First and only episode not to begin with "Mr. Monk..."
When Mr. Monk is vacuuming, the original theme is playing.
Monk dancing with the vacuum cleaner is a reference to the commercials in which Fred Astaire was dancing with a digitally added Dirt Devil vacuum cleaner.
The blue birdcage in the inventor's garage is the same birdcage that was in Karl Torini's (the magician) house in Mr. Monk and the Magician (2009) (#7.15).
It is the first time since season 1 to end with the original theme music, albeit with a different arrangement. The original theme music was used on rare occasions after season one. For instance, it was used at the end of Mr. Monk and the T.V. Star (2004) (2004, Season 2) after Marci Maven made Monk swear he'd never change his theme song if he ever got his own show.