Mr. Monk Meets the Playboy
- Episode aired Aug 15, 2003
- TV-PG
- 44m
Monk suspects the owner of a notorious playboy magazine is responsible for the death of his CFO, who died alone in a locked room of an apparent accident. So, how did he do it?Monk suspects the owner of a notorious playboy magazine is responsible for the death of his CFO, who died alone in a locked room of an apparent accident. So, how did he do it?Monk suspects the owner of a notorious playboy magazine is responsible for the death of his CFO, who died alone in a locked room of an apparent accident. So, how did he do it?
- 2nd Mechanic
- (as Bruno Gioiello)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe big white statue of a dog in Noelle Winters's apartment is the same statue that Chandler and Joey (and later Chandler and Monica) own on Friends (1994) (1994).
- GoofsWhen Dexter is being questioned in his room, he tells Amber that he found her lost earring. Monk notices that Amber's ears are not pierced and states that the earring couldn't have belonged to her, but later when Amber is receiving Sapphire Girl of the Year, she is wearing earrings for pierced ears.
- Quotes
Noelle Winters: Is your wife here?
Adrian Monk: I'm not married.
Noelle Winters: You're wearing a ring.
Adrian Monk: She passed away. I can't bring myself to take it off yet.
Noelle Winters: Oh, I'm sorry. When did she die?
Adrian Monk: Six years ago.
- ConnectionsFeatures Gopher Spinach (1954)
There is a huge amount to enjoy in "Mr Monk Meets the Playboy". It may not be one of the best episodes of Season 2 or of 'Monk' in general, but it's wildly entertaining with a clever if not too hard to figure out mystery and one of the show's best villains (personal opinion of course). The "whodunit" and "whydunnit" aspects are obvious from the outset, the motive is known right from the opening scene before the murder and the "whodunit" aspect was a case of it could have only been them.
"Mr Monk Meets the Playboy" also fares better in the comedy than the mystery. The mystery is still good, it's interesting and clever, and the "howdunnit" aspect is not as obvious as the other two (even if suspected) and not simplistic or convoluted. It does stall in momentum occasionally and maybe Dexter's profession is laid on slightly heavy-handedly.
With all that being said, there is so much to enjoy. 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 right from the first episode to when the show ended 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. The two are so enjoyable together and the best detective duo of any show in recent years from personal opinion.
Ted Levine is amusing if a little underused compared to some incredibly funny material, some of his funniest in fact, in a couple of previous Season 2 episodes, but Jason Gray-Stanford and the character of Disher really shines, the brightest they've shone yet. Gary Cole is excellent as Dexter, one of the season's and show's most memorable villains as he switches from sleazy, nerdy, manipulative and dangerous, all portrayed believably and with no jarring changes of tone by Cole. 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, lovable quirkiness and tender easy-to-relate-to drama is delicately done but extremely deft, of which some of the funniest writing of the whole show is in this episode. The character moments are such a joy with the principal cast are always.
As to be expected, "Mr Monk Meets the Playboy" is very high in laughs, and there are even some fairly chilling and heartfelt moments like Dexter's threat to reveal Sharona's past (which makes an already loathsome character even more hateable, nobody wants to mess with this guy) and Sharona's conversation with Benjy (that was a tear-jerker).
Visually, the episode is shot in a slick and stylish way, and the music is both understated and quirky. While there is a preference for the theme music for Season 1, Randy Newman's "It's a Jungle Out There" has grown on me overtime, found it annoying at first but appreciate its meaning and what it's trying to say much more now.
On the whole, very good. 8/10 Bethany Cox
- TheLittleSongbird
- Jul 19, 2017