Most helpful customer reviews
|
|
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Off to a Strong Start, Jun 19 2004
I blew it. I didn't start watching this show until it's second season. Little did I know what I was missing.Tony Shalhoub stars as Adrian Monk, a former police detective no longer on the force because of his obsessive-compulsive disorder and his phobias. He does still consult on some of their most bizarre cases, however. For example, how could an 800-lb. man commit murder? Why was a billionaire killed while mugging a man on a date? Did a fellow airline passenger really kill his wife? How could a man commit murder and run a marathon at the same time? This series falls into the classic puzzle mystery genre, my personal favorite. Sometimes I have an idea why or how, but it takes the ending for me to know for sure. More often then not, I'm stumped. Along the way, we get plenty of laughs at the various situations we find Mr. Monk in. The obsessive-compulsive disorder and his fears are handled just right. They provide the clues needed and humor without being over the top or annoying. Of course, the series is helped by its actors. Tony Shalhoub is excellent as Monk with a performance just slightly understated. He deserved his Emmy win for this season. Just as praise worthy is Bitty Schram as Monk's nurse Sharona. She mixes exasperated and compassionate while providing a strong sidekick character that doesn't get lost behind the lead. Ted Levine and Jason Gray-Stanford as the police Monk helps and Stanley Kamel as Monk's shrink are equally excellent. The writing is sharp and manages to find humor without mocking Monk, a subtle but clear distinction. This DVD set is great for old and new fans alike. All twelve first season episodes are present, including the previously released two-hour pilot. They're presented in widescreen and look sharp. The sound, while presented in 5.1 surround, is nothing spectacular. Still, it gets the job done. Disc four has some short extras discussing the creation of the show, obsessive-compulsive disorder, the cast and crew's obsessions, the Emmy win, and the casting of Bitty Schram and Ted Levine. I would have loved a commentary track or two and some outtakes, but they aren't to be found here. While the extras could have been just a tad better, this set is a must have for those who love light mystery. It was nice to catch the cases I'd missed. This is one mystery show you can watch time and time again for the humor and character even if you remember how it ends.
|
|
|
4.0 out of 5 stars
Monk season 1, Aug 13 2009
Both my 13 year old daughter and myself enjoyed many quiet hours watching this boxed set. Funny and smart and appealing to a wide age range.
|
|
|
4.0 out of 5 stars
A gift and a curse, Jan 11 2009
Sherlock Holmes, Columbo, Hercule Poirot -- genius detectives are usually a bit quirky. But no other is as quirky as Adrian Monk, the obsessive-compulsive detective.
And the first season of "Monk" succeeds in bringing an odd twist to the traditional detective TV show. Tony Shalhoub shines as everyone's favorite obsessive-compulsive detective, solving the case with his gift/curse and his willingness to go anywhere... that doesn't have germs.
Adrian Monk's wife Trudy was killed in a car-bombing, and the devastated detective fell apart completely and had to leave the police force. Years later, Monk (Tony Shalhoub) is partially recovered, but he still is obsessive-compulsive and has dozens of phobias. The only way he manages is with his assistant Sharona (Bitty Schram) babysitting him.
When a politician is nearly killed in a mystery shooting, the police are baffled. So Captain Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine) reluctantly calls in his old pal to solve the case. From then on, Monk is called in for dozens of bizarre, baffling cases. His excellent memory and his OCD ("It's a gift.... and a curse") allow him to see patterns and details where other people see nothing.
The cases that follow are no less confounding -- Monk must deal with a supposed psychic, a grotesquely obese financier who is unable to get out of bed, a stabbing on a Ferris wheel, a murder in an asylum, a billionaire mugger, a marathon alibi, a vacation gone wrong, an earthquake, a date, a murderous Frenchman, and a murder seemingly committed by Willie Nelson.
"Monk" is the sort of show that usually gets cancelled after five episodes -- it's well-written, amusing, and smart. So by TV standards, the fact that it lasted even one season -- let alone several -- is nothing short of miraculous. The first season is not quite the best, but it's a thoroughly solid basis for this comedy/mystery series.
There are gunfights and pperwork, like on any cop show, but the main focus here is on detecting. And the writers are skilled at coming up with all sorts of bizarre or unsolvable crimes, which only Monk could unravel. Not to mention the dialogue, which leans heavily on dry humour ("You've got to be a little skeptical, Sharona. Otherwise you end up believing in everything -- UFOs, elves, income tax rebates...")
But the series wouldn't be what it is without Tony Shalhoub. He played weird roles in movies like MIB and "Galaxy Quest," and so he knows how to balance out Monk's weirdness and genius without leaning too heavily on either. And he does a brilliant job with Monk's devotion to his late wife Trudy, which is so strong and pure that you'd never known years had passed.
Schram serves as the Watson to Monk, and her hard-edged New York single mom is a nice foil -- especially since it's her job to keep him in contact with reality. And while Levine and Jason Gray-Stanford seem rather cold to Monk initially, once they warm up they become excellent police counterpoints to Monk, as genial police chief Stottlemeyer and his earnest (if slightly goofy) sidekick Randy Disher.
The first season of "Monk" is a solid start to a smart, unique comedy/mystery serie, with plenty of unsolvable crimes and strange problems. I's a gift... and a curse.
|
|
|
Most recent customer reviews
|
