Second half of the first episode of Monk, it's pretty much all there already. We learn about his deceased wife Trudy, and that her death might be the root of his obsessive-compulsive disorder. (I know now he had it before, and it became worse because of her death, but that seems not clear to me at the start of the series.)
Tony Shaloub is great right from the start. It's worth mentioning, because in many TV shows, I have the feeling that the actors need several episodes (or even a whole season) to get the character right, e.g. Psych, or Lucifer.
Ted Levine is already very good and convincing as Captain Stottlemeyer. I seem to remember him being a little less serious in later episodes, but in the beginning he is a no-nonsense guy, and pretty hard on Monk, at least compared to later.
Monk has the goal of rejoining the force, I can't recall if this changes later in the series. In my memory, he was always just a consulting detective who happens to be an ex-cop.
The case itself is pretty interesting, kept me guessing for a while. I like the Sherlock-Holmes-vibe of some of Monks discoveries, and how he does not seem to mind other people eyeballing him because of his quirks.
Two highlights I remember: Monk 'fishing' for his keys in the church and lifting the hand of a dead man by mistake, and Sharona's "I never vote. It only encourages them." (I disagree, of course, voting is very important. Still a funny quote.)
Ted Levine is already very good and convincing as Captain Stottlemeyer. I seem to remember him being a little less serious in later episodes, but in the beginning he is a no-nonsense guy, and pretty hard on Monk, at least compared to later.
Monk has the goal of rejoining the force, I can't recall if this changes later in the series. In my memory, he was always just a consulting detective who happens to be an ex-cop.
The case itself is pretty interesting, kept me guessing for a while. I like the Sherlock-Holmes-vibe of some of Monks discoveries, and how he does not seem to mind other people eyeballing him because of his quirks.
Two highlights I remember: Monk 'fishing' for his keys in the church and lifting the hand of a dead man by mistake, and Sharona's "I never vote. It only encourages them." (I disagree, of course, voting is very important. Still a funny quote.)