There are some episodes of the show where everything seems terrible because of one stupid joke or the episode revolving around just one joke. However this episode has it's fun with that one joke and then right towards the end it becomes something else entirely.
Monk is blinded in this episode by cleaning chemicals, while looking for clues at a construction site, he gets stuck in a broken elevator that he thinks is taking him to the top of the structure and he think's he's titling in midair. But he's not; after which he feels humiliated and pathetic.
Now I hate jokes or comedy meant to insult or make fun of blind people or those with poor eyesight. But this episode runs the gambit at all the frustration, anger, and misery that comes from being visually impaired and it's understandable and handle really well.
Monk gets arrogant for a bit when he believes "Hey if I can't see it, it won't bother me", which does bother a few people including his therapist. As it should, because while he think it might help him and his previous situation, it's anything but pleasant or helpful. Because that stupid elevator gag would make someone feel pathetic and humiliated if they were blind. I'm shocked that the joke really effected monk, because normally these writers would just feel comfortable letting him continue to be a jerk. But I actually do like that their consequences and humility. It's show's character growth.
Also, the mystery, I think it could've been a lot stronger.
The whole reason monk is blind, is because someone through cleaning fluid used for firetrucks in his eyes while he was at the fire station getting his smoke detectors checked. The guy who blinded monk also killed a volunteer firefighter, and stole one of the coats. Because he just killed a woman for his boss, whom she was having an affair with. Personally if I were writing this, I have it be this: Eddie Murdoch the killer was the boyfriend of the secretary Stefanie Preston. He gotten her work at the construction site as a temp. But then comes in Peter Breen, who was total womanizer and adulterer, who could've got his other secretary pregnant (After all Breen did say his regular girl was on maternity leave). Breen and Stefanie were having an affair, Murdoch figures it out, and kills her and burns down her house, but he left the keys of the Ferrari or Mustang which Breen lent over to Murdoch, probably as a token of good gesture or something. Because Murdoch already had a spare key to get in. He killed Stephanie, set the place on fire, but he left Breen's keys there. If the cops had found the keys they trace them back to Breen, and Breen would've traced it back to Murdoch. So when Monk and the others showed up at the construction site asking questions Breen must have figured out it was Murdoch, so when Murdoch attack Monk and ran up to the top of the site looking to find him, he instead confronted Breen, who must've pushed Murdoch of the ledge and it's what sent him to his death. Because if the police had captured Murdoch they he would've revealed the adultery Breen was committing and it would've ruined his marriage. Or if you want to go the stalker route. I would've written Murdoch as creepy stocker who loved Stefanie Preston, but Murdoch couldn't get close to her. When he found out Breen was having an affair with Stefanie, Murdoch must've snapped, he asked Breen for his keys to his Ferrari so he could get into her house, he killed her, then lit the place on fire, but he forgot the keys, and if the cops had found the keys, then Breen would've pointed them into the direction or Murdoch. But since they didn't. Breen must have figured it out, and like before he pushed Murdoch off the ledge at the site. But the keys were still in his pocket. Which is Breen went back to the hospital to steal the keys.
All in all this is a good episode.
0 out of 3 found this helpful.
Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
