Mr. Monk Makes the Playoffs
- Episode aired Jan 30, 2009
- TV-PG
- 43m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
Monk dips his toe into male bonding when he attends the playoffs with Leland, but a murder distracts them from the game and its solution may be the only way to ensure the championship.Monk dips his toe into male bonding when he attends the playoffs with Leland, but a murder distracts them from the game and its solution may be the only way to ensure the championship.Monk dips his toe into male bonding when he attends the playoffs with Leland, but a murder distracts them from the game and its solution may be the only way to ensure the championship.
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaSteve Monroe, who plays Chet Walsh in this episode, also played another character, Sgt. Myers, in Mr. Monk Goes to the Circus (2003).
- GoofsWhen Shawn Metzger siphons gasoline from the tank of his limo, he is holding a jar above tank level. To successfully siphon liquid, the receptacle has to be held *below* the source because of gravity.
- Quotes
Adrian Monk: [after an encounter with drunk football fans] Did you enjoy civilization, Leland? I sure did. It was a hell of a run. 8,000 years.
Featured review
Scoring a touchdown with 'Monk'
'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.
As said a few times, Season 7 was a very mixed bag up to this point, "Mr Monk and the Genius" being one of its best while also having major disappointments like "Mr Monk Falls in Love" and especially "Mr Monk Takes a Punch". "Mr Monk Makes the Playoffs" is one of Season 7's best, along with "Mr Monk and the Genius" and "Mr Monk and the Lady Next Door". My only real complaints are Natalie being somewhat bland this time round, having little to do, and the mystery being not a particularly hard one to solve.
"Mr Monk Makes the Playoffs" is one of the funniest episodes of Season 7, alongside "Mr Monk on Wheels". Especially agreed one of Monk's best ever lines in "Who are all these people and where are their parents" and Bob Costas's (very funny here) cat story and witty commentary. While that episode has a slightly stronger mystery, this episode has the benefit of Monk actually being in character, his phobias and reactions to them are not overdone or done in a try-too-hard-to-be-comical way (not that "Mr Monk on Wheels" did that, it didn't) and he isn't unnecessarily nasty like he was in that episode.
Love the chemistry between Monk and Stottlemeyer, which is the strongest and most entertaining it's been all season, and that it featured heavily in the episode was great to see. One of my favourite things about 'Monk' is their seesaw chemistry, "Mr Monk Makes the Playoffs" is a strong example of why. Natalie and Disher have an amusing if very secondary side story where Disher admittedly registers more due to having more material to work with.
The mystery is not a hard one to solve, but it is clever and engaging and doesn't feel side-lined at the expense of the comedy and character interaction, actually working well with the whole football scenario.
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. Of the other three regulars, Ted Levine has the most to do by far and his comic timing is delightful as is his interactions with Shalhoub. The supporting cast are all fine, though the only memorable person is Costas.
Visually, the episode is slick and stylish as ever. 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 summary, one of the best Season 7 episodes. 9/10 Bethany Cox
As said a few times, Season 7 was a very mixed bag up to this point, "Mr Monk and the Genius" being one of its best while also having major disappointments like "Mr Monk Falls in Love" and especially "Mr Monk Takes a Punch". "Mr Monk Makes the Playoffs" is one of Season 7's best, along with "Mr Monk and the Genius" and "Mr Monk and the Lady Next Door". My only real complaints are Natalie being somewhat bland this time round, having little to do, and the mystery being not a particularly hard one to solve.
"Mr Monk Makes the Playoffs" is one of the funniest episodes of Season 7, alongside "Mr Monk on Wheels". Especially agreed one of Monk's best ever lines in "Who are all these people and where are their parents" and Bob Costas's (very funny here) cat story and witty commentary. While that episode has a slightly stronger mystery, this episode has the benefit of Monk actually being in character, his phobias and reactions to them are not overdone or done in a try-too-hard-to-be-comical way (not that "Mr Monk on Wheels" did that, it didn't) and he isn't unnecessarily nasty like he was in that episode.
Love the chemistry between Monk and Stottlemeyer, which is the strongest and most entertaining it's been all season, and that it featured heavily in the episode was great to see. One of my favourite things about 'Monk' is their seesaw chemistry, "Mr Monk Makes the Playoffs" is a strong example of why. Natalie and Disher have an amusing if very secondary side story where Disher admittedly registers more due to having more material to work with.
The mystery is not a hard one to solve, but it is clever and engaging and doesn't feel side-lined at the expense of the comedy and character interaction, actually working well with the whole football scenario.
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. Of the other three regulars, Ted Levine has the most to do by far and his comic timing is delightful as is his interactions with Shalhoub. The supporting cast are all fine, though the only memorable person is Costas.
Visually, the episode is slick and stylish as ever. 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 summary, one of the best Season 7 episodes. 9/10 Bethany Cox
- TheLittleSongbird
- Sep 21, 2017
- Permalink
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Filming locations
- Qualcomm Stadium - 9449 Friars Road, San Diego, California, USA(Summit Stadium)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime43 minutes
- Color
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