User Reviews

In attempting to solve the murder of a junkyard owner, Monk takes up painting. Don't ask. A stranger then appears (the wonderful Peter Stormare) and offers Monk substantial sums of money for his attempts at art. Monk then begins wearing a matching beret and artist smock to his art classes. While it may be easy to spot the bad guy, figuring out the whys and wherefores of this convoluted mystery will have you doubled over with laughter or in disbelief, or maybe both. Monk's art teacher is archly played by Victoria Tennant, whom any film buff will instantly recognize from years past. And watch the transformation of the goth girl in Monk's art class from cynic to sycophant as Monk keeps racking up sales of his scribblings. She's a hoot.

When Monk becomes bored, Dr. Kroger and Natalie try to get him to turn to a hobby. A murder has been committed in a kind of junkyard/flea market. So while investigating, they come upon a set of artists supplies. Monk takes up painting. He has no sense of art, but soon a Russian man comes to him and pays outrageous amounts for his "work." His head swells and he soon begins to think he is hot stuff. The results are pretty funny.

Victoria Tennant, who was superb in All of Me, guest stars in this fine episode of Monk. Hard to believe that Monk was filmed in the 2000s, before Twitter and Facebook were invented.

Anyway, Monk immerses himself in the art world and takes it very seriously indeed. But there is an ulterior motive for sure layered in this episode.

'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.

Of Season 6, "Mr Monk Paints His Masterpiece", like the brilliant previous episode "Mr Monk and the Three Julies", is one of the highlights. One of my favourite 'Monk' episodes too. The mystery is a complicated and clever one. On first viewing, how Monk's conclusions regarding the crime scene and how the murder was done did leave me confused. On repeat viewings, when observing and listening far more closely it makes much more sense and the reasoning is logical.

There are some delightful character moments too. The episode did such a great job portraying Monk's taking up painting with so much charm and humour. It was clear early on there was an ulterior motive for the stranger wanting the paintings rather than liking them but that wasn't an issue at all. The Dr Kroger scenes, the ones with the spider web, the translations from Spanish, painting the flat banana and the ending are gems. Natalie is at her funniest here, especially at the end, and along with the previous episode, Disher has his funniest moments in a long time.

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. Everybody else supports him very well.

As Natalie Traylor Howard is sassy and sympathetic while Jason Gray-Stanford and Ted Levine are as amusing as ever (Gray-Stanford here especially). Peter Stormare is a wonderful guest star and Victoria Tennant is suitably arch.

Writing is tight and thought-provoking with some knowing wry humour and poignantly tender easy-to-relate-to drama and quirkiness.

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. The episode as always look slick and stylish.

Altogether, one of Season 6's best. 10/10 Bethany Cox

This Swedish born actor is a very underrated North European man who can portray any character any day of the week and twice on the weekend. His natural talent for accents along with his charismatic taste comes off so easily it doesn't look like he's trying hard and the funny part is that he's so good at it.

In this episode, Peter Stomare in typical Stomare fashion portrayed a Russian art dealer/con artist with an ulterior motive for purchasing Monk's amateur paintings and drawings.

Okay, the mystery is decent, everything else is decent. Except why did Monk have to set fire to his own paintings knowing they were vital pieces of evidence to the counterfeiting case. Also, I get it, the painting of Natalie is terrible, but Randy is right it's a piece of evidence now in a major counterfeiting conspiracy, so don't try to burn Nat. This could have worked, but why have Monk make such a stupid decision like that just to lure the gangster out of the house. Dumb, Dumb, Dumb.