Mr. Monk and the Dog

I have some problems with Monk as a concept. The level of borrowing from Columbo, for example.

However, in this one there's an emphasis on how Monk differs from "the original": Columbo is a social guy who can put his hand inside a toilet stool, the exact opposite of a germophobe, AND has a dog!

"What if Monk gets a dog?" is a cool exercise as proven in the episode. And it helps to keep the crime simple, the criminal soft.

I loved how the dog's acting was handled. As a father and a grandfather of many dogs myself, I could relate to many scenes in this one.

Kudos to those who came up with the idea.

I guess this appealed to all the dog people in this country. Not everyone likes or wants dogs. I'm like Monk pre dog...much better sans dog.

How did the writers manage to combined everything with such a virtuoso balance? One of the best shows. Didn't steer away didn't disbalance. Just perfect. There is a the crime story as a carcass. Then there is the Monk's history. And then there is the adjacent story about the dog imbedded in Monk's history. And then there are the relations of all other characters knitted in this story with comedy moments and drama moments as well. It's just a perfect symmetry. The fastest 40 minutes of a show. The show is addictive. But it's not netflix-kind addictive, when you spent days and don't understand what was that and can't remember the names of the characters. Because usually they keep you by cliffhangers and the dynamics of the story development and basically your healthy curiosity. But Monk just buys you by the comfort and true aesthetic pleasure with every episode. And you watch more just because you want to experience it again. Isn't it how art is supposed to be?

The dog deserves a credit. That dog hit her mark time after time, and displayed emotion. 90's sitcoms deserve that dog that performed and performed.

The dog deserves a credit. That dog hit her mark time after time, and displayed emotion. 90's sitcoms deserve that dog that performed and performed.

The dog deserves a credit. That dog hit her mark time after time, and displayed emotion. 90's sitcoms deserve that dog that performed and performed.

The dog deserves a credit. That dog hit her mark time after time, and displayed emotion. 90's sitcoms deserve that dog that performed and performed.

Yep.

And I am NOT AFRAID TO SAY IT! Seriously, I can't understand any bad reviews for this episode - Even those who don't like dogs- if you don't get "Mr. Monk and the Dog" then you don't get Adrian Monk. I'm only giving it 9 stars as aspects of the story were a tad weak. However, this is one of those episodes that really showcases Tony Shalhoub's versatility in bringing nuances in out of Monk's character. In truth, its a 4 legged version of "Mr. Monk and the Kid.' Enjoy.