Take 4: OCDetective

Once again, we're at the point where I go through a television series that comprises four discs and takes a good week to get through. Stay tuned to the next issue of Take 4 when we're back to four separate reviews...each covering a different documentary (of sorts).

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Monk (2002)

In the Beginning: Following the unsolved murder of his wife, police detective Adrian Monk develops a severe obsessive-compulsive disorder, along with a nice little assortment of quirks and phobias. When these personality dysfunctions get in the way of his duties, he is forced to leave the force.

The Plot Thickens: With the help of his friend and nurse, Sharona, Monk tries to get well again. In addition, he acts as a consultant to his former police comrades on a wide variety of difficult cases, from figuring out why a billionaire would mug someone in a dark alley to why an accidental death during an earthquake might not be so accidental.

We're Not in Kansas Anymore: We're in San Francisco. I noticed there were a lot of references to local landmarks thrown in...I really liked that when Six Feet Under did that with Los Angeles, too. Gave it a nice sense of reality.

The Starting Line-Up: Tony Shalhoub plays Monk...but you probably remember him as Antonio the cab driver from TV's Wings. He has an amazing eye for detail and picking up on the most obscure things and behaviors...almost a modern-day Sherlock Holmes, but neurotic. Also, Bitty Schram plays Sharona and Ted Levine plays Capt. Stottlemeyer, the police chief who frequently turns to Monk for help on cases.

Episodes to Look Out For: "Mr. Monk Goes to the Asylum" - Great cameo by Kevin Nealon as a pathological liar who, as Monk's roommate, assists him in solving a many-years-old murder.

Random Trivia: Monk's irrational fears in order of severity from most to least are as follows: germs, needles, milk, death, snakes, mushrooms, heights, crowds, elevators.

Monk in a Nutshell: Capt. Stottmeyer: "Monk, everything doesn't always have to add up." Adrian Monk: (Pause) "It kinda does."

Curt's Take: Like most TV series, I wouldn't recommend sitting through the entire thing in one swoop. For any given episode, have to give it a "Worth Considering." The nice thing is, you can catch any one of the shows, and jump right in...not a lot of back story or continuing plot. However, if it was a serial drama/comedy...it might get bumped up to a "Must See," just for the intrigue factor. Guess I'd recommend catching a few episodes on USA Network, rather than necessarily renting the entire first season.