Customer Reviews

Monk - Season Three

5 star:		(52)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

One of the more clever television creations of the new millennium, Monk combines the high-grade suspense of a traditional TV drama with the quirky humor of a big screen comedy. Originally developed for ABC, the show became an instant prime-time lynchpin for the USA network, proving itself one of the more successful shows on cable TV...

In Monk, Tony Shalhoub stars in the title role of Adrian Monk, a former San Francisco detective placed on psychiatric leave. A true legend in the community, Monk solves unsolvable crimes via his towering intellect, photographic memory, and meticulous observations. But the one case that alludes Monk is the 1997 murder of his wife Trudy, which forever altered Monk's capacity to perform his job. Suffering from severe obsessive-compulsive disorder and a number of odd phobias, Monk requires a personal assistant, Sharona Fleming (Bitty Schram), for even his most basic daily activities. Yet Monk remains a police consultant on difficult cases, and he hopes to persuade Capt. Leland Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine) to give him his old job back. But Stottlemeyer and colleague Lt. Randall Disher (Jason Gray-Stanford), harbor doubts about Monk's mental faculties. As Monk solves cases though, those doubts dissipate and Stottlemeyer and Disher learn to appreciate Monk's special talents - despite his inability to cope with the day-to-day activities of a normal detective... Nevertheless, he remains a de facto investigator as he and Sharona aid the San Francisco police department in solving numerous high profile cases...

The Monk (Season 3) DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere "Mr. Monk Takes Manhattan" in which Monk and company take a trip to New York City to investigate a lead on Trudy's murder given to Monk in the previous year's season finale. But while settling into their hotel, a riot breaks out in the lobby, and three people are killed, including the Latvian ambassador (who was just standing next to Monk). With Monk's identification of the killer's left ear being the only eye witness description of the perpetrator, the NYPD must rely on Monk's unique skills in order to solve the crime... Other notable episodes from Season 3 include "Mr. Monk Meets the Godfather" in which Monk is pressured by a local mafia boss to help solve the murder of five of his henchmen, and "Mr. Monk Gets Cabin Fever" in which Monk witnesses a Chinese gangland murder, prompting the FBI to place him in the witness protection program - harboring him in a cabin out in the middle of nowhere...

Below is a list of episodes included on the Monk (Season 3) DVD:

Episode 30 (Mr. Monk Takes Manhattan)
Episode 31 (Mr. Monk and the Panic Room)
Episode 32 (Mr. Monk and the Blackout)
Episode 33 (Mr. Monk Gets Fired)
Episode 34 (Mr. Monk Meets the Godfather)
Episode 35 (Mr. Monk and the Girl Who Cried Wolf)
Episode 36 (Mr. Monk and the Employee of the Month)
Episode 37 (Mr. Monk and the Game Show)
Episode 38 (Mr. Monk Takes His Medicine)
Episode 39 (Mr. Monk and the Red Herring)
Episode 40 (Mr. Monk vs. the Cobra)
Episode 41 (Mr. Monk Gets Cabin Fever)
Episode 42 (Mr. Monk Gets Stuck in Traffic)
Episode 43 (Mr. Monk Goes to Vegas)
Episode 44 (Mr. Monk and the Election)
Episode 45 (Mr. Monk and the Kid)

The DVD Report

Ignore all the overzealous praise of the show's third season, while it is enjoyable and worth a buy for fans of the series, next to the other boxed sets of the show this one pales in comparison and will not serve as the best way to get someone hooked on Monk.

Monk's third season is most noted for the unexpected and controversial firing of Bitty Schram and the hiring of almost carbon-copy Traylor Howard for the second half of the season. Without even a goodbye Sharona was remarried and shipped across America offscreen.

But I get ahead of myself.

The season opened strongly enough with Monk, Sharona, Stottlemyer and, oddly enough, Randall all following a lead from the previous season to New York City, where, unsurprisingly, Monk had one of his trademark meltdowns.

