Netflix This: ‘Monk’
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Former officer, Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub), suffers from severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. He brushes his teeth using steaming water, owns several copies of exactly the same suit, and never leaves the home without a pack of sanitary wipes. While his brilliant mind and microscopic vision of crime scenes help him solve murders that the police cannot, his long list of phobias provide constant comic relief throughout the show.
Each episode is a different murder mystery, which Monk solves. At times he works as a private detective, but more often he assists his former coworker, Captain Leland Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine), and the captain’s dweeby assistant, Lt. Randy Disher. Throughout all eight seasons, Monk attempts to solve one mystery that he just can’t unravel: the murder of his wife. It was this tragedy that triggered the detective’s anxiety and led to the loss of his police job. I’m told that he solves it in the final episode, but I haven’t made my way through the entire series yet.
Monk hires two assistants during the ongoing show. First, a former nurse, Sharona Fleming (Bitty Schram), gives Monk a taste of some tough love. She’s clearly fond of her boss, but reacts the way just about anyone would in her position, by nagging and complaining. After Sharona left the show, Natalie Teeger (Traylor Howard), a softer, understanding assistant, replaced her. Natalie’s more polished edges are just as endearing as Sharona’s rougher ones, making it impossible to choose a favorite.
USA’s series, Monk, is the perfect blend of comedy and mystery. Each murder proves both puzzling and intriguing, while the characters are laughable and lovable. I’ve watched episodes on TV here and there for years, but lack patience, so waiting for the entire show’s hard disks to come in the mail was never an option. I couldn’t believe my luck when Monk finally went from strictly “add all” to “instant play” on Netflix.
Netflix This: Monk
