I have a problem with most shows that feature a superstar detective or police officer. It doesn't matter if he has solved a thousand crimes and won World War III singlehandedly, the minute he comes into conflict with the authorities, he is maligned by his superiors and friends. Monk, of course, is hard to take, but it would seem he deserves a bit of patience when it comes to his theories. We also know that something will come up to undermine his romance for this middle European woman. Unfortunately, her fictional homeland is also a cliche.
9 Reviews
Enjoyed the episode
sigelm20 September 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I liked the fact that Monk found a love interest and found the plot overall interesting. I also found it that the explanation why she wouldn't see Monk after this episode plausible and in character. I don't agree with previous review that they should have casted a younger and more beautiful actress to be a worthy love interest for Monk. First of all, Monk is almost 50 in this episode and the actress is a few years younger than him so that's a perfect match for mature audiences. Also, the beauty is in the eye of beholder and Monk was attracted by her general attitude and kindness to others, which was the thing that first attracted him to Trudy as well. One of the previous reviews also stated how Monk could have known that she wasn't the guy the first time he saw her - well, that's the whole point of the episode, he wasn't thinking for once, he was speaking from his heart.
As a native of the country that is often dragged through American shows or movies as bad bad country, I was for once relieved that they used a made-up country in this episode. They should do that every time. People who complained here about fake geography never even noticed fake history in one of the previous episodes when my country was dragged through the mud based on completely faked political and historical circumstances. Maybe because they failed so badly in historical accuracy of that one, they decided to go with making up a country in this episode - I found that more believable. I wish it would become a standard in the filming industry.
One of the worst episodes.
MeAlexS14 June 2018
Very primitive mystery that has been used in plenty other tv shows.
The fake geography is tiresome and very low quality. They use Slovakia land, fake 600 year long war, polish language, Ukrainian national emblem, Russian music and Balkan food. This makes the episode look like a low quality parody.
Cops looking at a legendary detective who solved 100 crimes like he's an idiot.
As before in recent seasons writers don't remember quirks of their hero and make mistakes.
Boring, tiresome to watch.
Few clues, no humor, one of the weakest episodes
FlushingCaps2 September 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Somehow I missed this when it first aired. Saw it two days ago, after recording it recently.
We start with Randy and a girlfriend, taking a bit too long to see that he is really enjoying being with her. They are seeking a cab and as they board, we watch Randy and the girl smooching, oblivious to the fact that the cab driver has not followed their instructions on where to go...because he is dead. Eventually the amorous couple discovers this as they see a large pin sticking out of his neck.
For some reason, instead of the captain, Randy and Monk investigating this murder of a taxi driver, there is some sort of task force the captain is heading up, with several other detectives meeting to discuss possible suspects/motives, etc. Monk is more concerned with how neatly the captain write the letter "L" on his board than with the facts of the case and the other detectives seem to not think too highly of him.
Because of a bracelet found in the cab, they go searching for a dancer with the initials LZ, among other things. We next see our regular detectives going to meet a woman named Leyla Zlatavich, who works at some agency in San Francisco helping displaced people from her home country adapt to their new homes. She comes from the fictional country of Zemenia.
The group enters as they see her across the room helping a person. Monk almost immediately declares "She's not the one." (She's not the killer.) We are never given a reason for this, and this is one of the things that bother me. In many episodes he forms a quick conclusion about a suspect but always after talking with him/her and learning something. Here, it seems he formed this opinion only because he was taken with her looks and was almost immediately falling in love.
Aside from hearing her "home alone" alibi, Monk does no investigating on her background, but does continue to try to learn about the killing. Partway through, we learn who the victim was—a person Leyla and others had plenty of reason to hate from what he did to them in the old country.
A key clue was the murder weapon, left in the neck of the victim--an old-fashioned hat pin, the kind worn to attach hats to women's hair back in the 1930s, and thereabouts. Despite the obvious clue this provides (I'm trying not to reveal everything to some reader who hasn't seen the show) nobody INCLUDING Monk seem to think about the importance of the clue.
Far too much time is spent with Monk enjoying this woman's company, including a protracted dance scene. We aren't given any reason for this attraction, nor any reason to think it is a two-way attraction, although the woman is nice to Monk.
In the end, Monk uncovers very few clues, spends too little time seeking the killer, and seems irrationally convinced Leyla is not the killer. This episode is void of almost any humorous scene and lacks the clue-filled drama that exists in the better episodes. Not a horrible story, but for Monk, I wonder if my rating of 4 out of 10 is generous.
