Monk

This is written in direct protest of a user comment on this site which called this remarkable series "drivel," "awful," and other things that made me think the jerk was accidentally watching "Law and Order."

This is one of the best shows on TV. I say that because it shares one common trait with every show I have ever loved: Heart. Behind the ominous tinge of death, the cynical barkings of Captain Stottlemeyer, the Barney Fife-esque antics of Randy Disher, the equal parts maternal nagging and New Jersey attitude of Charona Flemming and the fact that it's basically a show about poking fun at one guy's mental problems is love. We LOVE Adrien Monk. We join him in mourning his wife's death, and we live and die with each step he takes toward being reinstated.

This is more than a cop show. This is more than a detective show. This is more than a comedy. This is more than a drama. Given the slightest amount of cosmic justice, this show will go down in history alongside "Sports Night," "Freaks and Geeks," and "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (I apologize for nothing) as a show that did not give in to the horrors of professional television, but rose above them to produce pure art.

As for the last guy's comment that Monk should've been reinstated a long time ago...you want to give Adrien a gun and set him loose in your neighborhood? Fine by me, and sleep tight.

Seriously, what shows have been that great in the past few years, that could appeal to just about any person? Monk delivers laughs and mysteries to a wide range of audiences. Experts on O.C.D. (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) say that the show does a credit to all patients in this field, instead of insulting and making fun of them, as many shows and movies do.

I'm so glad I discovered this show for my whole family. Now we refer to Friday night as "Monk Night", just because we love this show so much. Everyone should give this show a chance because it deserves at least that much. I almost felt sorry for it, seeing how ABC canceled it and all. But then, luckily, USA saw the promise in it and picked it straight up. Now most people feel sorry for ABC! Of course, if they weren't so quick to, as I say, "Judge and Cancel" all new shows, maybe they could have some decent programs on. 2 episodes just isn't enough.

This isn't one of those shows where I'll say "Well, if you have some extra time one Friday night and you're feeling bored..." No, trust me, this is a show you want to MAKE time for. Let me include a brief overview:

Adrien Monk (Tony Shalhoub) is a Detective with O.C.D. (see above), whose wife died 6 years ago when a car bomb killed her. Monk believed that the bomb was meant for him, and blames himself for her death. For the main part, Monk is going around solving crimes of all shapes and sizes (although they are all homicide), although every once in a while Monk, on one of his cases, will uncover something about the murder of his wife, which is a top goal for him. He is accompanied by his nurse/assistant Sharona Fleming (Bitty Schram), and just about every episode has the police captain Leland Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine) and Lt. Randal Disher (Jason Gray-Stanford), who is an absolute riot at times, because he has a heroic sense. In other words, he's watched too many episodes of "Cops" and likes to imitate major police films. He also seems to have a "thing" for Sharona, even though they act like they hate each other. One last character that finishes off a great cast is Doctor Charles Kroger, Monk's Psychiatrist.

Overall, this is a must see for all, and if you miss this show, you're missing out on a great entertainment opportunity.

I have fallen in love with this show by way of the cable reruns. It's wonderful in every way. The concept of the show is brilliant; a detective show in which the detective, although brilliant, is neither suave, brave, not debonair. He is truly a psychologically damaged person. And although his foibles and phobias are often played for laughs, the fact of his being destroyed by his wife's death is always a serious element of the show. The supporting players are excellent, particularly Ted Levine as Cpt. Stottlemeyer. The character of Randy is a bit gratuitously annoying but you can't have everything. The scriptwriting is some of the best around, with many subtle witticisms and some great cultural parody. And it is never straight out comedy; the tragic nature of Monk's mental affliction is always present, and the endings always have a gentle touch. The crime mysteries themselves are most often not the point of the show. They are merely the McGuffin - in Hitchcocks's phrase - on which to hang a drama about character relationships. Just a great, great show.

Monk is one of the best new shows around.

Tony Shalhoub plays Monk perfectly. Monk isn't your average detective. His wife was killed in a car explosion 3 year ago. He suffered a major breakdown and is now trying to get reinstated on the police force with the help of his private nurse. Monk's got lots of problems. He is Obsessive Compulsive, has fear of crowds, heights, the dark, and milk. Yes milk. Yet he is the greatest detective around. In one episode he even tried to straighten up the crime scene because the mess was driving him crazy.

Here is a sample story. The chief described Monk's first day on the job in one ep. It was as follows:

They were called to a run down hotel. A prostitute had ODed on some pills. Over a dozen cops said suicide. Monk said murder. They all thought he was crazy. The chief asked "why murder?". Monk points out that if she was commiting suicide where was the glass of water needed to get the pills down..

He notices little thing no one else would.

I give this show a 10/10.

Monk is a classic. Tony Shalhoub is incredible as a former detective with obsessive compulsive disorder. It's such an original show that will keep you laughing and entertained throughout its entire run. I didn't start watching it until it was almost off the air but heard such good things about it that I finally thought I'd gave it a chance. So glad I did because it quickly became one of my favorite comedy/detective shows I've ever seen! It is the perfect blend of comedy and mystery. Even though Tony Shalhoub won a ton of awards for his work as Monk, including numerous Emmy & Golden Globe awards, he still is such an underrated actor who was just perfect in this as Monk! I miss this great show so much and still try to watch it whenever I see it's on.