One huge laugh-out-loud moment was Alice Cooper's cameo appearance as a murder suspect. Alice Cooper was wonderful in Wayne's World, and he didn't let the audience down in Mr. Monk and the Garbage Strike. Monk and garbage don't go well together obviously, but Natalie managed to ensure Monk maintained his integrity in solving the murder of the sanitation union leader.
10 Reviews
Hilarious, laugh out loud episode
yaornw16 January 2021
But still a good mystery. Monk's reactions to the garbage surrounding him are just uproariously funny time and again. And they play enough trickery with clues to make the ending not as obvious as it might have been. One of my favorite episodes. Highly entertaining.
With a title like this. . .
intriguement30 July 2008
As soon as I saw the title of "The Garbage Strike," I knew this episode was going to be hilarious. The Sanitation Union has gone on strike for better wages, and when the union leader is found dead, the union members become even angrier and less willing to negotiate. As another reviewer wrote, this show gets off to a weak start: in an uncharacteristic turn (probably caused by his anxiety over the garbage in the streets), Monk tries to pass off the leader's murder as a suicide. He hopes that if the union members see the death as a suicide, they will reconcile with city leaders and start collecting the garbage again. However, at Natalie's insistence, Monk soon comes clean and begins investigating the murder. This is a typical Monk case with lots of details and twists. As the reeking bags of garbage pile up all over the city, Monk's already fragile mental state deteriorates even more, with hysterical results. Be sure to stay tuned for Alice Cooper's hilarious cameo!
The Stink Never Goes Away
Hitchcoc1 April 2020
Garbage bags flood the streets of San Francisco as a strike continues. Monk, of course, is facing his worst nightmare, filth. When a union leader is killed, he is brought in to figure out whether it was murder or suicide. There are some excellent scenes. My favorite is Monk with his counselor, talking while bags drop from floors above, crashing to the earth.
The smell of garbage fouls up Adrian's deductive reasoning
FlushingCaps17 January 2019
Warning: Spoilers
San Francisco is reeking due to the longest garbage collectors' strike in their history. We see streets lined with large garbage bags along the curbs, and all over. Of course, Adrian is beside himself in his home, planning on leaving town, wanting to go somewhere "upwind." We see a TV news report with a labor leader promising to continue the strike for months until they get a fair wage.
Next thing we know, that union leader is found dead in his office, a gunshot wound to the side of the head. The police say suicide. Monk goes to a union meeting to urge the workers to go back to work. They instead hire him to investigate the leader's death. He is told that if he says it's suicide, they'll go back to the negotiating table.
This leads Monk to give a quick look at the crime scene and pronounce it suicide. Natalie makes him go back to really look around, and he quickly finds enough evidence to convince himself and her that it was murder. But on emerging the office to talk to the press, Monk says it was suicide. He explains to Natalie, who's most upset about him lying, that it was for the "greater good"-to end the garbage strike.
Natalie shows a real forcefulness here, dragging Monk downtown to tell the captain that it was murder after all. Monk tries to solve the case, but the smell of the garbage keeps him from thinking clearly.
He goes through two of his, "Here's what happened" scenarios, the first sounding quite believable but the second hilarious as he blames rock star Alice Cooper, who plays himself in a cameo, saying he did it because of his eagerness to steal the union leader's wing-tip chair. Captain Stottlemyre takes him to "the cleanest room on earth" to help him to think clearly. In just a few minutes, Monk figures it out.
One of the other funniest scenes came early on when Monk talked with the mayor and insisted that even if the strike ends right now, they'll never be able to rid the city of the stink. Adrian's solution: Evacuate the city and burn everything down. Then take all the ashes and burn them. Start all over." The mayor ushers him out, telling him to get some sleep before he goes to work on the murder case.
I take issue with a previous review of this episode. One person calmly states that because he lied about it being a suicide for a short while that "Monk is not an honorable man." That's a really harsh judgment on someone who not long after lying corrected the lie, even though it caused him great pain to help prolong the strike. I would say, "Monk is not 100% honorable in every sentence ever uttered." That critic also wrote about how predictable it was in one regard due to political correctness. I have to agree with that point, although even though I saw this episode years ago, as I viewed it tonight, I was thinking they were going to go against the grain on that point (I'm being vague on purpose in case someone reading this hasn't seen the episode yet.). I know most TV shows and movies make a point of doing exactly what the other reviewer said, almost all the time, but that doesn't mean there won't be an exception sometime. Just not in this episode, but otherwise it was a real scream to watch, which is why I gave it a 10.