We start with Randy and a girlfriend, taking a bit too long to see that he is really enjoying being with her. They are seeking a cab and as they board, we watch Randy and the girl smooching, oblivious to the fact that the cab driver has not followed their instructions on where to go...because he is dead. Eventually the amorous couple discovers this as they see a large pin sticking out of his neck.
For some reason, instead of the captain, Randy and Monk investigating this murder of a taxi driver, there is some sort of task force the captain is heading up, with several other detectives meeting to discuss possible suspects/motives, etc. Monk is more concerned with how neatly the captain write the letter "L" on his board than with the facts of the case and the other detectives seem to not think too highly of him.
Because of a bracelet found in the cab, they go searching for a dancer with the initials LZ, among other things. We next see our regular detectives going to meet a woman named Leyla Zlatavich, who works at some agency in San Francisco helping displaced people from her home country adapt to their new homes. She comes from the fictional country of Zemenia.
The group enters as they see her across the room helping a person. Monk almost immediately declares "She's not the one." (She's not the killer.) We are never given a reason for this, and this is one of the things that bother me. In many episodes he forms a quick conclusion about a suspect but always after talking with him/her and learning something. Here, it seems he formed this opinion only because he was taken with her looks and was almost immediately falling in love.
Aside from hearing her "home alone" alibi, Monk does no investigating on her background, but does continue to try to learn about the killing. Partway through, we learn who the victim was—a person Leyla and others had plenty of reason to hate from what he did to them in the old country.
A key clue was the murder weapon, left in the neck of the victim--an old-fashioned hat pin, the kind worn to attach hats to women's hair back in the 1930s, and thereabouts. Despite the obvious clue this provides (I'm trying not to reveal everything to some reader who hasn't seen the show) nobody INCLUDING Monk seem to think about the importance of the clue.
Far too much time is spent with Monk enjoying this woman's company, including a protracted dance scene. We aren't given any reason for this attraction, nor any reason to think it is a two-way attraction, although the woman is nice to Monk.
In the end, Monk uncovers very few clues, spends too little time seeking the killer, and seems irrationally convinced Leyla is not the killer. This episode is void of almost any humorous scene and lacks the clue-filled drama that exists in the better episodes. Not a horrible story, but for Monk, I wonder if my rating of 4 out of 10 is generous.
Terrible writing, casting and direction
Serengeti8327 April 2015
The plot was threadbare, implausible, and downright lazy- no clues, red herrings, detection, deduction. Not even the usual "here's what happened". Because there was nothing to explain. The casting was atrocious- the woman who was supposed to remind Monk of his angelic wife looked old, unkempt, haggard and definitely not love-at- first-sight material. The thought of Monk being in love with her was impossible to digest. The mother looked more put-together and groomed than her daughter. Her perfectly combed hair wasn't disturbed even in the lukewarm reconciliation scene. And the director was too bored to figure that a woman who had landed two days ago in a city was not likely to have an apartment, much less window boxes filled with her favourite flowers.
Am not in love with this episode
TheLittleSongbird17 September 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.
Despite my love for 'Monk', the show is not exempt from having disappointing episodes. As far as previous episodes go, didn't care for "Mr Monk and the Missing Granny", "Mr Monk and the Rapper", "Mr Monk and the Really Really Dead Guy" and particularly "Mr Monk and the Big Reward" and "Mr Monk Takes a Punch". "Mr Monk Falls in Love" is to me another one of the disappointing episodes. There are definitely things that make it watchable, but the episode did seem to lose some of what is particularly charming about the show.
Let us start off with the positives. 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. Traylor Howard is earthy, sassy and sympathetic.
Natalie is sassy, down to earth and sympathetic, not dull or annoying, and she works really well with Monk and has the odd nice exchange that makes up for her being underused. Disher and particularly Stottlemeyer have some amusing moments, Stottlemeyer has the best and funniest lines here (the humour is sporadic but there is some and pretty much all of it comes from Stottlemeyer) and Disher isn't written as an idiot. It is easy to empathise with Monk and there is some evidence of charming and touching chemistry in the romance.
Traylor Howard, Jason Gray-Stanford and especially Ted Levine are good as usual, and the supporting cast do their best.
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.
