Mr. Monk and the Big Reward
- Episode aired Feb 3, 2006
- TV-14
- 43m
Adrian is one of four detectives on the hunt for a priceless diamond that promises a handsome reward for its finder.Adrian is one of four detectives on the hunt for a priceless diamond that promises a handsome reward for its finder.Adrian is one of four detectives on the hunt for a priceless diamond that promises a handsome reward for its finder.
- Gladys Menchen
- (as Davenia Mcfadden)
- Jennie Mandeville
- (as Jamie Brown)
- Cashier
- (as Carissa Koutantzis)
- Taxi Driver
- (as Nicolas Bearde)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAt the end, the Captain says that Monk has been put on retainer and guaranteed 16 homicides a year for 2 years. This is how long the series had been extended for at the time (32 episodes for seasons five and six).
- GoofsLt. Disher and other officers refer to the theft of the diamond as a "robbery," which is incorrect. The theft is actually a "burglary." A robbery is a theft from a person through force or fear. A burglary is the theft of an item from inside a structure. This is a common mistake; however, any law-enforcement officer across the country knows the difference between the two and would never mistake one for the other.
- Quotes
Jenny Manderville: [to Randy] So am I in trouble?
Lt. Randall Disher: No, not this time, miss. But listen, if you feeling like finding someone to confess to, you should call a priest.
[to an officer]
Lt. Randall Disher: Would you escort Miss Mandeville out?
[Monk, Natalie and Stottlemeyer come out of the Captain's office. Disher turns to them and whistles a cuckoo whistle]
Adrian Monk: Who is she?
Lt. Randall Disher: Looney Tune of the Month. Her name's uh, Jennie Mandeville. She keeps on coming in here and confessing to stuff.
Captain Leland Stottlemeyer: What was it this time?
[since yesterday, Jennie came in and confessed to stealing a pen from a bank]
Lt. Randall Disher: Well, she comes in, same as yesterday, and says she accidentally killed her roommate. So I take her into the back room and I turn on the tape recorder. Turns out her roommate was a hamster.
Adrian Monk: [chuckles] She didn't look unstable.
Captain Leland Stottlemeyer: They never do.
- ConnectionsReferences Sophie's Choice (1982)
Feel really bad rating "Mr Monk and the Big Reward" low, but it was a big disappointment, one of very few average or less episodes of the first four seasons. Feel the same as "Mr Monk and the Missing Granny", but despite that episode's excessive ridiculousness it at least felt like an episode of 'Monk'. This felt like it came from any show other than 'Monk', if it weren't for the presence of the regulars you would have sworn it was.
Sadly, the regulars have been much better written in previous and subsequent episodes. The most in character is Stottlemeyer, perhaps more depressed than usual but that is in perfect keeping with the events of the previous episode "Mr Monk and the Captain's Marriage", other than that he's the same. Natalie is both bland and inappropriately bubbly in places while Disher is at his most passive. Most disappointing was how out of character Monk was, he behaves very strangely throughout even for a character with the amount of quirks and deficiencies he has, like the screaming in anger and not caring about being out of money (didn't buy the latter for a second, considering his financial situation).
None of the support acting stands out in a good way. The three other reward hunters/detectives were nerve grating even for inept characters and they are not particularly well acted either. The mystery did have its intriguing moments, and its influence of the likes of 'It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World' was clear, but it can get a bit complicated in places and it does play second fiddle to the excessive silliness of the second half. The last quarter of an hour is far too silly and over-the-top and the ending is indeed unsatisfying, a case of the more predictable solution rather than doing something different being the only right one (the one here was a slap in the face). The museum break-in was done too easily and generally not a comfortable scene to watch.
One really misses the mix of wry humour, lovable quirkiness and tender easy-to-relate-to drama and the deft delicacy of how they're balanced usually. There are a few amusing moments, but the quirkiness is replaced by excessive silliness and the drama isn't there at all.
"Mr Monk and the Big Reward" is not all bad though. Tony Shalhoub does do a very good job as Monk, even with his material being beneath him. As do Traylor Howard, Jason Gray-Stanford and Ted Levine. The story does have some fun and intriguing moments, some of the adventure is exciting and the Gladys scenes are very funny.
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. Oh and a good job is done with the different opening credits sequence to accommodate the changes made.
All in all, should have been rewarding but turned out to be hugely disappointing. 4/10 Bethany Cox
- TheLittleSongbird
- Aug 9, 2017
Details
- Runtime43 minutes
- Color