'Monk' has always been one of my most watched shows when needing comfort, to relax after a hard day, a good laugh or a way to spend a lazy weekend.
While a fun enough diversion, "Mr Monk and the Game Show" is not one of the best 'Monk' episodes. To me actually it's one of the lesser episodes of Season 3, a solid season on the most part as far as the episodes up to this point go. A lot of good things here but some things frustrate. The weakest asset is the character of Kevin, the character is annoying and completely unnecessary and Jarrod Paul takes overacted craziness to the maximum and it grates fast.
The mystery is a pretty good one on the most part, it's fun and engaging, but those with very eagle eyes will notice how the cheating is done early on, if one watches the episode without noticing the obviousness of it by three quarters in you've done well. Personally do not comment on goofs, seeing as it usually strikes me as nit-picking, but it's hard not to here. Don't mind that "Mr Monk and the Game Show" has to be one of the episodes with the highest number of goofs in 'Monk', less than forgiving is that a few of them are sloppy lapses in facts, especially with the whole mechanics of the murder and, especially with the whole business with the buzzer, anybody who has watched at least one episode of any game show will see how little the writers seem to know about how game shows work.
However, despite these problems there are a lot of good things. One of the best things about 'Monk' has always been the acting of Tony Shalhoub in the title role. It was essential for him to work and be the glue of the show, and Shalhoub not only is that but also at his very best he IS the show. Have always loved the balance of the humour, which is often hilarious, and pathos, which is sincere and touching. It is remarkable here that right from the first episode to when the show ended that one likes him straight away, even with his quirks and deficiencies that could easily have been overplayed, and also that he is better developed than most titular characters of other shows at this particular stage. Who can't help love Monk's brilliant mind too?
One does miss Sharona, Disher and Stottlemeyer, with only Sharona's absence being explained, but the supporting cast is memorable. Rosemary Forsyth is warm and charming, especially in her pep up speech and John Michael Higgins impresses in an atypical role as a smug, confident (perhaps even arrogant) and pretty and appropriately odious character. Best of all is Bob Gunton, who matches Forsyth in warmth and charm but also brings affecting sincerity which helps make his scenes with Shalhoub both entertaining and especially poignant.
It's not just the cast or story though. Another star is the writing, which is also essential to whether the show would be successful or not and succeed it does here. The mix of hilarious wry humour, lovable quirkiness and tender easy-to-relate-to drama is delicately done. The quirks are sympathetically done and never exploited or overdone. Absolutely loved Monk's hilarious over the phone rant about Kevin, one can completely understand how he's feeling here.
Despite its imperfections, the story is engaging and fun to watch unfold. It is particularly notable for seeing what life when Trudy was alive was like and for a very cleverly staged and written denouement that is very different to usual too.
Visually, the episode is shot in a slick and stylish way, and the music is both understated and quirky. While there is a preference for the theme music for Season 1, Randy Newman's "It's a Jungle Out There" has grown on me overtime, found it annoying at first but appreciate its meaning and what it's trying to say much more now.
In conclusion, good episode but not a great one. Season 3 and the show in general have done better. 7/10 Bethany Cox
