Monk (TV series)

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The cast signs autographs after filming one of the shows.

Monk is an American comedy-drama detective mystery television series. It was written for TV by Andy Breckman. It stars Tony Shalhoub. The show was on the air from July 2002 to December 2009. The last episode before the series was cancelled was one of the most-watched in cable television history.[1] Other actors in the show were Bitty Schram, Jason Gray-Stanford, Ted Levine and Traylor Howard.

Storyline[change | change source]

Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub) had been a good detective for the San Francisco police department. After his wife Trudy was killed by a car bomb, Monk had a nervous breakdown. He was too upset and afraid to work. He was then let go by the police department.

After that he stayed inside his house for many years. He finally began to go outside his house; but only with the help of his nurse, Sharona Fleming (Bitty Schram). He could only go places when she went with him to protect him from his fears. This let him do some work as a private detective. He still has a severe case of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Sometimes, the obsessive-compulsive disorder helps him figure out the answers to clues in cases. He has a great memory for details. Since he was a child, Monk has been able to notice small things that others miss.

Monk has to have everything clean and spends a lot of his day cleaning over and over. He also has a fear of germs.[2] He cleans his toothbrush with boiling water.[2] He vacuums his walls and ceilings in his home.

Captain Leland Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine) and Lieutenant Randall "Randy" Disher (Jason Gray-Stanford) ask Monk for detective help when they can't figure out a crime scene. Stottlemeyer is usually frustrated by Monk's idiosyncrasies. But he respects Monk's amazing crime solving abilities.

When Monk is not working, he tries to solve his wife's murder.[3] He often works on cases that involve women or bombs, because it reminds him of his wife.

In the middle of Season 3, Monk's nurse, Sharona Fleming, decides to move back to New Jersey. Monk then hires another assistant. Her name is Natalie Teeger (played by Traylor Howard).[4] Natalie has a daughter named Julie Teeger. Her husband was in the United States Navy and was killed in combat years earlier.

Other websites[change | change source]

References[change | change source]

  1. Michael Schneider (2014). "Series finale attracts almost 9.5 million viewers". Variety Media, LLC. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Mark Crawford, The Obsessive Compulsive Trap: Real Help for a Real Struggle (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 2004), p. 29
  3. Lee Siegel, Not Remotely Controlled: Notes on Television (New York: Basic Books, 2007), p. 38
  4. "Mr. Monk and the Red Herring". CBS Interactive Inc. n.d. Archived from the original on 10 August 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014.