Monk gets shot pursuing a bicycle thief, and proceeds to make Natalie's life miserable as he sits and whines in a wheelchair and makes her his virtual slave. The whys and wherefores of the stolen bicycle are what make up the mystery, but it is Monk in his wheelchair that livens up the proceedings. At one point, Natalie is pushing Monk up a typical steep San Fran hill (for no apparent reason, as we kept wondering where her car was), only to have him accidentally roll backward down the hill when she is momentarily distracted. Watching Captain S. manhandle Monk in and out of the wheelchair on two occasions is another high point. Shalhoub also has some funny slapstick bits with his leg all bandaged up, particularly when he tries to exit a car and later tries to steer a motorized wheelchair around a glass-filled laboratory. If you don't usually watch this show, you are likely to find Monk a bit off-putting in his attitude toward Natalie.
Review of Mr. Monk on Wheels