Next thing we know, that union leader is found dead in his office, a gunshot wound to the side of the head. The police say suicide. Monk goes to a union meeting to urge the workers to go back to work. They instead hire him to investigate the leader's death. He is told that if he says it's suicide, they'll go back to the negotiating table.
This leads Monk to give a quick look at the crime scene and pronounce it suicide. Natalie makes him go back to really look around, and he quickly finds enough evidence to convince himself and her that it was murder. But on emerging the office to talk to the press, Monk says it was suicide. He explains to Natalie, who's most upset about him lying, that it was for the "greater good"-to end the garbage strike.
Natalie shows a real forcefulness here, dragging Monk downtown to tell the captain that it was murder after all. Monk tries to solve the case, but the smell of the garbage keeps him from thinking clearly.
He goes through two of his, "Here's what happened" scenarios, the first sounding quite believable but the second hilarious as he blames rock star Alice Cooper, who plays himself in a cameo, saying he did it because of his eagerness to steal the union leader's wing-tip chair. Captain Stottlemyre takes him to "the cleanest room on earth" to help him to think clearly. In just a few minutes, Monk figures it out.
One of the other funniest scenes came early on when Monk talked with the mayor and insisted that even if the strike ends right now, they'll never be able to rid the city of the stink. Adrian's solution: Evacuate the city and burn everything down. Then take all the ashes and burn them. Start all over." The mayor ushers him out, telling him to get some sleep before he goes to work on the murder case.
I take issue with a previous review of this episode. One person calmly states that because he lied about it being a suicide for a short while that "Monk is not an honorable man." That's a really harsh judgment on someone who not long after lying corrected the lie, even though it caused him great pain to help prolong the strike. I would say, "Monk is not 100% honorable in every sentence ever uttered." That critic also wrote about how predictable it was in one regard due to political correctness. I have to agree with that point, although even though I saw this episode years ago, as I viewed it tonight, I was thinking they were going to go against the grain on that point (I'm being vague on purpose in case someone reading this hasn't seen the episode yet.). I know most TV shows and movies make a point of doing exactly what the other reviewer said, almost all the time, but that doesn't mean there won't be an exception sometime. Just not in this episode, but otherwise it was a real scream to watch, which is why I gave it a 10.
The strike may be "garbage" but the episode itself isn't
TheLittleSongbird18 August 2017
'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.
After the terrific season opener in "Mr Monk and the Actor", the high standard of Season 5 continues with one of the funniest 'Monk' episodes "Mr Monk and the Garbage Strike". It is hilarious, with some of the most side-splitting-from-laughing moments of the entire show, and it is terrific in its own right. As said in my review summary, it is the complete anti-thesis of "garbage". "Mr Monk and the Garbage Strike" has a fun, very well-written and never too predictable or obvious mystery that keeps one guessing right up to the final solution (one of 'Monk's' most memorable) and entertained by how Monk deduces it all.
But it is the character moments where "Mr Monk and the Garbage Strike" most shines. The humour elements are emphasised here and they are classic 'Monk' and among the show's funniest. The character interaction and how everybody reacts to Monk is delightful too. Standout moments include the scene between Monk and Kroger talking about the garbage in the mail, Monk taking things into his own hands and trying to solve the problem himself (not everybody like this scene, but for me it's always been a 'Monk' highlight), when Monk accuses Alice Cooper of murder, the whisper spot moment and Monk's suggestion to the mayor of how to solve the garbage problem.
Basically, how Monk reacts to the consequences of the garbage strike (which anybody can sympathise with, speaking from personal experience with a garbage strike going on right now where I live and am studying, the consequences of garbage strikes look and smell absolutely repugnant), which was a perfect scenario to show his everyday quirks and problems. Natalie's line referencing karma was the only line that fell flat a little but not enough to bring the episode down.
As said many times, 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.
Natalie is down to earth, sympathetic and sassy, also being sensitive to Monk's needs and quirks which Traylor Howard does well bringing out. Ted Levine and Jason Gray-Stanford have fun as Stottlemeyer and Disher as ever and one cannot not mention the brilliant cameo of Alice Cooper.
It's not just the cast or story 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 wry humour, lovable quirkiness and tender easy-to-relate-to drama is delicately done, particularly the last one. The quirks are sympathetically done and never exploited or overdone.
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.
