Monk - General Discussion

[Annber03]

9 hours ago, LexieLily said:

I was so disappointed when Sharona left (half because of the way she was written out and half because I liked Sharona as a character) but warmed to Natalie quickly. I thought she had good chemistry with Monk and Leland/Randy, and I liked Julie and Monk's relationship with her better than Benjy.

When I started watching this show, I knew going in that Sharona left, but I didn't know how. So when I got to the episode where she thought she was losing her sanity because she kept seeing a guy who was never there whenever anyone else showed up, even though they did ultimately solve that case, I thought it was going to tie into some kind of explanation for her exit. Shame it didn't, as I think that could've been an interesting way to write her out. I felt so bad for her in that episode-that scene where she's in the bathroom and sees the guy in the stall was legitimately creepy as hell. I actually gasped at that part. 

But yeah, I do agree they got very lucky with bringing Natalie aboard, and handled the transition better than I think a lot of shows in that situation would ( say this as someone who watched "Criminal Minds" and became very used to cast turnover over the course of that show's run :p). I was thinking about it a bit while reading these posts, and it struck me that it seemed like Monk and Sharona were a little more alike in some ways-they're both a lot more blunt in their honesty, and say what's on their mind, and I think Sharona shares a bit of Monk's more world-weary outlook in some ways, because she's had a rough time of it, too. I think that's a big part of why she connects with him.

Natalie, on the other hand, balances him out with her more optimistic, lighthearted attitude and personality. We see how Monk's dealing with his grief over Trudy, and the way Natalie dealt with hers in regards to Mitch is a very stark contrast. They connected over their losses, yes, but the compare/contrast between how they each handled it made for some good storylines and scenes between them. And yeah, she speaks up when needed, too, but she also tends to be more tactful than him. Most of the time :p. 

Two different types of dynamics, and yet they both worked. 

As for Julie and Benjy, I liked his relationship with each of them. It strikes me, too, that not long after Sharona and Benjy leave, he bonds so much with that little boy, Tommy. Almost as though Tommy helped fill a bit of a void that Benjy had abruptly left (sure, Benjy was older, but still). Then he forms a bond with Julie, and at the end of the series comes Molly. They each brought out something special in their connections to and relationships with him, and it further ties into the whole thing of him wanting a child of his own. 

[AorTux]

10 hours ago, Annber03 said:

When I started watching this show, I knew going in that Sharona left, but I didn't know how. So when I got to the episode where she thought she was losing her sanity because she kept seeing a guy who was never there whenever anyone else showed up, even though they did ultimately solve that case, I thought it was going to tie into some kind of explanation for her exit. Shame it didn't, as I think that could've been an interesting way to write her out. I felt so bad for her in that episode-that scene where she's in the bathroom and sees the guy in the stall was legitimately creepy as hell. I actually gasped at that part. 

But yeah, I do agree they got very lucky with bringing Natalie aboard, and handled the transition better than I think a lot of shows in that situation would ( say this as someone who watched "Criminal Minds" and became very used to cast turnover over the course of that show's run :p). I was thinking about it a bit while reading these posts, and it struck me that it seemed like Monk and Sharona were a little more alike in some ways-they're both a lot more blunt in their honesty, and say what's on their mind, and I think Sharona shares a bit of Monk's more world-weary outlook in some ways, because she's had a rough time of it, too. I think that's a big part of why she connects with him.

Natalie, on the other hand, balances him out with her more optimistic, lighthearted attitude and personality. We see how Monk's dealing with his grief over Trudy, and the way Natalie dealt with hers in regards to Mitch is a very stark contrast. They connected over their losses, yes, but the compare/contrast between how they each handled it made for some good storylines and scenes between them. And yeah, she speaks up when needed, too, but she also tends to be more tactful than him. Most of the time :p. 

Two different types of dynamics, and yet they both worked. 

As for Julie and Benjy, I liked his relationship with each of them. It strikes me, too, that not long after Sharona and Benjy leave, he bonds so much with that little boy, Tommy. Almost as though Tommy helped fill a bit of a void that Benjy had abruptly left (sure, Benjy was older, but still). Then he forms a bond with Julie, and at the end of the series comes Molly. They each brought out something special in their connections to and relationships with him, and it further ties into the whole thing of him wanting a child of his own. 