However, there aren't enough funny moments, certainly not enough with Monk himself (the funniest it gets is with the hat line and that is hardly classic Monk). There is not enough attention given to Monk's quirks, obsessiveness and OCD, or his methodical observations of the crime which seem neglected here in favour of the romance. The romance does take up too much of the episode, and charm and poignancy doesn't come consistently (the dramatic aspects have been much more relatable and touching in other 'Monk' episodes), too much of it is lukewarm and the chemistry at times awkward. Just when you'd think Monk has found happiness, that's again dashed, seeming to remind us that a great character who has lost a lot can't be happy again.
When it comes to the mystery, that is nearly completely side-lined, and when it does feature it is bland and ridiculous with an important and obvious clue that Monk normally would have made a big thing up but he is too loved up and biased to even take notice. The real revelation is like a contradictory cheat after so much evidence suggesting so much otherwise, usually really like it when things are not what they seem but it felt lazily done here.
Pretty much all the supporting cast don't register, the love interest has her moments but the cop characters that talk down to Monk are incredibly condescending, annoying and pointless. Monk is uncharacteristically oblivious and his awesome detective skills deserve far better than the baseless and too hasty conclusion jumping seen here.
All in all, not in love with the episode sadly. 5/10 Bethany Cox
Despite my love for 'Monk', the show is not exempt from having disappointing episodes. As far as previous episodes go, didn't care for "Mr Monk and the Missing Granny", "Mr Monk and the Rapper", "Mr Monk and the Really Really Dead Guy" and particularly "Mr Monk and the Big Reward" and "Mr Monk Takes a Punch". "Mr Monk Falls in Love" is to me another one of the disappointing episodes. There are definitely things that make it watchable, but the episode did seem to lose some of what is particularly charming about the show.
Let us start off with the positives. 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. Traylor Howard is earthy, sassy and sympathetic.
Natalie is sassy, down to earth and sympathetic, not dull or annoying, and she works really well with Monk and has the odd nice exchange that makes up for her being underused. Disher and particularly Stottlemeyer have some amusing moments, Stottlemeyer has the best and funniest lines here (the humour is sporadic but there is some and pretty much all of it comes from Stottlemeyer) and Disher isn't written as an idiot. It is easy to empathise with Monk and there is some evidence of charming and touching chemistry in the romance.
Traylor Howard, Jason Gray-Stanford and especially Ted Levine are good as usual, and the supporting cast do their best.
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.
However, there aren't enough funny moments, certainly not enough with Monk himself (the funniest it gets is with the hat line and that is hardly classic Monk). There is not enough attention given to Monk's quirks, obsessiveness and OCD, or his methodical observations of the crime which seem neglected here in favour of the romance. The romance does take up too much of the episode, and charm and poignancy doesn't come consistently (the dramatic aspects have been much more relatable and touching in other 'Monk' episodes), too much of it is lukewarm and the chemistry at times awkward. Just when you'd think Monk has found happiness, that's again dashed, seeming to remind us that a great character who has lost a lot can't be happy again.
When it comes to the mystery, that is nearly completely side-lined, and when it does feature it is bland and ridiculous with an important and obvious clue that Monk normally would have made a big thing up but he is too loved up and biased to even take notice. The real revelation is like a contradictory cheat after so much evidence suggesting so much otherwise, usually really like it when things are not what they seem but it felt lazily done here.
Pretty much all the supporting cast don't register, the love interest has her moments but the cop characters that talk down to Monk are incredibly condescending, annoying and pointless. Monk is uncharacteristically oblivious and his awesome detective skills deserve far better than the baseless and too hasty conclusion jumping seen here.
All in all, not in love with the episode sadly. 5/10 Bethany Cox
Episode summed up in 1 word... lazy
shaneduricko23 August 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Monk somehow falls in love at first sight with a complete stranger (who is the prime suspect for the murder) without even talking to her. Then while standing up for her in the evidence briefing in front of the "Task Force" that only appears in this episode to outnumber Monk and ridicule him. Finally it ends with Monk solving the case by obtaining some random clue with 5 minutes to spare in the episode run time, just to have the recently freed woman he loves stop talking to him. I understand this episode was to make Monk more human and not just a super detective, but there is so much dead space and lack of creativity in it that it's unbearable.
caution moron at work
sandcrab27712 December 2019
The moron is perplexed because his new love doesn't understand his compulsion with solving murders ... this episode was more flimsy than others in season seven and the writing is horrid for such a creative staff ... boo, hiss, big miss
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