DrCarol

I agree that the mysteries are generally easy to solve (quite often we know who did it from the opening scene and can figure out how it was done without much difficulty), but it's not the mysteries that make this show worth watching. The majority of fans watch it for Tony Shalhoub's masterful performance--he manages to be simultaneously annoying and sympathetic, funny and sad. But Shalhoub is not the only attraction: the other stars deserve more credit than they generally receive, particularly Ted Levine, who is so often overlooked by the critics yet has gained a large personal following from this performance alone. As he noted in a recent interview, Captain Stottlemeyer represents "common sense," the perspective of a successful but ordinary detective, in contrast to Monk's "uncommon sense." He and the other regulars balance the eccentricity of Monk through their more normal but distinctly individual perspectives, and, though they are not as skilled at crime solving as Monk, they are not wholly incompetent. Sharona (Bitty Schram), Stottlemeyer, and Lt. Disher (Jason Stanford-Gray) all occasionally provide Monk with a clue he needs to put everything together--or, more frequently, rescue him from situations in which he'd be helpless if he were alone. The series is funny, touching, and intriguing despite the transparency of some of the mysteries, but it isn't perfect. What we need from the writers in the second season (which began June 20, 2003, in the U.S.) is more consistency in depicting the characters and more development for Stottlemeyer, Sharona, and Disher. Ted Levine in particular needs more onscreen time to use his many talents to best advantage.

If you loved the pilot or saw the show in the 80s and would love to see it again, you can now buy the entire series on video (but not DVD) from Columbia House. I've only seen five episodes so far, but I like what I've seen--the blend of suspense, humor, and grace that characterize Michael Mann's productions and an element of surprise in every episode. The Sixties music and the classic cars (especially Frank Holman's Studebaker Hawk) add a nostalgic touch, and the acting is exceptional. As in "Heat," the bad guys, even the cold-blooded Ray Luca (John Anthony Denison), are multi-dimensional human beings. John Santucci as Pauli Taglia provides some comic moments, and the amazing, under-appreciated Ted Levine demonstrates his usual versatility as the "wacked out home invader" Frank Holman. And Dennis Farina simply IS Torello, the sometimes violent cop whose love for his pretty wife borders on obsession. The episodes are linked to one another with no resolution of the intensifying conflict between Torello and Luca. Each one is like a chapter in a novel; you have to keep watching to see what happens next. And I intend to keep watching.

I came to "Wonderland" with a combination of high hopes (based on the universally favourable reviews and ABC's intriguing ads) and fears that NAMI's charges of violence and hopelessness might have some basis in fact. Of course "Wonderland" contains moments of violence--the subject matter makes that inevitable. But they are balanced by moments of hope and love, in particular the funny, tender scenes involving Dr. Banger (Ted Levine) and the little sons he loves and fears he'll lose in a custody battle with his soon-to-be ex-wife. Never mind that these two people obviously love each other and ought to stay together--this is just one example of the human element, the blending of work and private life in this marvelously written, beautifully acted, impeccably filmed tv series. I'm judging by one episode, but I have no reason not to expect the same high quality in future episodes that I saw tonight watching "Wonderland" for the first time. Bravo, Peter Berg and ABC and all the marvellous cast, psychiatrists and patients alike.