I totally agree with everything you are saying.  Awesome analysis and perspective.  I also liked how each assistant catered to the plot in their own way like how they had episodes kind of tailored to them and wouldn't really work with any other character which helps bring out more character development.  Plus, I think both actresses play their parts really well

[LexieLily]

10 hours ago, Annber03 said:

Natalie, on the other hand, balances him out with her more optimistic, lighthearted attitude and personality. We see how Monk's dealing with his grief over Trudy, and the way Natalie dealt with hers in regards to Mitch is a very stark contrast. They connected over their losses, yes, but the compare/contrast between how they each handled it made for some good storylines and scenes between them. And yeah, she speaks up when needed, too, but she also tends to be more tactful than him. Most of the time :p. 

I always enjoy reading your posts, @Annber03. 

Natalie dealt with her grief re: Mitch in a different way simply because she didn't have a choice not to, she had a small child to raise (I think doing backwards math Julie was only five or six when her daddy died), and I like to think that for all of his faults and sometimes inability to understand social cues and interactions, Monk understood that. He ended up helping Natalie a lot in terms of raising Julie - the birds and the bees talk, Natalie letting him decide whether it was safe for Julie to go for her driving test during the three Julies investigation, he went to a lot of her plays, etc.

[peacheslatour]

21 minutes ago, AorTux said:

I totally agree with everything you are saying.  Awesome analysis and perspective.  I also liked how each assistant catered to the plot in their own way like how they had episodes kind of tailored to them and wouldn't really work with any other character which helps bring out more character development.  Plus, I think both actresses play their parts really well

I also think it had a lot to do with the excellence of the writing.

[Bastet]

The writers struck a nice balance; they didn't position Natalie as the new Sharona or the anti-Sharona.  There were similarities and differences as there would be between any two people doing substantially (but not entirely; Sharona is a nurse and Natalie is an assistant) the same job, but they weren't harped on, they just existed. 

They did well when they had to create a new therapist for Monk, too, and, once again, most viewers liked both characters.

Maybe it helped the audience that Monk, for whom change is one of the worst things in the world, had to adjust and we went along with him - if he can deal with two new people playing such intimate roles in his life, surely we can.

[peacheslatour]

Quote

Maybe it helped the audience that Monk, for whom change is one of the worst things in the world, had to adjust and we went along with him - if he can deal with two new people playing such intimate roles in his life, surely we can.

That is a very insightful point. I never thought of it that way before.

[Annber03]

12 hours ago, LexieLily said:

I always enjoy reading your posts, @Annber03. 

Natalie dealt with her grief re: Mitch in a different way simply because she didn't have a choice not to, she had a small child to raise (I think doing backwards math Julie was only five or six when her daddy died), and I like to think that for all of his faults and sometimes inability to understand social cues and interactions, Monk understood that. He ended up helping Natalie a lot in terms of raising Julie - the birds and the bees talk, Natalie letting him decide whether it was safe for Julie to go for her driving test during the three Julies investigation, he went to a lot of her plays, etc.

Aw, thank you :)! Same with you in turn! 

You're right about Julie impacting how Natalie dealt with her grief, definitely. Very true. And your point about Monk understanding that is also made clear in the episode where they first meet and he saves Julie's fish. He gets that her fish is to her what Trudy's pillow, or his wedding album, or other special trinkets of that sort, are to him. He barely knew her and yet he was willing to go to those lengths to spare her losing something so precious. I also wonder if his own history with his dad played into that decision and his sympathy for her as well. His dad didn't die, no, but he still knows what it's like to be a young kid and have a parent all of a sudden not be there anymore, and the pain and loneliness that comes with that. 

You mention the "birds and the bees" episode-I caught that one yesterday. The talk he has with Julie is both so funny and really sweet. I like the end, too, when she gives him a kiss on the cheek to thank him for his help and Natalie refuses to let him wipe it off :p. I like, too, how the show implies sometimes that whenever he is reluctant to help Julie with something so personal, it's not just because of his general social awkwardness and whatnot. Rather, it's quite the opposite-while he clearly cares about her, he's also aware that he's not her dad, and therefore feels he should respect that, as well as Natalie's parenting methods, and doesn't want to overstep his bounds in that regard. Which is understandable. Even when Natalie outright tells him it's okay for him to help Julie with something, that can still be a touchy situation to deal with. 

13 hours ago, AorTux said:

I totally agree with everything you are saying.  Awesome analysis and perspective.  I also liked how each assistant catered to the plot in their own way like how they had episodes kind of tailored to them and wouldn't really work with any other character which helps bring out more character development.  Plus, I think both actresses play their parts really well

Thanks to you as well :). And agreed, I like that they were able to spread the attention around a bit and let everyone get their focus from time to time. And sometimes Natalie and Sharona were the ones who kept the investigation moving, or even kicked it off to some degree, because they had their own theories even before Monk or any of the others did. I like those episodes, too, because a) it shows what kinds of observational skills they picked up while working with Monk, and b), to tie into your point about character development, it's also a great way to let them bring in whatever specific expertise and experiences they had and see how they apply those elements of their lives to the investigation. It's interesting when you get to see one of them being the ones to convince Monk or Leland (or both!) of someone's guilt or innocence for a change. 

