TV-Reviewed

The plot idea of Adrian Monk falling in love with another woman has been tried already, so I was hoping for something new and exciting this go-round.

I had a difficult time trying to muster up some enthusiasm for this episode. I’m not opposed to the idea of Adrian moving on, but it just doesn’t seem to be happening. He’s stuck thinking about Trudy, so in my mind, there’s no chance for him to fall for the woman.

It wasn’t that long ago that Adrian’s judgement was clouded. In “Mr. Monk and the Genius”, Adrian felt out-matched and was ready to plant evidence to help convict the chess player who murdered his wife. Here, it would seem that his falling in love did the same.

I believed Adrian’s notion that the woman wasn’t the one responsible for the murder, but there was nothing to back that up. Just because she was kind, helpful, and sweet to others, it doesn’t mean she’s incapable of killing someone. There are lots of women who I’m sure have been convicted of murder and would at one point meet those same criteria.

Once in a while, a guest star will appear that I recognize, but they tend to be well-known character actors. I was really surprised to see Jaime Gomez in this week’s episode. Gomez played a favorite character (Evan Cortez) on CBS’ Nash Bridges in the ’90s. I frankly didn’t recognize him with his short haircut, but his voice made him stand out. It’s good to see Gomez is still busy acting.

With so much emphasis on storytelling and the drama, the one thing I look for in Monk is the comedy. Monk isn’t a hard-hitting drama, but is rather much lighter in nature, so it appeals to a broader audience. It didn’t take long to find the comedy. Randy Disher’s opening scene from the restaurant to the cab was hysterical… talking about how observant he was and then not noticing the cab driver is dead.

I don’t ever see Adrian truly moving on from Trudy’s passing. I think it’ll always haunt him, so I don’t see him finding another woman. I guess I’m disappointed that the writers occasionally put Adrian in a position where it looks like he might date a woman. It just isn’t going to happen. I feel the writers are just wasting my time.

Rating: 7