What I’m Watching: Monk (Series Finale)

Monk: Season 8, Episode 16 “Mr. Monk and the End – Part II” (B+)

While this episode isn’t quite as thrilling or exciting as last week’s first part, it’s a more than fitting finale for one of USA’s best shows. A sickly Monk only hours away from his deathbed is still a sharper and more skilled detective than most other cops, and his ability to piece together the clues from his last case is quite impressive. His difficulty watching the tape of Trudy prolonged the revelation of just what happened that led to her death, and it’s somewhat unfortunate that it was so inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. The judge didn’t need to actually off those who knew his darkest secrets, and the choice to take such violent, fatal action seems over the line. Of course, without Trudy’s death, the Monk we’ve come to know and love would never have been created, and he wouldn’t have been able to close his one hundred plus cases and help so many others find the closure he desperately sought for years. Seeing Monk waveringly point a gun at someone is jarring, and though it was fairly obvious that Monk had a plan all along to reveal the judge’s crime, I was worried that he might let his jealousy overcome him and that he would actually kill the judge. Fortunately, Monk controlled himself and they were able to put things right and solve Monk’s most important case. Monk’s therapy session with Dr. Bell was particularly nice in the way it wrapped up the series. The discovery of Trudy’s daughter was a wonderful present for Monk, and just what he needed to cope with having lost her. Seeing him with his collar unbuttoned was a great way to indicate that he has loosened up a bit. It’s great that all three of the other main characters ended up happy too. Monk dying of poison would have been tragic, and it’s so much nicer that things worked out well for everyone. It’s been a great ride, and I’m glad that I only started watching “Monk” in its fifth season, so someday soon when I start getting nostalgic, I can go back and relive the first half of this spectacular show.

Season grade: A-
Series grade: A-
Season MVP: Tony Shalhoub
Series MVP: Tony Shalhoub