12 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

That is a very insightful point. I never thought of it that way before.

Yes! Very well put, @Bastet :). 

[LexieLily]

On 4/2/2021 at 4:37 AM, Annber03 said:

As for Julie and Benjy, I liked his relationship with each of them. It strikes me, too, that not long after Sharona and Benjy leave, he bonds so much with that little boy, Tommy. Almost as though Tommy helped fill a bit of a void that Benjy had abruptly left (sure, Benjy was older, but still). Then he forms a bond with Julie, and at the end of the series comes Molly. They each brought out something special in their connections to and relationships with him, and it further ties into the whole thing of him wanting a child of his own. 

I was thinking about it last night wondering what would have happened to Monk if he would have opened the Christmas present from Trudy soon after her death and had learned about Molly back then. Molly would have been a tweenager or early teenagerhood at that point, I believe, around the same age Julie was when we first met her. Would Monk have wanted to be a part of Molly's life back then or want to raise her for Trudy's sake?

Yes, I realize these circumstances would have changed the show entirely 😛

[shapeshifter]

17 minutes ago, LexieLily said:

I was thinking about it last night wondering what would have happened to Monk if he would have opened the Christmas present from Trudy soon after her death and had learned about Molly back then. Molly would have been a tweenager or early teenagerhood at that point, I believe, around the same age Julie was when we first met her. Would Monk have wanted to be a part of Molly's life back then or want to raise her for Trudy's sake?

Yes, I realize these circumstances would have changed the show entirely 😛

But these are writers I/we trust, so I don't think they didn't expect us to consider how it would have been different.
Would it have prevented Monk from solving 100+ crimes?

[Annber03]

7 hours ago, LexieLily said:

I was thinking about it last night wondering what would have happened to Monk if he would have opened the Christmas present from Trudy soon after her death and had learned about Molly back then. Molly would have been a tweenager or early teenagerhood at that point, I believe, around the same age Julie was when we first met her. Would Monk have wanted to be a part of Molly's life back then or want to raise her for Trudy's sake?

Yes, I realize these circumstances would have changed the show entirely 😛

Good questions. I definitely believe he would've wanted to be part of her life somehow, because, well, she's Trudy's daughter, how could he not, right? Even if he felt he wasn't in a good place to raise her, he certainly would've liked to meet her, and at least keep in touch to some degree. And he'd certainly want to make sure she's safe and being taken care of by those who were raising her. 

Considering the fact that Natalie and Julie are also still part of Monk's life when the series ends, I wonder if Julie ever came to see Molly as something of a big sister of sorts? I could see them bonding a bit, and Julie going to her on occasion to talk about stuff and get advice. 

7 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

But these are writers I/we trust, so I don't think they didn't expect us to consider how it would have been different.
Would it have prevented Monk from solving 100+ crimes?

That's another very good question! I think Monk still would've done his job, because it's something he clearly loved, but if he had Molly in his life much sooner, and if he had raised her besides, I think he would've struck a little more of a balance between his time consulting and his time at home with her. Or at least, he would've tried for such a thing. 

[LexieLily]

50 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

That's another very good question! I think Monk still would've done his job, because it's something he clearly loved, but if he had Molly in his life much sooner, and if he had raised her besides, I think he would've struck a little more of a balance between his time consulting and his time at home with her. Or at least, he would've tried for such a thing. 

But that brings up an angle I hadn't considered when I posed the question, lol. If having Molly in Monk's life (to what extent is unclear, but even just knowing a daughter of Trudy's was alive in the world), maybe he wouldn't have shut down so badly the way he did after Trudy's murder. If that was true, he might not have needed Sharona to the extent that he did even if he wasn't officially a detective anymore, and if he didn't need Sharona in that way by the time she left him he might not have been as willing to hire Natalie.

Julie was theater and they mentioned Molly was journalism like Trudy so those two career paths probably overlapped/intersected somewhat. They might have had lots in common.