The rest of the first half of the third season had all the hallmarks of the first and second seasons: the random celebrity casting, the unbelievable explanations and Monk's continual grappling with his condition. However, because of the show's appeal to younger viewers many of the mysteries were dumbed-down and made more childish to bring in younger and younger viewers. The most notable example of this was in Mr. Monk and the Panic Room, which featured a possible killer monkey, a nice message for the kids wrapped up with a big bow, and and Stottlemyer literally acting like a crazy person in order to get a monkey to shoot a gun.

The first nine episodes did have many high points, however. Mr. Monk and the Blackout is probably the best episode of the season, finding the perfect mix between past Monk episodes and new Monk moments. Also of note is the excellent performance of Bitty Schram in Mr. Monk and the Girl Who Cried Wolf, which deserves an emmy nod.

There was one moment that foreshadowed the upheval to come, Mr. Monk and the Gameshow, which featured none of the regulars save Shalhoub and was produced specifically to show cast members that they were expendable.

The first "season" of the two part season closed on USA, with everything seemingly fine in Monk-land. The episodes were becoming more adult again, and Shalhoub's chemistry with Schram never better.

Then, in a still mysterious chain of events, the episode count for the second half was cut from 9 to 7, Schram was fired and new characters were to be introduced that were almost identical to Sharona and her son.

Monk's new girl Friday was named Natalie Teeger, and was to be played by Traylor Hackford, late of Two Guys, A Girl and a Pizza Place. Reception for the changes was harsh to say the least, and I find myself concuring that the producers should have payed Schram whatever she wanted to stay on the series, because the character of Natalie pales in comparison.

That isn't to say the character didn't show potential. Hackford's debut episode, Mr. Monk and the Red Herring, is a crackerjack romp with many character building moments and an acceptable, if not believeable, sendoff to Sharona. Hackford showcased some real chemistry with Shalhoub, and her character showcased a chance of becoming something other than a Sharona-knockoff.

But as the remainder of the season progressed it became clear that none of that potential would be acted upon. It became obvious that the scripts were written for Sharona and Natalie was just thrown into the script as a replacement without much thought. Hackford is a great actress, and you can see her trying in these later episodes, but to no avail. The character becomes annoying and grating.

The mysteries do the same. A budget increase was obvious, with big action sequences happening in almost every episode (most notably Mr. Monk Gets Cabin Fever and Mr. Monk Gets Caught In Traffic) and less attention paid to the mysteries, often making them eith so obvious or so outlandish they were laughable.

Shalhoub still provides the emotional drive and the center of the series, and doesn't overact or miss a beat no matter how stupid or unintentionally funny the situation.

Therefore, I recommend this box set for Monk fans. The series took a big dip in quality near the end, but the Sharona episodes are a gentle reminder of great things past, and the first Natalie episodes showcases a potential never acted upon.

I have been a fan of Monk since the series initial start. I own the first season on DVD and I plan to purchase seasons two and three. I am also a huge fan of Bitty Schram and the dynamics that she brought out in her character Sharona. Season three is compiled of the last episodes with Bitty Schram and the introduction of replacement for Schram with Traylor Howard. I suggest that if you have seen an episode with Bitty Schram you should watch seasons one and two before seeing the new episodes with Traylor Howard. I am very dissapointed with the departure of Schram and the new turn of the series. I am although a devoted fan of Tony Shalhoub and Monk. Some of the crafty writing and strong character relationships that helped to develop the show have slipped with the departure of Schram. I continue to watch the series and hope the character chemistry and strong storylines will be revived or perhaps Schram will be invited back. I must also give praise to other characters that help carry the show. Captain Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine) and Lieutenent Randall Disher (Jason Gray-Stanford) are brilliantly cast and bring a realization to the "Defective Detective" that made the first two and a half seasons worth watching.

This is advice for the not-yet-hooked-on-Monk...

