By Su-kim Lee
We don’t watch MONK for the same reasons we watch CSI or HOMICIDE, or even THE SOPRANOS. We’re not looking for a fright or a gross-out or a deep thinker. Heck, if you really consider it, the plots in a typical episode of MONK are about as complicated as — jinkies! — a SCOOBY-DOO adventure.
No, to be perfectly honest with ourselves, we have to admit that we watch MONK to see Monk being … well … Monk-ish.
After five seasons, one would think that this one-note gag of the anal-retentive, obsessive-compulsive pseudo-detective would have grown far too old and moldy, but Tony Shalhoub’s interpretation of the title character continues to evolve and impress.
In fine form, the season six opener does not disappoint, and in fact, Mr. Shalhoub is almost upstaged as guest star Sarah Silverman reprises her role as Monk’s biggest fan (Marci Maven; she even goes so far as to recover his discarded clothing and wears it when he is forced to ‘hang out’ with her after she purchases him at a bachelor charity auction).
Plot in a nutshell: Marci’s neighbor’s wife has been killed and Marci’s dog is to blame. Problem is, the murder happened days after she claims the dog was dead and buried. And, of course, only Monk can solve the case!
Oh, and added to the mix is the aforementioned bachelor auction wherein the Captain (Ted Levine) is auctioned off to his own woman, and Lt. Disher (Jason Gray-Stanford) is purchased by a woman looking to unload her son on an unsuspecting shmuck for a day — that’s some mighty expensive daycare.
Back to Sarah Silverman. Acting-wise, she may have very well found herself. She’s creepy and cute at the same time. Her cries of “clue hug!” are simultaneously endearing and nauseating. And, her eventual admission that “this isn’t fun anymore,” after she is superficially nicked by a bullet, is believable at a wonderfully delusional level.
It’s too bad Marci has shifted her affection to the unsuspecting F. Murray Abraham; Adrian Monk needs some serious weirdness in his life.
Where’s Stanley Tucci when you need him?