Edited April 5, 2021 by LexieLily

[kathyk24]

1 hour ago, Annber03 said:

Good questions. I definitely believe he would've wanted to be part of her life somehow, because, well, she's Trudy's daughter, how could he not, right? Even if he felt he wasn't in a good place to raise her, he certainly would've liked to meet her, and at least keep in touch to some degree. And he'd certainly want to make sure she's safe and being taken care of by those who were raising her. 

Considering the fact that Natalie and Julie are also still part of Monk's life when the series ends, I wonder if Julie ever came to see Molly as something of a big sister of sorts? I could see them bonding a bit, and Julie going to her on occasion to talk about stuff and get advice. 

That's another very good question! I think Monk still would've done his job, because it's something he clearly loved, but if he had Molly in his life much sooner, and if he had raised her besides, I think he would've struck a little more of a balance between his time consulting and his time at home with her. Or at least, he would've tried for such a thing. 

I'm not sure it would have been positive for Monk to learn about Trudy's past earlier than he did. He would have been hurt to learn that she had a affair. We don't know when Molly's parents told her she was adopted so having Monk around wouldn't have been appreciated.

[Annber03]

4 hours ago, LexieLily said:

But that brings up an angle I hadn't considered when I posed the question, lol. If having Molly in Monk's life (to what extent is unclear, but even just knowing a daughter of Trudy's was alive in the world), maybe he wouldn't have shut down so badly the way he did after Trudy's murder. If that was true, he might not have needed Sharona to the extent that he did even if he wasn't officially a detective anymore, and if he didn't need Sharona in that way by the time she left him he might not have been as willing to hire Natalie.

Also very true. And now I think about your scenario further, maybe if he hadn't shut down so hard, as you suggest, thanks to Molly being around, he might've been able to handle his removal from the force a little easier and either had an easier time returning, or he might've ultimately found some other line of work he preferred instead. There were moments throughout the series where he threatened to just give up crime solving completely, and had entertained other job possibilities as well, so... Granted, in those instances, he did those things out of frustration and despair over either a case not going the way he wanted, or whatever issue he was struggling with at the time, or things of that sort, but still, the fact remains he did consider that option from time to time. So who knows.

This is a really interesting "what if" to mull over! So many possibilities and paths to consider!

[LexieLily]

@Annber03 and I were discussing Mr. Monk and the Best Man recently, as a subset of how fanfic writers often write to fill in blanks that canon left behind, and I kind of wanted a follow-up of some sort to how T.K., as the girlfriend/fiancée/then wife of the police captain, felt about her best friend/maid of honor murdering people, sabotaging her relationship and her wedding, and endangering a lot of innocent people with that bomb at the rehearsal, including Leland's children. Were there any cases and/or collateral victims you guys felt that way about?

[shapeshifter]

On 4/14/2021 at 4:12 PM, LexieLily said:

Were there any cases and/or collateral victims you guys felt that way about?

Often at the end of an episode I wonder about stuff, like at the end of "Mr. Monk and the Bully," when the Bully is walking away arm-in-arm with his loving wife, describing a “swirly” to her, I want to know if she recognizes that as torture —especially since her evil twin just tried to drown her in the bathtub— and if she calls him out on it, etc.

[shapeshifter]

While looking into a recent Jeopardy clue, I stumbled across the possible inspiration for the first name of the character of Leland, which fittingly includes a murder mystery not far from San Francisco: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Stanford

[shapeshifter]

When watching 2.13 "Mr. Monk and the Missing Granny" the scene in the library bugs me personally as a retired college librarian with an MLS degree when:

1. Sharona tells Monk not to worry about the book that is slightly askew on the shelf because "they have librarians for that." IRL, there are library pages or student assistants "for that," not "librarians,"  although librarians, like Monk, might also choose to tidy shelves when passing by. I suppose Sharona might not be aware of that even if she did spend time in a college library when she earned her nursing degree or certificate, but it still irritates me to hear her say it.
    
2. The stacks of shelves would never have come cascading down like that, especially in the San Francisco area, where required earthquake retrofitting would have ensured that the stacks were bolted to the floor and to the ceiling.

Edited April 27, 2021 by shapeshifter

[peacheslatour]

19 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

When watching 2.13 "Mr. Monk and the Missing Granny" the scene in the library bugs me personally as a retired college librarian with an MLS degree when:

1. Sharona tells Monk not to worry about the book that is slightly askew on the shelf because "they have librarians for that." IRL, there are library pages or student assistants "for that," not "librarians,"  although librarians, like Monk, might also choose to tidy shelves when passing by. I suppose Sharona might not be aware of that even if she did spend time in a college library when she earned her nursing degree or certificate, but it still irritates me to hear her say it.
    