I came to know Monk because of my mother-in-law's recommendation. (I have trouble believing it, too.)
My wife and I have now been hooked for 2 years. It's the only series we watch and the only show we ever record.

I predict Monk will be a long-lived favorite in the same sense as M*A*S*H . Characters, story, characters, suspense, characters and humor... The predictibility of the characters, their interplay, the mystery solving, the romance of Monk and Trudie and, above all, Monk's Obsessive Compulsive Disorder driven skill, draw fans even though it airs on Friday night on a non-major network.

If you're not-yet-hooked-on-Monk, it's essential to watch Season One, first. (The boxed set includes the pilot.)
Yes, there is a thread running throughout the life of the series. Background info is revealed from time to time. And, you get to feel the dismay over Sharona being written out of the script...

"You'll thank me later..."

Adrian Monk is back with sixteen new cases to solve. The seasons starts in New York as the regular cast follows up a clue about the death of Monk's wife Trudy. But soon they're back to San Francisco and dealing with killer monkeys, power failures, the mob, traffic, Vegas, and a new assistant.

Just over the halfway point, Bitty Schram, who played Monk's assistant Sharona, was asked to leave the show over a salary dispute. As with any cast change, this one has it's own share of controversy. I was afraid this would ruin my favorite series, but I felt it made it stronger. Natalie is a strong character. In fact, her introduction episode is easily my favorite of this season. While she shares much with Sharona, she doesn't treat Monk with kid gloves but expects him to behave somewhat like an adult. Even more importantly, it forced the writers to once again focus on good character interactions and stories. I feel the first half of the season was slipping into caricature. The cast change forced them to refocus their efforts; it proved to be a breath of fresh air that the show needed.

So what do you get with this set? The sixteen episodes are presented in wide screen and Dolby sound on four discs. Each disc also contains at least one mini extra segment. There are five this time around. Members of the cast and crew talk about favorite scenes; we finally get a profile of Monk as well as Natalie; Tony Shalhoub, Ted Levine, and Jason Gray-Stanford talk about the back story of their characters (we learn nothing new about Monk, but we do about the other two); and the series creator talks a little bit about Monk's quirks. Most of these segments are only five minutes long, so we really don't learn much from them.

This series continues to entertain with funny lines and situations and puzzling mysteries. If you love light mysteries, this series is for you. I can't wait to see what Monk takes on next.

Tony Shalhoub is consistently excellent as Monk. Sharona fulfills her role as the "Watson" character in a way that is beyond good.
Trivial, but noticeable: I do wish some reviewers would get this right ... Monk solves way more than one case a show, in fact usually several, so its not just a matter of a new season and "16 more cases to solve", in fact it is closer to double that amount, easily.
Sharona just disappears "Mid-Season", and The so-called Sharona clone, Natalie, is introduced. Well, she is not, officially, a Sharona clone. Yes she is a new assistant, but look at the specials on disk 3.The Special Feature LIFE BEFORE MONK is actually at odds with the NATALIE TEEGER PROFILE, where Tony says ( wether for the official Studio line, or ?? ) that the change to Natalie is to basically cut loose Monk and see if/how he grows. Well, check out the two special features on disc 3, the two are incompatible as views on the same situation.
From Shows 1-9 in the third series, Sharona Helps Monk, Motivates Monk, and pushes him on to do more; Sharona is the emotional, and plot catalyst in many ways ( she rips the Hair piece off the Commisioner, and thus helps solve the case).
In the Shows 10-16, Teeger is a fifth wheel, does less than Sharona, and is superbly vacuous. One scene has Monk asking why she is doing something and "Natalie" says " I can do anything I want, I'm cute...".
In one great episode, Mako ( as Master Zee) makes some observations that resonate so well, and in a manner that only Mako, a superb character player, can deliver.
I don't want to say which scenes are the best emotionally, but when Monk/Adrian, gets to play essentially on his own, Monk is superbly emotional and emotive.
If they can find a way to restore Sharona, then this will restore the original Successful Formula.

