Forget all the fandom whining about Monk's assistants.... *this episode* is the worst thing that ever happened to the series. In my opinion, poor writing ruined a great show. I haven't been able to really enjoy Monk since I sat through this nerve-wracking mess ! The plot, quickly: A man is murdered in six different ways (very similar to the murder of Peter Campbell in the first season of soap, where Campbell, played by Bob Urich was "stabbed, shot, strangled, suffocated, and bludgeoned" to death). Monk, Natalie, and company are on the case, but they are stonewalled, sidelined, and bullied at every turn by a gang of tech-savvy "superfeds" who wear cheesy all-black outfits and drive around in a cartoonish version of the A-Team van suped up with impossible gadgetry. Monk finally solves the case, but there is one strong point in the story that is left decidedly unresolved, and in my opinion it ruins the episode.
All through this episode Monk is constantly bellowed at, talked down to, and in general treated like a dog who just went poo on a white carpet by the lead FBI agent. And even though Monk wins out in the end by solving the case where the Feds could not, there is no closure for a true Monk fan here.
Adrian Monk is supposed to have OCD- but he has never been written as a wimp, or a coward when it comes to his work as a cop and a homicide detective. He might have been picked on on the junior high playground, but when faced with a murder to solve Monk is always dogged and determined. He may have to re-tie his shoes 5 times, but he can stare down a killer and boldly proclaim "I know you did it, and I know how you did it." - even if the killer is a good friend of the Mayor (as per the episode, "Mr. Monk and the Psychic".) And yet when he is barked at by the vitriolic Agent Thorpe he just droops his head, and walks away ! This is not the same Adrian Monk who stood in front of an Air Force jet on the runway to stop a murderous Astronaut from escaping justice.
The writers could have saved this episode- they could have made Thrope the killer (which would explain his wild-eyed ranting and over the top bullying.... because he looks as if he is trying to stonewall the investigation and keep *something* from Monk, Stottlemeyer, and Co.). But instead there is no satisfaction. No ending scene where Monk shames Thorpe, and makes *him* walk away, not by bullying and shouting, but by being right, standing firm, and costing the agent his job due to Thorpe's failure to solve the case.
So- if they were gonna write Thorpe to be such a goon, they should have rewarded the audience by making him the episode's undisputed bad guy.
Seeing Adrian bullied this way, with no satisfying ending as per the Astronaut episode ruined this episode for me... and by extension, I have not been able to enjoy the series since. I still love, and still watch the old episodes. But when this perfect sample of sloppy script writing hit the airwaves, I swore off new Monks for good and all !
All through this episode Monk is constantly bellowed at, talked down to, and in general treated like a dog who just went poo on a white carpet by the lead FBI agent. And even though Monk wins out in the end by solving the case where the Feds could not, there is no closure for a true Monk fan here.
Adrian Monk is supposed to have OCD- but he has never been written as a wimp, or a coward when it comes to his work as a cop and a homicide detective. He might have been picked on on the junior high playground, but when faced with a murder to solve Monk is always dogged and determined. He may have to re-tie his shoes 5 times, but he can stare down a killer and boldly proclaim "I know you did it, and I know how you did it." - even if the killer is a good friend of the Mayor (as per the episode, "Mr. Monk and the Psychic".) And yet when he is barked at by the vitriolic Agent Thorpe he just droops his head, and walks away ! This is not the same Adrian Monk who stood in front of an Air Force jet on the runway to stop a murderous Astronaut from escaping justice.
The writers could have saved this episode- they could have made Thrope the killer (which would explain his wild-eyed ranting and over the top bullying.... because he looks as if he is trying to stonewall the investigation and keep *something* from Monk, Stottlemeyer, and Co.). But instead there is no satisfaction. No ending scene where Monk shames Thorpe, and makes *him* walk away, not by bullying and shouting, but by being right, standing firm, and costing the agent his job due to Thorpe's failure to solve the case.
So- if they were gonna write Thorpe to be such a goon, they should have rewarded the audience by making him the episode's undisputed bad guy.
Seeing Adrian bullied this way, with no satisfying ending as per the Astronaut episode ruined this episode for me... and by extension, I have not been able to enjoy the series since. I still love, and still watch the old episodes. But when this perfect sample of sloppy script writing hit the airwaves, I swore off new Monks for good and all !