2. The stacks of shelves would never have come cascading down like that, especially in the San Francisco area, where required earthquake retrofitting would have ensured that the stacks were bolted to the floor and to the ceiling.

I hate that attitude. I once saw a kid picking up litter in the grocery store parking lot and his mother jerked him away snotting "Don't do that, they have people for that." Jesus lady, way to teach you kid to be a crap citizen.

[Annber03]

1 hour ago, peacheslatour said:

I hate that attitude. I once saw a kid picking up litter in the grocery store parking lot and his mother jerked him away snotting "Don't do that, they have people for that." Jesus lady, way to teach you kid to be a crap citizen.

Agreed. My family's always done our part to try and put things back/keep areas clean as best we can when we're out at a store, or staying in a motel, or at a restaurant, or wherever. The people who work at those jobs already have a lot of other things they need to do, having to clean up someone else's crap just makes their work that much longer and harder to get done on time.

2 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Sharona tells Monk not to worry about the book that is slightly askew on the shelf because "they have librarians for that." IRL, there are library pages or student assistants "for that," not "librarians,"  although librarians, like Monk, might also choose to tidy shelves when passing by. I suppose Sharona might not be aware of that even if she did spend time in a college library when she earned her nursing degree or certificate, but it still irritates me to hear her say it.

Yeah, I don't know that most people are even aware of the term "library page" in the first place. I wasn't until I worked as one.  And even if they are, it's probably easier to just lump everyone who works in a library into the "librarian" category, even if they have specific roles. 

But still, I appreciate you acknowledging the difference anyway and giving us pages our due :D. 

Quote

The stacks of shelves would never have come cascading down like that, especially in the San Francisco area, where required earthquake retrofitting would have ensured that the stacks were bolted to the floor and to the ceiling.

Also very true! The worst thing that even happened to me with a shelf at a library was when I was putting out magazines and one of the racks slipped and fell (and narrowly missed hitting me!). But that was an easy fix. Never had a full shelf fall, though, no :p. 

I do like when Sharona tells Monk to just hang on while he's dangling above the fallen shelves and he responds all sarcastic with something to the effect of, "Oh, yeah, sure, I'll make a note of that." 

[peacheslatour]

Quote

Yeah, I don't know that most people are even aware of the term "library page" in the first place. I wasn't until I worked as one.  And even if they are, it's probably easier to just lump everyone who works in a library into the "librarian" category, even if they have specific roles. 

When my son was in elementary school I used to do tons of volunteer work, especially in the library. One of the things I did was drag the book cart around and put books back in their places, check to see if everything was where it was supposed to be, etc. The librarians had enough to do.

[shapeshifter]

I started out as a student working in a library and then got the necessary degrees to get more pay and well, not much prestige LOL.
I kind of sound snooty upthread about being a librarian and not being the one to shelve the books, but, actually, when we were short staffed and we librarians "had" to shelve books, my secret reaction was "Yay!" It's not for everyone, but I found it soothing to put everything in its place without having to decide where it should go. And I liked handling each book, glancing through a few, seeing what else was on the shelf that I hadn't considered in some time.

But, back to Sharona's comment that bugged: It is a very common remark. 
But as I once told a student who worked in the library checking books in and out and told her friends she was a librarian: Parking your bicycle in the garage doesn't make it a car. That was about 10 years ago and her FaceBook page still says she worked as a librarian. 
No wonder Sharona said it.

[LexieLily]

19 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

I kind of sound snooty upthread about being a librarian and not being the one to shelve the books, but, actually, when we were short staffed and we librarians "had" to shelve books, my secret reaction was "Yay!" It's not for everyone, but I found it soothing to put everything in its place without having to decide where it should go. And I liked handling each book, glancing through a few, seeing what else was on the shelf that I hadn't considered in some time.

Monk would love that job, I would think.

[Annber03]

27 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

But as I once told a student who worked in the library checking books in and out and told her friends she was a librarian: Parking your bicycle in the garage doesn't make it a car. 

LOL, I like that :D. 

7 minutes ago, LexieLily said:

Monk would love that job, I would think.

He was working in a school library when he met Trudy, wasn't he? Yeah. I could definitely see him returning to that line of work if the consulting job hadn't worked out for him :). 

[LexieLily]

18 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

He was working in a school library when he met Trudy, wasn't he? Yeah. I could definitely see him returning to that line of work if the consulting job hadn't worked out for him :). 

I forgot about that until you mentioned it, but yeah, he and Trudy met in the college library. I think. Wasn't she dating someone else at the time, or Monk thought she was?

