'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.
Have always considered "Mr Monk and the Missing Granny" a disappointment, and still do. There have been many instances of not liking something for the first time and then liking it far more over-time, "Mr Monk and the Missing Granny" is not one of them. It's not terrible but is one of the weaker episodes of Season 2 and a lesser 'Monk' episode, as said in my review summary to me it is also the first not-so-good 'Monk' episode, the previous episodes ranging from pretty good to masterpiece.
There are enough good things here. Visually, the episode is shot in a slick and stylish way, and 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.
Some of the writing is fun, if more in the character moments than the case. There is still evidence of hilarious wry humour, lovable quirkiness and tender easy-to-relate-to drama that is delicately done but extremely deft. The standouts are the exchange between Monk and Abrash starting with Monk asking about being at the opera, Julie and Stottlemeyer and seeing Disher undercover as a homeless person.
As ever, the acting is very good. Tony Shalhoub continues to be superb as Monk,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, while the quirks and flaws are genuine and never overplayed. Bitty Schram is sharp yet sympathetic, while Ted Levine and Jason Gray-Stanford both have amusing moments. Really liked the character of Julie and rooted for her and her grandmother.
However, 'Monk' can be a silly show but in a way that's endearingly quirky. Here in "Mr Monk and the Missing Granny" the silliness is overkill that it veers on the ridiculous. No, this has nothing to do with it being an atypical episode with Monk having a different reason for taking on the case and not being a murder case, different can be good and 'Monk' is no stranger to changes of pace (done better). It was enjoyable seeing how Monk solves the case and some of the clues found.
Everything about the criminals' plan was just too far fetched. The motive, the strangest ransom demand ever, their stupidity and over-confidence, that their actions seemed really pointless once the motive was revealed (they could easily have done the crime a different way and perhaps more discreetly), the whole business with the chair at the end (what a way to incriminate yourself), how easy it was to track them down and their framing attempt was just so ridiculous and improbable that it was enough to bring the episode down significantly. Sadly this is a rare case on 'Monk' where the mystery is a complete failure.
Plus the bit with Monk, the ladder and the pipe was, even in the situation he was in, was very out of character for Monk. Usually, considering his phobias, he wouldn't be seen dead doing what he did, but somehow one is meant to believe that he developed that amount of athleticism out of the blue when there were other episodes that did such a great job re-introducing new things and people and giving credible reasons (namely "Mr Monk and the Three Pies").
Overall, a disappointment though watchable. 5/10 Bethany Cox
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