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the tics worked out
Great cast and humor is no longer forced
By Ethan Alter
What a difference a year makes. When USA’s popular detective series “Monk” debuted last summer, it was still very much a work in progress. Although the cast was uniformly strong, particularly character actor Tony Shalhoub in the title role, and the mysteries intriguing, the show frequently struggled to find a consistent tone.
The writers tried too hard to place Monk, who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), in comic situations rather than let the humor emerge naturally from the story and characters.
As the season progressed, though, “Monk” found its footing and blossomed into a surprise hit for USA.
In fact, the show proved so popular with cable viewers that ABC purchased the rerun rights and added it to its primetime lineup on Thursdays, a move it is expected to repeat this year.
The second season premiere, entitled “Mr. Monk Goes Back to School,” illustrates how far “Monk" has come.
As its title implies, the episode, which airs tonight at 10, finds our intrepid detective going undercover at a respected private high school in order to investigate a death that occurred on campus.
This premise is rife with comic possibilities, and the writers manage to deliver plenty of laughs without forgetting that the main character is a private eye, not a standup comic.
There’s a great scene, for example, where Monk masquerades as a substitute English teacher and attempts to lead the class in a discussion of “The Red Badge of Courage.”
Unfortunately, the easily distracted would-be educator never gets past writing his name on the chalkboard. The writers also have the inspired notion of making Monk the victim of a bully -- the gym teacher, naturally. Watching him figure out how to deal with his brawny nemesis should strike a chord with brainy geeks everywhere.
Ironically, the weakest aspect of this episode is the mystery, primarily because we learn whodunit in the first five minutes.
Still, it’s fun to see Monk piece the clues together and the crime itself turns out to be ingenious, if more than a little implausible.
One thing that hasn’t changed this season is the quality of the performances, especially from Shalhoub. Another actor might have played Monk strictly for laughs, but he works hard to give this well-intentioned, if befuddled, character a believable emotional center. It’s a terrific marriage of performer and material, and Shalhoub clearly realizes what a great role he’s landed.
Meanwhile, stage actress Bitty Schram also deserves kudos for her work as Sharona, Monk’s dedicated nurse and partner in solving crimes. Last season the character came across as a little too over the top, but both Schram and the writers have toned her down this year. Monk and Sharona actually seem like full-fledged partners now instead of yet another odd couple comedy team.
Aside from its two leads, the show’s biggest strength is its San Francisco setting. In a way, this is the Bay Area’s version of “Law & Order” or “CSI.” Like those programs, “Monk” makes full use of its picturesque location, filming plenty of exterior scenes all over the city. San Francisco probably hasn’t been this well represented on television since the ‘70s series "The Streets of San Francisco."
After an uneven start, “Monk” has become an engaging and genuinely funny show.
June 20, 2003© 2003 Media Life
-Ethan Alter is a New York writer and a frequent contributor to Media Life.
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