[Annber03]

1 hour ago, LexieLily said:

I forgot about that until you mentioned it, but yeah, he and Trudy met in the college library. I think. Wasn't she dating someone else at the time, or Monk thought she was?

The latter, yeah :D. Some other guy was interested in her and invited her to something and I think she accepted, but it didn't seem like her interest went that deep with him. 

But she and Monk had a nice little connection during that first meeting :). He recited something from a book to her, if I recall. 

[Bastet]

3 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

But, back to Sharona's comment that bugged: It is a very common remark. 
But as I once told a student who worked in the library checking books in and out and told her friends she was a librarian: Parking your bicycle in the garage doesn't make it a car. That was about 10 years ago and her FaceBook page still says she worked as a librarian. 
No wonder Sharona said it.

Yes, I think it's a realistic remark, in that most people have no idea what a librarian's role actually is and thus attribute most staff actions taken within a library to "the librarians".  The issue on TV comes in whether someone in such a scene corrects that misstatement, but in most cases there isn't a character present who would realistically make such a remark even if the writers were aware of it in the first place.

Basically, unless librarians start becoming a significant percentage of TV writing staff, this is going to continue.

But, hey, it's better than the trope of the librarian - a middle-aged, cat-owning, glasses-wearing female, of course (because that's somehow a bad thing) - who either lives and dies by her books or has a secret "wild" side that can only be brought out by one man (possibly right before she's killed). 

So, in the context of television, this wasn't that bad.  Yay?  Yeah, no.  TV does librarians wrong at pretty much every turn. 

[shapeshifter]

4 hours ago, Annber03 said:

He was working in a school library when he met Trudy, wasn't he?

4 hours ago, LexieLily said:

I forgot about that until you mentioned it, but yeah, he and Trudy met in the college library

I forgot this too.

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

The issue on TV comes in whether someone in such a scene corrects that misstatement,

Now I really wish Monk had corrected Sharona about it not being the librarians’ job to straighten the books. That actually probably is what bothers me most about the scene, because it would be so natural for Monk to do that. But the line would only really work if this episode aired shortly after the episode with the library flashback. 
And:

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

unless librarians start becoming a significant percentage of TV writing staff, this is going to continue.

 

[LexieLily]

Trudy and Monk's "how they met/fell in love" got changed a few times (probably to accommodate the surprise pregnancy and secret child discovered in the finale) but I think the constant was that they met at some time in college.

[Annber03]

1 hour ago, shapeshifter said:

Now I really wish Monk had corrected Sharona about it not being the librarians’ job to straighten the books. That actually probably is what bothers me most about the scene, because it would be so natural for Monk to do that. But the line would only really work if this episode aired shortly after the episode with the library flashback. 

Agreed. I'll just going to chalk his not doing so up to the fact that he was so focused on trying to prepare for potentially getting his badge back that he didn't really think to correct her.

[LexieLily]

My mother - who doesn't like any type of scary movie and doesn't even like to watch the true-crime shows I watch - wants to watch Silence of the Lambs. I told her Stottlemeyer was in it (I haven't seen the movie either) and I don't know exactly how to tell her just what his part is. 

Edited May 18, 2021 by LexieLily

[peacheslatour]

15 hours ago, LexieLily said:

My mother - who doesn't like any type of scary movie and doesn't even like to watch the true-crime shows I watch - wants to watch Silence of the Lambs. I told her Stottlemeyer was in it (I haven't seen the movie either) and I don't know exactly how to tell her just what his part is. 

I wonder if she would even be able to recognize him?

 

[AorTux]

I think you all will be interested in this but Natalie herself (Traylor Howard) is appearing on the Randy Disher podcast tomorrow to talk about her role on Monk and more.  I am so excited for this one

[shapeshifter]

Watching 5.5 "Mr. Monk, Private Eye" in which "Natalie attempts to convince Monk to go into business as a private investigator, and his first case is a hit-and-run that leads to a much more sinister crime."

Natalie drives most of the episode, often in a Lucille Ball-esque way. 

[Annber03]

I'm watching it, too :). I like this one-it's fun to see Natalie and Monk working together like this, and I love how annoyed he keeps getting by all her talk of her grandpa :p. I always think it would've been interesting if one of them had narrated this episode film noir style. 

It's also interesting to watch this episode knowing what we know now about Linda. I keep looking for hints and clues of what was to come with her. 

[LexieLily]

1 hour ago, Annber03 said:

It's also interesting to watch this episode knowing what we know now about Linda. I keep looking for hints and clues of what was to come with her. 

There was one scene in Mr. Monk and his Biggest Fan where Leland and Linda were in the middle of a date that was yet again getting cancelled because of something to do with work, and she has the specific line: "What does a girl need to do to get your attention, Captain? Kill someone?" That episode was two before Bad Girlfriend and if that line was on purpose, which I assume it was, that was excellent under-the-radar foreshadowing.

[shapeshifter]

2 hours ago, Annber03 said:

It's also interesting to watch this episode knowing what we know now about Linda. I keep looking for hints and clues of what was to come with her. 

I was thinking the same --watching for clues about Linda Fusco.
But do we know if the writers planned her arc to end with her being a murderer?

In 6.4 "Mr. Monk and the Bad Girl Friend," both Leland and Randy ask that same question, in sequence, so the writers at least acknowledge it: 

• [Stottlemeyer] Here's what I can't figure. Was it a setup from the beginning,
  is that what it was all about? Did she figure a cop would make a better alibi or was it for real? Man, it sure felt like it was for real. I guess I'll never know."

Anyway, in 5.5 "Mr. Monk, Private Eye" I noticed that Linda Fusco had a boat that probably cost at least as much as a car, and she says she buys a new car every 2 years, and she lives in the same neighborhood where the Captain is going to rent a place for over $2K/month. All of those details take up screen time, so I do think the writers were at least laying the groundwork for motive with a hint that she's in over her head.
But later, in 6.4 when she learns that her partner is "planning to form his own real estate firm, and taking many of her top clients with him" (femalevillains.fandom.com/wiki/Linda_Fusco_(Monk) she is [almost]* engaged to Leland, who has a good job. But he is divorced and likely paying alimony and child support, so...."I guess I'll never know."🤔

 

52 minutes ago, LexieLily said:

There was one scene in Mr. Monk and his Biggest Fan where Leland and Linda were in the middle of a date that was yet again getting cancelled because of something to do with work, and she has the specific line: "What does a girl need to do to get your attention, Captain? Kill someone?" That episode was two before Bad Girlfriend and if that line was on purpose, which I assume it was, that was excellent under-the-radar foreshadowing.

Hah! Yes! For sure the writers planned it by then. 
But had Linda? 

Now I'm wondering if killing her partner was her first murder, or only the first one where she was caught?😵

Edited May 25, 2021 by shapeshifter
*Linda and Leland were never actually engaged, although he had bought the ring

[LexieLily]

4 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

But later, in 6.4 when she learns that her partner is "planning to form his own real estate firm, and taking many of her top clients with him" (femalevillains.fandom.com/wiki/Linda_Fusco_(Monk) she is engaged to Leland, who has a good job. But he is divorced and likely paying alimony and child support, so...."I guess I'll never know."🤔

Small edit: She wasn't engaged to him, but in the ending tag scene Leland threw the ring in the ocean so the implication was that he was using that Hawaiian trip to propose.

Linda was the one to find Leland that apartment explicitly because it was almost directly across from hers, if I'm remembering it right, so that would give credit to the theory that she was using him from the beginning and setting him up as an alibi...

Edited May 25, 2021 by LexieLily

[Bastet]

It's a Sharon Lawrence character; of course she was scheming from the beginning.  (Other than NYPD Blue and Rizzoli & Isles, it is the type of character she's played in everything I've ever seen her in.  At this point, I pretty much take casting her as a spoiler alert: this character will be up to no good.)

[shapeshifter]

49 minutes ago, LexieLily said:

Small edit: She wasn't engaged to him, but in the ending tag scene Leland threw the ring in the ocean so the implication was that he was using that Hawaiian trip to propose.

Oops! Now I'm wondering if she might not have killed her partner for financial gain if Leland had already proposed. 
But then maybe we would have had one more episode with Sharon Lawrence's character in which she tries to murder Leland for insurance money. 😵

 

34 minutes ago, Bastet said:

It's a Sharon Lawrence character; of course she was scheming from the beginning.  (Other than NYPD Blue and Rizzoli & Isles, it is the type of character she's played in everything I've ever seen her in.  At this point, I pretty much take casting her as a spoiler alert: this character will be up to no good.)

I can only recall seeing Sharon Lawrence outside of Monk on those 2 exceptions when she wasn't a villain (NYPD Blue and Rizzoli & Isles) so that likely made me more inclined to see her as a villain newbie. 

Edited May 25, 2021 by shapeshifter

[Annber03]

The only other show I've seen her in, looking at her credits, was "Criminal Minds" (like I've said before, I've seen quite a few people on here who also popped up on that show over the years :p). She was in the final season, playing the mother of a serial killer, and sure enough, she was a schemer with an agenda there, too. So yeah. Must be her stock and trade, indeed :p. 