In summation, a terrific episode and a hilarious one. 10/10 Bethany Cox
After the terrific season opener in "Mr Monk and the Actor", the high standard of Season 5 continues with one of the funniest 'Monk' episodes "Mr Monk and the Garbage Strike". It is hilarious, with some of the most side-splitting-from-laughing moments of the entire show, and it is terrific in its own right. As said in my review summary, it is the complete anti-thesis of "garbage". "Mr Monk and the Garbage Strike" has a fun, very well-written and never too predictable or obvious mystery that keeps one guessing right up to the final solution (one of 'Monk's' most memorable) and entertained by how Monk deduces it all.
But it is the character moments where "Mr Monk and the Garbage Strike" most shines. The humour elements are emphasised here and they are classic 'Monk' and among the show's funniest. The character interaction and how everybody reacts to Monk is delightful too. Standout moments include the scene between Monk and Kroger talking about the garbage in the mail, Monk taking things into his own hands and trying to solve the problem himself (not everybody like this scene, but for me it's always been a 'Monk' highlight), when Monk accuses Alice Cooper of murder, the whisper spot moment and Monk's suggestion to the mayor of how to solve the garbage problem.
Basically, how Monk reacts to the consequences of the garbage strike (which anybody can sympathise with, speaking from personal experience with a garbage strike going on right now where I live and am studying, the consequences of garbage strikes look and smell absolutely repugnant), which was a perfect scenario to show his everyday quirks and problems. Natalie's line referencing karma was the only line that fell flat a little but not enough to bring the episode down.
As said many times, 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.
Natalie is down to earth, sympathetic and sassy, also being sensitive to Monk's needs and quirks which Traylor Howard does well bringing out. Ted Levine and Jason Gray-Stanford have fun as Stottlemeyer and Disher as ever and one cannot not mention the brilliant cameo of Alice Cooper.
It's not just the cast or story 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 wry humour, lovable quirkiness and tender easy-to-relate-to drama is delicately done, particularly the last one. The quirks are sympathetically done and never exploited or overdone.
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.
In summation, a terrific episode and a hilarious one. 10/10 Bethany Cox
Dare I Say This Episode Reeks? Well, Not Entirely
ccthemovieman-15 August 2007
In this episode we sadly discover Adrian Monk is not an honorable man. It's very disappointing to Natalie, who is an honorable person and has to badger our "hero" to tell the truth about a murder. Wow, I agree with her - very disappointing, but he's still "the guy" to all us fans.
The story is all about garbage and the smell it produces. I'm tempted to say this episodes "stinks," but I''ll save it for the headline.. It show did have its good moments, anyway.
The longest garbage strike in San Francicsco history is going on and Monk is mad at the union leader, blaming him for the city "reeking" so bad. Monk wants to get out of town and says he hopes the union guy dies. Natalie admonishes him for saying something like that. Apparently, somebody else isn't happy with the union boss either as he is killed overnight. Natalie tells Monk, "be careful what you wish for; look what you did with your karma." Okayyy.
Things get silly again when Monk goes to a union meeting the next day and makes a fool of himself. Nonetheless, when they find out who he is, they hire him as an independent investigator because they don't believe their boss would kill himself. Monk takes on the assignment when he hears that if he deems it a suicide, labor-and-city negotiations will continue and probably end the strike. So, despite seeing clues that indicate it was a murder, Monk lies and tells everyone it is a suicide, just so he can have all the city cleaned up! Pretty bad, eh? Thankfully, Natalie saves the day, morally-speaking, and Monk goes on, reluctantly, to figure out what happened.
Things settle down, but then with 10 minutes to go, the story gets really goofy with Monk obtaining a big truck and becoming a garbage man, himself. Then, of course, when his mind is finally cleared and we find out who the real killer is, it's not a shock when you know how politically-correct the writers of this show are. In this case - Andy Breckman, who also is the creator of the program, with an assist from Daniel Gaeta - would never have a minority as the killer. Just once, it might refreshing to see NOT see this incredible liberal bias, which is exhibited almost all the time.
The story is all about garbage and the smell it produces. I'm tempted to say this episodes "stinks," but I''ll save it for the headline.. It show did have its good moments, anyway.
The longest garbage strike in San Francicsco history is going on and Monk is mad at the union leader, blaming him for the city "reeking" so bad. Monk wants to get out of town and says he hopes the union guy dies. Natalie admonishes him for saying something like that. Apparently, somebody else isn't happy with the union boss either as he is killed overnight. Natalie tells Monk, "be careful what you wish for; look what you did with your karma." Okayyy.
