'Monk' has always been one of my most watched shows when needing comfort, to relax after a hard day, a good laugh or a way to spend a lazy weekend. "Mr Monk and the Candidate", in a way a two part pilot episode, kicks off 'Monk' and introduces us to lead character Adrian Monk.
To this day, "Mr Monk and the Candidate" (both parts) is to me among the best episodes of 'Monk'. While some 'Monk' episodes are better than others, which is true of most shows (very few shows are a case where every episode is great on a consistent level, not even other personal favourites like 'Agatha Christie's: Poirot', Granada's 'Sherlock Holmes', 'Midsomer Murders', 'Law and Order', 'Criminal Minds', 'A Touch of Frost' and even 'Inspector Morse', if we are talking about detective shows for a moment), misfires are fairly few.
One of the best things about 'Monk' has always been the acting of Tony Shalhoub in the title role, it was essential for him to work and be the glue of the show, and Shalhoub not only is that but also at his very best he IS the show. Have always loved the balance of the humour, which is often hilarious, and pathos, which is sincere and touching. It is remarkable here that for an episode that only introduces him that one likes him straight away, even with his quirks and deficiencies that could easily have been overplayed, and also that he is better developed than most titular characters of other shows at this particular stage. Who can't help love Monk's brilliant mind too?
He is very well supported by a sharp and no-nonsense but also sympathetic Bitty Schram, whose Sharona makes for a worthy and entertaining partner for Monk's sleuthing and somebody with a maternal side. There is always a debate at who's better between Sharona and Natalie, personally like both in their own way and consider them both attractive though as of now leaning towards Natalie as the better acted and more attentive of the two.
Also by a very amusing, and sometimes even funnier than that, Ted Levine, what a difference from his Buffalo Bill in 'The Silence of the Lambs'. Jason Gray-Stanford is not quite as entertaining, with not quite as memorable lines (only because the other three are so good that's all) but shows great chemistry with everyone and is appealing enough. The supporting cast work well.
It's not just the cast though. Another star is the writing, which is also essential to whether the show would be successful or not and succeed it does here. The mix of hilarious wry humour and tender easy-to-relate-to drama is delicately done but extremely deft, which elevates what could have been just a conventional and formulaic story to a greater level.
On paper, the story may have been conventional, but even in the first half there are enough twists and turns to keep one guessing and never in a way that feels rushed that you need to rewind or bog things down that the pace becomes slow. It gets even better in the second half, where things are explained more, there are more twists and turns and the outcome is not what anybody expects in all regards after being led to believe otherwise for much of before.
"Mr Monk and the Candidate" is shot in a slick and stylish way, and the music is both understated and quirky. Much prefer the jazzy Season 1 theme tune to the later "It's a Jungle Out There", which always struck me before as one of my least favourite assets of 'Monk' but has since grown on me, which should have been kept. It's all very capably directed throughout.
Overall, brilliant introduction to 'Monk'. 10/10 Bethany Cox
To this day, "Mr Monk and the Candidate" (both parts) is to me among the best episodes of 'Monk'. While some 'Monk' episodes are better than others, which is true of most shows (very few shows are a case where every episode is great on a consistent level, not even other personal favourites like 'Agatha Christie's: Poirot', Granada's 'Sherlock Holmes', 'Midsomer Murders', 'Law and Order', 'Criminal Minds', 'A Touch of Frost' and even 'Inspector Morse', if we are talking about detective shows for a moment), misfires are fairly few.
One of the best things about 'Monk' has always been the acting of Tony Shalhoub in the title role, it was essential for him to work and be the glue of the show, and Shalhoub not only is that but also at his very best he IS the show. Have always loved the balance of the humour, which is often hilarious, and pathos, which is sincere and touching. It is remarkable here that for an episode that only introduces him that one likes him straight away, even with his quirks and deficiencies that could easily have been overplayed, and also that he is better developed than most titular characters of other shows at this particular stage. Who can't help love Monk's brilliant mind too?
He is very well supported by a sharp and no-nonsense but also sympathetic Bitty Schram, whose Sharona makes for a worthy and entertaining partner for Monk's sleuthing and somebody with a maternal side. There is always a debate at who's better between Sharona and Natalie, personally like both in their own way and consider them both attractive though as of now leaning towards Natalie as the better acted and more attentive of the two.
Also by a very amusing, and sometimes even funnier than that, Ted Levine, what a difference from his Buffalo Bill in 'The Silence of the Lambs'. Jason Gray-Stanford is not quite as entertaining, with not quite as memorable lines (only because the other three are so good that's all) but shows great chemistry with everyone and is appealing enough. The supporting cast work well.
It's not just the cast though. Another star is the writing, which is also essential to whether the show would be successful or not and succeed it does here. The mix of hilarious wry humour and tender easy-to-relate-to drama is delicately done but extremely deft, which elevates what could have been just a conventional and formulaic story to a greater level.
On paper, the story may have been conventional, but even in the first half there are enough twists and turns to keep one guessing and never in a way that feels rushed that you need to rewind or bog things down that the pace becomes slow. It gets even better in the second half, where things are explained more, there are more twists and turns and the outcome is not what anybody expects in all regards after being led to believe otherwise for much of before.
"Mr Monk and the Candidate" is shot in a slick and stylish way, and the music is both understated and quirky. Much prefer the jazzy Season 1 theme tune to the later "It's a Jungle Out There", which always struck me before as one of my least favourite assets of 'Monk' but has since grown on me, which should have been kept. It's all very capably directed throughout.
Overall, brilliant introduction to 'Monk'. 10/10 Bethany Cox