User Reviews

Monk buys a house and gets a new shrink, all in one neatly produced episode that kicks off the show's 7th season. He buys the house for the wrong reasons, which have to do with his former shrink, and soon learns to regret it when he brings in a handyman who in offering to modernize it, tears the place apart. The handyman is played by the cop brother from EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND and the new shrink is veteran actor Hector Elizondo. By the way, the house Monk buys was the scene of a horrible accident involving the previous owner (comedian Jack Carter). Monk soon figures out the man's death was no accident. There is a nice tribute to Stan Kamel, who played Monk's shrink through six seasons before dying of a heart attack, at the very end. Very nicely done, and I mean the whole 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.

While lacking in a few areas, "Mr Monk Buys a House" has a lot of good things and is a very decent season opener. It also did very well considering the rushed and forced circumstances in accommodating the sad ultimely death of Stanley Kamel. They did this very well, paying a moving and affectionate tribute to Kroger also being written out to mirror the death of Kamel (mainly through Monk's grieving. Kroger's new replacement Dr Bell is in a few short scenes and he already proves himself a worthy replacement and Hector Elizondo makes the most of his scenes and the character.

By all means it could have been better. The mystery is too simple, rather obvious (everything is just so easy to solve) and rushed, prefer the slower folding and brain-teaser mysteries myself. Monk is out of character, considering his OCD and fears there was no way he would stand staying, let alone living, in the house with the state it was in, but he acts like all the problems that he would have normally made a big deal of were not there.

The murderer could have been written more consistently too, a dangerous person who would kill any obstacle but when it comes to Monk, his biggest obstacle pretty much in the episode strictly speaking, he is treated pretty indifferently.

However, on top of how well they dealt with the circumstances behind the scenes, the good things are many. There are humorous moments, like Disher and Stottlemeyer's Morse code scene, and touching ones, like Natalie helping Monk through his mourning.

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 of the lead cast support him very well, particularly Traylor Howard and Ted Levine. Brad Garrett is a very strong guest star.

Writing has the usual wry humour, sympathetically treated quirks and tender easy-to-relate-drama.

Visually, the episode is slick and stylish as ever. 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.

Altogether, a decent season opener and moving send off to Kamel and Kroger but could have been better with better character consistency and a stronger mystery. 7/10 Bethany Cox

When Kroger dies, it sends Monk into despair. He impulsively buys a house because the girl across the street practices the piano all the time. Then he meets Brad Garrett who claims to be a contractor. This leads to devastating results because of strange motivations. We watch the house get demolished piece by piece. Obviously, way beyond the bounds of reality.

Why did they change his brand of water? For the first 6 seasons, I believe, it was Sierra Springs.