This article includes mention of suicide.
The darkestMonkstory made me an even bigger fan of the titular character. The USA Network series, which aired for eight seasons, always had a strong balance between its comedy and drama. Tony Shalhoub brought a great deal of humor to his portrayal of Adrian Monk, as the private detective’s phobias and his need for everything to be organized in a specific way often clashed with the realities of the cases he investigated.Monk’s best episodeswere funny, but they also had their fair share of high stakes.
The high stakes not only came from each episodic case, but due to the long-running storyline ofMonk investigating who killed his wife, Trudy, which was the one case he had never been able to solve. Shalhoub’s impeccable portrayal made Monk’s enduring love for Trudy feel real, and it brought a great deal of heart that elevated the story above otherprocedural shows in the 2000s. Whilethere was darkness to Trudy’s death and how it impacted Monk, his darkest story happened after season 8.
Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie Was Darker Than The Average Monk Episode
The Covid-19 Pandemic Took A Toll On His Mental Health
14 years after the series finale, the detective’s story continued withMr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie. Thereviews forMr. Monk’s Last Casewere generally positive, but the movie was much darker than the averageMonkepisode.Monk was considering taking his own lifeas he struggled to find his place in the world after the Covid-19 pandemic. He lost a book deal that he was relying on to pay for the wedding of his stepdaughter, Molly Evans, and became fixated on reuniting with Trudy.
Why Mr. Monk’s Last Case Movie Was So Much Darker Than The Original Monk Show
There are compelling reasons why Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie is undeniably darker when compared to the original Monk television series.
The case that the movie revolved around was also darker than many of the cases in the averageMonkepisode. The murder victim was Molly’s fiancé, Griffin Briggs, which made it a more personal case for Monk to solve. While it was dark to see him thinking about taking his life, along with solving the murder of his stepdaughter’s fiancé, the movie handled it in a way that felt authentic to the character and that did him justice more than a decade after the show ended.
The Monk Movie Realistically Explored How The Pandemic Would’ve Affected Adrian
The Impact Went Far Beyond His Germophobia
Before losing the book deal and before Griffin’s murder, Monk had already regressed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The detective’s germophobia was often used for comedic effect in the show, and there was even afive-minute-longMonkepisodereleased in May 2020 that showed the effect the pandemic had taken on him.Mr. Monk’s Last Casetook this a step further by showing him wearing a hazmat suit, but the movie also explored the heavy toll that the pandemic had on his mental health.
“Mr. Monk Shelters In Place” was released as a segment in Peacock’sAt-Home Variety Show.
If someone is genuinely a germophobe like Monk is, it is realistic for a pandemic to be their worst nightmare. This is what happened to Monk, and he was not able to manage his obsessive-compulsive disorder as effectively as he had by the end of the show.The world was no longer in a state of global emergency, but the sense of emergency had not ended for Monk, whose compulsions and phobias were affecting him worse than ever before. I appreciated thatMr. Monk’s Last Caseconfronted this reality and meaningfully incorporated it into the story.
Despite The Darker Story, Mr. Monk’s Last Case’s Ending Was Very Uplifting
It Ended On A Hopeful Note
Even though the story goes to some dark places, theending ofMr. Monk’s Last Caseis hopeful. After solving Griffin’s murder and ensuring that the killer, Rick Eden, is arrested, Monk still plans on taking his own life. However, he isvisited by Trudy, Griffin, and countless others who he has helped through his detective work, along with those he can still help. Monk decides not to take his life, realizes that he has made more of a positive difference in the world than he ever knew, and is determined to solve lingering cold cases.
The revival movie could have leaned purely on nostalgia and the lighter aspects of the beloved show, but it instead went in a bolder direction that made sense for the character.
I am an even bigger fan of Monk after seeing him confront his greatest mental health struggle yet. The revival movie could have leaned purely on nostalgia and the lighter aspects of the beloved show, but it instead went in a bolder direction that made sense for the character. The ending toMr. Monk’s Last Casealso sees him getting a dog named Watson, which is a lovely touch to an already beautiful conclusion. The darkestMonkstory went on to have a positive ending.
Monk
Cast
Starring Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk, Monk follows the titular detective, a private investigator with OCD who helps solve crimes with the San Francisco Police. On the side, he also investigates the death of his wife, who was killed by a car bomb. Bitty Schram, Traylor Howard, Ted Levine, and Jason Gray-Stanford also star.
Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie
Considered the conclusion to the beloved comedy crime-solving series, Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie sees the titular character return along with several other prominent cast members. In the film, Monk finds himself stuck in the middle of a big case directly related to his stepdaughter, preparing to marry.
