Mr. Monk and the Red-Headed Stranger

With Willie Nelson in the episode, it could have been ridiculous. But the fact that he is a murder suspect didn't diminish Monk's skill as a detective. There are several variables at work here and they work well. Of course, Willie gets to sing a couple songs and Adrian, his clarinet. And just enough OCD to make a point but not dominate.

THIS WAS A HILARIOUS EPISODE THAT INVOLVES WILLIE NELSON BEING ACCUSED OF KILLING A FELLOW MAN WITH THE WITNESS BEING A BLIND WOMAN WHO WAS THERE; MONK SOLVES THE CASE WITH HELP FROM THE STREAKER AND BENJY AND SHARONA

After the rehearsal with his band for two sold-out concerts in San Francisco, Willie Nelson has an argument with his manager 'Sonny' Cross that might have embezzled four hundred thousand dollars from his account. Then Sonny goes to a radio station where he will be interviewed with Willi Nelson, but there is a note asking Jason Cross to go through the lateral door in an alley. Out of the blue, there are shots and Sonny is murdered, the blind woman Wendy Maas is screaming, and Willie Nelson arrives and finds his manager dead. Willie Nelson becomes the prime suspect with the statement of Wendy and Stottlemeyer asks Monk to help him in the investigation. Willie Nelson is Monk's favorite singer, and he wants to prove his innocence. Meanwhile, Sharona is dating the architect Justin and does not want Monk to meet him to avoid criticism.

"Mr. Monk and the Red-Headed Stranger" is a great episode of "Monk". The country singer Willie Nelson is the guest star and sings various songs along the show. Sharona finding that Justin is the streaker is one of the funniest scenes of this season. The idea of a blind eyewitness is also hilarious. The crime is very well-resolved in the end. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Sr. Monk e Willie Nelson" ("Mr. Monk and Willie Nelson")

I mean, come on, WILLIE NESON is the suspect? How dumb can you get? Although not a bad episode, it's a bizarre mishmash of pop culture that doesn't fit the show. Monk doesn't seem like he'd be a fan of a dirty, braided stoner, and how he was able to hang out with him without freaking out at the man's imperfections also goes against the premise of the show.

'Monk' has always been one of my most watched shows when needing comfort, to relax after a hard day, a good laugh or a way to spend a lazy weekend.

While not quite "Mr Monk and the Candidate", "Mr Monk and the Psychic", "Mr Monk Goes to the Asylum" and "Mr Monk and the Other Woman", "Mr Monk and the Red-Headed Stranger" is along with "Mr Monk Meets Dale the Whale" and those four as among the best episodes of a very solid and remarkably well-settled Season 1. A season where even the weakest episode, "Mr Monk and the Earthquake", is still enjoyable. There is very little wrong with "Mr Monk and the Red-Headed Stranger", other than the suspect being obvious early and especially when a scene confirmed my suspicions that their circumstances were not what they seemed. It was also rather clear off the bat of Willie being framed.

On the other hand, one of the best things about 'Monk' has always been the acting of Tony Shalhoub in the title role. It was essential for him to work and be the glue of the show, and Shalhoub not only is that but also at his very best he IS the show. Have always loved the balance of the humour, which is often hilarious, and pathos, which is sincere and touching. It is remarkable here that right from the first episode to when the show ended that one likes him straight away, even with his quirks and deficiencies that could easily have been overplayed, and also that he is better developed than most titular characters of other shows at this particular stage. Who can't help love Monk's brilliant mind too?

He is very well supported by a sharp and no-nonsense but also sympathetic Bitty Schram, whose Sharona makes for a worthy and entertaining partner for Monk's sleuthing and somebody with a maternal side. There is always a debate at who's better between Sharona and Natalie, personally like both in their own way and consider them both attractive though as of now leaning towards Natalie as the better acted and more attentive of the two. The two are so enjoyable together and the best detective duo of any show in recent years from personal opinion.

Also by a very amusing, and sometimes even funnier than that, Ted Levine, what a difference from his Buffalo Bill in 'The Silence of the Lambs'. Yes, even with Stottlemeyer having his arm in a cast. He and Shalhoub have some wonderful scenes together and also some equally great moments with Jason Gray-Stanford's Disher. Gray-Stanford is growing in confidence and comic-timing with every episode.

It's not just the cast though. Another star is the writing, which is also essential to whether the show would be successful or not and succeed it does here. The mix of hilarious wry humour, lovable quirkiness and tender easy-to-relate-to drama is delicately done but extremely deft. The character moments are such a joy with the principal cast are always. The real treat was Monk with Willie Nelson (in one of his better acting endeavours, and charming fun playing himself), and we learn more about Monk and from the trivia here learn something new about Shalhoub. Yes, the clarinet is a wonderful instrument and some great music has been written for it like Mozart's Clarinet Concerto, the Cat's music in Prokoviev's 'Peter and the Wolf' and the Brahms Quintet.

The story, despite the obviousness of the killer (not the first time on the show and not the last), is compelling, both as a comedy and a mystery with very enjoyable deductions and how Monk came to the solution, which has always been part of the charm of the show.

Visually, the episode is shot in a slick and stylish way, and the music is both understated and quirky. Much prefer the jazzy Season 1 theme tune to the later "It's a Jungle Out There", which always struck me before as one of my least favourite assets of 'Monk' but has since grown on me, which should have been kept. It's all very capably directed.

Overall, great episode and one of the better ones of the season. 9/10 Bethany Cox