Things get silly again when Monk goes to a union meeting the next day and makes a fool of himself. Nonetheless, when they find out who he is, they hire him as an independent investigator because they don't believe their boss would kill himself. Monk takes on the assignment when he hears that if he deems it a suicide, labor-and-city negotiations will continue and probably end the strike. So, despite seeing clues that indicate it was a murder, Monk lies and tells everyone it is a suicide, just so he can have all the city cleaned up! Pretty bad, eh? Thankfully, Natalie saves the day, morally-speaking, and Monk goes on, reluctantly, to figure out what happened.
Things settle down, but then with 10 minutes to go, the story gets really goofy with Monk obtaining a big truck and becoming a garbage man, himself. Then, of course, when his mind is finally cleared and we find out who the real killer is, it's not a shock when you know how politically-correct the writers of this show are. In this case - Andy Breckman, who also is the creator of the program, with an assist from Daniel Gaeta - would never have a minority as the killer. Just once, it might refreshing to see NOT see this incredible liberal bias, which is exhibited almost all the time.
One of the Worst Episodes
kristufts-568725 October 2021
This episode is so far afield that it's hard to watch. No matter what Monk's phobias are, what this script would have you believe is that Monk would rather lie about a murder than let a garbage strike continue. It's all played for laughs, but it's really not funny. Monk may be loony, but the character is honest. Someone acting like Monk in this episode would be locked up in an asylum, not roaming the streets.
So disappointed
longislim28 February 2022
This episode is total Garbage
snickzella21 January 2023
Never in my life have I seen a Tv episode be all for the comedy and not ever once for the mystery. We get it, Monk is afraid of germs, and he has a lot of other fears. But this episode stretches all of that into a plot hole ridden episode that just ends up being a huge waste of time. Now the mystery in this episode is halfway decent. I say that because I think this was heading in the right direction with the Mayor's office and him meeting with Jimmy Cusack. Because if this show cared more about the mystery instead of the comedy, then this would be a very engaging mystery.
Now the reason why the Garbage Strike is even happening is because of an unfair union contract. Subsequently the guy who killed Jimmy Cusack, Ron Neely was the one responsible for running the pension fund, so he was skimming money for years, and the books were going to be looked over as part of the negotiation to settle the strike and he knew he was going to get caught, so that's why he killed Jimmy Cusack.
However If I were writing this I have it be that Jimmy Cusack was the one skimming money with the help of Ron Neely. Because usually strikes like these are settled differently if there is a pension problem. Because Jimmy Cusack was the boss of the union boss of the sanitation commission, and they aren't suppose to take a cut. But seeing as unions can be corrupt, that is exactly what I think was going on here. Cusack was skimming money with the help of Ron Neely; however, the strike happens, and this would go on and on, and there would've been an investigation into the finances. Which bring me to the mayor. I think the mayor and Jimmy Cusack were negotiating on the side to end the strike, by having Neely take the fall. He would've made the ultimate patsy in all this. Somehow Neely over heard this, and that's why he killed Cusack and made it look like a suicide.
All in all this episode is garbage. The mystery isn't well develop, the jokes suck. Also (worst sin of all) they had Alice Cooper in this episode and they did nothing but do a stupid joke with him, that's not cool.
Now the reason why the Garbage Strike is even happening is because of an unfair union contract. Subsequently the guy who killed Jimmy Cusack, Ron Neely was the one responsible for running the pension fund, so he was skimming money for years, and the books were going to be looked over as part of the negotiation to settle the strike and he knew he was going to get caught, so that's why he killed Jimmy Cusack.
However If I were writing this I have it be that Jimmy Cusack was the one skimming money with the help of Ron Neely. Because usually strikes like these are settled differently if there is a pension problem. Because Jimmy Cusack was the boss of the union boss of the sanitation commission, and they aren't suppose to take a cut. But seeing as unions can be corrupt, that is exactly what I think was going on here. Cusack was skimming money with the help of Ron Neely; however, the strike happens, and this would go on and on, and there would've been an investigation into the finances. Which bring me to the mayor. I think the mayor and Jimmy Cusack were negotiating on the side to end the strike, by having Neely take the fall. He would've made the ultimate patsy in all this. Somehow Neely over heard this, and that's why he killed Cusack and made it look like a suicide.
All in all this episode is garbage. The mystery isn't well develop, the jokes suck. Also (worst sin of all) they had Alice Cooper in this episode and they did nothing but do a stupid joke with him, that's not cool.
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