Also,the Box is of a high Quality than previous boxes; contrary to some comments, the smaller plastic covers are better than the foldouts in Seasons 1 and 2 because they are more robust. I have bought enough of the Digipack foldouts to know, and to be able to recommend that the Individual Disc Covers are Superb.
I honestly hope that this is not the last Major Season of Monk, but maybe, like so many great shows, three seasons is the limit; however, some superb shows can last 8 seasons with great writing. In my view, the core writing idea is great, what you need is maybe some fresh views on a timeless plot structure, not a change to a vacuous assistant that allows the lead to show his skills. The superb essence of this show is the ensemble cast that works so very, VERY well.

I love the show. I had only seen the first and second seasons, but this lived up to my expectations. I was disappointed when a character left the show, but it did not effect the performances of the other's in a negative way.

Tony Shalhoub is a versatile actor who's been in the business for many years. His sitcom career spans from Antonio Scarpacci in Wings to Ian Stark in Stark Raving Mad before landing the much acclaimed title role of Monk. Prior to that he began acting in small roles in films such as "Honeymoon In Vegas", and with Bill Murray in "Quick Change". He also continued acting in films despite his TV roles, including "Men In Black", "Siege", "I.Q." and "Galaxy Quest" among others.

In Monk Tony Shalhoub is former police detective Adrian Monk, whose photographic memory and amazing ability to piece together tiny clues made him a local legend.
He suffers from intensified obsessive-compulsive disorder and a variety of phobias since the unsolved murder of his wife, Trudy, in 1997. Now on psychiatric leave from the San Francisco Police Department and working as a freelance detective/ consultant on difficult cases, Monk hopes to convince his former boss, Captain Leland Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine), to allow him to return to the force. Stottlemeyer, who wavered between admiration for Monk and annoyance at his eccentricities during the first season, is becoming more of a friend to Monk as the series develops, frequently calling him in to help, as much for Monk's benefit as for his own. However, he knows Monk's limitations as well as his strengths and may still harbor doubts about the wisdom of allowing Monk to carry a gun or subdue a perpetrator. Stottlemeyer's second-in-command, Lieutenant Randall Disher (Jason Gray-Stanford), also seems to be developing both admiration and compassion for the man he once labeled "the defective detective".

Despite flaws and inadequacies all around, the three are becoming an increasingly effective team, with additional help from Monk's personal assistant. From the double-episode pilot through the first half of season three, Monk was aided by his nurse, Sharona Fleming (Bitty Schram). But in the tenth episode of the third season, Sharona was replaced by a new assistant, Natalie Teeger (Traylor Howard ex-star of Two Guys & A girl). Like Sharona, a divorcee with a son named Benjy, Natalie is a single parent, a widow with a daughter named Julie (Emmy Clarke). Unlike Sharona, Natalie is not a nurse but a former bartender with a fresh perspective on "Mr. Monk," as she still addresses him.

You can't help but compare it to Columbo but funnier. Its subtle comedy is more an undertone & with great writing both the humor as well as the suspense shine through.

Verdict: Good third season although not as good as the first. Traylor Howard is a refreshing change although time will tell how well suited she is for this role.

Rating: 4 stars for overall season. Would have got 5 stars had we not had season one to compare it to.

5 stars for the first half of Season 3 (and for Seasons 1,2). Funny, clever, endearing. Monk is a great detective fiction series along the lines of Columbo. The chemistry between Monk and Sharona gave the series a sparkle rarely found on television these days.

2 stars for second half of season 3. The character of Sharona was rudely replaced with the character of Natalie. The chemistry is gone and the writing has suffered too. The character of Natalie is annoying and her interaction with Monk is uninteresting.

Although I wasn't too thrilled about the change in the female second banana, it's still by far the best thing on the screen.