Monk

I used to watch Murder She Wrote with my parents, but I never really got into the stories. Mysteries just weren't my thing back then. Then, a few weeks ago, my parents introduced me to this show on USA network about a neurotic detective. So I watched it and after one episode I had a new favorite show.

Adrian Monk is a detective with an obsessive compulsive disorder that apparently enhances his perception skills. Most of his friends at the station think he's just weird.

Tony Shalhoub portrays the nutty sleuth. Before this, I did not know that Tony could act...well. I had only ever seen him in Men in Black as Jeeves. But a role like Monk proves to me that Tony can carry a story.

But it's the humor in the show that keeps the show entertaining. If the jokes and zingers weren't there, Monk would probably be just another boring mystery where I'm trying, futilely, to solve the case before the hero. So, thank you Tony Shalhoub for making mysteries fun.

If you're a mystery fan, a comedy fan, or a combination of the two, you will love Adrian Monk.

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.

As a viewer in England, Monk is, in my opinion,one of the best US series exported TV programmes. Compared to other US series that have been screened in prime time slots in the UK this series is truly brilliant. Mr Monk, suffering with OCD, generates sympathy as well as humour. Currently I am watching the series on the BBC who are repeating each episode in the afternoon. For some reason Monk has never been aired in a UK prime time slot despite being far superior to the current dross and reality TV programmes that are filling our TV channels on most evenings. My solution is to record the afternoon episodes and they then become my evenings viewing highlight. Forget other current US series such as Invasion (yawn), Lost (lost the plot) Surface, etc. they pale in comparison. All the roles in Monk are well acted and each of the characters have their own identities. I love the inept Lieutenant Randy who tries to emulate the archetypal portrayed TV cop. Long may the series run.

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.

Ah Mr. Monk, how I miss this show, there's nothing quite like it. It caught my interest right from the beginning even though I was slightly annoyed by Monk. Sharona made up for it though, she was pretty and fun and I loved the friendly chemistry between them. I remember thinking, if she leaves the show I will stop watching it. Then came Natalie and guess what, love at first appearance! Not only is she incredibly cute and adorable, the character she played was perfect and the relationship with Monk even better! Whoever did that is a genius.

There were times when Monk did things that I thought were just mean, rude and unacceptable regardless of his condition. But you can't stay mad at him because he's kind and a crime solving machine. Unlike some crime series where I feel like I have to over work my brain to keep up with the convoluted plot, when all I want is to switch off all the thinking, this is a refreshing series that is smart and yet natural and easy to follow. And there are plenty of funny moments, captivating drama, and characters that grow on you like the captain and the detective. The series ended properly, which I always find comforting. So glad I managed to watch it all on Prime. Thank you to everyone involved in creating this masterpiece.