient, 82-year-old Hank Johansen. Of course, this man was unable to commit the crime, and before long, all signs point towards his doctor, Dr. Scott.

The problems with the episode don't lie in any of the above. The first problem is in what ends up happening to Monk at the end. Dr. Scott bludgeons him brutally and then treats him in the hospital under a fake name. Monk is literally seconds from death when he is nearly injected with a substance he's allergic to, but is saved in the nick of time. This brutal treatment of Monk was a little strange to see in the season finale. I would have preferred a triumphant Monk that left us wanting more. Instead, we saw a down and out Monk walking with a walker, and I couldn't help but wonder if his character did, in fact, need a break.

The second problem lies in how the episode ends. Not only did Monk stumble out of the hospital with only brief mentions of the crime and Dr. Scott's arrest, but I didn't even see the arrest or feel any sort of vindication for which Monk fans are usually accustomed to at the end of the episode.

It was simply a strange way to wrap up a season.

Mr. Monk and the Really, Really Dead Guy

This episode focused on a pair of murders that occurred on the same dreary night in San Francisco. However, the murders are quickly determined to be unrelated to one another, and the refocus of the investigation on the male victim, an innocent street performer, is demanded by the federal agents that are sent by Washington to investigate the crime. Why? Because it appears to be a serial murder case in the making, with the street performer's corpse being left with a note promising another, similarly brutal death in only 36 hours' time.

The federal agents on the case, led by the overzealous and cocky Agent Thorpe, rely on the newest technological devices to solve their crimes. Their over-emphasis on technology leads Adrian to seek his own way onto the World Wide Web. Watching him deal with a computer is hysterical, and when he takes control of Natalie's daughter's computer, a Dell laptop with a pink, floral design scheme on the back side, his quirky computer-related shenanigans simply increase in number.

It's hard to take an episode like this too seriously, and although Monk and his friends at the San Francisco Police Department are "put in their place" by the federal agents time and time again, it's our friends Monk, Stottlemeyer and Disher that get the last laugh when Monk solves the case, connecting both the murder of the street performer and the murder of the female victim whom they were initially investigating. The feds have no choice but to put their tails in between their legs as a result.

This episode of Monk didn't only prove that Adrian can outsmart even federal agents' high technology. It also proved that the series can remain fresh by throwing at us a hodgepodge of episodes that vary in seriousness, humor, character concentrations and storylines.

Monk: Visits A Farm

I like Monk, I really do. But as they make more and more episodes, it just seems lately all are the same. I liked when he made a little progress toward something, like his wife's murder case. But now he just goes somewhere where he is uncomfortable and solves a lame case.

This episode was especially bad since they didn't even have many suspects. We all know who it was from the get-go. Well, that's not fair. A lot of times they will show the murder in the teaser before the credits, and it's a matter of watching Monk solve it rather than a whodunit.

Anyway, about the episode.When I say it was bad, it wasn't so much the episode. It was fairly funny, and there was the added sympathetic Randy Disher story. Randy messes up a lot though so until he mentioned it was his uncle who died, I didn't really get why he was taking it so hard.

He asks Monk to come and see if he can find out anything in case his uncle was murdered, which of course he was. And Monk has to take "a bus? a bus? to a farm?" It's funny when Monk almost turns down cases because of his fears. Although lately they seem to be focusing more on that, rather than the subtlety of his affliction and how it affects his work. But it was funny when he was counting the chicken feed instead of just throwing handfuls in.

Another very funny part was when Monk thought he was high. He handcuffed himself to a tractor and was going insane about how he was getting the munchies. This was hysterical.

Monk solves the case and uses Randy's sleep-hypnosis self-help tape to tell him what happened so he can solve the case and become a cop again, which gives him faux confidence that he can solve cases in his sleep.

Mr. Monk Is On The Air

Jingle me timbers! Any episode that has Monk jumping a desk and beating on someone is an incredible show! This episode first aired February 2, 2007.

