Joining the ranks of psychologically complex, fictional gumshoe geniuses in 2002 on the USA Network, San Francisco's Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub) quickly found an enthusiastic television audience. A former homicide cop whose neurotic tendencies went over the top following the murder of his wife, Monk was officially released from his job but remains valuable to his former captain (Ted Levine), who calls upon him to help with complicated cases. The talented Monk has a gift for sifting through clues while also seeing the big picture in criminal investigations, but his numerous phobias (germs, heights, asymmetry, and much else) make him a headache for officials and keep his long-suffering assistant, Sharona (Bitty Schram), on a short leash. Episodes tend to focus on high-profile murders of judges, police informants, attorneys, and the like, with suspicion sometimes falling on innocent, real-life celebrities (Willie Nelson plays himself in "Mr. Monk and the Red-Headed Stranger"). But the heart and soul of Monk's comedy-drama is Shalhoub's twitchy, vulnerable, yet heroic performance and the scripts' emphasis on touchstone relationships. The running question is whether Monk will ever heal enough to re-join his old squad; for the sake of this series' winning formula, let's hope not. Presented in a four-disc boxed set with five bonus featurettes (including one on the obsessive-compulsive disorder afflicting Monk), Monk: The Complete First Season is highly recommended. (T. Keogh)
Monk: Season One
Universal, 4 discs, 563 min., not rated, DVD: $59.98 August 9, 2004
Monk: Season One
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: