User Reviews

This has a bit of a It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World feeling to this episode of Monk, where Monk and various assortment of private detectives are searching for that massive reward. Any episode of Monk is a good one I guess, although this one could have been better minus the pratfalls.

Mr. Monk, the cheapskate, is broke as usual, negligent is paying Natalie, as usual, reluctant to ask for a raise, as usual, and is solving cases for free, as usual. All of this has Natalie upset, naturally, until she sees that there is a one million dollar reward for anyone who solves the recent heist from a local museum of a diamond worth $20 million.

Monk has competition for the reward money: three goof-ball stereotypes (a retired Scotland Yard man, a nerd-like skinny young guy and a crude Dog-like bounty hunter, complete with pony tail. They follow Monk every step of the way, hoping to cash in on his intelligence, since Monk is the only one figuring things out.

This was a fun episode until the last dozen minutes when it got really silly, too silly, with an unsatisfying ending.

This is not a documentary series, so I get that what I will view will lack realism, but this episode is so over the top ridiculous, I had a tough time viewing until the end.

The 3 bungling/competing detectives were utterly unlikeable as was Natalie. No subtlety to her character.

Truly an atrocity.

'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.

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

This reminded me of one of those inane crime movies from the sixties. Lots of running around, strange characters, and a jewelry heist. Like Sharona, Natalie never seems to get paid. She backs Monk up time and time again. HIs insensitivity toward her makes he manic being acceptable. The story line is just so convoluted.