1 hour ago, LexieLily said:

There was one scene in Mr. Monk and his Biggest Fan where Leland and Linda were in the middle of a date that was yet again getting cancelled because of something to do with work, and she has the specific line: "What does a girl need to do to get your attention, Captain? Kill someone?" That episode was two before Bad Girlfriend and if that line was on purpose, which I assume it was, that was excellent under-the-radar foreshadowing.

Yes :D! And that does have me wondering if they'd planned it all from the beginning, as all of you here have noted.

1 hour ago, LexieLily said:

.Linda was the one to find Leland that apartment explicitly because it was almost directly across from hers, if I'm remembering it right, so that would give credit to the theory that she was using him from the beginning and setting him up as an alibi...

I like the alibi angle. And watching today, it also occurred to me that her comment about how she could see him and his apartment from where she lived was a hint as well. .On the surface, she's flirting with him when she says that, but with hindsight, one can also see it as a subtle hint about how she'd be able to covertly keep an eye on him and learn more about him with them living so close. She'd get to know his work hours, she'd be able to get a better idea of what he's like as a person in general, what kind of investigator he is (and how good at his job he is), etc. She made that comment during their first meeting about how she's learned a lot about people through her work in real estate, which was how she knew he was divorced. So I can also see her using those skills to her advantage in her interactions with him in general, too. 

1 hour ago, shapeshifter said:

Now I'm wondering if killing her partner was her first murder, or only the first one where she was caught?😵

Oooh. That's a good question. 

[LexieLily]

1 hour ago, shapeshifter said:

Now I'm wondering if killing her partner was her first murder, or only the first one where she was caught?

Good question! If she was savvy enough to con Leland and set him up as a patsy, so to speak, she either isn't a first-time criminal or she was so shameless that she thought she could integrate herself into a homicide detective's life and heart, when his best friend is wunderkind Monk, and commit a murder and not get caught. 

And now I'm going to take it further and wonder what would have happened if she had managed to convince Leland that she was innocent and they made it to Hawaii. If Leland had 'turned on her' there and made noises like he didn't believe her, would she have killed him to cover her tracks? 

[shapeshifter]

10 minutes ago, icemiser69 said:

Monk will start airing on MeTV starting on July 18th at 8:00pm EST.

Columbo will still air on Sundays, it will just start earlier, 6:00pm EST.  Starting on July 18th.

I see that it will at least start with 2 episodes back-to-back. 

[LexieLily]

@Annber03 and I were discussing the idea of a Monk bracket tournament in the style of March Madness to discover the Best Episode of Monk. Would this forum be interested in something like that, or is there a specified section for games?

[peacheslatour]

14 minutes ago, LexieLily said:

@Annber03 and I were discussing the idea of a Monk bracket tournament in the style of March Madness to discover the Best Episode of Monk. Would this forum be interested in something like that, or is there a specified section for games?

I've seen it done in other topics.

[Annber03]

Speaking of games, every summer the Spoiler TV website has a character cup competition, featuring characters from shows both old and new, and Monk is one of the options in this year's competition. He's in the current round, which lasts for the next 24 hours (he's up against Bucky from "Falcon and Winter Soldier", and so far Bucky's winning :p). 

But if anyone's interested in voting, here's the link (and if you see any other characters from other shows in the competition you want to vote for, too, feel free): 

https://www.spoilertv.com/2021/07/2021-character-cup-round-1c.html

[Annber03]

21. I wasn't sure of the number of novels, which I probably should've known, given I used to shelve them when I worked at a bookstore. Haven't read them yet, though. 

A couple of the other answers I got were just lucky guesses. 

[shapeshifter]

14 minutes ago, icemiser69 said:

Monk Quiz.

16 out of 22,  Given how often I have watched the episodes, pretty horrible.

I got 20 out of 22, but 2 were wild guesses.
At least 4 are not things you would know just by watching the show.

I had no idea there were novels.
Are they any good?

And I didn't see the web series. I think it was behind a pay wall.

Edited July 23, 2021 by shapeshifter

[Bastet]

I'm only a very casual fan and haven't watched in a long time, so I expected to do horribly on the quiz, but I got 18 (five of those were guesses).

[Annber03]

I'd only learned about the web series when I started getting into the show and reading up on it online. Haven't seen any of that, either. 

[LexieLily]

21/22. I also had no idea there was a web show or novels. Were either of those things any good?