Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: Funny situations brought to life by great actors
Cons: I really want better extras on this set
The Bottom Line:
If you have not watched
Set aside some time to start
You'll thank me later
Highly Entertaining How-Done It Show
Adrian Monk is back for his second season with 16 new cases
to solve. This obsessive-compulsive, fear riddled detective must over come his
problems to once again help the police get the real villain. Whether he's
facing public speaking, umpiring, or searching for a missing grandmother, you
can count on two things - the mystery will be bizarre and you'll get a laugh or
two in the process.
Season 2 of Monk was when I started watching the show, and it
hooked me from the start. It hits just the right balance of humor, mystery, and
drama. We feel for Monk even as we laugh at him. And the comedy, while usually
at Monk's expense, is done without mocking him. It's a fine line, but they are
able to do it.
All four of the leads are excellent, helping their
characters stand out in what could become caricatures. Tony Shalhoub is
outstanding as Monk, making him believable. He deserved to his Emmy nomination
if not a win. Bitty Schram often gets lost in the praise for this show as
Monk's assistant Sharona, but her performance is wonderful, keeping the
assistant from becoming part of the background. Ted Levine is great as Captain
Stottlemeyer who constantly has to call in Monk. And Jason Gray-Stanford is
hilarious as Lieutenant Disher, the detective without a clue. All the
characters are stronger then they were in the first season, making this year an
even bigger joy to watch.
And these mysteries are top notch as well. Instead of the
standard one murder and three suspects, this show usually goes for one suspect
with the perfect alibi that Monk has to break. And there in lies some of the
best mysteries on TV today. My personal favorite puzzle from this season is
"Mr. Monk and the Sleeping Suspect" in which Monk must prove the
mailer of recent package bombs has been in a coma for three months.
My all time favorite episode of the show (at least so far)
is also in this set. "Mr. Monk and the Three Pies" really digs into
Monk's character as we see him interact with his brother, who is even worse
then he is. The mystery is well done, but it's the brothers' relationship that
makes the episode stand out.
While the extras could have been better, this DVD set is
great. All 16 episodes are presented in sharp widescreen with Dolby 2.0
surround. Each of the four discs has a couple minute featurette. "The
Minds Behind Monk" talks about the creation of the character. There are
profiles with interviews with the actors of Disher and Stottlemeyer. Finally,
there's a tour of the precinct set. Nothing spectacular, but the episodes are
well worth getting it for.
Fans of this show will be pleased to have it on disc to watch
over and over again. And if you've managed to miss this gem, get season 2 of Monk today.
You'll be hooked in no time.
Season 2 Episodes:
1. Mr. Monk Goes Back to School
2. Mr. Monk Goes to Mexico
3. Mr. Monk Goes to the Ballgame
4. Mr. Monk Goes to the Circus
5. Mr. Monk and the Very, Very Old Man
6. Mr. Monk Goes to the Theater
7. Mr. Monk and the Sleeping Suspect
8. Mr. Monk Meets the Playboy
9. Mr. Monk and the 12th Man
10. Mr. Monk and the Paperboy
11. Mr. Monk and the Three Pies
12. Mr. Monk and the TV Star
13. Mr. Monk and the Missing Granny
14. Mr. Monk and the Captain's Wife
15. Mr. Monk Gets Married
16. Mr. Monk Goes to Jail
Season 2 episode 15 is laugh till you choke funny. The back and forth rythem is so in sync. If you need a good laugh, this is the medicine. I'm seeing the series over for 3rd time in years. I saw it when new, then 7 years ago and now without cable, only Roku on Peacock channel. 2 episodes at a time over a month.
ReplyDelete