Steven Weber is this episode's villain that ends up managing to kill his wife in a rather ingenious way. I am not really spoiling anything by telling you who the killer is as Monk tends to show you the murderer first thing and then the rest of the show is Monk solving the case.

Needless to say, Steven Weber's character, Max Hudson, is a Howard Stern like shock jock who meets Monk on the air after Monk is approached by the dead wife's sister, who believes that Max Hudson is responsible. The on air escapades are hysterical, as is the next 30 or so minutes

Monk takes joking insult after insult and feels like he is back in school, but he manages to approach Max Hudson and the Goon Platoon again on the air, prepared this time with a box of jokes given to him by Kevin.

But this is where the episode takes a huge turn from comedy to drama when Weber's character uses Trudy's death as a punch line. I felt Monk's anger and I was cheering when he beat the living daylights out of Max. Eventually Monk figure out that while Max had a perfect alibi, he used his neighbor's dog to commit the crime. Monk got the last word over Max Hudson at the end - "You don't look like your laughing now."

The "shock jock" combined with Monk's OCD and mannerisms did a lot for this episode, and closing it off with a such a powerful moment really made this episode great.

Soup of the Week & Mr. Monk Is At Your Service

This is quick to fix, yet it tastes like it simmered all day. Serve it with cheddar cheese and tortilla chips.

Chili Bean Soup

1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
4 cups vegetable broth
1 can (16 oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin

In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until heated through.

Mr. Monk Is At Your Service

First aired January 26. I watched it February 11.

Monk became a butler for a creepy rich kid, played by the sometimes versatile Sean Astin. It was nice to see him in a less than savory role and he played it well. There were times when I could not believe that Samwise would be acting like that. He was definitely a creep.

I love how Monk became so involved in his job. Being a butler really does seem to be the perfect job for him. The scenes with Monk running the household had me rolling on the floor. From his inspections to the centimeter placement of the silverware, it was OCD run wild. Let alone the housecleaning zone presentation – “We’re doing this the Monk way."

He actually enjoys being a butler for a time, but eventually remembers just who he is, cracking the case yet again in classic Monk style.

A major complaint I do have with this season of Monk so far, the marked decline in screen time for Captain Stottlemeyer and Lieutenant Disher, two characters who I especially enjoy on this show. Hopefully, they'll rectify the situation in future episodes.

Otherwise, this episode of Monk was extremely funny and strangely unique.

Mr. Monk and the Leper

Plot: Monk becomes involved in a murder plot when a reclusive millionnaire suffering from leprosy hires him to solve a mystery.

First Aired: December 22, 2006

Notes: On it's original airing, this episode was presented first in black & white and then in color. USA Network then held an on-line poll for viewers to indicate which version they preferred, but I can't seem to find which episode was preferred on the USA Network website.

Pam's Review: Though a few weeks late, as an avid Monk fan, the black & white, film noir-ish version was outstanding.

The hysteria displayed by Monk after he learned that he shook hands with the "fake Leper", priceless! Putting kerosene on himself, and asking Natalie to burn it was oh-so funny. Also, his attempt to cover the phone that Natalie received the "Leper's" call was a nice touch. But, it showed some real courage for the detective to accept the deal.

However, I must say that my favorite part of the episode was Randy Disher's old, acne-filled photos hung on the docter's wall, was hilarious, and his claim that it was all part of an undercover job, too good.

Skipping some plot sequences here and there, another excellent scene was when Adrian's "skills" were put to the test by the judge. By figuring out that the judge was sleeping with his typist, our flawed, but awesome detective proved that you should never doubt him.

The plot between who was the real leper, Monk's or Natalie's was funny. "Not your leper, my leper!" as Monk says on the hot-air balloon. And the cliff-hanging scene at the end, forced with a decision between death and grabbing a real leper's hand, what a decision! Thankfully, or not for Adrian, he grabbed his hand and was saved.

The one thing that this episode missed most was the prescense of Capt. Stottlemeyer. That guy's a hoot whenever he's in a scene.